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    12Apr, 2023
    Top 10 Cybersecurity Companies and Service Providers in 2023

    Here’s a list of companies and service providers that work for cybersecurity and are at the top tier in 2023


    Protecting sensitive data and important systems from online threats is known as cybersecurity. Cybersecurity measures also referred to as information technology (IT) security, are intended to counter attacks on networked systems and applications, whether those threats come from within or outside of an organization. Globally, a data breach cost an average of US$ 3.86 million in 2020, whereas it cost an average of US$ 8.64 million in the United States. The costs of finding and addressing the breach, the price of downtime and lost revenue, and the long-term reputational harm to a company and its brand are among these charges. Here’s a list of the top 10 cybersecurity service providers in 2023.

    1. Packetlabs Ltd: To help you safeguard your most important assets-your data and your customers-they provide a range of services, including infrastructure penetration testing, web and mobile application testing, social engineering, Security QA, red team exercises, source-code reviews, compromise assessments, and breach response.

    2. Edge Networks: Edge networks aid in network security analysis to guarantee that operations are always secured. Its services include continuous network and server performance enhancements as well as network monitoring, maintenance, and auditing. They also offer an analysis of access control to ensure that only authorized users can access data.

    3. Under Defense: The Under Defense team is made up of skilled and qualified cybersecurity specialists who work with enterprise-class organizations to offer a full range of engineering services and solutions for cyber security, such as cyber security assessments, compliance audits, product advisory services, threat and vulnerability management, incident detection and response, network & security architecture, implementation, and much more.

    4. Framework Securities: Framework Securities builds comprehensive cybersecurity plans and offers ongoing help to close vulnerabilities and keep your business safe. preventing security breaches as a result.

    5. Since 2010, Aligned Technology Solutions has assisted businesses in utilizing and managing technology to expand and secure their operations. An acknowledged leader in the field of technology services, aligned offers specialized and all-encompassing IT solutions for IT Outsourcing, Cybersecurity, Compliance, and Cloud Solutions. A fundraising consulting company receives IT and cybersecurity services from Aligned Technology Solutions. Additionally, they offer networking opportunities and strategy consulting to the company’s tech partners.

    6. Bytagig as a company has a strong love for small businesses. They operate under the tenet that every company, no matter how little, how start-up, or how established, needs professional IT advice. staging Provides your company with a variety of services, including server installation and maintenance, desktop setup and support, Microsoft Office assistance, IT project management, and more. Bytagig operates both online and locally in the Portland Metro region, which stretches from Salem to Vancouver.

    7. Leading managed services provider TPx is changing how businesses expand, compete, and communicate. TPx provides a comprehensive range of managed IT, unified communications, network connection, and security services and has the expertise to address even the most challenging IT issues.

    8. Sekurno is a virtual cybersecurity department that offers assistance to companies in obtaining security certifications and protecting themselves from monetary or reputational losses. They provide security services focused on identifying security flaws, developing firms’ security processes, and implementing security controls to lessen business risks.

    9. Datasec is a group of experts with 35 years of combined experience who were pioneers in the provision of staff, services, and solutions for IT governance, information security, cybersecurity, and business continuity. Datasec offers services for Ethical Hacking, Vulnerability Management, Assessment, and Deployment of Cybersecurity and Information Security Frameworks, with the most respected professional credentials.

    10. BetterWorld Technology has been a founding and accredited B Company for the past twenty-one years, providing impact-oriented managed IT solutions. BetterWorld focuses on your company’s technological requirements while helping the environment and people. BetterWorld’s tailored IT solutions help businesses of all sizes, from burgeoning startups to Fortune 500 companies to local, regional, and national non-profits.

    Resource : https://www.analyticsinsight.net/top-10-cybersecurity-companies-and-service-providers-in-2023/

    11Apr, 2023
    Noname Security releases API security updates

    API security vendor Noname Security today announced a new release of its platform, with a number of upgrades designed to enhance visibility into a user’s API environment and protect against the growing number of API-based threats.

    The growth in the number of those threats has been fueled by the increasing centrality of APIs to modern enterprise computing, Noname said in a press release. The company cited a recent report from IBM as saying that as many as two thirds of all incidents analyzed by IBM’s X-Force security team involved unsecured APIs.

    Noname’s latest updates cover a wide range of new capabilities, including customized discovery, Kubernetes features, simplified onboarding and more. The idea, according to the company, is to improve the solution’s coverage and allow it to work more quickly to discover potential vulnerabilities.

    “APIs are the connective tissue for the digital world,” said co-founder and CTO Shay Levi, in a statement.

    Visibility and discovery key to API security

    The updates, as a whole, are well-designed to target the most important parts of the broader API security issue, according to Forrester principal analyst Sandy Carielli. Visibility and discovery, for instance, are still a major challenge to many organizations. “Lots of companies don’t have a sense of what APIs are in their environments or what data is being used,” she said. “Any tooling improvements that add context to the discovery process, which this announcement talks about, I think will be good news for the organizations struggling to understand what they have.”

    Part of the problem that improved visibility attempts to solve is the presence of zombie APIs – which are APIs that have been depreciated or forgotten and aren’t in active use, but are still present on a company’s systems – and rogue APIs, which could be used to provide back doors into important subsystems.

