Author: Curated

Source: Dark Reading
Author: Erich Kron
URL: https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/top-10-most-probable-ways-company-can-be-hacked

## ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
A data-driven cybersecurity strategy prioritizes addressing root causes of attacks rather than symptoms, ensuring proactive defense against evolving cyber threats.

## MAIN POINTS:
1. A data-driven cybersecurity strategy relies on real data, not intuition, to protect critical assets.
2. Understanding attack root causes prevents vulnerabilities rather than just mitigating attack symptoms.
3. Social engineering is the primary attack method, exploiting human behavior through phishing, vishing, and other deceptive techniques.
4. Programming bugs create exploitable security weaknesses, often due to coding errors or outdated software.
5. Authentication attacks exploit credential vulnerabilities using brute force, MFA bypass, and credential stuffing.
6. Malicious scripting abuses legitimate programming tools like PowerShell to execute harmful actions.
7. Human errors and misconfigurations, such as overly permissive permissions, frequently lead to security breaches.
8. Eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks intercept and manipulate sensitive communications.
9. Brute-force attacks leverage computing power to crack weak passwords and encryption keys.
10. Insider threats pose significant risks as they originate from trusted individuals with legitimate access.

## TAKEAWAYS:
1. Prioritize addressing root causes like social engineering and unpatched software over reacting to attack symptoms.
2. Focus cybersecurity efforts on protecting the most critical assets and identifying likely attack vectors.
3. Human error and misconfigurations remain major security risks that require training and strict access controls.
4. Security teams must avoid distraction from news-driven threats and instead rely on their own risk assessments.
5. Preventing future attacks demands continuous evaluation of vulnerabilities rather than just responding to incidents.

Source: Cloud Security Alliance
Author: unknown
URL: https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/articles/building-better-grc-habits-why-2025-is-the-year-to-embrace-continuous-controls-monitoring

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Many organizations struggle with effective compliance management, needing a shift from reactive approaches to continuous controls monitoring for lasting improvement.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Many organizations invest in GRC tools but fail to develop sustainable compliance habits.
2. Only 5% of organizations consider their compliance programs optimized for efficiency and continuous improvement.
3. 94% of CISOs believe Continuous Controls Monitoring (CCM) improves security and compliance.
4. Over 50% of organizations lack compliance integration in their CI/CD pipeline.
5. 80% of CISOs report unnecessary duplication in compliance efforts.
6. 55% of CISOs cite cultural resistance as the main barrier to CCM adoption.
7. 31% of CISOs highlight financial concerns as a primary obstacle to change.
8. Successful GRC transformation requires breaking goals into smaller, manageable steps.
9. Choosing the right CCM tools with strong integrations is crucial for success.
10. Measuring and communicating compliance achievements builds momentum for broader transformation.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Shifting from reactive compliance to a continuous mindset is essential for long-term security and efficiency.
2. Cultural and organizational resistance pose greater challenges than financial constraints in adopting CCM.
3. Automating repetitive compliance tasks can significantly reduce manual effort and improve efficiency.
4. Selecting CCM tools with strong integrations and real-time reporting enhances compliance management.
5. Organizations should focus on small wins and gradual improvements to build sustainable GRC habits.

Source: 5 things to know about ransomware threats in 2025 | CSO Online
Author: unknown
URL: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3833826/how-to-configure-oauth-in-microsoft-365-defender-and-keep-your-cloud-secure.html

