The Shellshock vulnerability, which first made headlines in 2014, continues to be a popular target for attackers, especially in financial services applications. According to ThreatX, approximately one-third of their customers experienced attempted exploits of the Shellshock vulnerability earlier this year. This raises concerns about the prevalence of a vulnerability that was disclosed nearly a decade ago and the reasons why credit unions are often targeted.
Shellshock, also known as the Bash bug or CVE-2014-6271, is a vulnerability that was discovered in September 2014 in the Unix Bash shell. It allows attackers to gain escalated privileges if exploited. The vulnerability was found on billions of devices worldwide and caused widespread panic in 2014, resulting in numerous patches being released. Despite the passage of time, Shellshock still exists in the wild and remains popular among attackers due to its simplicity and low cost.
One of the main reasons this vulnerability continues to exist is due to poor patch management. Many organizations fail to apply patches promptly, leaving their systems vulnerable to known vulnerabilities like Shellshock. Patch management can be a complex and time-consuming process, especially for large or distributed environments. Organizations may also have concerns about potential downtime or compatibility issues when applying patches. Additionally, some organizations lack the necessary resources or expertise to effectively manage patching across their entire infrastructure.
Attackers exploit the Shellshock vulnerability to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and target interconnected systems. These attacks often involve the use of bots and botnets. Attackers have also historically targeted network storage devices to steal data or even mine cryptocurrency.
Credit unions are particularly attractive targets for attackers, not only in the case of Shellshock but also in general cyberattacks. Credit unions hold large amounts of sensitive financial information, making them appealing targets. Additionally, credit unions may have limited security resources compared to larger financial institutions, making them appear as softer targets. Attackers may also assume that credit unions lag behind in patch management. Furthermore, credit unions often rely on third-party vendors for online banking and payment processing, which can introduce additional security risks.
To protect systems from potential Shellshock attacks, organizations should establish a robust patch management policy and process. This includes regular vulnerability scanning and prioritizing critical patches. Systems and software should be configured to receive and apply patches automatically whenever possible. Staff should receive training and education on patch management best practices. It is also essential to review and update patch management strategies regularly to adapt to evolving threats and technologies.
Bot defenses also need to be strengthened to mitigate attacks related to Shellshock and other vulnerabilities. Most attacks now leverage bots or botnets, making it challenging to distinguish between malicious and legitimate bot traffic. Coarse-grained bot mitigation efforts can negatively impact user experience. Real-time behavioral profiling and threat engagement techniques are crucial for effective bot mitigation. Behavioral profiling analyzes large volumes of contextual data to identify patterns and block attacks in real time. Advanced threat engagement techniques, such as IP fingerprinting and tarpitting, help identify the intent of attackers.
Taking a proactive approach to security is essential to mitigate the risks posed by the Shellshock vulnerability and future vulnerabilities. Implementing proper patch management and optimizing bot defenses are crucial steps in protecting organizations from cybercriminals. By being proactive, organizations can avoid scrambling to implement quick fixes when faced with new vulnerabilities.