    Testing APIs for vulnerabilities

    Testing, according to Carielli, is the other part of the API security landscape that is effectively addressed by Noname’s latest updates. Testing APIs for vulnerabilities can be time consuming based on the fact that they’re frequently not integrated in to development pipelines – as well as the aforementioned fact that there are increasingly large numbers of them present on the average company’s systems.

    “What jumps out to me about [Noname’s announcement] is the idea of leaving no API untested,” she said. “They’re looking not just at the tech but at the business logic aspects of APIs.”

    The new features are available now, and no pricing changes were announced.

    Resource : https://www.csoonline.com/article/3692248/noname-security-releases-api-security-updates.html

    11Apr, 2023
    Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023

    Uncertainty and instability marked the end of 2022 for many in the tech sector, a trend that bled into the beginning of 2023. Following on the heels of a drought in IT talent came mass layoffs at many of the world’s biggest tech companies as predictions of recession loomed and war in Ukraine dragged on with no end in sight.

    Global concern over cybersecurity has never been higher, with attacks coming fast and furious and in ever-growing numbers, and 65% of organizations planned to increase cybersecurity spending in 2023. That means CISOs may be pressured to do more with what they have as budgets shrink even as demand for security increases. And they should be aware of what could change if one of their vendors is acquired in this climate.

    Corporate deals have dropped from the highs of 2021 as well as investors proceed with caution, eyeing interest rate increases and the possibility of a recession. There were some indications that cybersecurity might be an outlier in 2023—that M&A activity might remain a little more robust than in other parts of the tech world. “There are abundant opportunities for innovation in cybersecurity as new technology breakthroughs, such as the near-human capabilities of ChatGPT, introduce new and largely unaddressed security risks,” DataTribe noted in its fourth-quarter 2022 Insights.

    While recognizing the ever-growing importance of cybersecurity and the ever-growing demand to protect against increasingly sophisticated—and numerous—bad actors, dealmakers are likely to be active but cautious in the year to come.

    Below are the deals that CSO has selected as the most significant of the year. (This list is updated periodically as new deals are announced.)

    Cisco agrees to buy Lightspin Technologies

    March 29: Software and service giant Cisco has agreed to buy privately held cloud security software Lightspin Technologies for an undisclosed amount. Lightspin offers end-to-end cloud security posture management (CSPM) across cloud-native resources. The company will join Cisco’s emerging technologies and incubation (ET&I) business.

    Mastercard acquires Baffin Bay

    March 20: Mastercard has bought Swedish cybersecurity firm Baffin Bay to increase its cloud-based protections. The company will integrate Baffin Bay’s cloud-based solution that uses AI technology to automatically filter and counteract malicious internet traffic into its current offerings. “The addition of Baffin Bay Network’s instantaneous, predictive and cloud-based  AI technology to our existing analytical capabilities will deliver a leading, singular cyber solution,” Mastercard said in a statement.

    HPE acquires Axis Security

    March 2: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) agreed to buy cloud security services provider Axis Security, its third acquisition since January, to deliver a unified secure access service edge (SASE) offering. The acquisition is aimed at incorporating the Axis security service edge (SSE) platform into HPE’s edge-to-cloud network security capabilities with to deliver integrated networking and security solutions as-a-service. HPE plans to integrate Atmos, an SSE offering by Axis Security, into Aruba, its platform for edge-to-cloud networking with AI-based network automation. “The convergence of Aruba and Axis Security solutions will transform edge-to-cloud connectivity with a comprehensive SASE solution that provides enterprises with the highest levels of security for both IoT devices and all users’ access across geographically distributed locations,” Phil Mottram, executive vice president and general manager, HPE Aruba Networking said in a statement.

    Online auction giant eBay Acquires 3PM Shield

    February 13: eBay acquired 3PM Shield, a provider of monitoring solutions designed to prevent the sale of counterfeit items, unsafe products and illegal goods. The purchase will help provide sellers and buyers with a safe and trusted platform and enhances eBay’s ability to address suspicious or harmful seller behavior and potentially problematic items. “3PM Shield has been a valued and effective external partner in helping eBay tackle these challenges and we look forward to unlocking additional capabilities as we bring their technologies in-house,” eBay Chief Risk Officer Zhi Zhou said in a statement.

    Accenture buys Brazil-based Morphus

    February 13:  New York-based Accenture has acquired privately held cyber defense, risk management, and cyber threat intelligence services provider Morphus for an undisclosed amount. Brazil-based Morphus provides red and blue team services; governance, risk, and compliance services; enterprise risk management; cyber strategy; threat intelligence; and managed security services. “The acquisition brings more than 230 highly skilled professionals, making Accenture one of the largest cybersecurity professional services providers in Brazil,” Accenture Security global leader Paolo Dal Cin said in a statement. The acquisition launches Accenture’s cyber industry practice in Latin America.

