Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Microsoft says it has disrupted a malware-signing-as-a-service (MSaaS) operation that abused the company's Artifact Signing service to generate fraudulent code-signing certificates used by ransomware gangs and other cybercriminals. [...]

Fox Tempest, a financially-motivated threat group, allowed ransomware operators and other cybercriminals to slip malware-laced software past security controls. The post Microsoft disrupts cybercrime service that abused software verification systems en masse appeared first on CyberScoop.

INTERPOL on Friday announced the takedown of 45,000 malicious IP addresses and servers used in connection with phishing, malware, and ransomware campaigns, as part of the agency's ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt emerging threats, and safeguard victims from scams

Ransomware, malware-as-a-service, infostealers benefit MOIS, too Iranian government-backed snoops are increasingly using cybercrime malware and ransomware infrastructure in their operations - not just hiding behind criminal masks as a cover for destructive cyber activity, according to security researchers.…

The FBI has seized the notorious RAMP cybercrime forum, a platform used to advertise a wide range of malware and hacking services, and one of the few remaining forums that openly allowed the promotion of ransomware operations. [...]

The FBI thought they shut this all down in 2023, but the duck quacked again Uncle Sam on Thursday unsealed criminal charges and a civil forfeiture case against a Russian national accused of leading the cybercrime ring behind Qakbot, notorious malware that infected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide and helped fuel ransomware attacks costing victims tens of millions of dollars.…

Threat hunters have shed light on a "sophisticated and evolving malware toolkit" called Ragnar Loader that's used by various cybercrime and ransomware groups like Ragnar Locker (aka Monstrous Mantis), FIN7, FIN8, and Ruthless Mantis (ex-REvil)

Both Ransomware Operations Remain Active and Pose a Threat, Experts WarnRansomware business moves: Attacks tied to BlackLock have been surging, likely bolstered by the group's custom-built malware, while the long-running Black Basta operation remains a threat, even as it looks set to disband due to core members facing "fatigue," report cybercrime experts.

An analysis of HellCat and Morpheus ransomware operations has revealed that affiliates associated with the respective cybercrime entities are using identical code for their ransomware payloads

Stephen Doughty Says Cybersecurity Vital to National And Economic SecurityThe British government will continue disruptive actions against ransomware and malware operators, a top U.K. government official vowed Wednesday. Stephen Doughty, Minister of State, said the recently elected U.K. government views security as a core pillar of economic and strategic growth.

Law enforcement agencies in the United States and Europe today announced Operation Endgame, a coordinated action against some of the most popular cybercrime platforms for delivering ransomware and data-stealing malware. Dubbed "the largest ever operation against botnets," the international effort is being billed as the opening salvo in an ongoing campaign targeting advanced malware "droppers" or "loaders" like IcedID, Smokeloader and Trickbot.

Microsoft says Kim’s hermit nation is pivoting to latest tools as it evolves in cyberspace A brand-new cybercrime group that Microsoft ties to North Korea is tricking targets using fake job opportunities to launch malware and ransomware, all for financial gain.…

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.

Efforts part of internationally coordinated operations carried out in recent months Interpol has arrested 31 people following a three-month operation to stamp out various types of cybercrime.…

An international law enforcement operation code-named 'Synergia' has taken down over 1,300 command and control servers used in ransomware, phishing, and malware campaigns. [...]

In 2023, we saw numerous law enforcement operations targeting cybercrime operations, including cryptocurrency scams, phishing attacks, credential theft, malware development, and ransomware attacks. [...]

Data security is in the headlines often, and it’s almost never for a positive reason. Major breaches, new ways to hack into an organization’s supposedly secure data, and other threats make the news because well, it’s scary — and expensive.  Data breaches, ransomware and malware attacks, and other cybercrime might be pricey to prevent, but they are even more costly when they occur, with the 

The U.S. government today announced a coordinated crackdown against QakBot, a complex malware family used by multiple cybercrime groups to lay the groundwork for ransomware infections. The international law enforcement operation involved seizing control over the botnet's online infrastructure, and quietly removing the Qakbot malware from tens of thousands of infected Microsoft Windows computer systems.

WormGPT, a private new chatbot service advertised as a way to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help write malicious software without all the pesky prohibitions on such activity enforced by ChatGPT and Google Bard, has started adding restrictions on how the service can be used. Faced with customers trying to use WormGPT to create ransomware and phishing scams, the 23-year-old Portuguese programmer who created the project now says his service is slowly morphing into “a more controlled environment.” The large language models (LLMs) made by ChatGPT parent OpenAI or Google or Microsoft all have various safety measures designed to prevent people from abusing them for nefarious purposes — such as creating malware or hate speech. In contrast, WormGPT has promoted itself as a new LLM that was created specifically for cybercrime activities.

The cybercrime group has given its backdoor malware a facelift in an attempt to evade detection, making some bug fixes and setting itself up to deliver its latest crimeware toy, BlackCat.