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Cloud authentication offers security and efficiency but requires vigilant monitoring to prevent OAuth abuse, phishing attacks, and Active Directory compromises.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Cloud authentication enhances security, scalability, and cost-efficiency but can be exploited if not properly managed.
2. OAuth technology enables third-party access without sharing credentials but can be misused for unauthorized access.
3. Attackers exploit OAuth through phishing, stealing session tokens to gain persistent access.
4. Microsoft 365 Defender helps detect OAuth-related threats, including business email compromise and phishing attacks.
5. Organizations should regularly review OAuth connections, focusing on high-risk permissions and newly authorized apps.
6. Administrative approval for OAuth applications can prevent unauthorized access but may introduce operational overhead.
7. Monitoring OAuth logs and resetting credentials after a compromise is crucial for security.
8. On-premises Active Directory is also targeted, requiring additional security measures.
9. Microsoft 365 Defender tools help identify vulnerabilities and recommend security improvements.
10. Regular reviews and proactive security measures, such as LAPS, help prevent lateral movement and credential misuse.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Regularly audit OAuth applications and permissions to mitigate security risks.
2. Enable administrative approval for OAuth apps to prevent unauthorized access.
3. Use Microsoft 365 Defender to detect and respond to OAuth-related attacks.
4. Implement LAPS to manage administrator passwords and prevent lateral movement.
5. Continuously monitor cloud authentication and Active Directory security to stay ahead of threats.

Source: #_shellntel Blog
Author: unknown
URL: https://blog.shellntel.com/p/using-rpc-filters-to-protect-against-coercion-attacks

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Coercion attacks exploit network vulnerabilities to escalate privileges, requiring comprehensive remediation and detection strategies beyond simple patches or fixes.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Coercion attacks force authentication requests to attacker-specified hosts, often chaining with other exploits.
2. Many organizations fail to fully remediate coercion vulnerabilities despite widespread awareness.
3. Partial remediation often focuses on ADCS or NTLMv1 downgrading, leaving other attack vectors open.
4. RPC filters in Windows can mitigate some coercion attacks but have limitations and bypasses.
5. Several well-known coercion vulnerabilities exist, including Printer Bug, PetitPotam, and DFS Coerce.
6. Microsoft has patched some vulnerabilities, but others remain exploitable with authenticated access.
7. PowerShell scripts can help automate blocking vulnerable RPC endpoints.
8. Event IDs like 5145 and 5712 can aid in detecting coercion attack attempts.
9. Domain Controllers should not run print spooler services to reduce attack surfaces.
10. Effective remediation requires patching, disabling unnecessary services, and implementing robust monitoring.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Coercion attacks remain a serious privilege escalation threat despite existing mitigations.
2. Organizations must implement layered defenses, not just rely on patching.
3. PowerShell scripts can streamline RPC endpoint blocking for better security.
4. Monitoring Event IDs like 5145 can improve detection of attack attempts.
5. Regular security assessments are essential to identify and remediate lingering vulnerabilities.

Source: Help Net Security
Author: Mirko Zorz
URL: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/02/26/compliance-security-illustion/

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Compliance frameworks provide structure but don’t guarantee security; organizations must shift from checkbox compliance to continuous, risk-based cybersecurity resilience.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Compliance frameworks like ISO 27001 and SOC 2 don’t equate to strong security.
2. Many organizations treat compliance as a checkbox rather than an ongoing security practice.
3. Security breaches can occur even in fully compliant organizations.
4. Compliance should be a tool for progress, not the final security goal.
5. Companies often focus on passing audits rather than ensuring effective security controls.
6. Overreliance on third-party auditors can lead to false security confidence.
7. Compliance frameworks often neglect human error, a major cause of breaches.
8. Static compliance requirements fail to adapt to evolving cybersecurity threats.
9. Organizations should align compliance efforts with real business risks.
10. Security culture and continuous training are essential for true resilience.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Treat compliance as a baseline, not the ultimate security goal.
2. Regularly test security controls beyond compliance audits.
3. Reframe board discussions to focus on risk exposure, not just compliance status.
4. Align security efforts with business-specific threats beyond regulatory requirements.
5. Foster a strong security culture through continuous, adaptive training.

