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Microsoft SQL servers hit by Cobalt Strike attacks
Security researchers have identified a new campaign installing Cobalt Strike beacons on poorly protected Microsoft SQL Servers.
Plenty of MS-SQL Server instances are exposed to the internet by carrying weak passwords, something many threat actors know how to abuse - and cybersecurity researchers from Ahn Lab’s ASEC have now found someone doing just that.Â
First, they scan the internet for endpoints with an open TCP port 1433. Then, they conduct brute-force attacks against those servers, trying out an infinite number of passwords until one sticks. The password needs to be relatively easy to guess, in order for the attack to work, the researchers added.Â
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Abusing legitimate software
Once the attackers are in, it’s just a matter of preference, what they install. Sometimes it’s cryptocurrency miners such as LemonDuck, KingMiner, or Vollgar, but most of the time, it’s Cobalt Strike.
Cobalt Strike is a paid penetration testing product, often abused by threat actors for nefarious purposes. It enables persistence, and lateral movement, throughout the target network. Threat actors can use it to execute commands, log keys, escalate privileges, scan for ports, and steal credentials. What’s more, its fileless shellcode reduces the chances of the instance being spotted by antivirus solutions.
"As the beacon that receives the attacker’s command and performs the malicious behavior does not exist in a suspicious memory area and instead operates in the normal module wwanmm.dll, it can bypass memory-based detection," the researchers explain.
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While the name of the attacker(s) remains a mystery, AhnLab did say that all of the download URLs, as well as the C2 server URLs, used in these recent attacks, point to the same threat actor.Â
The best way to remain secure is to keep a strong password, which includes a string of both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, as well as symbols. Avoid using numbers in sequence (123, 789), meaningful dates (birthdays, for example), or names that could be obtained through social engineering (street names, names of significant others, children, pets, etc.).
Strong passwords aside, users are also advised to keep the server behind a firewall, log everything, and keep both eyes out for suspicious actions. They should also make sure all of the software is frequently updated.
- Check out our list of the best firewalls today
Via: BleepingComputer
Date
23 Feb 2022Sources
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Apple's MacBook Air M1 is on sale for just $799 in incredible Black Friday deal
Read MoreThe latest Apple MacBook Air M1 is just $799 (was $999) right now, thanks to Amazon's latest Black Friday deals - its cheapest price ever.
If you land through and see a price of $949, then note, a further $150 discount is actually being applied at checkout here, yielding an incredibly low price for this fantastic ultrabook. It goes without saying this is easily the best deal yet on this model and one that's already being snapped up quickly at the retailer.
In fact, immediate stock has already sold out - which is the unfortunate 'catch' with this particular Macbook Air deal at Amazon. You can, however, still buy yourself one at this cheapest-ever price - something that's probably wise to do sooner rather than later since it's hard to say how long this Black Friday deal will stick around for.
As the current top spot on our best laptops buyer's guide, the 2020 Apple MacBook Air M1 is an easy recommendation from us. Since launch, it's held that spot, and we think it's a fantastic compromise between power, style, and price. While not quite as powerful as the latest MacBook Pro's, the M1 Air still blows away most Window's ultrabooks - especially at this price. It's also got quite possibly the best battery life you'll find anywhere on a laptop, as well as that gorgeous design these Apple machines are known for.
Put simply, If you're looking to jump on the iOS bandwagon, then there's simply never been a better time to be shopping for MacBook deals.
Outside the US? See the best Black Friday MacBook deals in your region just down below.
Apple MacBook Air M1 Black Friday deal
Apple MacBook Air (2020, M1)
$999$799.99 at Amazon
Save $200 - The 2020 Apple MacBook Air is down to its lowest ever price in today's Amazon Black Friday deals. With a great design, tons of power, and industry-leading battery life, there's a reason this one's our favorite laptop of 2021. This is a prime opportunity to bag this stunning ultrabook for cheap but hurry - there's no telling how long this price will stick around for.
Looking for a different model? We recommend our main Black Friday MacBook deals for today's best prices on the Pro models. Alternatively, head on over to our Black Friday laptop deals page for leading Window's machines from Dell, HP, and more.
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