06/08/2023-06/14/2023 Critical FortiOS and FortiProxy Vulnerability, Spoofing Bug in Microsoft Visual Studio Installer, New Critical MOVEit Transfer SQL Injection Vulnerabilities And More

1. Critical FortiOS and FortiProxy Vulnerability Likely Exploited – Patch Now!

Fortinet has revealed a critical flaw, CVE-2023-27997, affecting FortiOS and FortiProxy, which may have been exploited in a limited number of attacks targeting government, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure sectors. The vulnerability is a heap-based buffer overflow issue in FortiOS and FortiProxy SSL-VPN, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted requests. The flaw was discovered by LEXFO security researchers and addressed by Fortinet on June 9, 2023, in various versions of their software. The discovery coincided with a code audit following the active exploitation of a similar flaw in December 2022. Fortinet did not attribute the recent exploitation to the Chinese state-sponsored actor known as Volt Typhoon, but they anticipate all threat actors, including Volt Typhoon, to continue exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities in widely used software and devices.

# 2. Researchers Uncover Publisher Spoofing Bug in Microsoft Visual Studio Installer
Security researchers have discovered a potentially dangerous flaw in the Microsoft Visual Studio installer that enables malicious actors to impersonate legitimate publishers and distribute harmful extensions. Exploiting this vulnerability, threat actors can compromise systems, steal sensitive data, modify code, or gain full control of a targeted system. The flaw, known as CVE-2023-28299, has a CVSS score of 5.5 and was addressed by Microsoft in their April 2023 Patch Tuesday updates. The bug allows spoofed publisher digital signatures by introducing newline characters to the “DisplayName” tag in the “extension.vsixmanifest” file. By bypassing the restriction on entering information in the “product name” extension property, the attacker can suppress warnings about the lack of a digital signature, tricking developers into installing the malicious extension. This could be achieved through phishing emails disguised as legitimate software updates, potentially granting unauthorized access and facilitating further network infiltration and data theft.

3. New Critical MOVEit Transfer SQL Injection Vulnerabilities Discovered – Patch Now!

Progress Software has released patches for SQL injection vulnerabilities in its MOVEit Transfer application that could be exploited to steal sensitive information. The vulnerabilities, affecting all versions of the service, allow unauthorized access to the MOVEit Transfer database. By submitting a crafted payload to an application endpoint, an attacker can modify and disclose database content. The flaws have been addressed in specific versions of MOVEit Transfer, including cloud instances. The cybersecurity firm Huntress discovered and reported the vulnerabilities during a code review. So far, there is no evidence of exploitation in the wild. However, the previously reported vulnerability (CVE-2023-34362) in MOVEit Transfer has been actively exploited by the Cl0p ransomware gang, leading to the publication of a proof-of-concept exploit by Horizon3.ai. The gang has been targeting managed file transfer platforms since December 2020 and has been experimenting with exploiting CVE-2023-34362 since July 2021.

4. Experts Unveil Exploit for Recent Windows Vulnerability Under Active Exploitation

Details have emerged about a now-patched actively exploited security flaw in Microsoft Windows that could be abused by a threat actor to gain elevated privileges on affected systems. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-29336, is rated 7.8 for severity and concerns an elevation of privilege bug in the Win32k component. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain SYSTEM privileges. Avast researchers Jan Vojtěšek, Milánek, and Luigino Camastra were credited with discovering and reporting the flaw. Win32k.sys is a kernel-mode driver and an integral part of the Windows architecture, being responsible for graphical device interface (GUI) and window management. While the exact specifics surrounding in-the-wild abuse of the flaw is presently not known, Numen Cyber has deconstructed the patch released by Microsoft to craft a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for Windows Server 2016. The Singapore-based cybersecurity company said the vulnerability relied on the leaked kernel handle address in the heap memory to ultimately obtain a read-write primitive. 

