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Microsoft released a security update to address multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft Edge.

Affected country: South Africa
Glide: FL-2024-000008-ZAF
On the 7th of January 2024 to date, storm surge resulted in flooding affected KwaZulu Natal and Free State province. Around 1,226 households, (6,418 people) were affected in Free State and KwaZulu Natal. Severe damages were also reported ... According to the reports by Government, 41 fatalities, which included 21 were from Ladysmith in Kwazulu Natal and the others in the Free State province. Four people are still missing in KwaZulu Natal province. The heavy storms have affected different districts in KwaZulu Natal, especially uThukela (Ladysmith), uMzinyathi, Amajuba district Municipality where fatalities were reported due to drowning, displacement and other people still reported missing. (IFRC, 28 Jan 2024)

Google released a security update to address multiple vulnerabilities in Google Chrome.

Google has released Android Security Bulletin January 2024 to fix multiple security vulnerabilities in Android operating system.

Affected country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Glide: FL-2024-000009-COD
In the last few days, heavy rainfall has affected parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), particularly the eastern and southern areas, causing floods and triggering landslides that resulted in casualties and damage. According to media, as of 28 December, 60 fatalities have been reported, of whom 22 were in Kasai-Central Province, 20 in Bukavu City (South Kivu Province) and 20 in Burhinyi Village, 50 km from Bukavu City. Moreover, 16 people are still missing and more than 1,400 houses have been damaged. Floods are also reported in the northern part of the country. Over 100 households would have lost their homes in Mbandaka (Province of Équateur) according to media reports. (ECHO, 3 Jan 2024)
Heavy rainfall has been affecting the north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) over the last months, causing floods and flash floods due to the rising of the Congo River water level that has resulted in casualties and damage. According to media, as of 12 January, at least 300 people died and nearly 300,000 households have been affected by floods, the capital Kinshasa is one of the most affected areas. In addition, tens of thousands of houses have been destroyed. (ECHO, 12 Jan 2024)

Affected country: Japan
Glide: EQ-2024-000001-JPN
Japan has been hit since 1 January by 155 earthquakes including a 7.6-magnitude jolt and another over 6, the Japan Meteorological Office said. Most of the quakes had a magnitude greater than 3 while the strength has gradually moderated. Japan's Meteorological Agency has lifted all tsunami advisories issued following the major quake. According to media, at least 30 people died due to a series of building collapses and fires in Ishikawa prefecture. The evacuation orders affected 51,000 people, with 1,000 evacuees finding shelter at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force base in Wajima. The earthquake impacts are under assessment. The local authorities have deployed 1,000 Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) personnel to the affected region, with 8,500 others on standby. About 20 JSDF aircraft were also dispatched to survey the damage. (ECHO, 2 Jan 2024)
According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA), as of 2 January, 64 fatalities have been reported in Ishikawa Prefecture, 304 injured people across Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama, Fukui, Gifu, Osaka and Hyogo Prefectures, and a total of 271 buildings have been damaged. Media report, as of 3 January, 31,800 people displaced in shelters and at least 34,000 people still suffering power outages in Ishikawa Prefecture. Rescue operations are still ongoing. Damage was especially severe in Wajima, Suzu, and Noto, although their extent was unclear as rubble and severed roads still prevent search and rescue operations. (ECHO, 3 Jan 2024)
Following the earthquake of 7.5 M (depth 10 km) that occurred in Ishikawa Prefecture, 30 km northeast of Wajima City, in central Honshu Island, on 1 January, the number of casualties and damage is increasing. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA), as of 4 January, at least 78 fatalities have been reported in Ishikawa Prefecture, of whom 44 in Wajima City, 23 in Suzu City, the other people across Nanao, Hakui, Shiga, Anamizu and Noto Cities. Six people are still missing in Ishikawa Prefecture. In addition, a total of 344 injured people have been reported across Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama, Fukui, Gifu, Osaka and Hyogo Prefectures, of whom 269 in Ishikawa Prefecture. An evacuation order of level 4 is still active for Ishikawa Prefecture and 50 people have been displaced. (ECHO, 4 Jan 2024)
As of 5 January, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) reports 84 fatalities in Ishikawa Prefecture (48 in Wajima City) and six still missing people in the same Prefecture. The number of injured people is 243 across Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama, Fukui, Gifu, Osaka and Hyogo Prefectures, while 50 people are still displaced in Ishikawa Prefecture, where the evacuation order of level 4 is still active. Furthermore, at least 827 buildings have been damaged, 178 are fully destroyed across the aforementioned Prefectures and Nagano Prefecture. (ECHO, 5 Jan 2024)
Following the earthquake of 7.5 M that hit Japan on 1 January, particularly in Ishikawa Prefecture, Honshu Island, the death toll and damage continue to rise. As of 8 January, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) reports 161 fatalities in Ishikawa Prefecture, of whom 70 in Wajima and 70 in Suzu cities, one person is still missing in the same prefecture, 517 people were injured, at least 922 people are still displaced in two cities and one town in Ishikawa Prefecture, where the level four evacuation order is still active. In addition, a total of 1,599 buildings have been damaged, with 293 completely destroyed. More than 156 fires have been reported in Niigata, Toyama and Ishikawa Prefectures due to the earthquake. Rescue operations are still ongoing, 2,105 firefighters and 19 helicopters are currently operating in Ishikawa Prefecture. (ECHO, 8 Jan 2024)

