Cyware Weekly Cyber Threat Intelligence February 18-22, 2019

Cyware Weekly Cyber Threat Intelligence February 18-22, 2019 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing February 22, 2019

The Good

We’re back with the most interesting cybersecurity news of the week. Let’s start with all the positive advancements that happened in the cybersecurity landscape. Google has developed a browser API called ‘Trusted Types’ that helps Chrome fight against DOM-based XSS attacks. SK Telecom has announced to launch its Quantum Security Gateway solution to prevent hacking in self-driving cars. Meanwhile, a group of researchers has been working on a system to detect run-time trojan attacks on deep neural networks (DNN) models.

  • Google has developed a new Chrome feature that fights against DOM-based XSS attacks. This new feature is a browser API called ‘Trusted Types’ that helps Chrome fight against certain cross-site scripting XSS vulnerabilities. The feature adds another level of protection at the browser level to protect users from cross-site scripting vulnerabilities such as DOM-based XSS.
  • SK Telecom has announced to launch its Quantum Security Gateway solution to prevent hacking in self-driving cars. The solution is an integrated security device that will be installed inside cars and protects various electronic units and networks in the cars. The gateway solution once installed inside cars, monitors various devices for Vehicle-2-Everything (V2X), Bluetooth, radar, smart keys, and driver assistance systems.
  • A group of researchers along with CSIRO’s Data61 has been working on a system to detect run-time trojan attacks on deep neural networks (DNN) models. The system named STRIP (STRong Intentional Perturbation) effectively detects trojan attacks on DNN-based computer vision applications.

The Bad

Several data breaches and massive cyber attacks occurred over the past week. The third batch containing 93 million accounts stolen from 8 companies was put up for sale on the Dream Market marketplace. NCBP POS Vendor suffered a breach compromising nearly 140 restaurants. In the meantime, an unprotected server exposed almost 2.7 million health-related call recordings that dated back to 2013.

  • The seller ‘gnosticplayers’ was back this week with a collection of 93 million stolen account credentials from 8 companies. This is the third batch made available for sale by gnosticplayers in the Dream Market marketplace which is worth 2.6249 bitcoin amounting to $9,400.
  • Attackers compromised North Country Business Products (NCBP) IT systems and planted malware on its clients’ Point-of-Sale (POS) systems. The attack has impacted nearly 140 food chains such as coffee shops, restaurants, bars, standalone hotels, and various food chain franchises. The impacted food chains included Dunn Brothers Coffee, Someburros, Zipps Sports Grill, and more.
  • A storage server containing real-time call recordings made to the 1177 Swedish Healthcare Guide helpline for health care information was found publicly available without any password protection. The unprotected server which was left open without a password exposed almost 2.7 million health-related call recordings that dated back to 2013.
  • JD Finance Android App stored users’ screenshots to its cache without user permission. A user posted a video on Weibo describing how the Android app for JD finance stored screenshots taken of his account on the China Merchants Bank app to its cache. According to the user, the screenshots containing sensitive banking information was intercepted without his knowledge.
  • White hat hackers have flooded VKontakte (VK) with a spam campaign as part of a revenge prank against the social network as the company failed to acknowledge the security researcher who reported a vulnerability a year ago. The white hat hackers carried out the spam campaign with a computer worm created by Baghosi, which is a community for Russian social media app developers.
  • A hacker compromised Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn's Twitter account on 21, February 2019. The hacker used the compromised account to send out fake bomb threats and missile threats against the City of Tampa staff, Tampa International Airport, and the Tampa VA office.
  • An unprotected MongoDB instance exposed private data of almost 458,388 individuals residing in Delhi, India. The unprotected database was 4.1 GB sized and was named ‘GNCTD’ which also stands for Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. The exposed data included individuals personal data such as Aadhaar numbers, voter card numbers, ration card numbers, designation, means of transportation, health conditions, monthly income, education, etc.
  • AdventHealth has notified 42,000 patients about a 2017 data breach that went on for more than a year. The incident occurred in August 2017 and lasted until December 2018. The breached data included patients’ medical histories, insurance carriers, Social Security numbers, names, phone numbers, dates of birth, health insurance information, weights, and email addresses.
  • Researchers observed a new Ad fraud campaign dubbed ‘DrainerBot’ which plays invisible ad videos in Android devices via infected apps. The DrainerBot ad fraud scheme uses malicious codes in Android apps to deliver ad videos to mobile devices that have installed the infected apps. The ad fraud scheme has been distributed via infected Android applications that have almost 10 million downloads.
  • A new phishing attack dubbed ‘NoRelationship’ was observed recently that bypasses Microsoft’s Exchange Online Protection (EOP) URL filters which scans Microsoft Office documents such as Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint (.pptx). The attackers behind the ‘NoRelationship’ phishing campaign deleted external links from a relationship (xml.rels) file which is a legitimate file that lists all links included in an attachment. This lead to Microsoft’s Exchange Online Protection filters not detecting the malicious URL.

