Cookie Settings

This website uses cookies and similar technologies to provide essential functionality and improve your experience. Some features, such as demo scheduling and chat support, require marketing cookies to function. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to all cookies. Alternatively, you can customize your preferences, but note that declining marketing cookies will limit certain website features.

Cyware Weekly Cyber Threat Intelligence July 2 - July 6, 2018

Cyware Weekly Cyber Threat Intelligence December 24-28, 2018 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing Jul 6, 2018

The Good

Another week has passed with plenty of new cyber threats, attacks and breaches - both accidental and malicious. Still, significant measures are being taken to protect people against perilous cyber threats. Britain’s HMRC said it took down 20750 malicious websites while a £300 million court is being set up to tackle cybercrime and fraud. A DHS-funded tool to protect mobile users against phishing attempts is going commercial. Google Chrome is labeling all HTTP sites as ‘not secure’. Tinder beefed up its data security with encryption.

  • Britain’s tax authority HM Revenue and Customs said it requested a record 20,750 malicious to be taken down over the past 12 months. It has also been trialling technology that identifies phishing messages that claim to be from the HMRC and stop them from being delivered. Since the approach began in April 2017, there has been 90% reduction in people reporting spoof HMTC-related messages.

  • A new £300 million purpose-built court is also being set up in the UK to combat cybercrime and fraud. The court will replace the Mayor’s and City of London county court and City of London magistrates’ court and take on civil cases, economic crimes and business and property disputes.

  • On the other side of the pond, the US Department of Homeland Security is touting a product designed to protect mobile users against phishing attempts and malware-laced applications. The DHS-funded tool was developed by mobile security firm Lookout and is being made available to both government and private-sector clients.

  • Google Chrome will be marking all unencrypted websites as ‘not secure’ this month. With the release of Chrome 68, the browser will flag any site with a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) address rather than a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) address.

  • Popular dating site Tinder has finally shored up its data privacy by encrypting photos uploaded by its users. Swipe data and other actions have also been padded so that they appear the same size when they are being transferred, thus preventing any snoops from identifying users’ activities.

The Bad

This week also saw a couple of serious data breaches. US law enforcement personnel data was exposed by an active shooter training center. The NHS blamed a coding error for a data-sharing mistake. Typeform said hackers downloaded a backup of its customer data. Meanwhile, a Facebook bug briefly unblocked previously blocked users.

  • The federally-funded Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) facility exposed the personal data of police officers along with the capabilities and deficiencies of local police departments in handling active shootyers. The database, uncovered by data breach hunter Flash Gordon, contained thousands of records of law enforcement personnel who had sought or underwent active shooter response training over the past few years.

  • The NHS admitted the confidential data of 150,000 patients were accidentally shared without their permission due to a “coding error.” The affected patients had requested their data only be used to provide them with care - known as “Type 2 opt-out”. However, the glitch caused their request to be ignored and their data shared for clinical auditing and research.

  • Survey company Typeform suffered a major data breach after attackers downloaded a “partial backup” of its customer data. The incident impacted a string of businesses that use Typeform’s software to conduct customer surveys and quizzes. The Tasmanian Electoral Commission, British brand Fortnum & Mason, foodmaker Birdseye and digital bank Monzo have since notified their own customers that they were likely impacted by the incident.

  • Some Samsung users reported their Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 8 smartphones were erroneously sending photos and scheduled texts to random contacts via Samsung Messages without their permission. Many affected users reported they are T-Mobile customers and recently updated Samsung Messages. The company said its technical teams are looking into the issue.

  • Facebook notified over 800,000 people that a glitch briefly unblocked previously blocked users, allowing them to see some of their posts. The bug was active between May 29th and June 5th and has since been patched. The social media firm said around 83 percent of affected users had just one blocked person become unblocked.

  • Iranian APT Charming Kitten managed to create a fake website impersonating the security firm that outed their campaigns. ClearSky Security said the group copied its official website hosted on a similar-looking domain - clearskysecurity[.]net while it’s actual website is Clearskysec.com. The phishing website has since been taken down.

