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Web Application Firewall | Breaking Cybersecurity News | The Hacker News

Category — Web Application Firewall
Hackers Exploit Fortinet Flaw, Deploy ScreenConnect, Metasploit in New Campaign

Hackers Exploit Fortinet Flaw, Deploy ScreenConnect, Metasploit in New Campaign

Apr 17, 2024 Vulnerability / Web Application Firewall
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a new campaign that's exploiting a recently disclosed security flaw in Fortinet FortiClient EMS devices to deliver ScreenConnect and Metasploit Powerfun payloads. The activity entails the exploitation of  CVE-2023-48788  (CVSS score: 9.3), a critical SQL injection flaw that could permit an unauthenticated attacker to execute unauthorized code or commands via specifically crafted requests. Cybersecurity firm Forescout is  tracking  the campaign under the codename  Connect:fun  owing to the use of ScreenConnect and Powerfun for post-exploitation. The intrusion, which targeted an unnamed media company that had its vulnerable FortiClient EMS device exposed to the internet, took place shortly after the  release  of a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for the flaw on March 21, 2024. Over the next couple of days, the unknown adversary was observed leveraging the flaw to unsuccessfully download ScreenConnect an...
WordPress Admins Urged to Remove miniOrange Plugins Due to Critical Flaw

WordPress Admins Urged to Remove miniOrange Plugins Due to Critical Flaw

Mar 18, 2024 Website Security / Vulnerability
WordPress users of miniOrange's Malware Scanner and Web Application Firewall plugins are being urged to delete them from their websites following the discovery of a critical security flaw. The flaw, tracked as  CVE-2024-2172 , is rated 9.8 out of a maximum of 10 on the CVSS scoring system and discovered by Stiofan . It impacts the following versions of the two plugins - Malware Scanner  (versions <= 4.7.2) Web Application Firewall  (versions <= 2.1.1) It's worth noting that the plugins have been permanently closed by the maintainers as of March 7, 2024. While Malware Scanner has over 10,000 active installs, Web Application Firewall has more than 300 active installations. "This vulnerability makes it possible for an unauthenticated attacker to grant themselves administrative privileges by updating the user password," Wordfence  reported  last week.  The issue is the result of a missing capability check in the function mo_wpns_init() that enab...
Want to Grow Vulnerability Management into Exposure Management? Start Here!

Want to Grow Vulnerability Management into Exposure Management? Start Here!

Dec 05, 2024Attack Surface / Exposure Management
Vulnerability Management (VM) has long been a cornerstone of organizational cybersecurity. Nearly as old as the discipline of cybersecurity itself, it aims to help organizations identify and address potential security issues before they become serious problems. Yet, in recent years, the limitations of this approach have become increasingly evident.  At its core, Vulnerability Management processes remain essential for identifying and addressing weaknesses. But as time marches on and attack avenues evolve, this approach is beginning to show its age. In a recent report, How to Grow Vulnerability Management into Exposure Management (Gartner, How to Grow Vulnerability Management Into Exposure Management, 8 November 2024, Mitchell Schneider Et Al.), we believe Gartner® addresses this point precisely and demonstrates how organizations can – and must – shift from a vulnerability-centric strategy to a broader Exposure Management (EM) framework. We feel it's more than a worthwhile read an...
Demystifying a Common Cybersecurity Myth

Demystifying a Common Cybersecurity Myth

Mar 13, 2024 App Security / Cyber Security
One of the most common misconceptions in file upload cybersecurity is that certain tools are "enough" on their own—this is simply not the case. In our latest  whitepaper  OPSWAT CEO and Founder, Benny Czarny, takes a comprehensive look at what it takes to prevent malware threats in today's ever-evolving file upload security landscape, and a big part of that is understanding where the pitfalls are, and how to avoid them. The first step in that process is understanding that three commonly used tools or solutions are not enough on their own. Let's explore this concept and take a closer look at a better solution. Understanding the Challenge Modern web applications are complex, utilizing internet-connected IT systems that interface with critical OT systems, as well as leveraging a wide range of cloud providers and protocols. All these systems transfer and store highly sensitive and valuable data across government, healthcare, power, financial, and other critical sectors the wor...
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Bug or Feature? Hidden Web Application Vulnerabilities Uncovered

