06/05/2024-06/12/2024 New PHP Vulnerability, Microsoft Issues Patches for 51 Flaws, Hackers Target Python Developers And More.

1. New PHP Vulnerability Exposes Windows Servers to Remote Code Execution

A critical security flaw, CVE-2024-4577, has been discovered in PHP on Windows, allowing remote code execution. This CGI argument injection vulnerability bypasses protections from CVE-2012-1823 due to an encoding conversion feature in Windows, as noted by DEVCORE’s Orange Tsai. A fix was released on May 7, 2024, in PHP versions 8.3.8, 8.2.20, and 8.1.29. DEVCORE warns that XAMPP installations using Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, or Japanese locales are particularly vulnerable.

Administrators are advised to switch to more secure solutions like Mod-PHP, FastCGI, or PHP-FPM. Exploitation attempts have already been detected by the Shadowserver Foundation, highlighting the urgency for users to apply the latest patches quickly.
 

2. Microsoft Issues Patches for 51 Flaws, Including Critical MSMQ Vulnerability

Microsoft’s June 2024 Patch Tuesday addressed 51 security flaws, including one Critical and 50 Important. Additionally, 17 vulnerabilities in the Chromium-based Edge browser were fixed.

None of these flaws have been actively exploited, but one, CVE-2023-50868 (CVSS 7.5), is publicly known. This denial-of-service issue, affecting DNSSEC validation, can cause CPU exhaustion on a DNSSEC-validating resolver. It was reported by researchers from ATHENE in February. The most critical flaw, CVE-2024-30080 (CVSS 9.8), affects the Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) service and allows remote code execution via a specially crafted MSMQ packet.

Several other vulnerabilities, including those in Microsoft Outlook (CVE-2024-30103), Windows Wi-Fi Driver (CVE-2024-30078), and various Windows subsystems, were also addressed. Morphisec highlighted the Outlook flaw’s potential for exploitation without user interaction, posing a significant risk. In addition to Microsoft, security updates have also been released by other vendors over the past several weeks to rectify several vulnerabilities.
 

3. Commando Cat Cryptojacking Attacks Target Misconfigured Docker Instances

The threat actor Commando Cat is exploiting insecure Docker instances to deploy cryptocurrency miners. Using the cmd.cat/chattr Docker image, the attackers download a payload from their command-and-control (C&C) server. First identified by Cado Security, these attacks target misconfigured Docker remote API servers, using the chroot command to break out of the container and access the host system. The miner binary is retrieved via curl or wget from a C&C server.

Trend Micro researchers highlighted the use of Docker images to evade security detection. Additionally, Akamai reported that old vulnerabilities in ThinkPHP applications (CVE-2018-20062, CVE-2019-9082) are being exploited by a Chinese-speaking threat actor to deploy a persistent web shell named Dama, capable of advanced system manipulation and data gathering.

4. Hackers Target Python Developers with Fake “Crytic-Compilers” Package on PyPI

Researchers found a malicious Python package on PyPI, named crytic-compilers, designed to deliver the Lumma information stealer. This typosquatted version of the legitimate crytic-compile package was downloaded 441 times before removal.

Sonatype’s Ax Sharma noted the counterfeit package mimicked the legitimate library’s versioning to appear genuine. While earlier versions installed the real package, the latest version targeted Windows systems to launch a malicious executable fetching Lumma Stealer, a malware-as-a-service (MaaS) tool. Additionally, over 300 WordPress sites were compromised with fake Google Chrome update pop-ups. Attackers used the legitimate Hustle plugin to display these pop-ups, which install information stealers and remote access trojans. This highlights a trend of hackers exploiting legitimate plugins to evade detection.

5. JetBrains Warns of IntelliJ IDE Bug Exposing GitHub Access Tokens

 JetBrains urges users to patch a critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-37051) in IntelliJ IDEs that exposes GitHub access tokens. The flaw, reported on May 29, 2024, affects all IntelliJ-based IDEs from version 2023.1 onwards with the GitHub plugin enabled. Malicious content in pull requests could exploit this flaw.

