Cybersecurity solutions provider Check Point Software Technologies’ latest Global Threat Index for July 2018 reveals a significant rise in exploits targeting three major IoT vulnerabilities. According to the company, these attacks, which are linked to the propagation of IoT malware like Mirai, IoTroop/Reaper and VPNFilter, have more than doubled since May.
 
The top 10 ‘most exploited’ list includes MVPower DVR router Remote Code Execution at fifth position; D Link DSL-2750B router Remote Command Execution at seventh; and Dasan GPON router Authentication Bypass at tenth position. The data shows 45% of organisations around the globe getting affected by attacks targeting these vulnerabilities, compared with 35% in June 2018 and 21% in May. These vulnerabilities allow attackers to execute malicious code and gain remote control of the target devices.
 
July’s top three ‘most wanted’ malware includes: Coinhive, Cryptoloot, and Dorkbot. The month’s top 3 ‘most vulnerabilities’ include: Lokibot, Triada, and Guerilla.
 
Maya Horowitz, threat intelligence group manager at Check Point, said: “Known vulnerabilities offer cyber-criminals an easy, relatively frictionless entry point into corporate networks, enabling them to propagate a wide range of attacks. IoT vulnerabilities in particular are often ‘the path of least resistance’, as once one device is compromised, it can be straightforward to infiltrate further connected devices. As such, it is vital that organisations apply patches to known vulnerabilities as and when they are made available to ensure that networks remain secure.”
 
In addition, the company’s 'Cyber Attack Trends: 2018 Mid-Year Report', found that in the first half of 2018, the number of organisations impacted by cryptomining malware doubled to 42%, compared with 20.5% from the second half of 2017.