Apurva Venkat
Principal Correspondent
Apurva Venkat is principal correspondent for the India editions of CIO, CSO, and Computerworld. She has previously worked at ISMG, IDG India, Bangalore Mirror, and Business Standard, where she reported on developments in technology, businesses, startups, fintech, e-commerce, cybersecurity, civic news, and education.
US sanctions four North Korean entities for global cyberattacks
North Korean hackers stole more virtual currency in 2022 than in any previous year, with estimates ranging from $630 million to over $1 billion — reportedly doubling Pyongyang’s total cybertheft proceeds in 2021.
Guerrilla malware is preinfected on 8.9 million Android devices, Trend Micro says
Guerilla malware, distributed by cybercrime gang Lemon Group, can load additional payloads, intercept one-time passwords from SMS texts, set up a reverse proxy from the infected device, and infiltrate WhatsApp sessions.
Russian national indicted for ransomware attacks against the US
Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev is charged with conspiring to transmit ransom demands, conspiring to damage protected computers, and intentionally damaging protected computers.
Attacker uses the Azure Serial Console to gain access to Microsoft VM
Using the access to virtual machines the attackers employed malicious use of the Serial Console on Azure Virtual Machines to install third-party remote management software within client environments.
New APT targets South and Southeast Asia with custom-written backdoor
Lancefly has been deploying the Merdoor backdoor in highly targeted attacks since 2018 to establish persistence, execute commands, and perform keylogging on corporate networks.
Hackers exploit WordPress vulnerability within hours of PoC exploit release
The exploitation of the vulnerability leads to a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack in which a threat actor can inject malicious scripts, redirects, advertisements, and other forms of URL manipulation into a victim site.
New DownEx malware campaign targets Central Asia
While the attacks have not been attributed to any specific threat actor, it is likely that a Russian group is responsible for the attacks, according to researchers at Bitdefender.
Make them pay: Hackers devise new tactics to ensure ransomware payment
Payouts from ransomware victims declined by 38% in 2022, which has prompted hackers to adopt more professional and corporate tactics to ensure higher returns.
Microsoft patches 3 vulnerabilities in Azure API Management
The vulnerabilities comprise url formatting bypasses and an unrestricted file upload functionality in the API Management developer portal, according to cybersecurity firm Ermetic.
Malware disguised as ChatGPT apps are being used to lure victims, Meta says
Since March, Meta has discovered malware using ChatGPT and other AI themes to steal user data and compromise business accounts.
BlackCat group releases screenshots of stolen Western Digital data
The screenshots included an image of a meeting that was held by the company to discuss the response to the recent cybersecurity incident.