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Compromised 3CX Desktop Application and Supply Chain Attacks

If you’re one of the many individuals who uses the 3CX desktop application, you may be at risk of falling prey to a supply chain attack. Such attacks are becoming increasingly common and more sophisticated, and they can have devastating consequences for those who fall victim to them. In this blog, I’ll explore the implications of a supply chain attack on 3CX desktop application users and discuss what you can do to protect yourself from such an attack. So, whether you’re a business owner or an individual user, read on to discover the steps you can take to stay safe and secure in an increasingly dangerous digital landscape.

Is the recent supply chain attack on 3CX similar to a more infamous one?

This current attack resembles the supply chain breach of SolarWinds in several key respects. And if the pattern holds, details about compromised end customers of 3CX could be emerging soon. Though the impact from the 3CX attack might be limited by other considerations. While 3CX has more than 600,000 customers – double the number of SolarWinds customers, the 3CX attack was caught much faster. Why is this ancient history (in our world, December 2021 is ancient history) important to know? Because it is eerily like what happened last week.

In a blog post about the incident, 3CX CISO Pierre Jourdan states that its desktop apps were compromised due to an upstream library. “The issue appears to be one of the bundled libraries that we compiled into the Windows Electron App via GIT,” explains Jourdan in the post.

Implications of the attack for 3CX users

The implications of the supply chain attack on 3CX users are significant. Those who downloaded the malicious software may have unwittingly given hackers access to their personal and sensitive information, leaving them vulnerable to identity theft and financial fraud. Even those who didn’t download the malicious software may be at risk, as the bad actors have gained access to other parts of the application’s infrastructure. This means that they may still be able to access users’ data and use it for malicious purposes.

The attack also highlights the importance of supply chain security. When users download software, they assume that it’s safe and secure. However, if hackers can compromise an update server, they can distribute malicious software updates to many users, potentially causing widespread damage. That is the key nature of software supply chain breaches: Compromise one and you can (potentially) compromise many.

How to protect your systems from supply chain attacks

In addition to taking steps to protect your systems from supply chain attacks, there are several best practices you can follow to improve your overall cybersecurity:

  1. Conduct thorough due diligence when selecting suppliers and vendors. This includes researching their security practices and conducting security audits.
  2.  Implement strict access controls to limit the number of people who have access to sensitive data and systems.
  3. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts and systems.
  4. Monitor and log all activity within the supply chain, and regularly review logs for any suspicious activity.
  5. Require that all suppliers and vendors maintain strict security standards and implement security protocols that are consistent with your own.
  6. Regularly review and update security policies and ensure that all employees and third-party vendors are aware of and adhere to them.
  7. Have a response plan in place in the event of a supply chain attack, and regularly test and update the plan as needed.
Some last thoughts

The recent supply chain attack on the 3CX desktop application highlights the importance of staying vigilant in an increasingly dangerous digital landscape. By taking steps to protect your systems from supply chain attacks and following best practices for cybersecurity, you can reduce your risk of falling victim to a cyber-attack. We at EITS, collaborate closely with our customers to put comprehensive security plans in place, using the best of breed technology available.