New Threats

This week’s fresh batch of malware included the OSX.Dummy that targets crypto-investors and a Rakhni Trojan that can choose to mine or encrypt. Researchers said hackers could use thermal imaging to read key presses. Gandcrab v4 popped up while attackers are using fake invoice emails to drop malware in a new hacking campaign.

  • A new macOS malware dubbed OSX.Dummy was spotted targeting the cryptocurrency community on popular chat platforms Slack and Discord. Researchers said it uses an unsophisticated infection method that has users infect themselves and open themselves up to arbitrary code execution. They also described it has as all-round “dumb” because of its limited capabilities, trivial detection and “lame” persistence mechanism.
  • Scientists found attackers could potentially leverage thermal residue left behind on keyboards to figure out victims’ passwords and PINs. In a series of experiments, researchers found many non-expert subjects were able to successfully recover both secure and unsecure passwords based on imaging captured by thermal cameras - particularly those of “hunt and peck” typists.
  • Kaspersky Lab researchers uncovered the Rakhni malware that comes with both ransomware and cryptomining capabilities. The malware scans a targeted system before deciding whether to encrypt files or quietly mine cryptocurrency.
  • Gandcrab ransomware version 4 has been released that employs a different encryption algorithm and a new TOR payment website. The ransomware now uses Salsa20, appends files with a new .KRAB extension and demands $1200 to be paid in the DASH cryptocurrency.
  • Hackers have been deploying thousands of invoice-themed phishing emails to organizations to drop a data-stealing malware in a new cyber espionage campaign. Dubbed “Special Ear”, the campaign delivers a malware designed to steal credentials and log keystrokes from targeted systems. Organizations in India, Saudi Arabia and South East Asia are primarily being targeted.

Related Threat Briefings

Feb 14, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, February 10–14, 2025

Cyber defenders are sharpening their tools, and EARLYCROW is the latest weapon against stealthy APT operations. This method detects C2 activity over HTTP(S) using a novel traffic analysis format called PAIRFLOW. India is taking digital banking security up a notch. The RBI is launching a dedicated domain to curb financial fraud and enhance trust in online banking. Starting April 2025, financial institutions will register under this domain. China’s RedMike hackers are dialing into telecom networks - literally. Between December 2024 and January 2025, they targeted over 1,000 unpatched Cisco devices. Their primary focus? Global telecoms and university networks in Argentina, Bangladesh, and the U.S. Russia’s Sandworm hackers are using pirated software as bait. Their latest attack on Ukrainian Windows users disguises malware inside trojanized KMS activators and fake Windows updates. Love is in the air, but so are phishing scams. In late January, cybercriminals launched a Valentine’s-themed phishing campaign, offering fake gift baskets in exchange for stolen credentials. Cybercriminals are upping their game with Astaroth, a phishing kit that doesn’t just steal credentials but also hijacks entire sessions. By using a reverse proxy, Astaroth intercepts logins and 2FA tokens in real time, allowing attackers to bypass security measures undetected. South America’s foreign ministry was caught in the crosshairs of an advanced cyber-espionage campaign. In November 2024, attackers linked to REF7707 deployed the PATHLOADER and FINALDRAFT malware to infiltrate diplomatic networks. A new malware named Ratatouille is stirring up trouble by bypassing UAC and using I2P for anonymous communications. Spreading through phishing emails and fake CAPTCHA pages, it tricks victims into running an embedded PowerShell script.

