This article examines the security implications of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) sampling feature in the context of a widely used coding copilot application.
MCP is a standard for connecting large language model (LLM) applications to external data sources and tools. We show that, without proper safeguards, malicious MCP servers can exploit the sampling feature for a range of attacks. We demonstrate these risks in practice through three proof-of-concept (PoC) examples conducted within the coding copilot, and discuss strategies for effective prevention.
Read more…
Source: Palo Alto Unit 42
Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- Russian spies ‘hacked Liz Truss’s phone and stole sensitive messages’
October 29, 2022
Liz Truss had her phone hacked by Kremlin spies while she was working as foreign secretary, according to a report. The former prime minister’s personal messages with former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng were raided, as well as sensitive details of international negotiations, it is claimed. Security services discovered the major security breach during the summer Tory leadership election, ...
- Cranefly: Threat Actor Uses Previously Unseen Techniques and Tools in Stealthy Campaign
October 28, 2022
Symantec, by Broadcom Software, has discovered a previously undocumented dropper that is being used to install a new backdoor and other tools using the novel technique of reading commands from seemingly innocuous Internet Information Services (IIS) logs. The dropper (Trojan.Geppei) is being used by an actor Symantec calls Cranefly (aka UNC3524), to install another piece of ...
- Joint CISA FBI MS-ISAC Guide on Responding to DDoS Attacks and DDoS Guidance for Federal Agencies
October 28, 2022
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) are releasing this joint guide to provide organizations proactive steps to reduce the likelihood and impact of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks can cost an organization time and money and may impose ...
- Defeating Guloader Anti-Analysis Technique
October 28, 2022
Unit 42 researchers recently discovered a Guloader variant that contains a shellcode payload protected by anti-analysis techniques, which are meant to slow human analysts and sandboxes processing this sample. To help speed analysis for this sample and others like it, we are providing a complete Python script to deobfuscate the Guloader sample that is available ...
- Manufacturing Cybersecurity: Trends & Survey Response
October 27, 2022
Trend Micro conducted a study on the state of industrial cybersecurity in the oil and gas, manufacturing, and electricity/energy industries in 2022. Based on the results of a survey of over 900 ICS business and security leaders in the United States, Germany, and Japan, we will discuss the characteristics of each industry, the motivations and ...
- Raspberry Robin worm part of larger ecosystem facilitating pre-ransomware activity
October 27, 2022
Microsoft has discovered recent activity indicating that the Raspberry Robin worm is part of a complex and interconnected malware ecosystem, with links to other malware families and alternate infection methods beyond its original USB drive spread. These infections lead to follow-on hands-on-keyboard attacks and human-operated ransomware activity. Microsoft continuous tracking of Raspberry Robin-related activity also ...