The prevalence of cybercrime-as-a-service is highlighted by the detection of 17.8 million phishing emails between December 2023 and July 2024.
Description
During this period, Darktrace researchers identified a significant number of phishing emails, with 62% evading DMARC checks [5] [6] [7]. Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) and Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) models continue to pose threats, providing cybercriminals with pre-made tools and templates [3]. Notable threats included information-stealing malware [4] [7], trojans [3] [4] [5] [6] [7], RATs [3] [4] [7], botnets [3] [4] [5] [6] [7], and loaders [3] [4] [5] [7]. New ransomware variants like Qilin, Akira [1] [2] [3] [5], Lockbit [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6], and Black Basta are employing advanced tactics, such as double extortion methods [1] [3] [5]. Phishing attacks using legitimate third-party services like Dropbox and Slack are on the rise. Vulnerabilities in edge infrastructure devices [3], such as Ivanti Connect Secure, JetBrains TeamCity [3], FortiClient Enterprise Management Server [3], and Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS [1] [2] [3] [4], were exploited in 40% of cases investigated [3]. Organizations are advised to implement a multi-layered email security strategy, incorporating AI-driven anomaly detection and behavioral analysis [3].
Conclusion
The evolving cyber threat landscape underscores the risks associated with cybercrime-as-a-service, including the rise of Qilin ransomware and the use of double extortion methods. Edge infrastructure compromise and exploitation of vulnerabilities in devices like Ivanti Connect Secure and Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS are key concerns [1] [4], emphasizing the need for organizations to remain vigilant against existing attack trends and CVE exploitation.
References
[1] https://www.adsadvance.co.uk/darktrace-releases-half-year-threat-report-2024.html
[2] https://hipther.com/artificial-intelligence/2024/08/06/76102/darktrace-half-year-threat-report-2024-reveals-persistent-cybercrime-as-a-service-threats-amidst-evolving-attack-landscape/0/
[3] https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/178m-phishing-emails-detected-h1/
[4] https://absolutefusion.my/2024/08/newswire/darktrace-half-year-threat-report-2024-reveals-persistent-cybercrime-as-a-service-threats-amidst-evolving-attack-landscape/
[5] https://cioinfluence.com/security/darktrace-2024-report-reveals-persistent-cybercrime-as-a-service-amidst-evolving-threats/
[6] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/darktrace-half-threat-report-2024-070000180.html
[7] https://betanews.com/2024/08/06/62-percent-of-phishing-emails-pass-dmarc-checks/