5. Urgent Security Updates: Cisco and VMware Address Critical Vulnerabilities

VMware has released security updates to address three vulnerabilities in Aria Operations for Networks. The most critical flaw is a command injection vulnerability (CVE-2023-20887) that could allow remote code execution. Another deserialization vulnerability (CVE-2023-20888) and an information disclosure bug (CVE-2023-20889) have also been patched. These vulnerabilities could permit attackers with network access to achieve remote code execution or obtain sensitive data. The affected versions are 6.x of VMware Aria Operations for Networks, and the issues have been fixed in versions 6.2 to 6.10. Similarly, Cisco has addressed a critical privilege escalation flaw (CVE-2023-20105) in its Expressway Series and TelePresence Video Communication Server (VCS), allowing an attacker to elevate their privileges. Another high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2023-20192) permits command execution and system configuration modification. Cisco has provided workarounds and released updates for these vulnerabilities. While there is no evidence of exploitation, it is crucial to apply the patches promptly. Additionally, three security bugs have been discovered in RenderDoc, an open-source graphics debugger, which could allow for elevated privileges and arbitrary code execution.

06/01/2023-06/07/2023 Malicious PyPI Packages, Google Issues Patch for New Chrome Vulnerability, Urgent WordPress Update And More

1. Malicious PyPI Packages Using Compiled Python Code to Bypass Detection

Researchers have uncovered a new attack on the Python Package Index (PyPI) repository that evades detection by security tools. This attack is believed to be the first of its kind to utilize compiled Python code, specifically Python bytecode (PYC) files, for direct execution.The targeted package, fshec2, was removed from the third-party software registry following responsible disclosure. PYC files are generated by the Python interpreter during program execution and contain compiled code. The malicious package, according to a software supply chain security firm, consists of three files: init.py, main.py, and full.pyc.

The main.py file, imported by init.py, is responsible for loading the Python compiled module from full.pyc using the importlib package. Reverse-engineering the PYC file reveals its intent to gather user information, hostnames, directory listings, and execute commands received from a hardcoded server (13.51.44[.]246).

2. Zero-Day Alert: Google Issues Patch for New Chrome Vulnerability – Update Now!

Google has released security updates for its Chrome web browser to address a high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2023-3079) actively being exploited in the wild. The flaw is a type confusion bug in the V8 JavaScript engine. The exploit, which could potentially lead to heap corruption, can be triggered by a crafted HTML page. Google has not provided specific details about the attacks but has confirmed the existence of an exploit. This marks the third zero-day vulnerability addressed by Google in Chrome this year. Users are advised to update to version 114.0.5735.110 (Windows) or 114.0.5735.106 (macOS and Linux) to mitigate potential threats. Additionally, users of Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi should apply the fixes as soon as they are available.

3. Magento, WooCommerce, WordPress, and Shopify Exploited in Web Skimmer Attack

Researchers have discovered an ongoing Magecart-style web skimmer campaign designed to steal personally identifiable information and credit card data from e-commerce websites. What sets this campaign apart is that the compromised sites are being used as “makeshift” command-and-control servers, allowing the attackers to distribute malicious code without detection. Akamai, a web security company, found victims across North America, Latin America, and Europe, putting the personal data of thousands of site visitors at risk. The attackers employ various evasion techniques, such as obfuscation with Base64 and masking the attack to resemble popular third-party services like Google Analytics. By hacking into vulnerable legitimate sites, the attackers leverage the reputation of these domains. The attacks have been ongoing for almost a month and target e-commerce platforms like Magento, WooCommerce, WordPress, and Shopify. The skimmer code, disguised as third-party services, intercepts and exfiltrates data to an actor-controlled server using obfuscation and encoded strings to avoid detection.

