Author: HackWatchit

Microsoft warns about the security risks posed by default configurations in Kubernetes deployments, particularly those using out-of-the-box Helm charts, which could publicly expose sensitive data. In many cases, those Helm charts required no authentication, left exploitable ports open, and used weak or hardcoded passwords that were trivial to break. A report published by security researchers Michael Katchinskiy and Yossi Weizman of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Research highlights three cases as examples of a broader security issue that puts Kubernetes workloads at risk. Ease vs security Kubernetes is a widely used open-source platform designed to automate the deployment, scaling, and management…

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Yet again it is time for another edition of Sacred Cash Cow Tipping! Or, “Why do these endpoint security bypass techniques still work? Why?” The goal of this is to share just some of the ways Black Hills Information Security bypassed endpoint security in 2018. Unfortunately, these webcasts still seem to be needed because there is a prevalent attitude that it is somehow possible to get endpoint security with full synergy and it will be bulletproof and under a single pane of glass. All with…

An Israeli-Russian national was arrested last week while allegedly attempting to flee Israel under a false identity, and now faces extradition to the US in connection with a major crypto hack that caused nearly $190 million in damages.Alexander Gurevich was taken into custody on May 1 at Ben-Gurion Airport just before boarding a flight to Russia, local media reported.Authorities said he had legally changed his name and received a new passport the day before his arrest. He is accused of stealing millions in digital assets from a US-based crypto firm in 2022 and attempting to extort a reward afterward.Hacker’s demandsUS…

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) submitted President Donald Trump’s topline discretionary budget request for fiscal year 2026 to Congress. The proposal includes a US$163 billion, or 23 percent, reduction in non-defense discretionary spending compared to the FY 2025 enacted level. The federal administration has proposed a budget that reduces funding for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) by approximately $491 million.  According to the administration, the budget aims to dismantle what it describes as a ‘weaponized deep state’ while delivering historic increases in funding for national defense and border security. Additionally, the budget outlines investments in…

In today’s rapidly evolving DevOps environment, the drive for speed often inadvertently amplifies security risks, leaving applications exposed to costly breaches. With global breach costs averaging $4.8 million last year, according to IBM’s annual Cost of a Data Breach Report – and continuously climbing – DevOps and security teams face immense pressure to build robust, secure software. The answer lies in secure coding practices and embracing the “Shift Left” approach, embedding security into every stage of development from the get-go, rather than treating it as an afterthought. Understanding the Shift Left Approach “Shifting Left” integrates security practices early into the…

IRONSCALES has extended the reach of the machine learning algorithms it uses to identify email anomalies to now include the video and audio files used to create deepfakes.Grant Ho, chief marketing officer for IRONSCALES, said that capability will make it easier for cybersecurity teams to investigate next-generation phishing attacks that are employing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to create more sophisticated social engineering attacks that can be aimed at specific individuals.As these so-called Phishing 3.0 attacks are becoming less expensive to create and launch in the age of AI, it’s clear cybersecurity teams will need to extend their existing cybersecurity defenses…

ESET has discovered Spellbinder, a new tool used by the China-linked cyber espionage group TheWizards to conduct AitM attacks and spread their WizardNet backdoor via manipulated software updates. A sophisticated cyber espionage operation, linked to China and active since at least 2022, has been exposed by security researchers at ESET. The group dubbed TheWizards by ESET stands out for its innovative method of infiltrating computer networks. Reportedly, it employs a custom tool, named Spellbinder, to conduct adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) attacks, to deliver a sophisticated backdoor dubbed WizardNet by ESET. ESET’s in-depth analysis, detailed in a recent blog post, reveals that Spellbinder…

“Nation states take on a strategic positioning,” says George Barnes, a former deputy director at the National Security Agency, who spent 36 years at the NSA and now acts as a senior advisor and investor in Hunted Labs. Barnes says that hackers within Russia’s intelligence agencies could see easyjson as a potential opportunity for abuse in the future.“It is totally efficient code. There’s no known vulnerability about it, hence no other company has identified anything wrong with it,” Barnes says. “Yet the people who actually own it are under the guise of VK, which is tight with the Kremlin,” he…

In this Help Net Security interview, Stuart Clarke, CEO at Blackdot Solutions, discusses the strategic use of open-source intelligence (OSINT) in tackling financial crime. He outlines its application in areas such as fraud, sanctions evasion, and money laundering, and addresses the legal, ethical, and operational challenges involved. Clarke also provides case studies illustrating how OSINT has been used to uncover criminal networks. Are there specific financial crime typologies, such as fraud, money laundering, or sanctions evasion, where OSINT has proven particularly valuable? Can you give examples? There are numerous financial crime typologies where open-source intelligence has shown significant value. What’s…