New Threats

Over the past week, several new vulnerabilities and malware strains emerged. A Monero cryptocurrency-mining malware variant has been found using a combination of RADMIN and MIMIKATZ exploit tools to spread across networks. Researchers uncovered a new ATM malware dubbed WinPot that uses a slot machine interface to steal funds by compromising ATMs. Last but not least, Researchers spotted a critical flaw in four popular password managers that could allow attackers to steal login credentials from the PC’s memory.

  • A Monero cryptocurrency-mining malware variant has been found using a combination of RADMIN and MIMIKATZ exploit tools to spread across the local area networks. The attack campaign primarily targets companies in China, Taiwan, Italy, and Hong Kong.
  • Researchers from Avast detected a new malware strain dubbed Rietspoof, which is distributed via instant messaging clients such as Facebook Messenger and Skype. Rietspoof is a multi-stage malware that utilizes several stages to drop a more versatile malware. The actual Rietspoof malware is dropped in the third stage with capabilities such as downloading or uploading files, starting processes, or initiating a self-destruct function.
  • Researchers spotted a critical flaw in four popular password managers in Windows 10. The vulnerable password managers, when installed and enabled on a system, could allow attackers to steal login credentials from the PC’s memory. The four password managers in question are 1Password, Dashlane, KeePass, and LastPass.
  • A new phishing campaign using a new variant of Separ malware was recently observed infecting hundreds of businesses located mainly in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and North America. The attack started at the end of January and has affected around 200 companies and over 1,000 individuals.
  • A new malware dubbed Muncy has been spotted targeting victims worldwide. Muncy malware is distributed via a phishing campaign that impersonates the logistics giant DHL to trick users. Apart from spoofing the emails, the attackers behind Muncy are also leveraging poorly configured SMTP servers to distribute the malware.
  • A Security firm recently discovered that LUNAR SPIDER, developer of BokBot distributed WIZARD SPIDER’s custom variant TrickBot. The security firm’s findings revealed that a BokBot executing a loader, also downloaded a separate TrickBot loader. When this TrickBot’s configuration file was analyzed, both trojans also had similar features.
  • Windows servers running IIS are impacted by a bug that allows malicious HTTP/2 requests to severely affect its performance. The vulnerability can cause a CPU usage spike up to 100 percent if abused by malicious HTTP/2 requests sent to a Windows server running IIS. Microsoft has addressed this bug through its 14 updates released for Windows OS and Windows servers.
  • Researchers uncovered a new ATM malware dubbed WinPot that uses a slot machine interface to steal funds by compromising ATMs. WinPot, also known as ATMPot, is designed to compromise the ATMs and force these machines to empty their cassettes of all funds. A seller of the malware has recently offered WinPot v.3 which includes a revamped interface and a currently unidentified program called ‘ShowMeMoney’.
  • A new malware campaign targeting Russian organization with specially crafted malicious Word documents was observed recently. The malware campaign was linked to the North Korean Lazarus threat group also known as HIDDEN COBRA. Researchers noted that the Lazarus threat actor group’s new campaign targeting Russian entities uses Word documents in the initial infection stage and then drops the KEYMARBLE backdoor Trojan.
  • Drupal CMS notified its users of a highly critical vulnerability that could lead to remote code execution of PHP. The critical bug affects Drupal core branches Drupal 8.6x, Drupal 8.5x and earlier. The bug also impacts other web services modules enabled such as JSON:API in Drupal 8 and Service Module or the RESTful web services module in Drupal 7. Drupal noted that the bug was due to some files failing to properly sanitize data from non-form sources.

