SELECTED BY THE TALOS SECURITY INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH GROUP
Title: Microsoft patches 49 vulnerabilities as part of Patch Tuesday
Description: Microsoft released its monthly security update today, disclosing vulnerabilities across many of its products and releasing corresponding updates. Patch Tuesday covers 49 vulnerabilities, eight of which are considered critical. This month's security update is particularly important for its disclosure of two vulnerabilities related to a core cryptographic component in all versions of Windows. CVE-2020-0601 could allow an attacker to use cryptography to sign a malicious executable, making the file appear as if it was from a trusted source. The victim would have no way of knowing if the file was malicious. Cyber security reporter Brian Krebs says the vulnerability is so serious, Microsoft secretly deployed a patch to branches of the U.S. military prior to today.
Reference: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/01/cryptic-rumblings-ahead-of-first-2020-patch-tuesday/
Snort SIDs: 52593 - 51596, 52604, 52605
Title: ZeroCleare wiper malware deployed on oil refinery
Description: ZeroCleare, a wiper malware connected to an Iranian hacker group, was recently deployed against a national oil refinery in Bahrain. An upgraded version has been spotted in the wild, according to security researchers, which can delete files off infected machines. The latest attacks match previous attacks using this malware family, which have gone after other targets connected to Saudi Arabia. Concerns over Iranian cyber attacks have spiked since the U.S. killed a high-profile Iranian general in a drone strike.
Snort SIDs: 52572 - 52581