JetBrains has released updates for the affected versions and removed vulnerable plugin versions from its marketplace. Users are strongly advised to update to the latest versions and revoke GitHub tokens used by the plugin to prevent unauthorized access. The GitHub plugin may not work correctly in older IDE versions due to mitigation measures.

In February, JetBrains also disclosed a critical vulnerability in TeamCity On-Premises servers, highlighting the importance of timely updates.
 

6. Arm Warns of Actively Exploited Flaw in Mali GPU Kernel Drivers

Arm has issued a security bulletin about a use-after-free vulnerability (CVE-2024-4610) in Bifrost and Valhall GPU kernel drivers, exploited in the wild. This flaw affects all versions from r34p0 to r40p0 and can lead to information disclosure and arbitrary code execution.

“A local non-privileged user can exploit GPU memory processing to access freed memory,” Arm explains. The vulnerability was fixed in version r41p0, released on November 24, 2022, with the latest driver version being r49p0. Arm advises users to upgrade if impacted. Due to the complex Android supply chain, patches may reach end users with delays. Some older devices might no longer receive updates, affecting various smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks, and embedded systems using Bifrost and Valhall GPUs.

05/30/2024-06/05/2024 RAT-Dropping npm Package, XSS Flaws In Multiple WordPress Plugins, Actively Exploited Linux Kernel Flaw And More.

1. Researchers Uncover RAT-Dropping npm Package Targeting Gulp Users

Cybersecurity researchers found a malicious package, glup-debugger-log, in the npm registry designed to deploy a remote access trojan (RAT) on compromised systems. Targeting users of the gulp toolkit, it has been downloaded 175 times. Phylum, a software supply chain security firm, discovered the package includes two obfuscated files: one acts as an initial dropper, compromising the target and downloading additional malware, while the other maintains persistent remote access.
The package’s “index.js” file runs another obfuscated file, “play.js,” which performs checks to ensure it’s on an active developer machine. If successful, “play-safe.js” sets up persistence and can execute arbitrary commands via an HTTP server. Phylum described the RAT as both crude and sophisticated, highlighting evolving malware tactics in open-source ecosystems.

2. Exploit For Critical Progress Telerik Auth Bypass Released, Patch Now

Researchers have published a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit script demonstrating a chained remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability on Progress Telerik Report Servers. The exploit chains an authentication bypass (CVE-2024-4358) and a deserialization flaw (CVE-2024-1800). The bypass flaw allows admin account creation without checks and has a CVSS score of 9.8. The deserialization flaw, with a CVSS score of 8.8, enables remote code execution via specially crafted XML payloads. Both issues have been addressed in updates, and organizations are urged to upgrade to version 10.1.24.514 or later. Administrators should review user lists for unfamiliar accounts due to potential exploitation.

3. XSS Flaws In Multiple WordPress Plugins Exploited To Deploy Malware

Researchers uncovered malware attacks exploiting XSS vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins. Attackers leveraged known flaws in three plugins: WP Meta SEO (CVE-2023-6961), LiteSpeed Cache (CVE-2023-40000), and WP Statistics (CVE-2024-2194). These high-severity vulnerabilities allowed the injection of malicious scripts. Fastly’s security team observed JavaScript malware performing functions such as installing PHP backdoors, creating rogue admin accounts, and setting up tracking scripts. Despite patches being available, active exploitation indicates that many sites are not updated. WordPress admins must update plugins to the latest versions to protect against these threats.

4. Zyxel Releases Patches for Firmware Vulnerabilities in EoL NAS Models

Zyxel has issued updates to address critical flaws in two end-of-life NAS devices. Three of the five vulnerabilities could allow unauthenticated attackers to execute OS commands and arbitrary code.

Affected models include NAS326 (versions V5.21(AAZF.16)C0 and earlier) and NAS542 (versions V5.21(ABAG.13)C0 and earlier). These issues are fixed in versions V5.21(AAZF.17)C0 and V5.21(ABAG.14)C0.

