SecurityBrief New Zealand - Technology news for CISOs & cybersecurity decision-makers
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Kiwi Stories

ATEED launches new tools to measure economic performance
ATEED

ATEED launches new tools to measure economic performance

The Growth Monitor highlights key information about Auckland's people, businesses, economy and sectors of competitiveness.

By Kai Ping Lew • 2 min read • Wed, 8th Nov 2017

Global Stories

New research finds China tampering with public vulnerability data
Cybersecurity

New research finds China tampering with public vulnerability data

Recorded Future believes China has been altering public vulnerability data to allow the Ministry of State Security to play with it first.

By Ashton Young • 3 min read • Mon, 12th Mar 2018
REPORT: Ransomware decreasing in quantity but increasing in potency
Malware

REPORT: Ransomware decreasing in quantity but increasing in potency

A new report from SonicWall has shed light on the current threat landscape with the company recording an astonishing 9.32b malware attacks in 2017.

By Ashton Young • 4 min read • Wed, 7th Mar 2018
Chinese websites targeted in drive-by download attack that drops DDoS bot
Distributed Denial of Service

Chinese websites targeted in drive-by download attack that drops DDoS bot

Chinese websites are under siege by a drive-by download campaign planting the decade-old Avzhan DDoS bot, Malwarebytes Labs reveals.

By Sara Barker • 3 min read • Tue, 27th Feb 2018
State-sponsored North Korean cyberespionage group continues to weaponize tactics
Breach Prevention

State-sponsored North Korean cyberespionage group continues to weaponize tactics

The North Korean threat group known to some as Reaper (APT37) is eyeing bigger targets with more sophisticated tactics.

By Sara Barker • 3 min read • Wed, 21st Feb 2018
New email spam campaign ditches traditional Office macro infection tactic
Malware

New email spam campaign ditches traditional Office macro infection tactic

A new wave of spam emails use Microsoft Office documents to download password stealers without having to activate Macros.

By Sara Barker • 3 min read • Mon, 19th Feb 2018
ASUSTOR responds to Spectre & Meltdown with ADM update
Semiconductors

ASUSTOR responds to Spectre & Meltdown with ADM update

ASUSTOR is releasing updates to its ADM this week as part of its efforts to fix the Meltdown security vulnerabilities.

By Sara Barker • 2 min read • Wed, 14th Feb 2018
Cisco ASA appliances at risk of denial of service exploit
Cisco

Cisco ASA appliances at risk of denial of service exploit

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has issued an official alert to those who use Cisco's Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA).

By Sara Barker • 2 min read • Tue, 13th Feb 2018
Attackers unleash Lokibot malware on unpatched Windows systems
Malware

Attackers unleash Lokibot malware on unpatched Windows systems

Lokibot malware targets unpatched Windows systems exploiting CVE-2017-11882; researchers urge timely updates and restricted installer access to combat threats.

By Sara Barker • 2 min read • Tue, 13th Feb 2018
Intel releases Spectre & Meltdown patches for some Skylake processors
Semiconductors

Intel releases Spectre & Meltdown patches for some Skylake processors

Intel has rolled out patches for Spectre and Meltdown flaws in some Skylake processors, aiming to enhance data security amid previous update issues.

By Sara Barker • 3 min read • Mon, 12th Feb 2018
42% of Alexa-ranked websites are open invites for attackers
Unified Communications

42% of Alexa-ranked websites are open invites for attackers

A staggering 42% of top Alexa-ranked websites are vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to outdated software and compromised content, finds Menlo Security.

By Sara Barker • 3 min read • Wed, 7th Feb 2018
North Korean threat group suspected to be behind Adobe Flash exploit
Marketing Technologies

North Korean threat group suspected to be behind Adobe Flash exploit

An exploit that targeted an Adobe Flash vulnerability looks to be the work of a North Korean group called TEMP.Reaper.

By Sara Barker • 3 min read • Mon, 5th Feb 2018
Oracle MICROS POS vulnerability may compromise 330,000 POS systems
Marketing Technologies

Oracle MICROS POS vulnerability may compromise 330,000 POS systems

A vulnerability in Oracle's POS systems may affect more than 330,000 payment systems across the globe, putting files and sensitive information at risk.

By Sara Barker • 2 min read • Fri, 2nd Feb 2018
Zyklon HTTP malware creates gaping backdoors through MS Office exploits
Malware

Zyklon HTTP malware creates gaping backdoors through MS Office exploits

Zyklon HTTP malware is described as a publicly-available and fully featured backdoor that is able to conduct DDoS attacks, steal passwords...

By Sara Barker • 3 min read • Mon, 22nd Jan 2018
Meltdown and Spectre fallout: patching problems persist
Intel

Meltdown and Spectre fallout: patching problems persist

Patching difficulties persist as the tech industry grapples with the fallout from Meltdown and Spectre, highlighting flaws in nearly all modern processors.

By Jerome Boursier • 3 min read • Fri, 12th Jan 2018
Intel processor vulnerabilities: What you need to know about Meltdown and Spectre
Semiconductors

Intel processor vulnerabilities: What you need to know about Meltdown and Spectre

Desktops, laptops, and smartphones running on vulnerable processors can be exposed to unauthorized access and information theft.

By Kai Ping Lew • 3 min read • Mon, 8th Jan 2018
Apple confirms that macOS and iOS are vulnerable to Meltdown bugs
iOS

Apple confirms that macOS and iOS are vulnerable to Meltdown bugs

Security issues known as Meltdown and Spectre affect all modern processors, including Apple's Mac systems and iOS devices. No known exploits at this time.

By Jacques-Pierre (JP) Dumas • 2 min read • Mon, 8th Jan 2018
Apple addresses serious root access vulnerability in latest MacOS High Sierra update
Privileged Access Management

Apple addresses serious root access vulnerability in latest MacOS High Sierra update

Apple has been quick to address the major CVE-2017-13872 security flaw in its macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 operating system.

By Sara Barker • 3 min read • Thu, 30th Nov 2017