Related Threat Briefings

Jun 27, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 23–27, 2025

A Common Good Cyber Fund was launched to support non-profits delivering critical cybersecurity services for public benefit. The fund is backed by the U.K and Canada, with G7 leaders endorsing similar initiatives. A phishing email is all it takes to breach critical infrastructure. The OneClik APT campaign is targeting energy and oil sectors using Microsoft ClickOnce to deliver a .NET loader and Golang backdoor. A handful of outdated routers is all it takes to build a persistent espionage network. The LapDogs campaign is targeting SOHO devices with a custom backdoor called ShortLeash, giving attackers root access and control over compromised systems. A familiar package name could be hiding far more than useful code. North Korean actors behind the Contagious Interview campaign have published 35 malicious npm packages, including keyloggers and multi-stage malware. A fake Windows update might just be the start of something worse. The EvilConwi campaign is abusing ConnectWise ScreenConnect to deliver signed malware through tampered installers. Encrypted messaging apps aren’t immune to state-backed malware delivery. APT28 is targeting Ukrainian government entities via Signal, sharing macro-laced documents that deploy a backdoor named Covenant. Some WordPress plugins are doing a lot more than extending site functionality. Researchers uncovered a long-running malware campaign that uses rogue plugins to skim credit card data, steal credentials, and manage backend systems on infected sites.

Jun 20, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 16–20, 2025

As cybercriminals weave intricate webs in the digital underworld, global defenders are cutting through the chaos. Six nations toppled Archetyp Market, a darknet drug bazaar with €250 million ($288 million) in Monero deals, nabbing its admin and vendors while seizing €7.8 million ($9 million) in assets. The U.K unveiled a Cyber Growth Action Plan, injecting £16m ($21.2m) to fortify its £13.2bn ($17.5bn) cybersecurity industry after attacks bled retailers like M&S. Stateside, the U.S. reclaimed $225 million in crypto from investment scams, marking the Secret Service’s biggest digital heist bust yet. Cloud services are being quietly turned into covert attack channels. The Serpentine#Cloud campaign is abusing Cloudflare Tunnels and Python to deploy fileless malware via invoice-themed phishing lures. A popular WordPress plugin is exposing sites to full takeover. It affects the AI Engine plugin, impacting over 100,000 websites and opening the door to site-wide compromise. An official-looking email from the tax department may be anything but. Silver Fox APT is targeting Taiwanese users with phishing emails posing as the National Taxation Bureau, delivering malware like Winos 4.0, HoldingHands RAT, and Gh0stCringe. A new Android trojan is turning devices into data-harvesting tools under attackers’ full control. Attributed to the LARVA-398 group, AntiDot has infected thousands of devices through phishing and malicious ads. A fake job offer could now come bundled with custom-built spyware. PylangGhost is targeting crypto professionals in India. Delivered through spoofed job sites, the malware includes registry tampering, remote control, and data exfiltration modules aimed at compromising Windows systems. One compromised travel site is now a launchpad for infostealer infections. A new ClickFix variant, LightPerlGirl, is using fake Cloudflare CAPTCHA prompts and clipboard hijacking to deliver the Lumma infostealer.

Jun 6, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 02–06, 2025

Authorities have taken down a major hub for stolen financial data. The DOJ seized approximately 145 domains associated with the BidenCash marketplace, which had evolved from a small credit card shop in 2022 into a massive hub for stolen payment data. In a move to reinforce Europe’s cyber defenses, Microsoft is stepping in with strategic support. The newly launched European Security Program offers EU governments free access to AI-driven threat intelligence, vulnerability alerts, and guidance to counter attacks from state-sponsored actors. Not all GitHub projects are built with good intentions. Researchers uncovered a widespread campaign involving more than 130 repositories booby-trapped with malware disguised as game cheats, hacking tools, and utilities. A free software download could end up costing your entire crypto wallet. ViperSoftX is back in circulation, targeting crypto users with malicious PowerShell scripts bundled into cracked apps, keygens, and torrent packages. Some attackers mine crypto, JINX-0132 mines misconfigurations. This threat actor is running a stealthy cryptojacking campaign against DevOps platforms, exploiting exposed defaults and overlooked RCE flaws. Destruction masquerading as maintenance tools is hitting Ukraine’s infrastructure. Researchers attributed a new wiper malware called PathWiper to a Russia-linked APT group, targeting critical systems by leveraging legitimate administrative frameworks. A few swapped letters could be all it takes to get owned. A new supply chain attack targets Python and npm developers through typo-squatting and name confusion. A new Android banking trojan, named Crocodilus, has emerged in the threat landscape. It masquerades as legitimate apps like Google Chrome and uses overlay attacks to steal credentials from financial apps.