    Vista Equity Partners completes acquisition of KnowBe4

    February 1: Investment firm Vista Equity Partners completed its acquisition of security awareness training and simulated phishing platform KnowBe4 for $24.90 per share in cash, valuing the company at about $4.4 billion. “The human element remains one of the most important yet neglected aspects of cybersecurity,” Michael Fosnaugh, co-head of Vista’s Flagship Fund and senior managing director, said in a press release. “The opportunity to scale a business that is truly mission-critical to enterprises around the world is core to Vista’s investment approach and value creation efforts.” Vista focuses exclusively on acquiring enterprise software, data, and technology-enabled businesses.

    Radiant Logic signs definitive agreement to acquire Brainwave GRC

    February 1: California-based Radiant Logic entered into a definitive agreement to acquire French identity governance and analytics company Brainwave to accelerate the companies’ shared vision of an identity data fabric using data science to ensure the right information is in place to make the right policy decisions. “Demand is increasing for cybersecurity, governance, and compliance solutions that help companies address the continually evolving security threats, especially as regulatory environments and fines become more prevalent,” said Joe Sander, CEO of Radiant Logic, in a press release. The companies said the acquisition will strengthen their market positions as identity, analytics, and intelligence experts and provide a zero-trust and identity-first security foundation to deliver enhanced data security, reduced audit and compliance costs, and improved understanding and visibility of malicious activity.

    Veridos becomes majority shareholder in NetSeT

    January 30: Berlin-based Veridos has acquired a majority stake in NetSeT Global Solutions, a move the company says will strengthen its position as a full-service provider of integrated identity solutions. NetSeT, based in Serbia, develops information systems for the management of citizen data and information security. In 2017, Veridos acquired a minority stake in NetSeT, which will now be integrated into the Veridos Group. “With this acquisition, we are expanding our position as a provider of holistic identity solutions to cover the entire value chain: from citizen registration to the creation and personalization of ID documents and the management of citizen data to document verification,” Veridos CEO Marc-Julian Siewert said in a press release. The move comes after 20 years of collaboration between Veridos and NetSeT. In joint projects, the companies have co-operated in providing the ID system for northern Macedonia, ePassport systems for Bangladesh, Venezuela, and the United Arab Emirates, and a driver’s licence system for Uganda.

    Simeio acquires identity and access management firm PathMaker

    January 10: Specialized identity and access management (IAM) services provider Simeio acquired Texas-based identity governance firm PathMaker Group in a move that will enhance Simeio’s consulting services and SailPoint implementation capabilities, the company said. “This acquisition solidifies our commitment to integrate future-ready technologies to protect and secure identities. “Simeio CEO Chris Schueler said in a press release. “I am very confident in the unmatched identity security services that our clients can take advantage of as a result of this acquisition.” Simeio operates a portfolio of end-to-end services in advisory, building, and managing identity security solutions. PathMaker’s IAM MAP assessment process and methodology will be incorporated into          Simeio’s proprietary identity orchestration platform Simeio IO, allowing customers to continuously measure and assess the maturity of their identity programs. Simeio’s managed identity security services delivered through Simeio IO will also be accessible to PathMaker clients.

    Resource : https://www.csoonline.com/article/3687668/top-cybersecurity-manda-deals-for-2023.html

    10Apr, 2023
    Nexx bugs allow to open garage doors, and take control of alarms and plugs

    A series of vulnerabilities in multiple smart devices manufactured by Nexx can be exploited to remotely open garage doors, and take control of alarms and plugs.

    In late 2022, the researcher Sam Sabetan discovered a series of critical vulnerabilities in several smart devices manufactured by Nexx, including Smart Garage Door Openers, Alarms, and Plugs. A remote attacker can exploit these vulnerabilities to open and close garage doors, take control of alarms, and switch smart plugs on and off for any customer.

    Nexx has not replied to any correspondence from myself, DHS (CISA and US-CERT) or VICE Media Group.” reads a post published by Sabetan. “I have independently verified Nexx has purposefully ignored all our attempts to assist with remediation and has let these critical flaws continue to affect their customers.”

    The researchers reported the issues to the United States Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which assigned the following five CVEs:

    1. Use of Hard-coded Credentials CWE-798 (CVE-2023–1748, CVSS3.0: 8.6)
    2. Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key CWE-639 (CVE-2023–1749, CVSS3.0: 6.5)
    3. Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key CWE-639 (CVE-2023–1750, CVSS3.0: 7.1)
    4. Improper Input Validation CWE-20 (CVE-2023–1751, CVSS3.0: 7.5)
    5. Improper Authentication Validation CWE-287 (CVE-2023–1752, CVSS3.0: 8.1)

    The expert estimated that over 40,000 devices, located in both residential and commercial properties, are affected by the above issues. He also determined that more than 20,000 individuals have active Nexx accounts.

    To mitigate the risk of the exploitation of the above flaws, it is recommended to disable internet connectivity for vulnerable Nexx devices or protect them with a firewall.

    Below is a video demo published by the researcher that shows how to exploit the flaw CVE-2023–1748 to obtain users’ info.

    Resource : https://securityaffairs.com/144488/iot/nexx-smart-devices-flaws.html

    10Apr, 2023
    Researchers disclose critical sandbox escape bug in vm2 sandbox library

    The development team behind the vm2 JavaScript sandbox library addressed a critical Remote Code Execution vulnerability.