Feb 7, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, February 03–07, 2025

PyPI is taking a "dead but not gone" approach to abandoned software with Project Archival, a new system that flags inactive projects while keeping them accessible. Developers will see warnings about outdated dependencies, helping them make smarter security choices and avoid relying on unmaintained code. The U.K is bringing earthquake-style metrics to cybersecurity with its new Cyber Monitoring Centre, designed to track digital disasters as precisely as natural ones. Inspired by the Richter scale, the CMC will quantify cyber incidents based on financial impact and affected users, offering clearer insights for national security planning. Kimsuky is back with another phishing trick, this time using fake Office and PDF files to sneak forceCopy malware onto victims' systems. Its latest campaign delivers PEBBLEDASH and RDP Wrapper by disguising malware as harmless shortcuts, ultimately hijacking browser credentials and sensitive data. Hackers have found a new way to skim credit card data - by hiding malware inside Google Tag Manager scripts. CISA is flagging major security holes in Microsoft Outlook and Sophos XG Firewall, urging agencies to patch them before February 27. One flaw allows remote code execution in Outlook, while another exposes firewall users to serious risks. Bitcoin scammers are switching tactics, swapping static images for video attachments in MMS to make their schemes more convincing. A recent case involved a tiny .3gp video luring victims into WhatsApp groups where scammers apply pressure to extract money or personal data. XE Group has shifted from credit card skimming to zero-day exploitation, now targeting manufacturing and distribution companies. A new version of ValleyRAT is making the rounds, using stealthy techniques to infiltrate systems. Morphisec found the malware being spread through fake Chrome downloads from a fraudulent Chinese telecom site.

Jan 10, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, January 06–10, 2025

The U.K is fortifying its digital defenses with the launch of Cyber Local, a £1.9 million initiative to bridge cyber skills gaps and secure the digital economy. Spanning 30 projects across England and Northern Ireland, the scheme emphasizes local business resilience, neurodiverse talent, and cybersecurity careers for youth. Across the Atlantic, the White House introduced the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, a consumer-friendly cybersecurity labeling program for smart devices. Overseen by the FCC, the initiative tests products like baby monitors and security systems for compliance with rigorous cybersecurity standards, ensuring Americans can make safer choices for their connected homes. China-linked threat actor RedDelta has ramped up its cyber-espionage activities across Asia, targeting nations such as Mongolia, Taiwan, Myanmar, and Vietnam with a modified PlugX backdoor. Cybercriminals have weaponized trust by deploying a fake PoC exploit tied to a patched Microsoft Windows LDAP vulnerability. CrowdStrike reported a phishing operation impersonating the company, using fake job offers to lure victims into downloading a fraudulent CRM application. Once installed, the malware deploys a Monero cryptocurrency miner. A new Mirai-based botnet, dubbed Gayfemboy, has emerged as a formidable threat, leveraging zero-day exploits in industrial routers and smart home devices. With 15,000 active bot nodes daily across China, the U.S., and Russia, the botnet executes high-intensity DDoS attacks exceeding 100 Gbps. In the Middle East, fraudsters are posing as government officials in a social engineering scheme targeting disgruntled customers. Cybercriminals have weaponized WordPress with a malicious plugin named PhishWP to create realistic fake payment pages mimicking services like Stripe. The plugin not only captures payment details in real time but also sends fake confirmation emails to delay detection.

Dec 20, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, December 16–20, 2024

In a digital age where borders are blurred, governments are sharpening their strategies to outpace cyber adversaries. The draft update to the National Cyber Incident Response Plan (NCIRP) introduces a comprehensive framework for managing nationwide cyberattacks that impact critical infrastructure and the economy. Meanwhile, the fiscal year 2025 defense policy bill, recently approved by the Senate, emphasizes strengthening cybersecurity measures both at home and abroad. A deceptive health app on the Amazon Appstore turned out to be a Trojan horse for spyware. Masquerading as BMI CalculationVsn, the app recorded device screens, intercepted SMS messages, and scanned for installed apps to steal sensitive data. Malicious extensions targeting developers and cryptocurrency projects have infiltrated the VSCode marketplace and NPM. Disguised as productivity tools, these extensions employed downloader functionality to deliver obfuscated PowerShell payloads. The BADBOX botnet has resurfaced, compromising over 192,000 Android devices, including high-end smartphones and smart TVs, directly from the supply chain. Industrial control systems are facing heightened risks as malware like Ramnit and Chaya_003 targets engineering workstations from Mitsubishi and Siemens. Both malware families exploit legitimate services, complicating detection and mitigation efforts in ICS environments. The Chinese hacking group Winnti has been leveraging a PHP backdoor called Glutton, targeting organizations in China and the U.S. This modular ELF-based malware facilitates tailored attacks across industries and even embeds itself into software packages to compromise other cybercriminals. A tax-themed phishing campaign, dubbed FLUX#CONSOLE, is deploying backdoor payloads to compromise systems in Pakistan. Threat actors employ phishing emails with double-extension files masquerading as PDFs.

