A critical vulnerability in the open-source logging software Apache Log4j 2 is fueling a chaotic race in the cybersecurity world, with the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) issuing an emergency security update as bad actors searched for vulnerable servers.
Log4j 2, developed by the ASF, is a widely used Java package that enables logging in an array of popular applications. The bug, tracked as CVE-2021-44228, is a zero-day vulnerability that allows unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) that could give attacks control of the systems the software is running in.
The vulnerability – which has been dubbed Log4Shell – has been given a severity score of 10/10, the highest score possible. The Apache Foundation released an emergency patch as part of the 2.15.0 release of Log4j 2 that fixes the RCE vulnerability.
The Broad Reach of Log4j
The software is used by both enterprise applications as well as cloud-based services, and the vulnerability could have wide effects on enterprises, according to security professionals. Log4Shell reportedly also can impact the default configurations of several Apache frameworks, such as Apache Struts2, Apache Druid and Apache Flink.
‘Given how ubiquitous this library is … the impact of this vulnerability is quite severe’
“Given how ubiquitous this library is, the impact of the exploit (full server control), and how easy it is to exploit, the impact of this vulnerability is quite severe,” Free Wortley, CEO of cybersecurity firm LunaSec, and Chris Thompson, a developer at the company, wrote in a blog post. “Anybody using Apache Struts is likely vulnerable. We’ve seen similar vulnerabilities exploited before in breaches like the 2017 Equifax data breach.”
They wrote that many services are vulnerable to the exploit, including cloud services like Apple iCloud and Steam and applications like Minecraft. Open-source projects like Paper, the server used by Minecraft, have begun patching Log4j 2. Servers used by such name companies as Twitter, Cloudflare, Apple and Tencent also have been found to be vulnerable to Log4Shell.
A number of other open-source projects, such as ElasticSearch, Redis and Elastic Logstash, reportedly also use Log4j.
The Log4Shell vulnerability comes months after open-source security was a central topic of discussion at this year’s Black Hat conference.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an alert urging users to apply the patch to upgrade the software or to use the mitigation steps recommended by the ASF.
The RCE vulnerability – which initially was discovered by the Alibaba Cloud Security Team late last month – affects Log4j versions 2.0-beta9 to 2.14.1. According to LunaSec, Log4Shell can be exploited on vulnerable servers when data from the user is sent to the server using any protocol. The server then logs the data in the request that contains the malicious payload and the Log4j vulnerability is triggered by the payload.
The server makes a request to attacker.com through the Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) and the response contains a path to a remote Java class file, which is injected into the server process. The injected payload triggers a second stage and then allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code.
Tweet Fuels Rush by Good Guys, Bad Actors
The flurry of activity around Log4Shell was kicked off on Thursday when it was disclosed on Twitter in a tweet that included a proof-of-concept (PoC) code.
‘It’s going to be a long weekend for a lot of people’
“This is a worst-case scenario,” Casey Ellis, founder and CTO at crowdsourced security vendor Bugcrowd, told eSecurity Planet, noting the “combination of Log4j’s ubiquitous use in software and platforms, the many, many paths available to exploit the vulnerability, the dependencies that will make patching this vulnerability without breaking other things difficult, and the fact that the exploit itself fits into a tweet. It’s going to be a long weekend for a lot of people.”
A number of organizations, including computer emergency response teams (CERTs) for Deutsche Telekom and New Zealand, said they have seen attackers seeking servers that are vulnerable to Log4Shell. Deutsche Telekom officials said in a tweet that they “are observing attacks in our honeypot infrastructure coming from the TOR network.”
In a similar tweet, security firm GreyNoise reported that it “is currently seeing 2 unique IP’s scanning the internet for the new Apache Log4j RCE vulnerability…”
“RCE vulnerabilities on webservers represent the most serious of issues,” John Bambenek, principal threat hunter at cybersecurity company Netenrich, told eSecurity Planet. “With PoC code already released, we will likely start seeing exploitation by the end of today. As webapps running this kind of setup typically would process sensitive information, the mitigations in question should be applied immediately, which includes updating Java.”
He added that web application firewalls should also be updated to include an appropriate rule to block such attacks.
Vulnerability Tested
Researchers with cybersecurity company Randori’s Attack Team wrote in a blog post that they developed a working exploit and successfully leveraged the Log4j vulnerability in customer environments as part of the vendor’s offensive security platform.
“The vulnerability is reachable via a multitude of application-specific methods,” they wrote. “Effectively, any scenario that allows a remote connection to supply arbitrary data that is written to log files by an application utilizing the Log4j library is susceptible to exploitation. This vulnerability is highly likely to be exploited in the wild and is likely to impact thousands of organizations. This vulnerability poses a significant real-world risk to affected systems.”
More Vulnerable Products Expected
That said, assessing long-term effects of Log4Shell isn’t easy, the Randori researchers wrote. However, the immediate impacts will be felt.
“The Log4j 2 library is very frequently used in enterprise Java software,” they wrote. “Due to this deployment methodology, the impact is difficult to quantify. Similarly to other high-profile vulnerabilities such as Heartbleed and Shellshock, we believe there will be an increasing number of vulnerable products discovered in the weeks to come. Due to the ease of exploitation and the breadth of applicability, we suspect ransomware actors to begin leveraging this vulnerability immediately.”
Dor Dali, director of information security at cybersecurity vendor Vulcan Cyber, told eSecurity Planet that he would put it in the top-three worst vulnerabilities that have arisen this year.
“It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that every enterprise organization uses Java, and Log4j is one of the most-popular logging frameworks for Java,” Dali said. “Connecting the dots, the impact of this vulnerability has the reach and potential to be substantial if mitigation efforts aren’t taken right away. The Log4j vulnerability is relatively easy to exploit and we’ve already seen verifiable reports that bad actors are actively running campaigns against some of the largest companies in the world.”
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