    The developers behind the vm2 JavaScript sandbox module have addressed a critical vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-29017 (CVSS score 9.8), that could be exploited to execute arbitrary shellcode.

    vm2 is a sandbox that can run untrusted code in an isolated context on Node.js servers, it has approximately four million weekly downloads and its library is part of 722 packages.

    The flaw was reported by the security researcher Seongil Wi from South Korean security firm KAIST WSP Lab.

    The vulnerability affects all versions, including and prior to 3.9.14, it was addressed with the release of version 3.9.15.

    “vm2 was not properly handling host objects passed to Error.prepareStackTrace in case of unhandled async errors.” reads the advisory published by vm2. “A threat actor can bypass the sandbox protections to gain remote code execution rights on the host running the sandbox.”

    Wi also published two proof-of-concept (PoC) exploits for this vulnerability that can be used to escape the sandbox to create an empty file named “flag” on the host.

    In October 2022, VM2 maintainers addressed another critical sandbox escape vulnerability tracked as CVE-2022-36067.

    Please vote for Security Affairs (https://securityaffairs.com/) as the best European Cybersecurity Blogger Awards 2022 – VOTE FOR YOUR WINNERS
    Vote for me in the sections:

    • The Teacher – Most Educational Blog
    • The Entertainer – Most Entertaining Blog
    • The Tech Whizz – Best Technical Blog
    • Best Social Media Account to Follow (@securityaffairs)

    Resource : https://securityaffairs.com/144582/hacking/vm2-rce-sandbox-escape.html

    6Apr, 2023
    NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter breaks world records, again

    NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has been flying on the red planet’s surface for over two years now, and it has covered a distance of over 11 kilometres in that time. While 11 kilometres in two years may not seem like much in Earth terms, Ingenuity is actually breaking world records on the Mars.

    Ingenuity’s 49th flight, which happened on Sunday, April 2, broke two different records–that for the highest altitude and the highest speed–achieved by any self-propelled aircraft outside of Earth. During its 49th flight, the little rotorcraft flew up to a height of 16 metres and reached a top speed of 23.4 kilometres per hour.

    The rotorcraft set its previous flight height record on the red planet on December 3, 2022, when it flew about 14 metres in the air. Its previous flight speed record of 19.8 kilometres per hour was achieved on three different occasions–December 10, June 11, and April 8.

    Its longest flight so far was its record-breaking 25th flight on April 8, 2022, when it covered a distance of a whopping 704 metres in what is still its longest flight and was its fastest flight until flight 49.

    What is Ingenuity?

    Ingenuity is a small solar-powered helicopter that landed on the Martian surface on February 18, 2021, along with the Perseverance Rover. On April 19, the same year, it created history by completing the first powered extraterrestrial flight in human history. During that flight, it hovered and landed and the same spot for a flight that lasted 39.1 seconds, creating history.

    Why are Ingenuity’s records so impressive?

    While these distances may seem small for us here living on Earth, do remember that Mars is more than 225 million kilometres away right now. The distance between the two planets means that it takes between 5 to 20 minutes for a signal to travel from one to another.

    Adding to this signal delay, Ingenuity also has to survive the harsh conditions on Mars. The low atmospheric density on the planet means that Ingenuity must work much harder than helicopters here on Earth in order to be able to fly. Also, it has had to survive “continent-sized” dust storms in the past and other Martian hazards in the past.

    Resource : https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/nasa-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-8539782/

    6Apr, 2023
    5 Most Advanced Cyber Security Technology to Aid Your Business

    Running a business using the most advanced technology and terrified about the increasing incidents of cybercrimes. As most of the business practices are getting digitized, it has created a sea change in the entire scenario. But, this approach runs the risk of exposing confidential information of your clients. The advancement of technology has become convenient for hackers to crack into the system, using the latest techniques, and create new incidences of cybercrimes. Maintaining valid cyber insurance can save a lot of your obligations following the crime.

    The Necessity for Adopting the Latest Cyber Security Technologies

    The worldwide pandemic outbreak has compelled us to resort to digital modes for the last two years. This has severely impacted our lives and the instances of cyberattacks have also become much more intense. Cyberattacks have always existed, but their current nature has turned much more grave and powerful.

    1. Changed targets of attacks:

    The targets of cyber crimes have changed over the years and have become much more sinister than only extraction of confidential information, quick money or vengeance. It has been elevated to the state of cyber warfare. Presently, all the nuclear power plants, utility services, airports, and healthcare facilities are connected to a specialized network. This is increasing with every passing day, thereby, creating more probable targets.

    2. Advanced cyber threats:

    Cybercriminals are getting more advanced and grave with time. Each hacker possesses a top-grade technical prowess and is a computer science professional of the highest grade. As technologies are getting advanced to block cyber threats, so are the nature of attacks.

    3. Critical aftermath:

    All the critical infrastructure is connected to a single frame network, possessing a worldwide expanse. All the important businesses store their confidential data digitally and are largely dependent on the system. Under such circumstances, even the smallest security breach can jeopardize their position.