Source: How to create an effective incident response plan | CSO Online
Author: unknown
URL: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3829684/how-to-create-an-effective-incident-response-plan.html

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
A well-structured incident response plan ensures business resilience by prioritizing critical systems, clear communication, defined roles, and continuous testing.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. A major IT outage can halt business operations, making incident response planning crucial for resilience.
2. Business impact analysis (BIA) helps identify essential functions and prioritize response efforts.
3. Clear communication strategies prevent extended downtimes and confusion during incidents.
4. Defined roles and responsibilities ensure a coordinated and efficient incident response.
5. Incident response should involve cross-functional teams beyond just IT and cybersecurity.
6. Understanding the evolving threat landscape, including supply chain and insider threats, is essential.
7. Continuous testing and reviews improve response effectiveness and readiness.
8. Lessons learned from past incidents should inform future response strategies.
9. Simplified, modular playbooks enhance usability and adaptability in crisis situations.
10. Cybersecurity incidents should be treated as business-wide concerns, not just IT issues.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Businesses must proactively assess critical systems and plan responses before an incident occurs.
2. Effective communication protocols minimize downtime and improve coordination during crises.
3. Clearly assigned roles and workflows prevent confusion and enhance response efficiency.
4. Regular testing and post-incident reviews strengthen overall resilience and preparedness.
5. A modular playbook approach simplifies response efforts and ensures adaptability.

Source: Cloud Security Alliance
Author: unknown
URL: https://www.oasis.security/resources/blog/why-should-active-directory-hygiene-be-part-of-your-nhi-security-program

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Active Directory struggles with modern hybrid environments, requiring improved hygiene to manage machine identities, reduce security risks, and maintain operational stability.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Active Directory was designed for human users, not machine identities, which now outnumber humans by 20 to 1.
2. Machine identities require multiple credentials and have unpredictable lifecycles, complicating security and access management.
3. Poor AD hygiene can cause security risks, operational disruptions, and inefficiencies in hybrid environments.
4. Stale accounts and excessive permissions create vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit.
5. Forgotten dependencies in AD can lead to sync failures with Entra, disrupting critical applications.
6. Manual identity tracking is slow, error-prone, and needs automation for efficiency.
7. AD’s nested group structures obscure permissions, making access control difficult.
8. Logs from AD and Entra are fragmented, requiring significant expertise to analyze effectively.
9. Service accounts often lack clear ownership, making them hard to manage securely.
10. Hybrid environments amplify these challenges, with lingering permissions and hidden dependencies causing governance issues.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Active Directory hygiene is crucial for securing hybrid environments and preventing security risks.
2. Automation is essential for effective identity tracking and reducing manual errors.
3. Organizations must regularly audit and clean up stale accounts and excessive permissions.
4. Visibility into AD and Entra logs is necessary for understanding and managing access.
5. Clear ownership of service accounts is key to maintaining security and operational stability.

Source: Blog RSS Feed
Author: Josh Breaker-Rolfe
URL: https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/key-updates-owasp-top-list-llms

## ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
The OWASP Top Ten List for LLMs and Gen AI 2025 highlights evolving threats, emphasizing sensitive data exposure, supply chain risks, and new vulnerabilities.

## MAIN POINTS:
1. Sensitive information disclosure risk jumped from sixth to second place due to increased LLM usage in daily operations.
2. Employees misusing LLMs by inputting sensitive data can cause data leaks and security breaches.
3. Supply chain risks rose from fifth to third place, emphasizing vulnerabilities in pre-trained models and datasets.
4. Data poisoning, model tampering, and fine-tuning risks contribute to supply chain security concerns.
5. System prompt leakage, ranked seventh, exposes internal instructions that attackers can exploit for further attacks.
6. OWASP advises separating sensitive data from system prompts and enforcing independent security controls.
7. Vector and embedding weaknesses, ranked eighth, pose risks in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) applications.
8. OWASP recommends fine-grained access controls and detailed logging for embedding-based methods.
9. Misinformation, unbounded consumption, and excessive agency risks were updated for the 2025 list.
10. Organizations must remain vigilant as LLM threats and vulnerabilities constantly evolve.

## TAKEAWAYS:
1. Organizations must educate employees on responsible AI tool usage to prevent sensitive data leaks.
2. Strengthening supply chain security is critical as external components introduce multiple vulnerabilities.
3. Implementing independent security controls helps mitigate system prompt leakage risks.
4. Fine-grained access controls and logging improve security in embedding-based AI applications.
5. Continuous monitoring and adaptation are essential as LLM threats evolve rapidly.

