On December 9, 2021, Apache upended the cybersecurity industry by publishing a zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2021-44228) for its ubiquitous Log4j logging utility. Dubbed Log4Shell, the remote code execution flaw (CVSS score:10) allows an attacker to take control of a connected device and run malicious code, access sensitive data or alter its configuration. Because Logj4 is free and easy-to-use, it’s embedded (often deeply) in Java applications used by IT and OT platforms worldwide.

That’s an excerpt from the fact sheet accompanying the May 2021 Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity (EO). It refers to one of seven ambitious measures in the EO: shoring up security of that notorious playground for hackers, the software supply chain. Knowing that organizations lack visibility into the components that comprise their connected assets, bad actors can have a field day exploiting vulnerabilities to penetrate networks and take control.

Project Memoria was the largest study about the security of TCP/IP stacks, conducted by Vedere Labs and partners in the cybersecurity industry. It started from a collaboration with JSOF to understand the impact of Ripple20 and led to the discovery of almost 100 vulnerabilities in 14 TCP/IP stacks, divided into five phases: AMNESIA:33, NUMBER:JACK, NAME:WRECK, INFRA:HALT and NUCLEUS:13.

This year has seen an enormous increase in the number and claimed impact of hacktivist attacks on critical infrastructure and enterprises operating in critical services. Many attacks target unmanaged devices such as Internet of Things (IoT) and operational technology (OT) equipment. Attacks are motivated by geopolitical or social developments across the globe, with the goal of spreading a message or causing physical disruption.