Bug or Feature? Hidden Web Application Vulnerabilities Uncovered

Dec 15, 2023 Web App Security / Secure Coding
Web Application Security consists of a myriad of security controls that ensure that a web application: Functions as expected. Cannot be exploited to operate out of bounds. Cannot initiate operations that it is not supposed to do. Web Applications have become ubiquitous after the expansion of Web 2.0, which Social Media Platforms, E-Commerce websites, and email clients saturating the internet spaces in recent years.  As the applications consume and store even more sensitive and comprehensive data, they become an ever more appealing target for attackers.  Common Attack Methods The three most common vulnerabilities that exist in this space are Injections (SQL, Remote Code), Cryptographic Failures (previously sensitive data exposure), and Broken Access Control (BAC). Today, we will focus on Injections and Broken Access Control.  Injections  SQL is the most common Database software that is used, and hosts a plethora of payment data, PII data, and internal busi...
API Security Trends 2023 – Have Organizations Improved their Security Posture?

API Security Trends 2023 – Have Organizations Improved their Security Posture?

Oct 03, 2023 API Security / Data Security
APIs, also known as application programming interfaces, serve as the backbone of modern software applications, enabling seamless communication and data exchange between different systems and platforms. They provide developers with an interface to interact with external services, allowing them to integrate various functionalities into their own applications. However, this increased reliance on APIs has also made them attractive targets for cybercriminals. In recent years, the rise of API breaches has become a growing concern in the world of cybersecurity. One of the main reasons behind the rise of API breaches is inadequate security measures implemented by developers and organizations. Many APIs are not properly secured, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. Moreover, hackers have developed sophisticated techniques that specifically target weaknesses within APIs. For example, they may leverage malicious code injections into requests or manipulate responses from an API endpoint to gain ...
Researcher Reveals New Techniques to Bypass Cloudflare's Firewall and DDoS Protection

Researcher Reveals New Techniques to Bypass Cloudflare's Firewall and DDoS Protection

Oct 03, 2023 Server Security / Firewall
Firewall and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack prevention mechanisms in Cloudflare can be circumvented by exploiting gaps in cross-tenant security controls, defeating the very purpose of these safeguards, it has emerged. "Attackers can utilize their own Cloudflare accounts to abuse the per-design trust-relationship between Cloudflare and the customers' websites, rendering the protection mechanism ineffective," Certitude researcher Stefan Proksch  said  in a report published last week. The problem, per the Austrian consulting firm, is the result of shared infrastructure available to all tenants within Cloudflare, regardless of whether they are legitimate or otherwise, thereby making it easy for malicious actors to abuse the implicit trust associated with the service and defeat the guardrails. The first issue stems from opting for a shared Cloudflare certificate to authenticate HTTP(S) requests between the service's reverse proxies and the customer's o...
Researchers Detail New Attack Method to Bypass Popular Web Application Firewalls

Researchers Detail New Attack Method to Bypass Popular Web Application Firewalls

Dec 10, 2022 Web App Firewall / Web Security
A new attack method can be used to circumvent web application firewalls (WAFs) of various vendors and infiltrate systems, potentially enabling attackers to gain access to sensitive business and customer information. Web application firewalls are a  key line of defense  to help filter, monitor, and block HTTP(S) traffic to and from a web application, and safeguard against attacks such as cross-site forgery, cross-site-scripting (XSS), file inclusion, and SQL injection (SQLi). The generic bypass "involves appending  JSON syntax  to SQL injection payloads that a WAF is unable to parse," Claroty researcher Noam Moshe  said . "Most WAFs will easily detect SQLi attacks, but prepending JSON to SQL syntax left the WAF blind to these attacks." The industrial and IoT cybersecurity company said its technique successfully worked against WAFs from vendors like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cloudflare, F5, Imperva, and Palo Alto Networks, all of whom have since released upd...
Why is Robust API Security Crucial in eCommerce?

