Researchers at Colorado State University have released a new paper detailing vulnerabilities found in commercial trucking systems. The exploitation of these vulnerabilities could enable hackers to take control of, steal data from, or disrupt entire fleets by spreading malware between vehicles. The study delves into the trucking industry's cybersecurity gaps through Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs). This federally mandated supplemental system tracks hours of service compliance and other metrics for later inspection and is closely linked to vehicle control systems.

Cybersecurity researchers at Florida International University (FIU) warn that websites requesting access to a user's files may be able to bypass antivirus software and launch ransomware attacks. According to a study conducted by the FIU College of Engineering and Computing, free photo editors, tax document assistants, and other online apps that request permission to access a user's media can encrypt and control files. Attackers could then demand a ransom for the files' safe return. The hack is said to work on all three major PC operating systems: Windows, Linux, and macOS.

The ZHAW School of Engineering is part of the EU Horizon "NATWORK" project aimed at developing a cost-effective, energy-efficient, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based 6G cybersecurity and resilience framework with a holistic approach on which intelligent networks and services can be built across sectors. The project's ZHAW team is tasked with developing intelligent and resource-optimized cybersecurity schemes in the edge-to-cloud continuum for future networks.

Researchers have discovered new phishing attacks aimed at delivering the information stealer known as "StrelaStealer." According to a new report published by Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42, the campaigns impact over 100 EU and US organizations. These campaigns involve spam emails with attachments that eventually launch the StrelaStealer DLL payload. To avoid detection, attackers change the initial email attachment file format from one campaign to the next, preventing detection by previously generated signatures or patterns.

A team of researchers, with members from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), has launched a new research project aimed at improving network security using tools that analyze information and identify malicious content for subsequent filtering. The two-year DANGER cybersecurity project focuses on cybersecurity for the detection, analysis, and filtering of fake or malicious content in hyperconnectivity environments. This article continues to discuss the DANGER project's objectives. 

The "SmokeLoader" malware has been used in a series of phishing campaigns by financially motivated hackers, primarily against the Ukrainian government and administration organizations. The Ukrainian SSSCIP State Cyber Protection Center (SCPC), in collaboration with Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42, has been tracking phishing campaigns linked to the distribution of the SmokeLoader malware.

German police have seized infrastructure for the darknet cybercrime marketplace "Nemesis Market" in Germany and Lithuania. The Federal Criminal Police Office in Germany (BKA) and the Frankfurt cybercrime combating unit (ZIT) took action, which involved taking down the website and seizing about $100,000 in cash. The Nemesis Market opened in 2021 as a new marketplace for cybercrime services that help launch ransomware, phishing, and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. The marketplace also served as a place to buy stolen data, credit cards, and more.

Researchers recently revealed how they developed generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) worms capable of spreading autonomously between AI systems. The AI worm, dubbed "Morris II" after the first computer worm to ever be recorded, can silently target AI-powered email assistants. The researchers also demonstrated how the worm could cause the AI to release personal data, send spam emails, and replicate itself across the digital ecosystem using crafted prompts hidden in legitimate communications. This article continues to discuss the introduction of AI worms. 

Selections by dgoff

​Pub Crawl summarizes sets of publications that have been peer-reviewed and presented at Science of Security (SoS) conferences or referenced in current work. The topics are chosen for their usefulness for current researchers. Select the topic name to view the corresponding list of publications. Submissions and suggestions are welcome.