Category: BAI Security Blog

CryptoWall Is Back – Beware Infected “Help” Files

A new wave of ransomware attacks are using .chm attachments to execute malware that encrypts files on infected machines. The files remain locked until a ransom is paid in bitcoin currency. And all it takes is one careless employee’s click to infect a network. .chm is the file extension used by the Compiled HTML file format, once widely utilized to deliver user manuals in digital format. These help files contain compressed HTML documents, images and JavaScript files, a hyperlinked table of contents, an index, and are fully searchable. Due to their interactive nature, and the fact that CHM files can carry malicious payloads without being detected by antivirus software, .chm files were once among the favored tools of malicious hackers.

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BAI Security March 10, 2015
BAI Security Audit

BAI Security: “Most Promising Enterprise Security Companies”

BAI Security is pleased and proud to announce that we have been included in the CIO Review Enterprise Security list of the “20 Most Promising Enterprise Security Companies.” The companies included in this year’s list were selected by a panel of CIOs and CEOs of public companies, analysts, and the CIO Review editorial board. The list highlights a select group of companies that “provide uniquely effective approaches to enterprise security threats.” CIO’s write-up also states that it “believes these companies have achieved significant momentum and will rise above the rest.” So you can see why we’re so pleased to be included. In CIO Review’s article on BAI Security, we were (correctly!) described as a “singularly-focused IT Security and Compliance firm

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BAI Security March 3, 2015
BAI Security Audit

Update on Superfish/Komodia Malware – How to find and remove it

As we get more details about the ugly Superfish debacle, it’s become apparent that the impact of this malware extends further than a limited amount of laptops compromised by a manufacturer (Lenovo) eager to monetize customer’s screen space. Lenovo says it only wanted to “enhance the online shopping experience” for its users. (Of course, as many of us have learned, if it “enhances the online experience” it should immediately raise security suspicions). The other two companies involved are search startup Superfish (whose eponymous software is the malware in question), and a software “solution provider” Komodia. Superfish used one of Komodia’s software development kit, which is clearly identified as an SSL Hijacker, in its adware. Lenovo factory-installed the Superfish “visual search”

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BAI Security February 25, 2015
Attack

Huge Development In Cyber Espionage Tech

The United States has reportedly managed to develop a method that allows it to permanently embed surveillance and malware tools in computers and networks around the world, according to Kaspersky Lab, a Russian cybersecurity firm. Kaspersky presented its research at a conference in Mexico Monday night. They have dubbed the creators of this technique the “Equation Group,” and have broadly hinted that it is tied to the U.S National Security Agency and its military partner, United States Cyber Command, due in part to a similarity between Stuxnet – the computer worm that disabled about 1,000 centrifuges in Iran’s nuclear enrichment program – and the new malware platform. But the Equation’s level of sophistication makes Stuxnet seem like child play, according

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BAI Security February 19, 2015
BAI Security Compromise Assessment

The Great (Digital) Bank Robbery: Protect your network from “Carbanak” Malware

More details are emerging on the international cybercrime ring based out of Eastern Europe who made off with some $1 billion in two years from 100 different banks in nearly 30 countries. Their main attack venue was spearphishing emails with a CPL or Word document attachment, sent to employees of financial firms and retail organizations. Computers were then infected with a Trojan backdoor that collects data, and provides remote access to the machines. The code used in the malware was digitally signed and appeared to many vulnerability scanners to be legitimate code. In some cases, the vulnerabilities exploited were in Microsoft Office software, rather than in the operating system itself. Apparently some of the companies who were hacked were updating

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BAI Security February 23, 2015
Audit

PCI DSS 3.0: Are You In Compliance Yet?

The new Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard 3.0 (PCI DSS 3.0) that went into effect on January 1 contains significant changes.  Some of the requirements will remain suggested best practices until July 1, 2015. After that, they too become mandatory. PCI 3.0 will have the greatest impact on e-commerce merchants who partner with third parties for payment card data collection, along with third party service providers who remotely manage merchant systems and networks.  Up to version 2.0 of the PCI DSS, fully outsourcing an e-commerce payment system via a redirect payment company put the web environment out of scope. The web environment didn’t touch payment card data, and therefore did not have to meet PCI requirements. But now, under

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BAI Security February 12, 2015

What You Need To Know About Car Hacking

That snazzy new car may be looking a little less appealing right now, following this week’s 60 Minutes show on car hacking, teamed with a Senator’s report detailing how wireless technologies in new cars can be exploited by both criminals and marketing mavens. Bottom line: the chances of your car being hacked, right now and in the near future, to the point that your life and safety are in danger, is infinitesimal. The attack demonstrated in the 60 Minutes spot – causing a car to lose its braking ability via what appeared to be a denial of service attack aimed at the car’s OnStar system –  along with other proof of concept attacks, were done under controlled conditions. There is

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BAI Security February 10, 2015

A Benchmark For Managing Conduct Risk

Regulators are increasingly interested in how financial firms are managing conduct risk. Thomson Reuters’ second annual survey on conduct risk identifies the most important industry-wide trends, and is based on a global survey of more than 200 compliance and risk practitioners from financial services firms. The report can act as a framework against which firms can benchmark their own views, preparations, progress and expectations against those of their peers. Primary points of interest include: Eighty-one percent of firms surveyed by Thomson Reuters’ are unclear about what conduct risk is and how to deal with it. Thomson Reuters’ rather dryly points out that this lack of knowledge will make conduct risk management a major challenge for firms in 2015, and expects

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BAI Security February 6, 2015
Attack

Securing Billions of Smart Things

There are roughly 25 billion smart devices and objects busily gathering data and beaming information back to their respective motherships (and business partners).  That’s up from 7 billion things a mere five years ago. And five years from now? The consensus is 50 billion things will be interconnected, merrily gathering data, and making our lives easier/transforming the world into a marketer’s magic kingdom. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has signaled its strong interest in bringing privacy enforcement to the so-called Internet of Things (IoT), with the release of its “voluntary standards” report this week.  We put those two works inside quotes because while the standards are voluntary right now, it’s a safe bet that they will be used in

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BAI Security February 3, 2015
Cyber Attack

HAS SLOPPY SECURITY SLIPPED INTO YOUR NETWORK ECOSYSTEM?

Much has been said about Sony, and much remains to be said. But the bottom line is that Sony was a cyber attack that was simply waiting to happen. This is a company that has been repeatedly hit by malicious hackers who, angered by Sony’s approach to Digital Rights Management, were determined to wreck havoc on Sony systems. And yet the company apparently did not encrypt personal data and other sensitive information. While blaming a victim is never nice, Sony could have done much more to protect itself. The successful attack on JP Morgan Chase is the attack that we should all be focused on and learning from. There were protections in place at JP Morgan. And yet hackers still

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BAI Security December 23, 2014

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