    4. A critical shift in the cyber attacking nature:

    If any of the public utility infrastructures gets hacked it will lead to extreme public inconvenience, heavy regulatory penalties, loss of revenue, severe reputational damage and tremendous cost of restoration and upgrading the cyber security system measures.

    Top 5 Latest Cyber Security Measures

    Under the current circumstances, cyber warfare carries the biggest threat to advancing technologies. We have experienced malware and ransomware attacks on business enterprises on a much smaller grade. We have to remember that there is not a single protective measure that can be considered 100% foolproof. We have to keep ourselves upgraded with the advancing technologies to keep pace with time. Some of the most advanced cyber security technologies of the time include the following:

    1. Deep learning and artificial intelligence:

    Artificial intelligence is the current market trend. Have you ever wondered how can it affect and improve cyber security? Of course, the method of such an application is quite similar to the working strategy of the two-factor authentication system. It works on the user’s identity confirmation on the basis of multiple parameters. Such parameters are designed on the basis of their knowledge and possession. Adding to such layers of authentication and information, AI enters the scene.

    Deep learning is used for analyzing the data like real-time communications, logs, and transactions, detecting unwarranted activities and threats.

    2. Behavioural analytics:

    This is the biggest target for social media and several online advertisements for the correct set of target audiences. Cyber security technology is increasingly exploring behaviour analytics for even further development of the systems. The system identifies the patterns in a particular system and/or network activities for detecting real-time and plausible cyber threats. Although behavioural analytics is generally used for networks, its system application and application on user devices are considered as surging.

    3. Embedded hardware authentication:

    A password and PIN are no longer considered to be enough hardware protection. Embedded authenticators are developing advanced technologies for the verification of the identity of the concerned user. The sixth-generation vPro chips deserve a special mention in this context for its groundbreaking entry. Here, the authentication chips remain embedded within the hardware itself, ideally revolutionizing the “authentication security”. It successfully employs several levels and authentication techniques working in sync with each other.

    4. Blockchain cybersecurity:

    This is one of the most advanced in the genre and is gaining rapid popularity. His system works based on the successful identification of two transacting parties. Similarly, blockchain systems also function based on the system’s peer-to-peer network fundamentals. Each member in the blockchain system holds the responsibility for verification of the authenticity of the newly added data. Moreover, it forms a nearly impenetrable network for hackers to break into and offers almost foolproof security and protection. Artificial intelligence is capable of establishing a strong verification system for keeping potential cyber threats away.

    5. Zero-trust model:

    As the name goes, this essential cyber security model is framed based on considering an already compromised network. With the belief that any particular network cannot be trusted, one must enhance both “external” and “internal” securities. The game here lies that both the external and internal networks are prone to compromise and need similar levels of protection. It includes the proper identification of critical business data, mapping of the data flow, physical and logical segmentation, policy controlling and enforcement using constant monitoring and automation.

    Resource : https://www.hdfcergo.com/blogs/cyber-insurance/5-most-advanced-cyber-security-technology-to-aid-your-business

    29Mar, 2023
    Top 15 VS Code Extensions to Enhance Your Development Experience

    VS (Visual Studio) Code is one of the most popular standalone source code editors that you can run on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Although it’s just a rich source code editor, you can take its functionality to the next level by using different Visual Studio Code extensions.

    But choosing the best extensions for VS code can be a daunting task, as there are tons of them available in the Visual Studio Marketplace.

    That’s where this guide comes into place. It contains the top 15 Visual Studio Code extensions to make it easy for you to choose the best ones that suit your unique coding needs.

    Best Visual Studio Extensions: Our detailed list

    If you’re a developer, you’d already know how plugins and extensions can help you streamline your development workflow. If you’re looking for the best visual studio code extensions for web development or for general programming purposes, check out the following list.

    Antlers Toolbox

    Features:Syntax highlighting and code suggestions with autocomplete functionality
    Category:Programming Languages, Snippets, and Formatters
    Free version:Yes

    Antlers Toolbox is one of the best VS Code extensions for developing Statamic websites in Antlers templating language. It offers rich language support to make the development process easy.

    With features such as syntax highlighting, code suggestions, auto-completions, automated formatting, and runtime error reporting, it’s an indispensable extension for web developers working with Antlers.

    Key Features:

    • Parser-driving semantic highlighter
    • Basic syntax highlighter
    • Suggestions for modifier signature
    • Contextual auto-suggestions based on different variables like templates, fields, and collections
    • Advanced Antlers formatting
    • Supports core Statamic 3 modifiers, tags, and more

    StackFlex

    Features:Innovative extension to transform copy-paste into save-use
    Category:Other
    Free version:Yes

    StackFlex is a Visual Studio Code extension designed to help developers save and manage their frequently used code snippets.

    You can use it to save and access code snippets from within VS Code, and sync them across all your devices. The browser extension also allows you to save snippets from various websites with just a click of a button.

    Key features:

    • Save and manage code snippets directly within VS Code
    • Sync your snippets across all your devices
    • Save snippets from various websites using the browser extension
    • Use custom names and extensions for your saved snippets
    • Search for saved snippets using keywords and tags

    .NET nanoFramework

    Features:Enables VS Code to deploy, build, and flash C# code for .NET nanoFramework on different devices
    Category:Programming Languages
    Free version:Yes

    The .NET nanoFramework extension for VS Code allows developers to deploy, build, and flash their C# code for the .NET nanoFramework.

