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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 10 - 14, 2020

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 10 - 14, 2020 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing Aug 14, 2020

The Good

With the number of cybercrimes increasing day by day, it has become an utmost priority for federal authorities and organizations to improve the cyber resilience of critical infrastructure. Taking this into account, the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) has unveiled the final version of its Zero Trust Architecture to improve the security model of organizations. In Australia, the Department of Home Affairs has proposed some new ideas from the 2020 Cyber Security Strategy to protect the nation from sophisticated attack campaigns.

  • Members of the US House of Representatives introduced a bill to prevent the hack on universities conducting COVID-19 research. The initiative has been taken following the rise in cyberattacks from foreign malicious hackers.

  • The National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) unveiled the final version of its Zero Trust Architecture for cybersecurity leaders, administrators, and managers to provide a better understanding of the Zero Trust environment. The guidance has been developed in collaboration with multiple federal agencies.

  • Australia’s Department of Home Affairs proposed some new initiatives from the recently released 2020 Cyber Security Strategy, such as sector-specific cyber obligations and inclusion of government in the cyber response process for private organizations, to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure from catastrophic attacks.

The Bad

Attacks from ransomware operators continued to remain a major concern for firms. This week’s victim organizations include the names of the SPIE Group and Boyce Technologies. In addition to this, the breach of user records from SANS Institute, InMotionNow, and Michigan State University (MSU) grabbed the attention of security experts.

  • The SANS Institute suffered a compromise of 28,000 user records after 513 emails were forwarded to an unknown third-party. The emails included files containing a subset of emails, first names, last names, work titles, company names, industry, addresses, and countries of residence.

  • Instances of unsecured databases leaking millions of records were also observed this week. In one incident, an unprotected AWS S3 bucket belonging to InMotionNow leaked over 5.5 million files and 343GB of data before it was secured by the firm. In another incident, Meow bot deleted 3.1 million patients’ data that was exposed on the internet for around 10 days. The database appeared to be owned by Adit, a Houston-based online medical appointment and patient management software company.

  • Illinois-based healthcare system, FHN, notified its patients about a data breach that occurred in February. The incident took place after an unauthorized person accessed the firm’s email accounts to view patients’ information.

  • Michigan State University experienced a Magecart-like attack after attackers stole credit card and personal details of around 2,600 users from its online store. The attackers injected malicious scripts into the site by exploiting a vulnerability in the website.

  • Nefilim ransomware operators released around 11.5GB data stolen from the SPIE Group. It threatened to leak the remaining compromised data if the firm does not pay the ransom.

  • A mysterious hacker group hijacked around 23.95% of Tor exit relays to perform SSL stripping attacks on Tor users accessing cryptocurrency-related sites.

  • Avaddon ransomware operators launched a data leak site to extort its victim. Since the day of launch, the operators published 3.5MB of documents belonging to a construction company. In yet another ransomware attack, DoppelPaymer targeted Boyce Technologies and leaked a portion of stolen files in a bid to demand a ransom.

  • NCC Group’s training material was leaked on GitHub after a folder purporting to help people pass the CREST pentest certification exams appeared in a couple of repositories. The docs offered step-by-step guides and walkthroughs of information about the CREST exams.

  • A threat actor leaked the databases of Utah-based gun exchange and hunting websites—muleyfreak[.]com, utahgunexchange[.]com, and deepjunglekratom[.]com—for free on a cybercrime forum. The databases were allegedly hosted on an Amazon AWS server and included login names, passwords, and email addresses of registered users.

New Threats

Talking about new threats, researchers discovered a new attack named ‘ReVOLTE’ that can be used to eavesdrop on users’ conversations. Furthermore, around 3.7 million devices across the globe are still affected by multiple iLinkP2P flaws which can allow attackers to snoop on live video streams and steal login credentials.

  • Researchers detected sophisticated script-based malware that infect Windows Operating System (OS) users through Internet Explorer (IE). Some of the malware observed are JScript RAT and AutoIT downloader.
  • As many as 3.7 million devices are affected by multiple iLinkP2P flaws, namely, CVE-2019-11219, CVE-2019-11220, CVE-2020-9525, and CVE-2020-9526. These flaws can allow attackers to snoop on live video streams, steal login details, and conduct other malicious activities.
  • Agent Tesla information-stealing trojan now includes modules to steal credentials from applications including popular web browsers, VPN software, as well as FTP and email clients. The malware variant can also be used to steal victims’ clipboard content data and disable anti-malware analysis software.
  • Researchers identified over 30 vulnerabilities across 20 popular Content Management Systems (CMSs) that could be abused to take over websites. The impacted CMSs include Microsoft SharePoint and Atlassian Confluence.
  • The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that the Fox Kitten threat actor group abused vulnerable BIG-IP F5 Networks to target the U.S. private and government sector.
  • CactusPete APT group used an updated version of Bisonal backdoor to target financial and military sectors located in Eastern Europe. The method of malware distribution for the new campaign remains unknown.
  • Google Project Zero researchers revealed that Microsoft has issued an incomplete patch for a flaw in the Windows Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS). The flaw, tracked as CVE-2020-1509, can be triggered through specially crafted authentication requests.
  • In an extensive study, researchers found that a new RedCurl cybercrime group has targeted at least 14 private companies in 26 attacks since 2018. The attacks were aimed at stealing documents containing commercial secrets and employees’ personal information.
  • An updated version of the Mekotio trojan was discovered targeting users in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Spain, Peru, and Portugal. The malware’s capabilities include stealing bitcoins and exfiltrating credentials.
  • Kaspersky Labs uncovered two zero-day vulnerabilities in a thwarted attack campaign named ‘Operation PowerFall.’ The attack was carried out against a South Korean company in May 2020.
  • Academics detailed a new attack that leverages a vulnerability in the 4G Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) networks. Named ReVOLTE, the attack can be used to eavesdrop on a conversation.
  • In a joint advisory, the NSA and FBI warned about a new Linux malware dubbed Drovorub. Developed for a Russian military unit, the malware comes with a multitude of espionage capabilities like stealing files and remotely controlling victims’ computers.

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.