4. Urgent WordPress Update Fixes Critical Flaw in Jetpack Plugin on Million of Sites

WordPress has issued an automatic update to address a critical vulnerability in the popular Jetpack plugin, which is installed on over five million sites. The vulnerability, discovered during an internal security audit, affects an API present in the plugin since version 2.0, released in November 2012. The flaw could potentially be exploited by authors on a site to manipulate any files in the WordPress installation. Jetpack has released 102 new versions to fix the bug. While there is no evidence of exploitation in the wild, it is not uncommon for vulnerabilities in widely used WordPress plugins to be targeted by malicious actors. This is not the first time Jetpack has faced severe security weaknesses, as previous incidents have prompted WordPress to enforce mandatory patch installations. Additionally, a security flaw in the Gravity Forms plugin has been revealed, allowing unauthenticated users to inject arbitrary PHP code. The issue has been resolved in the latest version of the plugin.

5. Zyxel Firewalls Under Attack! Urgent Patching Required

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added two recently disclosed vulnerabilities in Zyxel firewalls to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, based on evidence of active exploitation. The buffer overflow vulnerabilities, known as CVE-2023-33009 and CVE-2023-33010, could lead to denial-of-service (DoS) attacks and remote code execution. Zyxel released patches for these security flaws on May 24, 2023. Affected devices include ATP, USG FLEX, USG FLEX50(W)/USG20(W)-VPN, VPN, and ZyWALL/USG. The specific details of the attacks are unknown, but this development follows the active exploitation of another Zyxel firewall flaw (CVE-2023-28771) by the Mirai botnet. Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies have been instructed to address the vulnerabilities by June 26, 2023, to protect their networks. Zyxel has issued guidance advising customers to disable unnecessary services and ports to enhance security.

6. Microsoft: Lace Tempest Hackers Behind Active Exploitation of MOVEit Transfer App

Microsoft has attributed the active exploitation of a critical vulnerability in Progress Software MOVEit Transfer to the threat actor known as Lace Tempest. This threat actor, also known as Storm-0950, is associated with ransomware groups such as FIN11, TA505, and Evil Corp, and operates the Cl0p extortion site. The vulnerability in question, identified as CVE-2023-34362, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by exploiting an SQL injection flaw in MOVEit Transfer. Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence team has observed the deployment of web shells with data exfiltration capabilities following exploitation. Approximately 3,000 exposed hosts utilizing MOVEit Transfer have been identified. The activity has been tracked by Mandiant as UNC4857, with connections to FIN11. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has included the vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and recommends applying vendor-provided patches by June 23, 2023.

05/25/2023-05/31/2023 PyPI Implements Mandatory Two-Factor Authentication, Critical OAuth Vulnerability, Zyxel Issues Critical Security Patches And More

1. PyPI Implements Mandatory Two-Factor Authentication for Project Owners

The Python Package Index (PyPI) announced that every account that maintains a project on the official third-party software repository will be required to turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) by the end of the year. The enforcement also includes organization maintainers, but does not extend to every single user of the service. The goal is to neutralize the threats posed by account takeover attacks, which an attacker can leverage to distribute trojanized versions of popular packages to poison the software supply chain and deploy malware on a large scale. PyPI, like other open source repositories such as npm, has witnessed innumerable instances of malware and package impersonation.

2. Critical OAuth Vulnerability in Expo Framework Allows Account Hijacking

A critical security vulnerability in the OAuth implementation of Expo.io has been disclosed. The vulnerability, known as CVE-2023-28131, has a severity rating of 9.6 on the CVSS scoring system. Salt Labs, an API security firm, reported that the flaw exposed services using Expo.io to credential leakage, allowing attackers to hijack accounts and access sensitive data. Exploiting the vulnerability could enable threat actors to carry out unauthorized actions on behalf of compromised users across platforms like Facebook, Google, and Twitter. It’s important to note that successful attacks required Expo.io sites and applications to have configured the AuthSession Proxy setting for single sign-on (SSO) using a third-party provider. The vulnerability could be exploited by tricking users into clicking on a malicious link, distributed through methods such as email, SMS, or dubious websites. Expo.io released a hotfix shortly after responsible disclosure and advised users to migrate from AuthSession API proxies to direct registration of deep link URL schemes with authentication providers to enable SSO. Expo.io clarified that the vulnerability was due to storing an app’s callback URL before user confirmation.

