To say that 2021 was a turbulent year for security teams would be a massive understatement. Last year, we observed paralyzing ransomware operations against critical infrastructure, supply-chain attacks impacting hundreds of organizations, and state-sponsored espionage campaigns leaving no company—even those with expensive firewalls—feeling safe. Within this messy ecosystem, initial access brokers (IABs) have established themselves […]
Few things make my eyes sparkle like talking about Latin America. Back in 2018, I had the privilege of being able to travel and hitchhike there for more than three months and discover its beautiful lands and people. Ever since, I’ve been dreaming about going back to enjoy breathtaking views and the best empanadas of […]
Note: This blog is part of a three-blog series on Vulnerability Intelligence that accompanies the release of Digital Shadows (now ReliaQuest)’ latest whitepaper titled Vulnerability Intelligence: Do You Know Where Your Flaws Are? The numerous roadblocks facing vulnerability management (VM) teams are one of the key points raised in our vulnerability Intelligence research. Whether you […]
As the end of the year approaches, it’s time once again to look at the initial access broker (IAB) activity in the previous quarter. For those who didn’t catch our research paper released in March 2021, IABs act as a middleman by identifying vulnerable organizations and selling access to them to the highest bidder. These […]
Initial access brokers (IABs) are enablers of high-level cybercriminal activity. They identify weak points in their targets’ systems and networks, and sell these accesses to prospective attackers for profit. Essentially, doing the dirty work for other cybercriminals. They have become increasingly active, and are likely raking the profits in, big-time. Why have we seen an […]
Ransomware, Ransomware, Ransomware Unless you’ve been on a quiet sabbatical or otherwise offline and not watching the news for the last year or so, it’s been the talk of the town. Ransomware is one of those recent topics that has left cybersecurity circles to hit the public consciousness. It’s been all over the media, […]
In mid-May 2021, multiple cybercriminal forums prohibited users from advertising ransomware and affiliated partnership programs. Law enforcement agencies worldwide have focused on ransomware groups following a succession of high-profile ransomware attacks in 2021, including the highly disruptive Colonial Pipeline attack. By banning ransomware, cybercriminal forums attempted to reduce their profile and avoid potential legal repercussions. […]
Back in March 2021, Digital Shadows (now ReliaQuest) published a research report titled Initial Access Brokers: An Excess of Access, analyzing more than 500 access listings across 2020 and initiating a discussion around the figure of Initial Access Brokers (IABs). Ever since, IABs have consolidated their role in the cybercriminal landscape and have now become […]
Ransomware has continued to dominate the headlines, new attacks, new groups, new data leak sites, and new tactics. Quarter over quarter for the past 12 months, ransomware attacks have increased, with an overall increase of 458% from 2019 to 2020. In our Q1 Ransomware Trends Report of 2021, we additionally observed increased professionalization of ransomware […]
Note: This blog is an overview of password history and best practices for individuals in honor of World Password Day, if you’d like to get started with implementing better security practices at your organization get our Exposed Credentials Solutions Guide here. Hooray! It’s World Password Day, meaning we have another chance to get passwords right […]