The flaws include:

• CVE-2024-29972: Command injection in “remote_help-cgi” via crafted HTTP POST.
• CVE-2024-29973: Command injection via the ‘setCookie’ parameter.
• CVE-2024-29974: Remote code execution via “file_upload-cgi” with a crafted file.
• CVE-2024-29975: Privilege management issue allowing root command execution.
  CVE-2024-29976: Privilege management issue leaking session information.

Outpost24’s Timothy Hjort reported these flaws. Users should update to the latest versions for protection.

5. CISA Alerts Federal Agencies to Patch Actively Exploited Linux Kernel Flaw

(CISA) on Thursday added a security flaw impacting the Linux kernel to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, citing evidence of active exploitation. This high-severity issue, with a CVSS score of 7.8, involves a use-after-free bug in the netfilter component, allowing local attackers to escalate privileges to root. Also added to the KEV catalog is a newly disclosed security flaw impacting Check Point network gateway security products (CVE-2024-24919, CVSS score: 7.5) that allows an attacker to read sensitive information on Internet-connected Gateways with remote access VPN or mobile access enabled.

In light of the active exploitation of CVE-2024-1086 and CVE-2024-24919, federal agencies are recommended to apply the latest fixes by June 20, 2024, to protect their networks against potential threats.

05/15/2024-05/30/2024 Flaws in Python Package, New Flaws in QTS and QuTS Hero Impacting NAS Appliances, Ivanti Patches Critical Remote Code Execution Flaws, Cybercriminals Abuse Stack Overflow to Promote Malicious Python Package And More.

1. Critical GitHub Enterprise Server Flaw Allows Auth Bypass, Fix Now 

GitHub has fixed an authentication bypass vulnerability in GitHub Enterprise Server (GHES) related to SAML single sign-on (SSO) with encrypted assertions (CVE-2024-4985, CVSS v4 score: 10.0). This flaw allowed attackers to forge SAML responses, gaining site admin access without prior authentication. GHES, a self-hosted platform for software development, is not affected if encrypted assertions are disabled. The vulnerability impacted all versions before 3.13.0 and was reported via GitHub’s Bug Bounty program.

Fixes were released on May 20th in versions 3.9.15, 3.10.12, 3.11.10, and 3.12.4. GitHub advises upgrading to these versions or newer to prevent potential future exploits.

2. Researchers Uncover Flaws in Python Package for AI Models and PDF.js Used by Firefox

A critical security flaw in the llama_cpp_python Python package (CVE-2024-34359, CVSS score: 9.7) has been disclosed, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution. Named Llama Drama by Checkmarx, this vulnerability stems from the misuse of the Jinja2 template engine, leading to server-side template injection. With over 3 million downloads, llama_cpp_python is a popular tool for integrating AI models with Python. The flaw, discovered by security researcher Patrick Peng (retr0reg), has been fixed in version 0.2.72. Exploitation could result in data theft, system compromise, and operational disruption.

Additionally, a high-severity flaw (CVE-2024-4367) in Mozilla’s PDF.js library allows arbitrary JavaScript execution in PDF.js. This has been fixed in Firefox 126, Firefox ESR 115.11, Thunderbird 115.11, and pdfjs-dist version 4.2.67.

3. Microsoft’s Transition From VBScript To JavaScript And PowerShell

Microsoft will discontinue VBScript by late 2024, gradually phasing it out of Windows. Initially introduced in 1996, VBScript will transition to an on-demand feature before its complete removal in future Windows versions.
VBScript has been surpassed by more robust alternatives like PowerShell and JavaScript, leading to its retirement.

Key reasons include:

• Security Vulnerabilities: VBScript’s architecture is prone to exploitation.
• Limited Functionality: Modern languages like JavaScript and PowerShell offer more advanced features.
• Modernization Focus: Microsoft’s shift towards updated scripting solutions.

The deprecation timeline includes:

• Second half of 2024: VBScript becomes an on-demand feature in Windows 11 24H2.
• Around 2027: VBScript remains available on-demand but is not enabled by default.
• Future Date: Complete removal from Windows.

Microsoft recommends transitioning to JavaScript and PowerShell for enhanced security and functionality.

