August 25, 2024 at 10:03PM
Deniss Zolotarjovs, a suspected member of the Russian Karakurt ransomware gang, has been charged in a US court with money laundering and extortion. A Chrome vulnerability (CVE-2024-7971) was exploited before being fixed. Additionally, Microsoft issued a workaround for dual-boot PCs facing issues with Linux after installing a Windows security update. AARL paid a ransomware gang $1 million, and Qilin ransomware group has been stealing Chrome-stored credentials. CertiK apologized for researchers exploiting a vulnerability on Kraken.
Key Takeaways from Meeting Notes:
1. Deniss Zolotarjovs, a suspected member of the Russian Karakurt ransomware gang, has been arrested in Georgia and extradited to the US. He faces charges relating to money laundering, wire fraud, and Hobbs Act extortion for his involvement in stealing data from US companies and demanding cryptocurrency ransom payments.
2. Google released a Chrome update with 38 security fixes, including a type confusion vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript engine (CVE-2024-7971) that was exploited before the update. The exploit was found and reported by Microsoft researchers.
3. Microsoft published a workaround for dual-boot PCs facing booting issues with Linux after installing the August Windows security update. The update was intended to fix a buffer overflow vulnerability in the GRUB boot loader, but it affected dual-boot systems. Microsoft is working with Linux partners to investigate the issue further.
4. The National Association for Amateur Radio (ARRL) confirmed paying a $1 million ransom to a ransomware gang that attacked its network in May. The organization had to assemble an incident response team and inform the FBI and local law enforcement after the attack.
5. The Qilin ransomware group used a new tactic to steal account credentials stored in the Google Chrome browser. Sophos researchers identified the group gaining access through compromised VPN credentials and utilizing a script to harvest credentials from Chrome browsers stored on machines within the network.
6. CertiK faced controversy after its “whitehat” security researchers, who discovered and disclosed a critical bug on Kraken, exploited the flaw to steal $3 million from the cryptocurrency exchange before returning the funds. CertiK issued a statement acknowledging errors in judgment and communication in the incident.
These clear takeaways summarize the significant points from the meeting notes.