    It supports ESP32 and STM32 MCU devices running Visual Studio Code on different operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.

    In short, this NET nanoFramework is a powerful extension for embedded developers to write managed code applications for embedded devices.

    Key features:

    • Compatible with ESP32 and STM32 MCU devices
    • Supports Windows, Linux, and Mac
    • Provides an easy-to-use user interface for managing nanoFramework projects

    gramex-yaml-snippets

    Features:Features snippets for Gramex
    Category:Snippets
    Free version:Yes

    gramex-yaml-snippets is another powerful Visual Studio Code extension that provides YAML code snippets for Gramex.

    With this extension, you can easily configure sessions, logs, FormHandler, caching assets, and emails. It also supports various authentication methods such as auth_simple, auth_google, and auth_db.

    This extension is useful for developers who are using Gramex to build web applications and want to streamline their configuration process. It can save time and reduce errors by providing auto-complete suggestions for commonly used configuration options.

    Key features:

    • Auto-complete YAML configuration for Gramex endpoints
    • Provides configuration for caching assets, email service, Custom logs, sessions, and more
    • Supports various authentication methods

    Tabnine

    Features:AI-powered code assistant supports all popular programming languages
    Category:Programming Languages and Snippets
    Free version:Yes

    Tabnine is one of the top Visual Studio Code extensions that can help you code faster and more accurately. It’s an AI-powered code completion assistant that’s trained on open-source code and helps you improve your productivity by automating repetitive code writing.

    Tabnine is a great extension for developers who want to save time and increase their productivity by automating repetitive code writing. It can be used by both junior and professional developers working alone or in a team.

    Key features:

    • Trained on open-source code for accurate suggestions
    • AI-powered code completion that suggests the next lines of code
    • Available for multiple programming languages
    • Provide suggestions that are consistent with your team’s best practices

    Prettier

    Features:Comprehensive code formatter
    Category:Formatters
    Free version:Yes

    If you are looking for something that can help you format your code properly, then Prettier is one of the best extensions for VS Code to use.

    It’s a code formatting extension that automatically enforces consistent code styling by parsing your code and reprinting it with its own rules.

    Key features:

    • Automatically formats code to enforce consistent styling
    • Supports many languages
    • Helps you keep your code in a uniform style
    • Easy installation process

    GitLens – Git supercharged

    Features:All-around tool to streamline Git functionality
    Category:SCM Providers
    Free version:Yes

    GitLens is a powerful VS Code extension that enhances the functionality of Git by providing a rich set of features to visualize and understand the code.

    It helps you gain insights into the who, why, and when aspects related to code changes, making it easier to understand the evolution of the codebase. It’s particularly useful for teams working on large, complex projects where code changes can be difficult to track and understand.

    Key features:

    • Provides detailed and interactive visualization of Git repositories
    • Displays blame annotations for each line of code to identify when and by whom it was last changed
    • Shows commit details and code changes right in the editor margin
    • Allows you to quickly navigate through the Git history of a file, line, or code block

    Colorize

    Features:Helps you visualize CSS colors
    Category:Other
    Free version:Yes

    Colorize is a useful extension for developers who work with XML, Stylus, PostCSS, Less, Sass, and CSS.

    It generates colored backgrounds around colors in your CSS file, allowing you to see them in action on the page. This is especially useful for any developer who wants to save time and improve productivity by visualizing the colors they’re using in their code.

    Key features:

    • Instantly visualize CSS colors
    • Generate colored backgrounds for CSS variables
    • Live update of color backgrounds as you make changes in your CSS file

    Code Issue Manager: document & fix issues in your codebase

    Features:Highlight issues in code to improve the codebase health
    Category:Other
    Free version:Yes

    Code Issue Manager by Stepsize is an extension that helps engineering teams document and solve problems that exist in their codebase.

    It elevates your engineering culture to adopt best coding practices and improves the health of your codebase.

    Key features:

    • Track issues across multiple code pieces
    • Document code without adding comments
    • Convert To-Do lists into actionable issues
    • Sync issues with the issue tracker manually or automatically
    • Collaborate on issues within the editor
    • Support for various issue trackers, including Asana, DevOps, Azure, Linear, GitHub, and Jira

    Better Comments

    Features:Code comment manager/organizer
    Category:Formatters
    Free version:Yes

    Better Comments is another excellent VS Code extension that makes comments in your code more colorful and exciting.

    With its customizable settings, you can highlight important notes, reminders, and to-dos. Additionally, the extension also supports a wide range of programming languages and allows you to create your own comment styles.

    Key features:

    • Categorize your annotations into alerts, queries, TODOs, and highlights
    • Style commented-out code to indicate it shouldn’t be there
    • Customize the appearance of your comments with colors and tags
    • Compatible with a variety of programming languages

    CodeSnap

    Features:Takes screenshots of source code in Visual Studio Code
    Category:Other
    Free version:Yes

    CodeSnap is a free VS Code extension designed to make sharing code snippets more visually appealing and easier to understand. It allows you to take screenshots of your source code while keeping the indentation and syntax highlighting intact.

