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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 05 - 09, 2021

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 05 - 09, 2021 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing Apr 9, 2021

The Good

No preambles, let’s just dive right into the good news for this week. Memory safety bugs in Android might just become an issue of the past, or at least be reduced, by a recent development by Google. In another vein, Microsoft released an open-source cyberattack simulator to help developers experiment with AI-controlled cyber agents.

  • The open-source version of Android will have some OS parts that can be built on Rust, announced Google. This comes as an initiation to reduce memory safety bugs.

  • An open-source cyberattack simulator has been developed by Microsoft that would allow developers to create simulated environments to play against AI-controlled cyber agents. Dubbed CyberBattleSim, this Python-based Open AI Gym Interface models the way intruders spread laterally on a network.

  • The Australian Capital Territory government will be investing $700,000 in the Canberra Cyber Hub with the purpose to transform Canberra into the cyber capital of Australia.

  • Google Chrome is now blocking HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP access to TCP port 10080 to prevent ports from being abused in NAT Slipstreaming 2.0 attacks.

The Bad

Tick tock on the clock, but the threat party don’t stop. Only that the party is hosted by cybercriminals and nobody else is having any fun. Attacks on educational institutions seem to be never-ending. We don’t need to tell you how important it is to keep your credit card info to yourself. Visa has asked users to be extra careful amidst increasing web shell attacks. Also, better check your smartphone as it may have come loaded with some pesky adware straight from the manufacturer.

  • A data breach affected Michigan State University as a side-effect of a cyberattack on an Ohio law firm Bricker & Eckler LLP.

  • A massive cryptojacking attack campaign, delivering a UPX-packed cpuminer, is targeting U.S-based educational organizations. The first attack was spotted on February 16.

  • Global payment processor VISA warned that threat actors are increasingly deploying web shells, to inject malicious scripts, on compromised servers to exfiltrate credit card information from online customers.

  • A misconfigured Elasticsearch server belonging to Office Depot Europe leaked nearly one million records, including customer names, phone numbers, home and office addresses, and marketplaces logs.

  • Gigaset mobile device users are encountering unwanted apps that are downloaded via a pre-installed system update app named com.redstone.ota.ui. Three different versions of a trojan, capable of sending SMS and WhatsApp messages, redirecting users to malicious game sites, and downloading additional malware-laced apps, are installed by the app

  • OnlyFans suffered a breach of hundreds of private videos and images after a shared Google Drive was posted online.

  • Data of 533 million Facebook users were posted on a cybercrime forum. The leaked data includes phone numbers, Facebook IDs, birth dates, gender, and location.

  • Conti ransomware claimed to have attacked Broward County Public schools and demanded a $40 million ransom. More than 1TB of data has been stolen that includes social security numbers, addresses, birth dates, and contact information.

New Threats

The frustrations for security teams have come to a head as this week brought us a bounty of very scary, very real new threats. REvil got another upgrade in the form of its encryption method. Will it ever stop? The Lazarus APT group is back with a new malware, which was already used against a South African logistics firm. Last but definitely not least, a new maldoc builder has entered the threat landscape and comes in two different versions.

  • Iran-based APT34 threat actor group was found to be responsible for a cyberespionage campaign against organizations in Lebanon. The campaign deployed a new backdoor called SideTwist and was propagated via phishing emails.

  • New methods involving malicious Android apps disguised as TikTok and offers for free Lenovo laptops are being used to disseminate adware on smartphones. Users are being lured via SMSes and WhatsApp messages.

  • A large-scale tech support scam that warns users to renew their antivirus subscriptions was unveiled. The scam is widespread on sites using low-quality ad networks.

  • REvil ransomware operators added a new version of Safe Mode encryption that automatically logs Windows into Safe Mode before performing the encryption process.

  • Cring ransomware is well on its way to exploit a vulnerability in Fortigate VPN servers. Although Fortinet issued a security patch to fix the vulnerability last year, cybercriminals are deploying the exploit against networks that are yet to be patched.

  • The new backdoor malware Vyveva was used by the Lazarus APT group against a South African freight and logistics firm. The backdoor can exfiltrate files, collect data from infected machines and drives, connect to a C2 server remotely, and execute arbitrary code.

  • Dubbed FlixOnline, this newly discovered Android malware lures users by promising free Netflix subscription. The malicious software steals WhatsApp conversation data and spreads false information.

  • Brazilian organizations are under attack by a new banking trojan dubbed Janeleiro. The trojan is similar other trojans such as Casbaneiro, Grandoreiro, and Mekotio, and is distributed via phishing emails.

  • A new malicious document builder known as EtterSilent is being used to run cybercriminal schemes. The tool comes in two versions: one that exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft Office, and another one that imitates the digital signature product DocuSign.

  • A cyberespionage campaign, which was launched against dozens of organizations in Vietnam, saw the distribution of two new malware named FoundCore and DropPhone. The threat actor has been loosely tied to the Chinese Cycldek threat actor group.

Related Threat Briefings

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.