Why is Robust API Security Crucial in eCommerce?

Dec 09, 2022 API Security / Web Application Firewall
API attacks are on the rise. One of their major targets is eCommerce firms like yours.  APIs are a vital part of how eCommerce businesses are accelerating their growth in the digital world.  ECommerce platforms use APIs at all customer touchpoints, from displaying products to handling shipping. Owing to their increased use, APIs are attractive targets for hackers, as the following numbers expose:  API attack traffic increased by  681% in 2021    77% of retail respondents experienced API security incidents in 2021– according to  Noname security If left unaddressed, API abuse can damage your reputation, harm consumers, and affect the bottom line. Hence  API security  is worthy of consideration for eCommerce stakeholders. Why do eCommerce companies need APIs? API makes it easy for retailers and eCommerce platforms to handle product listings and orders. It transformed the static website into a completely customizable headless store. Ret...
6 Top API Security Risks! Favored Targets for Attackers If Left Unmanaged

6 Top API Security Risks! Favored Targets for Attackers If Left Unmanaged

Sep 09, 2022
Security threats are always a concern when it comes to APIs. API security can be compared to driving a car. You must be cautious and review everything closely before releasing it into the world. By failing to do so, you're putting yourself and others at risk. API attacks are more dangerous than other breaches. Facebook had a 50M user account affected by an API breach, and an API data breach on the Hostinger account exposed 14M customer records.  If a hacker gets into your API endpoints, it could spell disaster for your project. Depending on the industries and geographies you're talking about, insecure APIs could get you into hot water. Especially in the EU, if you're serving the banking, you could face massive legal and compliance problems if you're discovered to be using insecure APIs.  To mitigate these risks, you need to be aware of the potential  API vulnerabilities  that cybercriminals can exploit.   6 Commonly Overlooked API Security Risks #1 No API ...
Are You Investing in Securing Your Data in the Cloud?

Are You Investing in Securing Your Data in the Cloud?

May 17, 2022
Traditional businesses migrating to the cloud need robust information security mechanisms.  Gartner predicts  that more than 95% of new digital workloads will continue to be deployed on cloud-native platforms by 2025. Robust  cloud data security  is imperative for businesses adopting rapid digital transformation to the cloud. While a traditional hosting model could be considered more secure, not all organizations are receptive to relinquishing control over their infrastructure or applications by relying on a cloud provider at an increased risk of data theft from a cyberattack done by an outsider. Having said so, let's try to understand the vital part. What is Cloud Data Security?  Cloud data security entails securing data, whether at rest or in motion, on cloud-based infrastructure, applications, etc., against cyber threats like data breaches, unauthorized access, DDoS attacks, etc. This includes the technologies, policies, controls, and services to protec...
Navigating The Threat Landscape 2021 – From Ransomware to Botnets

Navigating The Threat Landscape 2021 – From Ransomware to Botnets

Nov 11, 2021
Though we are recovering from the worst pandemic, cyber threats have shown no sign of downshifting, and cybercriminals are still not short of malicious and advanced ways to achieve their goals.  The  Global Threat Landscape Report  indicates a drastic rise in sophisticated cyberattacks targeting digital infrastructures, organizations, and individuals in 2021. Threats can take different forms with the intent to commit fraud and damage businesses and people. Ransomware,  DDoS attacks , phishing, malware, and man-in-the-middle attacks represent the greatest threat to businesses today. When new threats emerge, attackers take advantage of them – however, most businesses are only aware of the current threats. Organizations struggle to address these threats due to their resource sophistication and their lack of understanding of evolving threat landscapes. For these reasons, organizations need visibility on the advanced threats especially targeting their infrastructure. ...
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