    It also provides a variety of customization options, so you can tailor your code snapshots to your specific preferences.

    Key features:

    • Quickly take and save screenshots of the code
    • Copy code screenshots to your clipboard for easy sharing
    • Customize your code screenshots with a variety of settings, including font size and line numbers
    • Highlight specific lines of code in your screenshots to draw attention to key details

    Peacock

    Features:Changes the color of VS Code Environment
    Category:Other
    Free version:Yes

    Peacock is a great Visual Studio Code extension that allows you to customize the color of your workspace or environment. This can be helpful when you are working with multiple instances of VS Code and want to easily identify the instance you are currently using.

    It offers a range of features and settings to help you make your coding experience truly unique.

    Key features:

    • Customize the color of your workspace or environment
    • Quickly distinguish each instance of VS Code with your preferred colors
    • Unique color settings for VS Code

    Markdown Preview Github Styling

    Features:Changes the built-in markdown preview of VS Code to match GitHub styling
    Category:Other
    Free version:Yes

    Markdown Preview Github Styling enhances the functionality of the built-in markdown preview feature of the VS Code editor. It can change this preview so that it matches GitHub styling.

    This extension is ideal for developers who work extensively with markdown documents and want to see live updates of their work in a side-by-side preview panel.

    Key features:

    • Preview your markdown documents rendered on GitHub
    • Extends the built-in markdown preview feature of Visual Studio Code
    • Supports both light and dark GitHub themes
    • Customize styling using your own CSS

    LambdaTest

    Features:Cross-browser cloud-based testing platform
    Category:Testing
    Free version:Yes

    LambdaTest is a cloud-based testing platform that enables organizations to redefine their testing strategies.

    It allows you to perform live-interactive cross-browser testing of your public and locally hosted web applications and websites directly within the VS Code editor.

    Key features:

    • Performs cross-browser real-time testing
    • Supports more than 3,000 operating systems, real devices, and browsers
    • Trigger testing within the VS Code Editor
    • Perform mobile web testing on iOS simulators and Android emulators
    • Geolocation testing across various browsers
    • Mark any UI observation as a bug
    • Inbuilt issue tracker

    Bookmarks

    Features:Bookmarks specific code areas
    Category:Other
    Free version:Yes

    Bookmarks is a VS Code extension that allows you to mark specific areas of your code with bookmarks. This functionality makes it easier to navigate and jump back and forth between different parts of your code.

    You can add and remove bookmarks, add labels, and even select regions of code between bookmarked areas. The extension also includes a dedicated sidebar where you can view all of your bookmarks at a glance.

    Key features:

    • Add and remove bookmarks in your code
    • Add labels to bookmarks for easier identification
    • Select regions of code between bookmarked areas
    • Dedicated sidebar for viewing all bookmarked areas
    • Technical support available for any questions or issues
    • Supports virtual workspaces

    Best Visual Studio Code Extensions: Final recommendations

    We have highlighted the best Visual Studio Code extensions in this article that can help you become a better coder. Here’s a quick overview of these extensions to help you narrow down your search.

    • Antlers Toolbox – a Visual Studio Code extension that provides rich language to build Statamic websites in Antlers templating language.
    • StackFlex – an extension that allows you to save code snippets locally from different websites, and sync with VS Code to use them in your projects in the future.
    • .NET nanoFramework – a tool that enables you to build, deploy, and flash C# code for .NET nanoFramework on ESP32 or STM32 MCU devices, regardless of the platform.
    • gramex-yaml-snippets – a VS Code extension that provides YAML snippets for Gramex, which is a web app development framework.
    • Tabnine – an AI-powered code completion extension that suggests and completes entire lines of code.
    • Prettier – a code formatter that automatically formats code to a standardized style, whenever you save it.
    • GitLens – Git supercharged – a powerful extension that enhances Git capabilities by providing rich information about code authors, commit history, and even code changes from within the VS Code editor.
    • Colorize – a syntax highlighting extension that colorizes source code in a variety of programming languages.
    • Code Issue Manager – a tool to document and solve issues in a codebase using custom-defined rules.
    • Better Comments – a VS Code extension that enhances code comments by adding color coding and various annotation styles.
    • CodeSnap – a Visual Studio Code extension to create screenshots of your code effortlessly.
    • Peacock – an extension that allows you to change the color of the VS Code environment or workspace.
    • Markdown Preview Github Styling – a markdown preview extension that supports light and dark GitHub themes and lets you preview your markdown as it would be rendered on GitHub.
    • LambdaTest – a cross-browser cloud-based testing platform that allows for live-interactive testing of public and locally hosted web applications and websites.
    • Bookmarks – a VS Code extension that allows you to bookmark specific areas of your code for easy navigation.

    Resource : https://cybernews.com/resources/top-vs-code-extensions-to-enhance-your-development-experience/

    22Mar, 2023
    HinataBot, a new Go-Based DDoS botnet in the threat landscape

    A new Golang-based DDoS botnet, tracked as HinataBot, targets routers and servers by exploiting known vulnerabilities.