Source: Help Net Security
Author: Help Net Security
URL: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/02/24/botnet-hits-microsoft-365-accounts/

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
A massive botnet of 130,000 devices is launching stealthy password-spraying attacks on Microsoft 365 accounts, bypassing traditional security defenses.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. A newly discovered botnet is conducting large-scale password-spraying attacks on Microsoft 365 accounts.
2. SecurityScorecard researchers suspect links to China-affiliated threat actors based on hosting infrastructure evidence.
3. The attack exploits Non-Interactive Sign-Ins to evade traditional security controls and MFA defenses.
4. Targeted industries include financial services, healthcare, government, technology, and education.
5. The botnet uses command-and-control servers hosted by SharkTech, known for previous malicious activity.
6. Non-Interactive Sign-Ins allow attackers to avoid triggering account lockouts or security alerts.
7. Organizations with strong security measures may still be vulnerable due to gaps in authentication logging.
8. Potential nation-state involvement raises concerns about espionage and data exfiltration risks.
9. Security teams should review logs, rotate credentials, disable legacy authentication, and monitor for stolen credentials.
10. Microsoft plans to retire Basic Authentication by September 2025, increasing urgency for stronger authentication methods.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Password-spraying attacks are evolving to bypass traditional security measures like MFA and Conditional Access Policies.
2. Non-Interactive Sign-Ins present a critical security blind spot that attackers are actively exploiting.
3. Organizations relying on Microsoft 365 must enhance authentication monitoring and security controls.
4. Nation-state actors may be leveraging this attack for espionage and data theft.
5. Transitioning away from legacy authentication methods is crucial before Microsoft’s 2025 deadline.

Source: Cloud Security Alliance
Author: unknown
URL: https://www.zscaler.com/cxorevolutionaries/insights/simplicity-complexity-resolved

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Zero trust security simplifies IT environments by eliminating complexity, reducing failure points, and decoupling security from network infrastructure for efficiency.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Zero trust security focuses on simplicity, eliminating unnecessary functions and streamlining existing ones.
2. SpaceX’s rocket success highlights the benefits of reducing complexity for efficiency and reliability.
3. Complexity increases security risks, as each component adds potential failure points.
4. Legacy network security architectures are often overly complex, with multiple redundant tools.
5. More security tools can create additional vulnerabilities rather than improving protection.
6. Zero trust shifts security from perimeter-based protection to per-resource policy enforcement.
7. Cloud-based zero trust architecture enhances security by eliminating reliance on traditional security appliances.
8. True zero trust separates security functions from the network, making networks more efficient.
9. Single-scan, multi-action (SSMA) architecture processes security functions in parallel, improving speed and accuracy.
10. Simplifying security policies reduces complexity and strengthens overall protection.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Reducing complexity in IT security enhances efficiency and minimizes failure points.
2. Legacy security architectures often introduce unnecessary risks through redundant and outdated tools.
3. Zero trust security improves protection by focusing on per-resource access rather than network perimeters.
4. Cloud-based zero trust models provide enhanced security without traditional appliance vulnerabilities.
5. Simplifying security policies leads to stronger, more manageable cybersecurity frameworks.

Source: CSO Online
Author: unknown
URL: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3828216/understanding-owasps-top-10-list-of-non-human-identity-critical-risks.html

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Non-human identities (NHIs) pose significant cybersecurity risks, requiring organizations to adopt best practices for management, authentication, and access control.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. NHIs vastly outnumber human identities in enterprise networks, increasing security risks.
2. Credential misuse remains the leading attack vector in breaches.
3. OWASP released a Non-Human Identities Top 10 list to address key security challenges.
4. Improper offboarding of NHIs leaves orphaned accounts vulnerable to attacks.
5. Secret leakage from API keys, tokens, and credentials is a major security concern.
6. Third-party NHIs can introduce vulnerabilities through integrations with external tools and services.
7. Insecure authentication methods expose NHIs to exploitation.
8. Overprivileged NHIs increase the blast radius of security breaches.
9. Poor cloud deployment configurations contribute to security incidents.
10. Long-lived secrets, lack of environment isolation, and credential reuse heighten security risks.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Automate NHI offboarding to prevent orphaned credentials from becoming attack vectors.
2. Implement secret management tools and automated detection to mitigate secret leakage risks.
3. Enforce least privilege access and regularly audit NHI permissions.
4. Use modern authentication protocols like OAuth 2.1 and OpenID Connect.
5. Educate developers and administrators on the risks of human use of NHIs.

