Original release date: October 24, 2021

Discourse—an open source discussion platform—has released a security advisory to address a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability (CVE-2021-41163) in Discourse versions 2.7.8 and earlier. 

CISA urges developers to update to patched versions 2.7.9 or later or apply the necessary workarounds. 

For more information, see RCE via malicious SNS subscription payload.

Original release date: October 21, 2021

Critical Infrastructure (CI) owners and operators and other users who obtain Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) from Global Positioning System (GPS) devices should be aware of a GPS Daemon (GPSD) bug in GPSD versions 3.20 (released December 31, 2019) through 3.22 (released January 8, 2021). 
 
On October 24, 2021, Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers using bugged GPSD versions 3.20-3.22 may rollback the date 1,024 weeks—to March 2002—which may cause systems and services to become unavailable or unresponsive.  
 
CISA urges affected CI owners and operators to ensure systems—that use GPSD to obtain timing information from GPS devices—are using GPSD version 3.23 (released August 8, 2021) or newer.
 
For more information, see Keeping Track of Time: Network Time Protocol and a GPSD Bug.

Original release date: October 20, 2021

Google has released Chrome version 95.0.4638.54  for Windows, Mac, and Linux. This version addresses vulnerabilities that an attacker could exploit to take control of an affected system.

CISA encourages users and administrators to review the Chrome Release Note and apply the necessary update as soon as possible.

Original release date: October 18, 2021

CISA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Security Agency (NSA) have released joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA): BlackMatter Ransomware.

Since July 2021, malicious cyber actors have used BlackMatter ransomware to target multiple U.S. critical infrastructure entities, including a U.S. Food and Agriculture Sector organization. Using an analyzed sample of BlackMatter ransomware and information from trusted third parties, this CSA provides cyber actor tactics, techniques, and procedures and outlines mitigations to improve ransomware protection, detection, and response.

To reduce the risk of BlackMatter ransomware, CISA, FBI, and NSA encourage organizations to implement the recommended mitigations in the joint CSA and visit StopRansomware.gov for more information on protecting against and responding to ransomware attacks.
 

Original release date: October 14, 2021

CISA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Security Agency (NSA) have released a joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) that details ongoing cyber threats to U.S. Water and Wastewater Systems (WWS) Sector. This activity—which includes cyber intrusions leading to ransomware attacks—threatens the ability of WWS facilities to provide clean, potable water to, and effectively manage the wastewater of, their communities. The joint CSA provides extensive mitigations and resources to assist WWS Sector facilities in strengthening operational resilience and cybersecurity practices.

CISA has also released a Cyber Risks & Resources for the Water and Wastewater Systems Sector infographic that details both information technology and operational technology risks the WWS Sector faces and provides select resources.