Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Akira Ransomware Exploited MFA-Protected SonicWall SSL VPNs, Say ResearchersSonicWall said it is probing a surge in attacks against its Gen 7 firewalls, running various firmware versions, which have SSL VPN enabled. Researchers said attackers may have been exploiting a zero-day vulnerability and that multiple victims have been infected with Akira ransomware.

Trellix's John Fokker Advises CISOs to Prioritize Patching, MFA, Network VisibilityThreat actors aren't rushing to adopt AI tools to exploit vulnerabilities. "They still prefer a victim with weak passwords, bad MFA, bad patching. It is the easiest way to make money for criminals so they don't have to invest in AI," said John Fokker, head of threat intelligence at Trellix.

AICD's Figueroa on Business-Focused Communication for Authentication ProgressModern phishing tactics now leverage voice, SMS and AI-powered impersonation, yet many Asia-Pacific organizations continue relying on vulnerable single-factor authentication, said Marco Figueroa, senior manager of cyber security, risk and compliance at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Also: VPN Vulnerabilities Attract Hackers, Hackers Use Swiss Mail to Send MalwareThis week, Russia suspected in Balctic Sea cable sabotage, VPNs draw ransomware attackers and Swiss snail mail malware. An AI training company reported a cybertheft of $250,000 and a U.S. space firm reported a breach. Microsoft said it will pay $$$ for AI vulnerabilities and a MFA success story.

Joe Sullivan Also Discusses Identity Management, AI, State of Information SharingIn the latest weekly update, Joe Sullivan, CEO of Ukraine Friends, joins three editors at ISMG to discuss the challenges of being a CISO in 2024, growing threats from disinformation, vulnerabilities in MFA, AI's role in cybersecurity, and the obstacles to public-private information sharing.