Source: BankInfoSecurity.com RSS Syndication
Author: unknown
URL: https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/proof-of-concept-exploits-published-for-2-new-openssh-bugs-a-27544

“`markdown
# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Two new OpenSSH vulnerabilities enable man-in-the-middle attacks and denial of service, prompting urgent patching to mitigate security risks.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Two OpenSSH vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-26465, CVE-2025-26466) expose millions of servers to security threats.
2. The man-in-the-middle flaw (CVE-2025-26465) allows attackers to impersonate servers and intercept SSH sessions.
3. The denial of service flaw (CVE-2025-26466) enables resource exhaustion attacks using SSH2_MSG_PING packets.
4. OpenSSH patched both flaws in version 9.9p2, released on February 18, 2025.
5. The man-in-the-middle attack requires the VerifyHostKeyDNS option to be enabled, which is disabled by default.
6. FreeBSD had VerifyHostKeyDNS enabled by default from September 2013 until March 2023.
7. The denial of service attack can be mitigated using built-in OpenSSH mechanisms like LoginGraceTime and MaxStartups.
8. Qualys Security Advisory team discovered and reported the flaws to OpenSSH on January 31, 2025.
9. Proof-of-concept exploit code was published by Qualys on the same day OpenSSH released patches.
10. Urgent upgrading to OpenSSH 9.9p2 is recommended to prevent potential exploits.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Immediate patching is crucial to mitigate OpenSSH vulnerabilities and prevent potential attacks.
2. Organizations should verify their SSH configurations, especially the VerifyHostKeyDNS setting.
3. Built-in OpenSSH security mechanisms can help reduce denial of service risks.
4. Attackers could exploit these flaws to intercept credentials or disrupt server operations.
5. Security teams must stay updated on vulnerabilities and apply patches as soon as they are released.
“`

Source: BleepingComputer
Author: Sergiu Gatlan
URL: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-reminds-admins-to-prepare-for-wsus-driver-sync-deprecation/

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Microsoft is deprecating WSUS driver synchronization on April 18, urging enterprises to transition to cloud-based solutions like Intune and Autopatch.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. WSUS driver synchronization will be deprecated on April 18, 2024.
2. Microsoft recommends using cloud-based alternatives like Windows Autopatch, Azure Update Manager, and Microsoft Intune.
3. On-premises drivers will remain available via the Microsoft Update catalog but cannot be imported into WSUS.
4. Enterprises must transition to alternative solutions like Device Driver Packages or cloud-based services.
5. This deprecation follows prior warnings issued since June 2024.
6. WSUS itself was deprecated in September 2024 but will still receive updates and maintain existing capabilities.
7. Microsoft is no longer developing new WSUS features or accepting feature requests.
8. WSUS has been managing Microsoft product updates for enterprises since its introduction in 2005.
9. Windows NTLM authentication was also deprecated, with Microsoft advising a transition to Kerberos or Negotiation authentication.
10. Microsoft is encouraging enterprises to modernize their update management strategies with cloud-based solutions.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Organizations relying on WSUS for driver updates must transition before April 18, 2024.
2. Microsoft is shifting focus to cloud-based update management solutions.
3. WSUS will still function but without new feature developments.
4. IT admins should explore Microsoft Intune and Windows Autopatch for driver updates.
5. Security and authentication protocols are evolving, requiring adaptation to newer methods like Kerberos.

