Insights: Increased Risk of Wiper Attacks
Summary: Unit 42 reports an increased risk of wiper attacks tied to the conflict with Iran, with multiple related incidents affecting organizations in Israel and the US. The Handala Hack group, assessed as a state-directed front for Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security, reportedly gains access primarily through phishing against identity and administrative access via Microsoft Intune, and Israel's National Cyber Directorate warned on March 6 of attackers deleting servers and workstations after entering networks with legitimate corporate user credentials.
Key Takeaway: Unit 42 identifies persistent, always-on administrative rights as the single greatest risk factor in these attacks, because Handala targets high-value accounts with standing permissions to cause immediate destructive impact.
Read the original at Unit 42 Palo Alto Networks ↗
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