Affected country: Mongolia
Glide: CW-2023-000262-MNG
Mongolia is currently facing a severe Dzud. This slow-onset disaster is unique to Mongolia and results from summer droughts followed by heavy snowfalls and extreme cold, leading to insufficient grazing pastures and hence underfed animals resulting in increased livestock mortality. As of 30th December 2023, over 90% of the country has been affected by extreme Dzud conditions, with 160 soums across 20 provinces being identified as high-risk areas. Over 258,000 people, including 100,000 children (51,000 girls and 49,000 boys) are affected due to roads blocked by snow, preventing children from accessing vital health, nutrition, education and protective services. Herder families, who are most directly impacted by the Dzud, often have to leave their children in the care of relatives or at boarding schools, increasing protection risks and causing psychological stress. (UNICEF, 25 Jan 2024)

Affected country: Congo
Glide: FL-2023-000259-COG
The Republic of Congo is facing severe floods since the past weeks. On 29th December, the Government conveyed an emergency meeting with country partners following the unprecedented increase of the Congo River and its main tributaries. The impact of the floods is significant, with around 189,000 people reported affected on 7th to 320,891 as of 29th December from a statement provided by the Government, with people directly impacted by the floods, subject to displacement and severe losses as a result of this catastrophe. The worst-affected departments are Likouala, Sangha, Cuvette, Plateaux, Niari, Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire (heavy rains), with 361 villages and 36 neighborhoods submerged due to the exceptional flooding of the Congo River and its tributaries over the past sixty years.
The impact of the rains to date on the population already far exceeds the number of people affected over the OND period during floods in 2021 (164,679 people - evaluation with the Government) and 2022 (222,000 people). Heavy rains being expected until March, the situation is worrying and the Government called partners for support. The Congolese Red Cross (CRC) as a main partner is mobilized to scale-up the support already engaged in coordination with the Government.
According to experts, the rainfall is twice as heavy as the usual average. The deadly floods and heavy rains continue. According to the same source, the floods caused 17 deaths in the departments of Likouala, Plateaux, Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. 6 people were reported missing in the Likouala and Cuvette departments. In all, more than 2,292 hectares of farmland were flooded. (IFRC, 16 Jan 2024)

Summary In recent months, Microsoft Threat Intelligence has observed threat actors leveraging social engineering and phishing techniques to target Windows OS users and utilizing the ms-appinstaller URI scheme. We have addressed and mitigated this malicious activity by turning off ms-appinstaller by default. Additionally, Microsoft has coordinated with Certificate Authorities to revoke the abused code signing certificates utilized by malware samples we have identified.

Microsoft released a security update to address a vulnerability in Microsoft Edge.