The internet has seen an increase in malicious scripts being embedded in legitimate websites that redirect internet users to the Neutrino kit server when they log in. Hundreds of millions of websites could be affected, infecting them with ransomware and other "bad stuff.".
Heimdal Security said the attack was carried out by systematically compromising websites running an older content management system, specifically unpatched WordPress websites, or outdated plugins.
According to Heimdal, WordPress is used on 58.7% of all websites with the content management system we know of. That’s 24.3% of all websites. Given that there are nearly 1 billion websites in the world, the number of potentially insecure websites could increase to over 142 million. Furthermore, over 20% of websites based on WordPress are running an older version.
“Even websites running the latest version of WordPress could be vulnerable to this attack if they are running outdated plugins and lack proper security settings,” the researchers said in an analysis. “With over 409 million people reading WordPress blogs each month, the number of potential ransomware victims could be alarmingly high. And keep in mind, the attack isn’t just targeting WordPress-based websites, so the impact could be even greater.”
The issue lies behind the fact that the need for improved browser security and additional security tools that can complement antivirus protection has never been greater.
“Webmasters, bloggers, and anyone using a CMS should once again understand that patching and installing the latest updates is key to ensuring basic cybersecurity for any type of website and platform, and that security provisions are not only necessary for themselves, but also for their readers,” Heimdal said.
