 Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU), cybersecurity software company Fortra™ and Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Health-ISAC) are taking technical and legal action to disrupt cracked, legacy copies of Cobalt Strike and abused Microsoft software, which have been used by cybercriminals to distribute malware, including ransomware. This is a change in the way DCU has worked in the past – the scope is greater, and the operation is more complex. Instead of disrupting the command and control of a malware family, this time, we are working with Fortra to remove illegal, legacy copies of Cobalt Strike so they can no longer be used by cybercriminals. We will need to be persistent as we work to take down the cracked, legacy copies of Cobalt Strike hosted around the world. This is an important action by Fortra to protect the legitimate use of its security tools. Microsoft is similarly committed to the legitimate use of its products and services. We also believe that Fortra choosing to partner with us for this action is recognition of DCU’s work fighting cybercrime over the last decade. Together, we are committed to going after the cybercriminal’s illegal distribution methods. Cobalt Strike is a legitimate and popular post-exploitation tool used for adversary simulation provided by Fortra. Sometimes, older versions of the software have been abused and altered by criminals. These illegal copies are referred to as “cracked” and have been used to launch destructive attacks, such as those against the Government of Costa Rica and the Irish Health Service Executive. Microsoft software development kits and APIs are abused as part of the coding of the malware as well as the criminal malware distribution infrastructure to target and mislead victims. The ransomware families associated with or deployed by cracked copies of Cobalt Strike have been linked to more than 68 ransomware attacks impacting healthcare organizations in more than 19 countries around the world. These attacks have cost hospital systems millions of dollars in recovery and repair costs, plus interruptions to critical patient care services including delayed diagnostic, imaging, and laboratory results, canceled medical procedures, and delays in delivery of chemotherapy treatments, just to name a few. Fortra and Microsoft’s investigation efforts included detection, analysis, telemetry, and reverse engineering, with additional data and insights to strengthen our legal case from a global network of partners, including Health-ISAC, the Fortra Cyber Intelligence Team, and Microsoft Threat Intelligence team data and insights. Our action focuses solely on disrupting cracked, legacy copies of Cobalt Strike and compromised Microsoft software. Microsoft is also expanding a legal method used successfully to disrupt malware and nation-state operations to target the abuse of security tools used by a broad spectrum of cyber criminals. Disrupting cracked legacy copies of Cobalt Strike will significantly hinder the monetization of these illegal copies and slow their use in cyberattacks, forcing criminals to re-evaluate and change their tactics. Today’s action also includes copyright claims against the malicious use of Microsoft and Fortra’s software code which are altered and abused for harm. More detailed information can be found on OUR FORUM.  What exactly do IP67, IP68 or IPX8 mean? And can you take your phone swimming? Here's what you should know. Water resistance used to be something found on beefy, rubber-sealed rugged phones designed for construction workers or downhill mountain bikers. But things have changed, and in 2023 you'll find some kind of water resistance built into most mainstream phones, including the iPhone 14 Pro, Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google's Pixel 7 Pro. The value of water resistance in a phone is clear to anyone who's ever spilled tea, coffee or soda over their device. It can mean the difference between a quick wipe with a napkin and an expensive trip to the store. Not all phones can withstand a dunk in water, and some shouldn't be near liquid at all. Almost no phones should be taken swimming in a pool, and sea swimming is out of the question. If you've shopped for a phone recently, you'll have come across terms like "water resistant" and the now common IP67, IP68, or IPX8 ratings. But what do those ratings really mean and, crucially, how waterproof is your expensive new phone? IP, or ingress protection, ratings (aka international protection ratings) are a standard set forth by the International Electrotechnical Commission. According to the organization, the codes are designed as a "system for classifying the degrees of protection provided by the enclosures of electrical equipment." The first number in the rating code represents the amount of protection provided against the entry of foreign solid objects, such as fingers or dust. These protection levels range from a low of 0 to a high of 6. The second number represents the degree of protection against the entry of moisture or liquid, with protection levels ranging from a low of 0 to a high of 8. Sometimes you'll see an IP rating with a number replaced with an X, such as IPX8. In this instance, a company hasn't provided testing details so the rating number is replaced with an X. An IPX8-rated device can survive being submerged in water then, but it hasn't officially been rated for any protection from dust. The iPhone 14 Pro has an IP68 rating, meaning it's protected from dust getting inside and can withstand being submerged in water. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is also IP68 rated. So they're equally water-resistant, right? Well, no. That's where it gets confusing. For an 8 on the IP rating, the IEC demands a device can withstand being submerged in at least 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. Beyond that, it's up to the manufacturer. The S23 Ultra can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes, while Apple says the iPhone 14 Pro is safe in up to 6 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. So while any phone with an IP68 rating will have had to hit that 1 meter-30 minute minimum threshold, it's important to check the fine print and see exactly what your phone offers. Learn more by visiting OUR FORUM.  Recently, different users reported receiving a Windows 11 upgrade banner on their Windows 10 devices despite not meeting minimum requirements. Microsoft already explained that it was a mistake, saying the upgrade offer was “inaccurate” and accepting it would just result in failure. Nonetheless, this caused confusion among those unaware of the current Windows 11 minimum requirements. So, who is eligible for a Windows 11 upgrade? Windows 11 was just released in October 2021. With this, you can expect that most devices purchased in the last 18-24 months will be compatible with Windows 11. If you want a better way to check your device’s eligibility, you can use Microsoft’s PC Health Check, an app that can inspect your device. It can be a useful tool to help you determine why your device doesn’t make the cut for Windows 11 upgrade. It will also provide suggestions you can apply to get Windows 11 upgrade in case you don’t meet the minimum requirements. If you don’t want to install the app and check the requirements yourself, here is a brief summary of what you need to meet to be eligible for the Windows 11 upgrade. According to Microsoft’s updated February 2023 document, you must satisfy specific minimum hardware requirements to get the upgrade. Aside from the internet connectivity you need for the process, Microsoft laid out a detailed requirement list. Currently, Microsoft only requires 64GB for the last requirement regarding storage. However, it is important to note that given Windows 11’s frequent updates and rollout of new features, higher storage might be needed to ensure you’ll get updates in the future. Microsoft explains that different factors will determine the amount of free space required for such Windows 11 updates in the future. Aside from hardware requirements, there are some current operating system requirements you also need to meet if you are on Windows 10. Specifically, Microsoft says Windows 10 devices must be on version 2004 or later with September 14, 2021 security update or later already installed. Also, it is important to note that Windows 11 in S mode is only available in the Windows 11 Home edition. That said, you won’t be offered a Windows 11 upgrade if you are in the Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions of Windows 10 in S mode. Fortunately, you can resolve this by simply switching out of S mode. If you think your Windows 10 device is eligible for a Windows 11 upgrade and meet the minimum requirements, you can visit your PC’s Windows Update page to check for a notification saying your device is ready for an upgrade. Just go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates. If you don’t meet the requirements (or your device has some known issues), installing Windows 11 is not suggested. Nonetheless, if you are decided to have the new OS version despite possible consequences, there are a variety of ways you can still do to upgrade to Windows 11, including using Installation Assistant or creating Windows 11 installation media. But, then again, it is better to avoid doing them as force upgrades translate to compatibility issues and will soon lead to devise malfunction. Additionally, getting Windows 11 updates (especially security updates) on such ineligible devices that used force installations is not guaranteed. Complete details are posted on OUR FORUM. |
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