Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Microsoft on Tuesday said it disrupted a malware-signing-as-a-service (MSaaS) operation that weaponized the company's Artifact Signing system to deliver malicious code and conduct ransomware and other attacks, compromising thousands of machines and networks across the world

Fox Tempest is a financially motivated threat actor operating a malware‑signing‑as‑a‑service (MSaaS) used by other cybercriminals, including Vanilla Tempest and Storm groups, to more effectively distribute malicious code, including ransomware. The post Exposing Fox Tempest: A malware-signing service operation appeared first on Microsoft Security Blog.

Unrestricted large language models (LLMs) like WormGPT 4 and KawaiiGPT are improving their capabilities to generate malicious code, delivering functional scripts for ransomware encryptors and lateral movement. [...]

Researchers raise the alarm that a new, rapidly evolving ransomware strain uses an OpenAI model to render and execute malicious code in real time, ushering in a new era of cyberattacks against enterprises.

The Qilin ransomware operation has recently joined attacks exploiting two Fortinet vulnerabilities that allow bypassing authentication on vulnerable devices and executing malicious code remotely. [...]

'Real Danger' Alert for Unpatched Veeam Servers Attached to a Production DomainWidely used Veeam Backup & Replication software has been patched to fix a critical vulnerability that could be abused to remotely exploit malicious code. Security experts recommend rapid patching, given ransomware and other groups' repeat targeting of the software.

Some employees steal sticky notes, others 'borrow' malicious code A crew identified as a Chinese government-backed espionage group appears to have started moonlighting as a ransomware player – further evidence that lines are blurring between nation-state cyberspies and financially motivated cybercriminals.…

Also: Dangers of Malicious Code Embedded in ML Models; Is Ransomware in Decline?AI's influence on social engineering and election security has become a focal point at Black Hat. ISMG editors discuss how advanced technologies are making it easier to manipulate people and compromise security systems and offer key insights on machine learning vulnerabilities.

Last week, the United States joined the U.K. and Australia in sanctioning and charging a Russian man named Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev as the leader of the infamous LockBit ransomware group. LockBit's leader "LockBitSupp" claims the feds named the wrong guy, saying the charges don't explain how they connected him to Khoroshev. This post examines the activities of Khoroshev's many alter egos on the cybercrime forums, and tracks the career of a gifted malware author who has written and sold malicious code for the past 14 years.

The bug allowed cyber-criminals to remotely execute malicious code without authentication credentials

The malware’s abuse of PowerShell makes it more dangerous, allowing for more advanced attacks such as ransomware, fileless malware, and malicious code memory injections.

Symantec team warns ransomware and spying could be next Internet fiends are using a relatively new piece of a malicious code dubbed Verblecon to install cryptominers on infected computers. …