3. Severe Flaw in Google Cloud’s Cloud SQL Service Exposed Confidential Data

A security flaw has been disclosed in Google Cloud Platform’s Cloud SQL service, which could allow unauthorized access to sensitive data. According to Israeli cloud security firm Dig, the vulnerability could enable an attacker to escalate privileges from a basic Cloud SQL user to a sysadmin, gaining access to internal GCP data, customer data, secrets, sensitive files, and passwords. Cloud SQL is a managed solution for creating databases for cloud-based applications using MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. The attack chain identified by Dig exploited a security gap in the SQL Server associated with the cloud platform, allowing the attacker to elevate their privileges to an administrator role.
With the elevated permissions, the attacker could exploit another misconfiguration to gain system administrator rights and take full control of the database server. This would provide access to all files on the underlying operating system, enabling the attacker to extract passwords and potentially launch further attacks.
The exposure of internal data, including secrets, URLs, and passwords, poses a significant security incident for cloud providers and their customers, according to Dig researchers Ofir Balassiano and Ofir Shaty.

4. Alert: Hackers Exploit Barracuda Email Security Gateway 0-Day Flaw for 7 Months

Barracuda, an enterprise security firm, revealed that threat actors have been exploiting a recently patched zero-day vulnerability in its Email Security Gateway (ESG) appliances since October 2022. The critical flaw, identified as CVE-2023-2868, allows remote attackers to execute code on vulnerable installations. The vulnerability affects versions 5.1.3.001 through 9.2.0.006. Barracuda released patches on May 20 and May 21 to address the issue.
The attacks, which were active for at least seven months before discovery, involved the use of three malware strains: SALTWATER, SEASPY, and SEASIDE. SALTWATER is a trojanized module capable of uploading or downloading files, executing commands, and proxying malicious traffic. SEASPY is an x64 ELF backdoor with persistence capabilities, activated by a magic packet. SEASIDE is a Lua-based module that establishes reverse shells via SMTP commands.
Mandiant, owned by Google, noted code overlaps between SEASPY and cd00r. The attacks have not been attributed to any known threat actor or group. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) included the vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, urging federal agencies to apply the fixes by June 16, 2023.

5. Zyxel Issues Critical Security Patches for Firewall and VPN Products

Zyxel has released software updates to address two critical buffer overflow vulnerabilities, identified as CVE-2023-33009 and CVE-2023-33010, affecting certain firewall and VPN products. The flaws, rated 9.8 out of 10 on the CVSS scoring system, could allow remote attackers to execute code and cause denial-of-service (DoS) conditions. The impacted devices include ATP, USG FLEX, USG FLEX50(W) / USG20(W)-VPN, VPN, and ZyWALL/USG models.
Security researchers from TRAPA Security and STAR Labs SG discovered and reported the vulnerabilities. This advisory follows Zyxel’s recent fixes for another critical flaw, CVE-2023-28771, which allowed remote code execution on firewall devices. That vulnerability was also credited to TRAPA Security and was exploited by threat actors associated with the Mirai botnet.
It is crucial for Zyxel users to apply the provided software updates promptly to mitigate the risks associated with these security vulnerabilities.

6. GUAC 0.1 Beta: Google’s Breakthrough Framework for Secure Software Supply Chains

Google has introduced GUAC (Graph for Understanding Artifact Composition), a beta version aimed at helping organizations enhance the security of their software supply chains. GUAC is an open-source framework offered as an API, enabling developers to integrate their own tools and policy engines.

It aggregates software security metadata from various sources into a graph database, facilitating the analysis of relationships between software components. By utilizing Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) documents, SLSA attestations, OSV vulnerability feeds, and other data sources, GUAC assists in assessing risk profiles and visualizing artifact relationships. The objective is to address supply chain attacks effectively, generate patch plans, and promptly respond to security incidents. Google provided an example scenario where GUAC certifies a compromised builder and queries for affected artifacts.