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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 20 - 24, 2020

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 20 - 24, 2020 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing Apr 24, 2020

The Good

While the whole world continues to fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, here’s some good news from cyberspace to cheer you up. Researchers have successfully disrupted the operations of the notorious VictoryGate botnet that was primarily used by cybercriminals to mine Monero cryptocurrency. The botnet had infected more than 35,000 computers worldwide. On the other hand, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has notified that hundreds of online domains related to COVID-19 scams were disrupted in an ongoing joint effort between law enforcement agencies and private companies.

  • ESET researchers disrupted the operation of VictoryGate botnet by taking down more than 35,000 infected computers. The botnet that enabled its attackers to mine Monero cryptocurrency, had more than 90% of the total victims in Peru.

  • The National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) along with other government departments successfully took down more than 2,000 online scams related to coronavirus in the last month. This crackdown is a part of a ‘Suspicious email reporting service’ program that aims to protect people from fraudsters and phishing scams.

  • The US Department of Justice (DoJ) announced the takedown of hundreds of online domains related to COVID-19 scams, in a joint effort with law enforcement agencies, and a number of private sector companies. These domains were registered by cybercriminals to commit fraud and other crimes.

  • The National Security Agency (NSA) and Australian Signals Directorate have jointly released an advisory for mitigating web shell malware. The advisory includes a detailed description of the attack process and mitigation techniques.

The Bad

Talking about the bad, Cognizant made headlines this week for being attacked by Maze ransomware operators. Just like the previous weeks, there were also reports of credentials and personal data dumping on dark web forums. These credentials belonged to users of Facebook, Webkinz World, and the Aptoide app.

  • Cognizant confirmed that it was hit by the Maze ransomware last weekend. The attack had caused disruption for some of its clients.

  • Personal information of 267 million active Facebook users was put up on the dark web for a mere price of $600. Most of these records belonged to users in the United States and included Facebook profiles, full names, unique IDs for each account, timestamps, and more.

  • The credentials of over 23 million Webkinz World players also made their way to the dark web after a hacker breached a database using an SQL injection vulnerability.

  • Two cryptocurrency firms - Lendf.Me and Uniswap - suffered a major loss after hackers stole $25 million worth of cryptocurrencies. The hackers used the reentrancy attack to siphon funds from each platform into their wallet. After some days of attack, the stolen amount was returned back to the firms by the attackers.

  • Cybercriminals breached the database of the Aptoide app to steal 39 million customer records. Out of these, 20 million customer details, including login emails and hashed passwords, were published on a popular hacker forum.

  • An unsecured database belonging to Kinomap leaked 42 million records including PII. The records belonged to users across the globe, including North America, Australia, Japan, the UK, and several European countries.

  • Unknown activists posted nearly 25,000 email addresses and passwords belonging to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), World Health Organization (WHO), Gates Foundation, and other groups working to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The lists were posted on 4chan, Pastebin, Twitter, and Telegram.

  • Beaumont Health notified about 114,000 patients that their personal data was breached in a phishing attack in 2019. The attackers had hacked several email accounts to access health and contact information.

  • DoppelPaymer leaked confidential data belonging to the City of Torrance on its ‘Dopple Leaks’ website. The data included the city’s budget financials, various accounting documents, document scans, and an archive of documents belonging to the City Manager. In a different incident, SeaChange, a leading supplier of video delivery software solutions, became the latest victim of the Sodinokibi ransomware.

  • An error in the official website of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) had leaked personal information linked to 7900 businesses to other applicants that had applied for COVID-19 relief funds. This leaked data included Social Security numbers, income accounts, names, addresses, and contact information.

  • An unsecured database belonging to Paay had exposed about 2.5 million transaction records online. These records were left open to the public for three weeks before it was secured.

  • Data of around 3000 employees working with UniCredit S.p.A went on sale on the dark web on April 19. The attacker who sold the data claimed to have compromised UniCredit’s systems and exfiltrated the data. The compromised information included names, email addresses, phone numbers, and encrypted passwords.

New threats

Among the new threats discovered, FPGA chips were found to be affected by two flaws that could expose several critical systems to attack. One of these flaws is a new Starbleed vulnerability that affects Xilinx FPGA chips. Meanwhile, researchers also uncovered that a dozen state-backed hacking groups are using COVID-19 themes as a lure to target US government employees and healthcare organizations.

  • A group of academics demonstrated a new technique to break into an FPGA system by using the FPGA’s own encryption engine. The technique involved abusing a MultiBoot function that allows users to specify an address to begin execution after reboot.
  • Nearly all antivirus products could be turned into destructive tools by exploiting a vulnerability found in them. The issue resides in the fact that there’s a small time window between the file scan and the cleanup operation. Researchers noted that the attack could be performed via a directory junction in Windows, or through a symlink in Linux and macOS.
  • Over a dozen state-backed hacking groups have been found actively using COVID-19 themes as a lure to target U.S. government employees and healthcare organizations. The purpose is to get their targets to click on malicious links and download files.
  • Reports of exploitation of virtual meeting apps like Skype and Zoom also came to light this week. While Skype was used as a medium to steal credentials from users in a phishing campaign, Zoom was found to be impacted by a bug that could let hackers record meetings anonymously.
  • There were also new variants of Hoaxcalls botnet and Emotet trojan. While the new Hoaxcalls variant exploited a vulnerability in the Zyxel Cloud CNM SecuManager, the new variant of Emotet came with additional obfuscation modules to evade detection.
  • Security researchers also uncovered new malware like Bazaloader and CoronaLocker in different phishing campaigns. While BazaLoader acted as a backdoor on a compromised network, CoronaLocker locked a victim out of Windows by displaying a warning message.
  • Phishing campaigns targeting various sectors also made news this week. In one case, the attackers had targeted the energy industry across the globe to spread the AgentTesla keylogger. In another incident, attackers tricked Office 365 users into sharing their Zoom login credentials.
  • The Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chips made by Xilinx were found to be impacted by a new vulnerability called Starbleed. Attackers can exploit the weakness to take over many safety-critical devices and launch attacks.

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.