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Darktrace Half-Year Threat Report 2024 Reveals Persistent Cybercrime-as-a-Service Threats Amidst Evolving Attack Landscape

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2 months ago

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Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) and Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) continue to dominate the threat landscapeEmail phishing remains a top threat, with 17.8 million phishing emails detected between December 2023 and July 2024, and 62% bypassing DMARC checks designed to safeguard against unauthorized useEmergence of new threats such as Qilin ransomware and increased exploitation of edge infrastructure vulnerabilities

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Aug. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Darktrace, a global leader in cybersecurity AI, has today released its “First 6: Half-Year Threat Report 2024,” identifying key threats and attack methods facing businesses across the first half of 2024. These insights, observed by Darktrace’s Threat Research team using its unique Self-Learning AI across its customer fleet, shed light on the persistent nature of cyber threats and new techniques adopted by attackers attempting to sidestep traditional defenses.

“The threat landscape continues to evolve, but new threats often build upon old foundations rather than replacing them. While we have observed the emergence of new malware families, many attacks are carried out by the usual suspects that we have seen over the last few years, still utilizing familiar techniques and malware variants,” comments Nathaniel Jones, Director of Strategic Threat and Engagement at Darktrace. “The persistence of MaaS/RaaS service models alongside the emergence of newer threats like Qilin ransomware underscores the continued need for adaptive, machine learning powered, security measures that can keep pace with a rapidly evolving threat landscape.”

Cybercrime-as-a-Service continues to pose significant risk for organizations

The findings show that cybercrime-as-a-service continues to dominate the threat landscape, with Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) and Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) tools making up a significant portion of malicious tools in use by attackers. Cybercrime-as-a-Service groups, such as Lockbit and Black Basta, provide attackers with everything from pre-made malware to templates for phishing emails, lowering the barrier to entry for cybercriminals with limited technical knowledge.

The most common threats Darktrace observed from January to June 2024 were:

Information-stealing malware (29% of early triaged investigations)Trojans (15% of investigated threats)Remote Access Trojans (RATs) (12% of investigated threats)Botnets (6% of investigated threats)Loaders (6% of investigated threats)

The report also reveals the emergence of new threats alongside persistent ones. Notably, the rise of Qilin ransomware, which employs refined tactics such as rebooting infected machines in safe mode to bypass security tools and making it more difficult for human security teams to react quickly.

Per the report, double extortion methods are now prevalent amongst ransomware strains. As ransomware continues to be a top security concern for organizations, Darktrace’s Threat Research Team has identified three predominant ransomware strains impacting customers: Akira, Lockbit and Black Basta. All three have been observed using double extortion methods.

Email phishing and sophisticated evasion tactics rise

Phishing remains a significant threat to organizations. Darktrace detected 17.8 million phishing emails across its customer fleet between December 21, 2023, and July 5, 2024. Alarmingly, 62% of these emails successfully bypassed Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) verification checks which are industry protocols designed to protect email domains from unauthorized use, and 56% passed through all existing security layers.

The report highlights how cybercriminals are embracing more sophisticated tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) designed to evade traditional security parameters. Darktrace observed an increase in attackers leveraging popular, legitimate third-party services and sites, such as Dropbox and Slack, in their operations to blend in with normal network traffic. Additionally, there’s been a spike in the use of covert command and control (C2) mechanisms, including remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools, tunneling, and proxy services.

Edge infrastructure compromise and exploitation of critical vulnerabilities are top concerns

Darktrace observed an increase in mass-exploitation of vulnerabilities in edge infrastructure devices, particularly those related to Ivanti Connect Secure, JetBrains TeamCity, FortiClient Enterprise Management Server, and Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS. These compromises often serve as a springboard for further malicious activities.

It is imperative that organizations do not lose sight of existing attack trends and CVEs – cybercriminals may resort to previous, predominately dormant methods to trick organizations. Between January and June, in 40% of cases investigated by the Threat Research team, attackers exploited Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs).