Source: Help Net Security
Author: Zeljka Zorz
URL: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/02/13/pan-os-authentication-bypass-palo-alto-networks-poc-cve-2025-0108/

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Palo Alto Networks patched a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability (CVE-2025-0108) in its firewalls, urging admins to update and restrict access.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Palo Alto Networks fixed CVE-2025-0108, an authentication bypass flaw in its firewall management web interface.
2. A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for the vulnerability has been publicly released.
3. The flaw was discovered while analyzing patches for previously exploited vulnerabilities, CVE-2024-0012 and CVE-2024-9474.
4. Exploiting CVE-2025-0108 allows invoking PHP scripts, affecting PAN-OS integrity and confidentiality.
5. The vulnerability has been patched in PAN-OS versions 11.2.4-h4, 11.1.6-h1, 10.2.13-h3, and 10.1.14-h9.
6. Additional fixes include CVE-2025-0111 (authenticated file read) and CVE-2025-0109 (unauthenticated file deletion).
7. Administrators are advised to disable management interface access from untrusted networks.
8. Unexpected firewall reboots are due to a bug in PAN-OS 11.1.4-h7/h9, not an attack.
9. A hotfix (11.1.4-h12) for the reboot issue was released with limited availability on January 31.
10. Palo Alto Networks plans a general availability update (11.1.4-h13) by February 20.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Update to the latest PAN-OS versions to mitigate security risks.
2. Restrict access to the management web interface from untrusted sources.
3. No known malicious exploitation of CVE-2025-0108 has been reported.
4. Administrators should be aware of unexpected reboots caused by a software bug, not an attack.
5. Additional security patches have been released, addressing multiple vulnerabilities in PAN firewalls.

Source: CUInsight
Author: Barry Lewis
URL: https://www.cuinsight.com/the-absence-of-cisos-in-credit-unions-a-structural-reality/

“`markdown
# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Credit unions often lack CISOs due to structural, financial, and cultural factors, impacting their cybersecurity strategy and long-term risk management.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Credit unions typically rely on Information Security Officers (ISOs) rather than Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs).
2. Smaller organizational size and limited resources prevent credit unions from establishing executive cybersecurity roles.
3. Cybersecurity is often seen as an IT function rather than a strategic business concern.
4. Budget constraints make it difficult to justify a dedicated CISO position.
5. Credit unions’ historical focus on member services reduces emphasis on executive-level security leadership.
6. ISOs handle operational security but lack strategic influence within leadership teams.
7. Reporting structures create potential conflicts of interest between IT operations and cybersecurity priorities.
8. Regulatory expectations for strong security governance are increasing across financial institutions.
9. Member trust depends on visible cybersecurity commitment and proactive risk management.
10. Elevating the ISO role, adopting a virtual CISO model, and educating boards can improve security leadership.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Credit unions must rethink cybersecurity as a strategic business imperative, not just an IT function.
2. The absence of CISOs limits cybersecurity integration into long-term planning and executive decision-making.
3. Budget-friendly solutions like virtual CISOs can help bridge the leadership gap.
4. Strengthening board awareness of cybersecurity risks can drive better governance and investment.
5. Prioritizing cybersecurity leadership enhances trust, compliance, and overall resilience in the financial sector.
“`

Source: CrowdStrike Blog
Author: Falcon Exposure Management Team
URL: https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/blog/patch-tuesday-analysis-february-2025/

“`markdown
# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Microsoft’s February 2025 Patch Tuesday addresses 67 vulnerabilities, including three Critical flaws and four zero-days impacting Windows and Surface devices.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Microsoft released security updates for 67 vulnerabilities in February 2025.
2. Three of these vulnerabilities are classified as Critical.
3. Four zero-day vulnerabilities affect Windows NTLMv2 hash, Storage, and Ancillary Function Driver, plus Surface devices.
4. Remote code execution (RCE) is the most common exploitation technique, comprising 42% of vulnerabilities.
5. Elevation of privilege vulnerabilities account for 32% of the total.
6. Eight vulnerabilities impact Azure Linux, though their severity was not disclosed.
7. Microsoft did not include Azure Linux vulnerabilities in their main risk analysis figure.
8. Patch Tuesday updates aim to mitigate security threats across multiple Microsoft products.
9. Organizations should prioritize patching Critical and zero-day vulnerabilities immediately.
10. Surface devices are also affected, highlighting the broader impact of these security flaws.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Immediate patching is necessary for the three Critical and four zero-day vulnerabilities.
2. Remote code execution remains a dominant security risk in Microsoft’s ecosystem.
3. Elevation of privilege flaws continue to be a significant concern for system security.
4. Azure Linux users should monitor Microsoft’s advisories despite missing severity details.
5. Businesses and users must stay proactive in applying security updates to mitigate threats.
“`