    Akamai researchers spotted a new DDoS Golang-based botnet, dubbed HinataBot, which has been observed exploiting known flaws to compromise routers and servers.

    The experts reported that the HinataBot bot was seen being distributed since the beginning of 2023 and its operators are actively updating it.

    The name “Hinata” comes after a character from the popular anime series, Naruto.

    Akamai’s SIRT recently discovered the new bot within HTTP and SSH honeypots, it stood out due to its large size and the lack of specific identification around its newer hashes.

    The sample captured by the experts abuses old vulnerabilities and weak credentials, the researchers reported that it attempts to exploit flaws in the miniigd SOAP service on Realtek SDK devices (CVE-2014-8361), Huawei HG532 routers (CVE-2017-17215), and exposed Hadoop YARN servers (CVE N/A). 

    HinataBot supports multiple methods of communication, including both dialing out and listening for incoming connections. The botnet can launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) flooding attacks that relies on protocols such as HTTP, UDP, TCP, and ICMP to send traffic. However, the latest version of HinataBot only supports HTTP and UDP attacks.

    Akamai said that by reverse engineering the bot and imitating the command and control (C2) server, was able to test the offensive capabilities of the botnet by running two attack methods (HTTP and UDP) in a 10-second period.

    HinataBot botnet

    “The http_flood generated 3.4 MB of packet capture data and pushed 20,430 HTTP requests. The request sizes ranged from 484 to 589 bytes per request, with sizes varying mostly due to randomization of User-Agent and Cookie header data.” reads the report published by Akamai. “The udp_flood generated 6,733 packets for a total of 421 MB of packet capture data over the wire. There isn’t much else that’s interesting about this attack: it is volumetric in nature and seems to do a decent job of pushing volume.”

    Test results show that a botnet composed of just 1,000 nodes can carry out a UDP flood that would weigh in at around 336 Gbps per second. A botnet of 10,000 nodes (which is roughly 6.9% of the size of Mirai at its peak) can generate a UDP flood that would weigh in at more than 3.3 Tbps. The HTTP flood at 1,000 nodes would generate roughly 2.7 Gbps and more than 2 Mrps, while with 10,000 nodes, those numbers jump to 27 Gbps delivering 20.4 Mrps.

    HinataBot is the last bot in order of time to join the ever-growing list of emerging Go-based bots after GoBruteforcer and KmsdBot.

    “The HinataBot family relies on old vulnerabilities and brute forcing weak passwords for distribution. This is yet another example of why strong password and patching policies are more critical than ever.” concludes Akamai that also privided Indicators of Compromise and YARA rules for this threat.

    Resource : https://securityaffairs.com/143618/cyber-crime/hinatabot-go-based-ddos-botnet.html

    22Mar, 2023
    Mirai V3G4 botnet exploits 13 flaws to target IoT devices

    During the second half of 2022, a variant of the Mirai bot, tracked as V3G4, targeted IoT devices by exploiting tens of flaws.

    Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 researchers reported that a Mirai variant called V3G4 was attempting to exploit several flaws to infect IoT devices from July to December 2022. 

    Below is the list of vulnerabilities exploited by V3G4:

    The threat actors’ goal is to infect the largest number of systems as possible to compose a botnet that can be used to conduct multiple attacks, including DDoS attacks.

    The researchers have observed three different Mirai V3G4 campaigns likely operated by the same threat actor for the following reasons:

    • The hardcoded command and control (C2) domains among these three campaigns contain the same string (8xl9)
    • The malware shell script downloaders are almost identical between the three campaigns
    • The botnet client samples use the same XOR decryption key
    • The botnet client samples use the same “stop list” (a list of target processes that the botnet client searches for and terminates)
    • The botnet client samples use almost identical functions

    The botnet exploited 13 vulnerabilities to achieve remote code execution on vulnerable devices. Upon successful exploitation, the malicious code executes wget and curl utilities to download Mirai bot from attackers’ infrastructure and then execute it.

    Mirai V3G4 botnet

    Upon execution, the bot prints xXxSlicexXxxVEGA. to the console. The experts noticed that V3G4 also supports a function that makes sure only one instance of this malware is executing on the compromised device. If a botnet process already exists, the botnet client will and exit.

    The botnet also attempts to terminate a list of processes, included in the hardcoded ‘stop list,’ by checking their names on the infected device.

    Unlike most Mirai variants, the V3G4 variant uses different XOR encryption keys for string encryption.

    The researchers also noticed that the bot samples from the three campaigns have minor differences. The original Mirai botnet sample spreads itself by brute-forcing weak telnet/SSH credentials, while other variants rely brute-force attacks and embedded exploits to spread.

    However, bot samples discovered between September and December 2022 don’t contain the functions of vulnerability exploitation and brute force of credentials.

    “The vulnerabilities mentioned above have less attack complexity than previously observed variants, but they maintain a critical security impact that can lead to remote code execution. Once the attacker gains control of a vulnerable device in this manner, they could take advantage by including the newly compromised devices in their botnet to conduct further attacks such as DDoS.” concludes the report. “Therefore, it is highly recommended that patches and updates are applied when possible.”

    Resource : https://securityaffairs.com/142358/malware/mirai-v3g4-botnet.html