For more in-depth analysis, download the First 6: Half-Year Threat Report 2024 at www.darktrace.com/resources/first-6-half-year-threat-report-2024.

ABOUT DARKTRACE

Darktrace (DARK.L), a global leader in cybersecurity artificial intelligence, is on a mission to free the world from cyber disruption. Breakthrough innovations from our R&D teams in Cambridge, UK, and The Hague, Netherlands have resulted in over 200 patent applications filed. Rather than study historic attacks, Darktrace’s technology continuously learns and updates its knowledge of your business data and applies that understanding to help transform security operations to a state of proactive cyber resilience. The Darktrace ActiveAI Security Platform™ provides a full lifecycle approach to cyber resilience that can autonomously spot and respond to known and unknown in progress threats within seconds across the entire organization, including cloud, apps, email, endpoint, network and operational technology (OT). Darktrace, which listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2021, employs over 2,400 people around the world and protects over 9,700 customers globally from advanced cyber threats. To learn more, visit https://darktrace.com/.

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SOURCE Darktrace

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Huawei Launches Over 20 All-New Xinghe Intelligent Network Offerings to Amplify Industrial Intelligence

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60 mins ago

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September 21, 2024

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 21, 2024 /CNW/ — During HUAWEI CONNECT 2024, Leon Wang, President of Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line, announced more than 20 all-new Xinghe Intelligent Network offerings globally at the summit themed “Xinghe Intelligent Network, Amplify Industrial Intelligence”. These purpose-built offerings contribute to an AI network ecosystem and help customers seize opportunities for intelligent development and maximize intelligent productivity.

With the development of AI technologies, the world is advancing from digital transformation to intelligent transformation. All industries are quickly adopting AI technologies to create new use cases, for example, self-driving cars, intelligent diagnosis and treatment, and intelligent train inspection. All of these are significantly improving the efficiency and experience of our work and daily lives.

The advent of the intelligent era is driving networks into intelligent ones. Huawei has been making joint efforts with partners to lead research and practices of intelligent networks. That’s why Huawei constantly upgrades its Xinghe Intelligent Network offerings to help customers grasp opportunities for intelligent development, build new intelligent network infrastructure, and maximize intelligent productivity in the intelligent era. Key highlights include the following:

Xinghe Intelligent Campus focuses on AI-enabled, experience-centric campus network construction, ensuring zero freezing for audio and video applications, zero degradation on services, and zero waiting for interactions.Xinghe Intelligent WAN introduces a wide range of intelligent technologies to intelligently schedule millions of flows and precisely optimize service experience.Xinghe Intelligent Fabric adopts the AI Turbo engine to improve network throughput, enhancing foundation model training efficiency.Xinghe Intelligent Network Security integrates AI technologies into network security detection, accurately and rapidly identifying threats.

To support network solutions in various scenarios, Huawei released more than 20 featured offerings globally. Examples include the industry’s first 100 Tbps fixed-form Ethernet data center switch, the industry’s first 51.2 Tbps liquid-cooled fixed-form data center switch, the industry’s first AI router, high-quality 10 Gbps campus switches and Wi-Fi 7 APs, Intelligent SASE Branch Security Solution, and the industry’s first IP Autonomous Driving Network Solution. All these offerings are designed to help customers with greater business returns.

As the intelligent era calls for intelligent networks, Huawei will continue to drive the development of intelligent networks and upgrade its Xinghe Intelligent Network products and solutions, ultimately helping global customers to stride towards the intelligent era and reap more benefits.