May 30, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 26–30, 2025

Under the hood of vulnerability management, NIST just added a sharper diagnostic tool. The new Likely Exploited Vulnerabilities metric offers deeper insight into which CVEs are likely being used in the wild, complementing EPSS with more contextual signals. Digital warfare is no longer a future threat, it's a current investment. The U.K. Ministry of Defence has unveiled a £1 billion Cyber and Electromagnetic Command to protect military networks and support offensive cyber missions. With AI-driven systems like the Digital Targeting Web in development, the goal is seamless coordination across weapons platforms. A quiet but relentless campaign has been unfolding across multiple industries. The Chinese group Earth Lamia is targeting finance, government, logistics, and more by exploiting known web app vulnerabilities. APT41 hides malware commands where no one’s looking: your calendar. In a creative twist on C2 infrastructure, China-backed APT41 embedded encrypted instructions inside Google Calendar events. AyySSHush doesn’t make noise, it builds armies. More than 9,000 ASUS routers have been compromised by this botnet, which quietly slips in through a CVE-2023-39780 exploit. Fake CAPTCHA prompts are now doing more than testing if you're human—they're installing malware. EDDIESTEALER, a new Rust-based infostealer, spreads through deceptive CAPTCHA pages that trigger malicious PowerShell scripts. Threat actors are wrapping their tools in layers of obfuscation, and DOUBLELOADER is no exception. This new backdoor uses the ALCATRAZ obfuscator—once seen in the game-hacking scene—to disguise its presence. A new Go-based botnet called PumaBot is clawing its way through Linux IoT devices. It brute-forces SSH credentials, impersonates Redis files for stealth, and deploys rootkits to mine crypto and steal credentials.

May 23, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 19–23, 2025

Operation Endgame just dealt a major blow to the ransomware supply chain. Europol led the charge in dismantling malware infrastructure tied to multiple malware families, seizing 300 servers and more. Japan has officially gone on the cyber offense. The new Active Cyberdefense Law allows preemptive strikes against foreign cyber threats. It enables traffic analysis and takedowns of hostile servers. Think twice before clicking on that Ledger update. A new macOS malware campaign is deploying fake versions of the Ledger Live app to steal cryptocurrency seed phrases. A Turkish phishing lure leads straight to SnakeKeylogger. Fake AI tools are the new phishing lures and they’re convincing. Cybercriminals cloned Kling AI’s brand through Facebook ads and spoofed websites to trick users into downloading malware. The DBatLoader (aka ModiLoader) malware is making the rounds again - this time disguised as a Turkish bank email. The copyright threat in your inbox might be bait. A phishing campaign sweeping across central and eastern Europe is using fake legal complaints to deliver the Rhadamanthys Stealer. Two years of silence, 6,200 downloads later - the malware is finally found. A malicious campaign targeting JavaScript developers slipped past detection by disguising harmful npm packages as plugins for frameworks like React, Vue.js, Vite, and Quill Editor. Researchers uncovered a stealthy new backdoor paired with a Monero coinminer, using the PyBitmessage library for encrypted peer-to-peer communications.

May 9, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 05–09, 2025

Another blow to DDoS-for-hire networks. Europol has shut down six services used to launch global cyberattacks, arresting suspects in Poland and seizing domains in the U.S. The UN has launched a new framework to help policymakers make sense of cyber intrusions. Called UNIDIR Intrusion Path, it complements models like MITRE ATT&CK but simplifies the technical details. It breaks down attacker activity into three layers, making it easier to evaluate threats in a policy context. Old routers are becoming cybercrime goldmines. The FBI has warned that end-of-life routers are being hijacked with malware like TheMoon and sold on proxy networks such as 5Socks and Anyproxy. These compromised devices are used for crypto theft, cybercrime-as-a-service, and even espionage. Crypto users on Discord are the latest targets of a phishing campaign tied to Inferno Drainer. Attackers were found impersonating the Collab.Land bot to trick users into signing malicious transactions. The Play ransomware group has joined the list of actors exploiting CVE-2025-29824. This Windows zero-day in the CLFS driver enables privilege escalation via a race condition during file operations. Linked to the Balloonfly group, the attacks targeted a U.S. organization and included deployment of the Grixba infostealer. COLDRIVER’s latest malware, LOSTKEYS, is now in play. The Russian state-backed group is deploying this tool to steal files and system data from advisors, journalists, NGOs, and individuals linked to Ukraine. Agenda’s playbook just got upgraded. The ransomware group has added two new tools: SmokeLoader and a stealthy .NET-based loader called NETXLOADER. The latter leverages techniques like JIT hooking and AES decryption to deploy ransomware. Corporate HR teams are the latest target in a spear-phishing spree by Venom Spider. Disguised as job applications, these emails deliver More_eggs backdoor, now upgraded with advanced features.

