More Nefarious Strain of Zacinlo Malware Infecting Windows 10 Machines

A new type of malware that is starting to spread to Windows 10 computers bypasses the operating system’s built-in security and implants itself so firmly that it’s extremely difficult to remove. A description of the latest version of the Zacinlo malware sounds like a nightmare scenario for your security team. It’s rootkit malware that installs itself on the lowest levels of Windows where detection is extremely difficult to detect. Even if it’s detected Zacinlo disables anti-virus and anti-malware packages so it can’t be quickly purged from the system.  It also writes itself into the Windows registry so attempts to remove it by rebooting or even reinstalling Windows won’t get rid of it. Once Zacinlo gets into your system, it uploads your system information to its command and control server which then commands it to remove anything that’s considered a threat. This will include any AV packages, but also anything that competes with its core adware mission as well as any other software that might interfere with its operation. Once Zacinlo is in your system, it begins serving ads to your desktop that simply appear, and about which you can do nothing. Meanwhile, in the background it’s running a browser with no user interface, so it can quietly click on links you can’t see, which can be used for ad fraud, but also to install other malware. Meanwhile, Zacinlo is quietly snapping screen captures and sending whatever is on your screen to its command and control server. While it’s sending data to its servers, the malware also has the ability to set up a man-in-the-middle operation in your computer, so it can siphon off things like logins and passwords as well as banking information. If that’s not enough, it can redirect browser requests, taking you to fake web pages.

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GuidePoint Security Announces Portfolio of Data Security Governance Services

GuidePoint Security | January 30, 2024

GuidePoint Security, a cybersecurity solutions leader enabling organizations to make smarter decisions and minimize risk, today announced the availability of its Data Security Governance services, which are designed to help customers address the challenges of unstructured data and data sprawl through a proven process and program to meet their unique needs. GuidePoint’s Data Security Governance services consist of policies, standards, and processes leveraging the newest technologies to meet organizations’ data governance goals in both on-prem and cloud environments. Once the right strategy is determined with the customer, GuidePoint Security consultants will review program requirements, assess current policies and controls, perform gap analysis, design and develop/enhance the program, recommend and implement supporting technologies, and create operational processes and metrics. “Whether an organization is just beginning to build their data security governance program or needs help assessing and improving an existing program, our team and service capabilities are built to meet them at their current maturity level,” said Scott Griswold, Practice Director - Security Governance Services, GuidePoint Security. “We work side by side with the customer to conduct the necessary data discovery in their environment and provide tailored recommendations for solutions and processes to ultimately build/improve upon the data security governance program.” GuidePoint’s Data Security Governance Services include: Sensitive Data Cataloging: For organizations just getting started in the process of protecting their sensitive data, GuidePoint offers Data Identification workshops to identify sensitive data types in the environment, including trade secrets, intellectual property, and sensitive business communications. Data Security Governance Program Assessment: For organizations with existing Data Security Governance or Data Protection programs, GuidePoint Security experts will assess the program to identify policy non-compliance, gaps in data protection requirements—whether legal, regulatory, contractual, or business—and program maturity levels. Data Security Governance Program Strategy Development: The GuidePoint team will work with an organization's key stakeholders to design a program strategy aligned with relevant requirements. The outputs of this effort include delivering ongoing sensitive data discovery, automated classification and labeling, the application of required sensitive data protections, restrictions on where sensitive data can be stored and sent, and data retention policy enforcement. Merger and Acquisition Data Identification: This offering provides the ability to identify sensitive data within an M&A target or recent acquisition (including locations, amounts, and access rights) and then perform penetration testing on the storage repositories where that sensitive data exists to determine the risk of data compromise. About GuidePoint Security GuidePoint Security provides trusted cybersecurity expertise, solutions and services that help organizations make better decisions that minimize risk. Our experts act as your trusted advisor to understand your business and challenges, helping you through an evaluation of your cybersecurity posture and ecosystem to expose risks, optimize resources and implement best-fit solutions. GuidePoint’s unmatched expertise has enabled a third of Fortune 500 companies and more than half of the U.S. government cabinet-level agencies to improve their security posture and reduce risk. Learn more at www.guidepointsecurity.com.

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