Source: Hackers breach Microsoft IIS services using Cityworks RCE bug | CSO Online
Author: unknown
URL: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3811937/cisos-stop-trying-to-do-the-lawyers-job.html

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Building a strong partnership between CISOs and legal teams is essential for managing cybersecurity, compliance, and risk through collaboration and communication.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Engineers and lawyers have different mindsets but can form a powerful partnership in cybersecurity and compliance.
2. CISOs must establish strong relationships with legal teams to navigate evolving regulations and compliance requirements.
3. Conversations between CISOs and legal teams should be solution-oriented, transparent, and straightforward.
4. Legal teams should not be treated as mere approval bodies but as critical partners in risk management.
5. Involving legal teams early in security incidents helps ensure compliance and avoid unnecessary risks.
6. CISOs should respect legal boundaries and avoid overstepping their roles into legal decision-making.
7. Cross-training and incident simulations help both teams understand each other’s responsibilities and improve collaboration.
8. Structured communication channels enhance coordination and ensure timely decision-making in crisis situations.
9. Legal teams should be involved in security discussions, risk assessments, and major strategic decisions.
10. Informal interactions, such as social events, help build trust and strengthen professional relationships between CISOs and legal experts.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Effective CISO-legal collaboration is crucial for navigating cybersecurity, compliance, and regulatory challenges.
2. Transparency, mutual respect, and early legal involvement improve security incident response and risk mitigation.
3. CISOs should engage legal teams proactively rather than treating them as a final approval step.
4. Training exercises and structured communication processes enhance coordination between security and legal teams.
5. Building personal relationships with legal experts fosters trust and smoother collaboration.

Source: Help Net Security
Author: Help Net Security
URL: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/02/07/ghidra-11-3-released-new-features-performance-improvements-bug-fixes/

# ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
Ghidra 11.3 introduces new debugging, emulation, and integration features, enhancing reverse engineering capabilities across multiple platforms with improved performance.

# MAIN POINTS:
1. Ghidra 11.3 is fully backward compatible but not forward compatible with older versions.
2. Visual Studio Code integration replaces Eclipse with improved script editing and Ghidra extension development tools.
3. PyGhidra enables direct access to the Ghidra API via CPython 3 and integrates CPython into the GUI.
4. A new JIT-accelerated p-code emulator enhances dynamic analysis performance but remains in early development.
5. Debugging infrastructure is streamlined, adding macOS and Windows kernel debugging capabilities.
6. Function Graph improvements include a new Flow Chart layout, customizable satellite view, and better navigation shortcuts.
7. Source file mapping enhancements integrate source file and line information into analysis workflows.
8. Processor support improves x86 AVX-512, TI_MSP430, and ARM VFPv2 instruction handling.
9. String translation expands with LibreTranslate support, enhancing privacy and text search capabilities.
10. Full-text search across decompiled functions now dynamically incorporates the latest decompilation results.

# TAKEAWAYS:
1. Ghidra 11.3 strengthens integration with Visual Studio Code, modernizing script editing and extension development.
2. The new JIT-accelerated p-code emulator significantly improves performance for dynamic analysis.
3. Debugging enhancements extend kernel debugging support for macOS and Windows virtual machines.
4. Function Graph and source mapping improvements enhance navigation and code visualization.
5. Expanded processor support and text search features improve reverse engineering accuracy and efficiency.