4. Ivanti Patches Critical Remote Code Execution Flaws in Endpoint Manager

Ivanti has fixed multiple critical security flaws in Endpoint Manager (EPM) that could allow remote code execution. Six vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-29822 to CVE-2024-29827, CVSS 9.6) involve SQL injection flaws allowing unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code. Four additional bugs (CVE-2024-29828 to CVE-2024-29830, CVE-2024-29846, CVSS 8.4) require attacker authentication.

The affected versions are Ivanti EPM 2022 SU5 and prior. Ivanti also addressed a high-severity flaw in Avalanche version 6.4.3.602 (CVE-2024-29848, CVSS 7.2) allowing remote code execution via a specially crafted file. Other fixes include vulnerabilities in Neurons for ITSM, Connect Secure, and the Secure Access client for Windows and Linux.

There is no evidence of these flaws being exploited in the wild. Users should update to the latest versions to mitigate potential threats.

5.  CISA Alert on Active Exploitation of a Vulnerability

On May 23, 2024, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added a critical Apache Flink vulnerability (CVE-2020-17519) to its Catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV). Despite being patched in January 2021, it is actively exploited, endangering many systems. CVE-2020-17519 is an inappropriate access control flaw in Apache Flink, allowing attackers to read any file on the JobManager’s local file system via its REST interface. This affects Flink versions 1.11.0 to 1.11.2.

Recommendations:

• CISA: Apply mitigation measures or stop using vulnerable versions. Upgrade to Flink 1.11.3 or 1.12.0 by June 13, 2024.
• NIST: Upgrade to patched versions following the April 2024 advisory.

Exploits of CVE-2020-17519 and other vulnerabilities (e. g., CVE-2020-28188) have compromised data security since late 2020. CISA urges quick implementation of patches and mitigations to protect against active threats and secure sensitive data.

6. Researchers Warn of CatDDoS Botnet and DNSBomb DDoS Attack Technique

The CatDDoS botnet has exploited over 80 security flaws in the past three months to hijack devices for DDoS attacks. The vulnerabilities affect routers and devices from companies like Apache, Cisco, D-Link, Huawei, Jenkins, NETGEAR, and more.

CatDDoS, a variant of the Mirai botnet, emerged in August 2023 and targets China, the U.S., Japan, and other countries. It uses the ChaCha20 algorithm for C2 communication and shares cryptographic elements with other botnets like hailBot and VapeBot. The original authors likely ceased operations in December 2023, but new variants have since emerged.

Researchers also revealed a powerful PDoS technique called DNSBomb (CVE-2024-33655), which exploits DNS features to create high-volume traffic bursts. BIND software is not vulnerable to this attack.

7. Cybercriminals Abuse Stack Overflow to Promote Malicious Python Package

Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a malicious Python package named “pytoileur” in the Python Package Index (PyPI) repository, aimed at cryptocurrency theft. This package, downloaded 316 times, was re-uploaded as version 1.0.2 after version 1.0.1 was removed on May 28, 2024.

According to Sonatype, the malicious code is in the setup.py script, executing a Base64-encoded payload to retrieve a Windows binary, “Runtime.exe,” which runs via PowerShell and VBScript commands. This binary installs spyware and data-stealing malware.

A StackOverflow account, “EstAYA G,” has been promoting this package as a solution to user queries. Sonatype and Stack Overflow have linked this to the same threat actor behind previous malicious packages like Pystob and Pywool. This incident highlights the risks in open-source ecosystems and the need for vigilant security practices.

8. New Report Warns of LLM-Enhanced Cyber Threats: Polymorphic Malware, Customer Service Jailbreaking, and Highly Personalized Spearphishing

Recent advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) are making it possible to automate tasks that were once considered too complex, including those with malicious intent. In a collaborative technology exploration project, the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NL) examined how LLMs could influence the cyber threat landscape over the next three to five years.

The report focuses on the current and near-future capabilities of LLMs and their potential to enhance cyber threats. While it does speculate on some future possibilities, it is grounded in the present realities of what LLMs can already do or are likely to do in the near term.