May 2, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 28–May 02, 2025

The FBI just dropped a massive breadcrumb trail. Details of 42,000 phishing domains tied to the LabHost platform have been released to help defenders investigate potential breaches. The service enabled the theft of 500,000 credit cards and over a million credentials. The takedown of JokerOTP has exposed just how far phishing has evolved. The tool was used in more than 28,000 attacks across 13 countries, tricking victims into handing over 2FA codes by mimicking trusted brands. The operation cost victims £7.5 million and has now led to serious criminal charges, thanks to a joint effort involving Europol and Dutch authorities. Malware’s now hitching a ride on Go modules. Socket has uncovered three malicious packages hiding disk-wiping payloads, designed to cause irreversible data loss, especially on Linux systems. These modules take advantage of Go’s decentralized ecosystem. In the shadows of the cybersecurity landscape, MintsLoader emerges as a formidable adversary, orchestrating a multi-faceted infection strategy that deploys the notorious GhostWeaver RAT. Some PyPI packages are doing more than importing functions. Researchers uncovered seven malicious Python packages under the “Coffin” naming scheme, using Gmail’s SMTP service as a stealthy C2 channel. Ransomware groups aren’t always the ones breaking the door open. Researchers have uncovered ToyMaker, an initial access broker selling network entry to ransomware groups. Using a custom malware strain called LAGTOY, ToyMaker establishes reverse shells and executes commands on compromised systems. New vulnerabilities in Apple’s AirPlay protocol, collectively dubbed AirBorne, expose billions of devices to remote code execution without user interaction. Sharp and TX stealers are back, donning a new cloak - named Hannibal Stealer. It is going after credentials from browsers, crypto wallets, FTP clients, and VPN apps. It even captures Discord tokens and Steam sessions.

Apr 25, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 21–25, 2025

AI security finally has a global playbook. ETSI has released TS 104 223, a first-of-its-kind technical specification outlining how to secure AI systems across their entire lifecycle - from design to decommissioning. MITRE’s latest update is catching up with the cloud. ATT&CK v17 expands the framework to include ESXi and adds more than 140 defensive analytics. Platform-specific data collection advice, improved mitigation mapping, and deeper coverage of mobile threats like SIM swaps round out the upgrade. An APT group with deep roots in Southeast Asia is quietly siphoning data through everyday cloud platforms. Earth Kurma has been active since late 2020, targeting government and telecom entities across the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. Signal and WhatsApp are the new frontline for cloud compromise. Russian actors are running OAuth phishing campaigns against Microsoft 365 users tied to Ukraine and human rights work. A forged email that passes every security check - that’s the new phishing trick. Attackers are using DKIM replay tactics to forward legitimate Google security alerts to unsuspecting victims. It starts with a fake sales order and ends with FormBook silently stealing your data. A recent phishing campaign has been abusing a long-patched Microsoft flaw to deliver a fileless variant of the malware. Docker containers aren’t always what they seem. A new threat named TenoBot is targeting systems running outdated Teneo Web3 node software, deploying malicious containers to hijack environments. A stealthy new RAT is slipping through Ivanti Connect Secure devices in Japan. Dubbed DslogdRAT, the malware exploits a zero-day flaw to execute commands via web shell and quietly exfiltrate data using encoded C2 traffic.

Apr 11, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 07–11, 2025

The U.K. government rolled out a Cyber Governance Code of Practice aimed at directors and board members, not just CISOs. Backed by the NCSC and other national bodies, the code includes practical actions, modular training, and a board-level toolkit. Startups building the future of cyber defense are getting serious backing. The British Business Bank has committed most of a £50 million fund to Osney Capital, which will invest in early-stage cybersecurity companies across the U.K. A torrent download might be doing more than delivering cracked software. A campaign has been distributing ViperSoftX to Korean users, likely run by Arabic-speaking threat actors. Invasive spyware campaigns are zeroing in on high-risk communities. MOONSHINE and BADBAZAAR are being deployed through trojanized mobile apps to surveil Uyghur, Tibetan, and Taiwanese individuals, as well as civil society groups. Search for QuickBooks during tax season, and you might land on a trap. Threat actors are placing deceptive Google Ads that link to phishing pages almost identical to the real QuickBooks login portal. It starts with a PDF search and ends with malware on your machine. A new campaign is using fake CAPTCHAs and Cloudflare Turnstile to lure users into downloading LegionLoader. Seed phrases aren’t supposed to come from strangers. The PoisonSeed campaign is targeting crypto holders and enterprise users by compromising bulk email services. Victims are lured with fake wallet setup instructions that embed attacker-controlled recovery phrases - giving threat actors full access once the wallets are used. A Chinese-linked threat group, ToddyCat, has been exploiting a security vulnerability in ESET's software to deliver a new malware, TCESB, in Asia.