Author: HackWatchit

Kent Ickler // ADVISORY: The techniques and tools referenced within this blog post may be outdated and do not apply to current situations. However, there is still potential for this blog entry to be used as an opportunity to learn and to possibly update or integrate into modern tools and techniques. In my recent post, we installed and got Cacti up and running. Now, we’re going to add our first switch into Cacti’s services. Switch: This is an HP-Procurve line switch. Because we’re going to configure the switch from the command line the general configuration will apply to multiple models within the…

Barracuda Networks unveiled the BarracudaONE AI-powered cybersecurity platform. BarracudaONE maximizes threat protection and cyber resilience by unifying layered security defenses and providing deep, intelligent threat detection and response for managed service providers (MSPs), other channel partners and end users. BarracudaONE simplifies and strengthens security operations by unifying Barracuda’s comprehensive portfolio of solutions into a single, integrated platform. It delivers layered threat protection, managed through a centralized dashboard, reducing operational complexity and improving visibility. By consolidating key security functions, BarracudaONE minimizes the administrative burden and enhances overall cyber resilience. Advanced, battle-tested AI – integrated across Barracuda’s solutions and fine-tuned over years…

An Iranian man has admitted his role in a major international ransomware operation that caused tens of millions of dollars in damages and severely disrupted public services across the United States. Sina Gholinejad, 37, entered a guilty plea on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, for his part in deploying the Robbinhood ransomware. This criminal enterprise targeted cities, businesses, and healthcare organizations, locking down their computer systems and demanding ransom payments. Starting in January 2019, Gholinejad and his co-conspirators, who operated from overseas, gained unauthorized access to the victim’s computer networks. They would then steal information and use the Robbinhood ransomware to…

When Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly issued Binding Operational Directive 25-01 in December, she was signaling a critical shift in how federal agencies protect their cloud environments. The directive, “Implementing Secure Practices for Cloud Services,” targets the growing vulnerabilities in federal cloud systems, requiring agencies to take unprecedented steps to secure their Microsoft 365 environments by June 20, 2025. The potential for inter-agency collaboration While BOD 25-01 doesn’t explicitly mandate inter-agency cooperation, this ambitious directive creates an environment ripe for collaboration and knowledge sharing. As agencies face common challenges in implementing secure cloud baselines, there’s potential for…

Regulations are often a contentious topic. While some argue they hinder innovation by introducing excessive bureaucracy, others contend that the absence of clear rules can lead to unquantified risks with wide-reaching consequences—from consumers and organizations to entire markets. However, there are moments when both sides of the debate align—and cybersecurity is one of those cases. But you may wonder, why cybersecurity? What is happening in this space that creates the required synergies? The answer is that there are two main drivers for this: The rising frequency and sophistication of ransomware attacks have severely impacted organizations, causing reputational, financial, and in…

A cyberattack hit hospitals operated by Covenant Health Pierluigi Paganini June 02, 2025 A cyberattack hit three hospitals operated by Covenant Health, forcing them to shut down all systems to contain the incident. Three hospitals run by Covenant Health were hit by a cyberattack, prompting them to shut down all their systems to contain the security incident. “St. Mary’s is currently experiencing a temporary system issue that is affecting some phones and documentation systems.” reads the message published by the St. Mary’s Health System. “Care is continuing, but this may lead to longer wait times in some areas.” “Due to…

Joff Thyer & Derek Banks // Editor’s Note: This is a more in-depth write-up based on the webcast which can be watched here. As penetration testers, we often find ourselves in the position of making recommendations for “increasing visibility for endpoints” with respect to event logging. We usually feel great about this, because it is without a doubt, a sound recommendation founded on good evidence. What evidence do you ask? When we’re penetration testing, we have specific patterns of behavior that leave a trail of evidence; however, this evidence is rarely found on central servers. Most of the action is occurring…

The rise of cybercrime has made fraudulent webpage detection an essential task in ensuring that the internet is safe. It is evident that these risks, such as the theft of private information, malware, and viruses, are associated with online activities on emails, social media applications, and websites. These web threats, called malicious URLs, are used by cybercriminals to lure users to visit web pages that appear real or legitimate. This paper explores the development of a deep learning system involving a transformer algorithm to detect malicious URLs with the aim of improving an existing method such as Long Short-Term Memory…

BitMEX said it has thwarted an attempted phishing attack by the Lazarus Group, describing the attempt as using “unsophisticated” phishing methods by the notorious North Korea-linked group.In a blog post published on May 30, the crypto exchange detailed how an employee was approached via LinkedIn under the guise of a Web3 NFT collaboration. The attacker tried to lure the target into running a GitHub project containing malicious code on their computer, a tactic the firm says has become a hallmark of Lazarus’ operations.”The interaction is pretty much known if you are familiar with Lazarus’ tactics,” BitMEX wrote, adding that the security…