Dec 13, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, December 09–13, 2024

Cybercrime’s web of deception unraveled in South Korea as authorities dismantled a fraud network responsible for extorting $6.3 million through fake online trading platforms. Dubbed Operation Midas, the effort led to the arrest of 32 individuals and the seizure of 20 servers. In a significant move to combat surveillance abuses, the U.S. defense policy bill for 2025 introduced measures to shield military and diplomatic personnel from commercial spyware threats. The legislation calls for stringent cybersecurity standards, a review of spyware incidents, and regular reporting to Congress. The subtle art of deception found a new stage with a Microsoft Teams call, as attackers used social engineering to manipulate victims into granting remote access. By convincing users to install AnyDesk, they gained control of systems, executing commands to download the DarkGate malware. Russian APT Secret Blizzard has resurfaced and used the Amadey bot to infiltrate Ukrainian military devices and deploy their Tavdig backdoor. In a phishing spree dubbed "Aggressive Inventory Zombies (AIZ)," scammers impersonated brands like Etsy, Amazon, and Binance to target retail and crypto audiences. Surveillance has reached unsettling new depths with the discovery of BoneSpy and PlainGnome, two spyware families linked to the Russian group Gamaredon. Designed for extensive espionage, these Android malware tools track GPS, capture audio, and harvest data. A new Android banking trojan has already caused havoc among Indian users, masquerading as utility and banking apps to steal sensitive financial information. With 419 devices compromised, the malware intercepts SMS messages, exfiltrates personal data via Supabase, and even tricks victims into entering details under the pretense of bill payment. Iranian threat actors have set their sights on critical infrastructure, deploying IOCONTROL malware to infiltrate IoT and OT/SCADA systems in Israel and the U.S.

Dec 6, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, December 02–06, 2024

NIST sharpened the tools for organizations to measure their cybersecurity readiness, addressing both technical and leadership challenges. The two-volume guidance blends data-driven assessments with managerial insights, emphasizing the critical role of leadership in applying findings. The Manson Market, a notorious hub for phishing networks, fell in a sweeping Europol-led takedown. With over 50 servers seized and 200TB of stolen data recovered, the operation spanned multiple countries, including Germany and Austria. Russian APT group BlueAlpha leveraged Cloudflare Tunnels to cloak its GammaDrop malware campaign from prying eyes. The group deployed HTML smuggling and DNS fast-fluxing to bypass detection, targeting Ukrainian organizations with precision. Earth Minotaur intensified its surveillance operations against Tibetan and Uyghur communities through the MOONSHINE exploit kit. The kit, now updated with newer exploits, enables the installation of the DarkNimbus backdoor on Android and Windows devices. Cloudflare Pages became an unwitting ally in the sharp rise of phishing campaigns, with a staggering 198% increase in abuse cases. Cybercriminals exploited the platform's infrastructure to host malicious pages, fueling a surge from 460 incidents in 2023 to over 1,370 by October 2024. DroidBot has quietly infiltrated over 77 cryptocurrency exchanges and banking apps, building a web of theft across Europe. Active since June 2024, this Android malware operates as a MaaS platform, enabling affiliates to tailor attacks. Rockstar 2FA, a phishing platform targeting Microsoft 365 users, has set the stage for large-scale credential theft. With over 5,000 phishing domains launched, the platform is marketed on Telegram. The Gafgyt malware is shifting gears, targeting exposed Docker Remote API servers through legitimate Docker images, creating botnets capable of launching DDoS attacks.