Safeguarding communities with threat intelligence

TLDR:

• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a report on protecting vulnerable communities from cyber threats, with findings from the X-Force Threat Intelligence team.
• The report highlights the threat of stolen credentials and phishing attacks against high-risk groups like journalists, political activists, and human rights advocates.

Key members of civil society are often targeted by cyber criminals, but lack resources to protect themselves. CISA released a report developed through the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, with contributions from the X-Force Threat Intelligence team, addressing the threat to vulnerable groups. The report emphasizes the significant threat posed by stolen credentials for these groups, urging the implementation of multifactor authentication to safeguard vulnerable accounts from hacking or takeover.

The report also highlights the rise in phishing attacks against high-risk individuals, with phishing playing a prominent role in the 2024 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index. To protect against these threats, robust employee training, phishing security software, and multifactor authentication are recommended. It is crucial for governments and organizations to focus on security fundamentals to mitigate risks of credential-based attacks and phishing, especially with multiple elections taking place globally in 2024.

To enhance cyber preparedness, the X-Force Cyber Range has opened a new location in Washington DC to help federal government entities and private sector organizations prepare for cyber crisis events. By leveraging threat intelligence on the latest tactics and procedures used by threat actors, organizations can enhance their cybersecurity posture and protect vulnerable communities.