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SOURCE Huawei

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HUAWEI CONNECT 2024 | Huawei Unveils the Brand-New Xinghe Intelligent Fabric Solution, Powering the AI Era

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2 hours ago

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September 21, 2024

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — At HUAWEI CONNECT 2024, over 300 industry leaders, experts, and scholars gathered for the data center network session themed “Xinghe Intelligent Fabric, Powering the AI Era.” The event featured discussions on the evolution and technological advancements of data center networks. During the session, Arthur Wang, President of Data Center Network Domain at Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line, introduced the newly upgraded Xinghe Intelligent Fabric solution. This cutting-edge solution aims to establish a data center network characterized by one map for intelligent operations and maintenance (O&M), one network for diverse computing, and one platform for simplified deployment, providing a robust network infrastructure to support enterprises’ digital and intelligent transformations.

In his keynote speech, Arthur Wang outlined the emerging trends in data center network development. He emphasized that in the AI era, data center networks require both a “brilliant brain” and “resilient bones.” The newly launched Xinghe Intelligent Fabric solution is designed to deliver a powerful network infrastructure tailored for the AI era, featuring:

One Map for Intelligent O&M: Zero Management Concerns

Huawei’s exclusive network digital map enables rapid cross-data center and cross-vendor fault identification within minutes. Additionally, the NetMaster network large model facilitates AI-driven O&M, eliminating manual intervention and ensuring zero management concerns.

One Network for Diverse Computing: Zero Service Interruptions

The Xinghe Intelligent Fabric supports various application scenarios, including intelligent computing, general-purpose computing, and storage. The innovative Network Scale Load Balancing (NSLB) algorithm increases network throughput to 95% and boosts AI training efficiency by over 10%. With the exclusive iReliable three-level fast switchover capability, it achieves sub-millisecond switchover, guaranteeing zero service interruptions.

One Platform for Simplified Deployment: Zero Configuration Errors

By employing digital twins to simulate networks in advance and verify configurations post-deployment, the solution ensures 100% accuracy in network changes. By harnessing network-security convergence capabilities, AI creates an intelligent security matrix to analyze millions of security policies, achieving zero configuration errors.

Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to collaborate with industry partners to enhance research and innovation in data center networks, promote intelligent upgrades, and create greater value for the industry.

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SOURCE Huawei

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Cultivating a Culture of Peace: International Day of Peace Statement by Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif

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5 hours ago

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September 21, 2024

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NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2024 /CNW/ — The longing for peace transcends time, geography and religion. Based on justice, human rights and universal values outlined in the UN Charter, a culture of peace brings us all together in our common agenda for humanity. We can only co-exist by aligning ourselves with such a world order.

On today’s International Day of Peace, we call on world leaders to end conflict and embrace a culture of peace as enshrined in the UN Charter and related international law.

As the UN General Assembly outlined in the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace  a quarter of a century ago, this must include: “Respect for life, human rights and fundamental freedoms; the promotion of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation; commitment to peaceful settlement of conflicts; and adherence to freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding at all levels of society and among nations.”

Educating for peace starts at home and continues in school through years of education. This takes place during the most formative years of a child learning about their identity, ethics, values, conscience, courage and compassion. Wherever there has been a failure in imparting on children the imperative for peace, the world is turned upside down. This is a global failure with no geographical boundaries.

Today, we live in a world of unprecedented violence, armed conflict and chaos. All the genuine and heartfelt commitments made in 1945 in the UN Charter seem to be fading away. Children and adolescents are the most vulnerable, the least protected, and the most impacted. They bear the brunt. 

Global conflicts killed three times as many children in 2023 than in the previous year, according to the United Nations. The number of forcibly displaced people reached an unprecedented 120 million in May 2024.

“In 2023, the United Nations verified a record 32,990 grave violations against 22,557 children in 26 conflict zones, a 35% increase from the previous year,” according to recent analysis by the UN.

We can end these violations and invest in a constructive co-existence globally. We can use our resources for education, rather than for wars. In classrooms around the world, girls and boys who have withstood the wrath of war can rebuild their hopes and their lives. Cultivating a culture of peace is possible. The financial resources exist. The choice as to how we use them is ours.

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SOURCE Education Cannot Wait

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