Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - August 21–25

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - August 21–25 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing August 25, 2023

The Good

Securing the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of sensitive information in quantum computers has been a major point of discussion of late. In that respect, NIST has released its first draft of post-quantum cyber readiness standards. The agency has urged organizations to create plans to upgrade their networks and systems to quantum cryptography-resilient schemes, which will come into force in 2024. In another significant development, all federal contractors are now required to establish vulnerability disclosure programs and policies as per the new Vulnerability Reduction Act passed this week.

  • The NIST, along with the CISA, and the NSA, released the first standardization draft for post-quantum cyber readiness to help critical infrastructure organizations proactively protect the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of sensitive information. The report contains recommendations for organizations to develop a quantum-readiness roadmap and prepare for future implementation of the post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) standards, which NIST is likely to release in 2024.
  • U.S. lawmakers introduced a new bill that mandates all federal contractors to establish vulnerability disclosure programs and policies. Named the Federal Cybersecurity Vulnerability Reduction Act, the bill aims to make U.S. government agencies resilient to supply chain attacks.
  • The Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Council (HSCC) Cybersecurity Working Group (CWG) released an updated version of its Health Industry Cybersecurity Information Sharing Best Practices guide. It provides best security practices to help healthcare organizations establish and manage threat information-sharing programs.

The Bad

A major update on Cl0p’s MOVEit hack campaign arrived. The number of organizations impacted by the hack has reached almost 1,000, with a French national employment agency confirming to be the latest victim of the incident. Meanwhile, cryptocurrency firms remain lucrative targets for attackers seeking to make quick money. This week, threat actors amassed millions of dollars by targeting two different cryptocurrency platforms. Adding to the woes, the FBI cautioned crypto firms against targeted attacks by the Lazarus group as it flagged six wallets containing roughly 1,580 bitcoins stolen from previous cryptocurrency heists.

  • The FBI attributed three recent cyberattacks on cryptocurrency platforms to the North Korean Lazarus group. These attacks were launched against Atomic Wallet, Alphapo, and CoinsPaid, resulting in the loss of $100 million, $60 million, and $37 million, respectively. Furthermore, the FBI shared six different Bitcoin addresses held by the attackers, containing around 1,580 bitcoins stolen from several cryptocurrency heists.
  • U.S. government and defense contractor Belcan left its information exposed due to a misconfigured Elasticsearch database. The leaked data included admin usernames and passwords, their roles, network addresses, internal infrastructure hostnames and IP addresses, and internal infrastructure vulnerabilities.
  • The University of Minnesota launched an investigation into a data breach involving the data of seven million alumni. The data dates back to the late 80s and is reported to have been stolen from the University’s systems last month.
  • The scraped data of 2.6 million Duolingo users were leaked on a hacking forum, allowing threat actors to conduct targeted phishing attacks. The data includes public login and real names, email addresses, and internal information related to the Duolingo service. This data was scraped using an exposed API that has been shared openly since at least March.
  • The Snatch ransomware gang added the Department of Defense in South Africa to its data leak site, claiming that it stole 1.6 TB of data, including personal information, military contracts, and internal call signs. Meanwhile, the department is investigating the matter and is yet to confirm the breach.
  • Danish cloud hosting services provider, CloudNordic, suffered a ransomware attack that paralyzed all of its systems, including websites, customer systems, and email systems. According to the firm, the attackers took advantage of an existing dormant infection to encrypt all systems.
  • The FBI warned that patches for a remote code injection vulnerability in Barracuda Network’s Email Security Gateway (ESG) appliances are ineffective, and these appliances are still being compromised in ongoing attacks by Chinese hackers. The agency urged Barracuda customers to replace their appliances to stay safe.
  • The French national employment agency, Pôle emploi, is the latest in a series of victims affected in the MOVEit hack. The incident has impacted the critical information of up to 10 million people, summing the count to almost 59 million impacted individuals. Moreover, the total number of impacted organizations has reached almost 1,000.
  • The BlackCat group published screenshots of stolen files and data to claim responsibility for the attack on Japanese watchmaker Seiko. While the firm declines to address BlackCat’s claim, it has confirmed the breach that took place earlier this month.
  • Two cryptocurrency platforms, Exactly Protocol and Harbor Protocol, experienced cyberattacks resulting in millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency being stolen. While Harbor Protocol is not sure of how much was stolen from its vaults, Exactly Protocol reported losing $7.3 million worth of ETH in the attack.

New Threats

Moving on. An infamous North Korean state-sponsored group was observed launching attacks on healthcare entities in Europe and the U.S. As per a Cisco Talos report, the attackers exploited a ManageEngine ServiceDesk vulnerability to deploy a new malware called QuiteRAT. A new attack involving the misuse of LLMs to grab Facebook credentials also made the headlines this week, thus, raising security concerns. What else? A previously undetected APT hacking group called Carderbee was found engaging in supply chain attacks that deployed PlugX RAT on victims’ systems.

  • Security researchers came across a new phishing attack that enabled threat actors to create fake profiles on Facebook and push LLM-themed ads to lure users. These advertisements promised productivity boosts, increased reach and revenue, and assistance in teaching, all with the help of AI. Some of the lures promised access to Google Bard or Meta AI. When users click on the link, they are redirected to a website that installed an information stealer designed to pilfer Facebook cookies and access tokens.
  • A zero-day flaw in the WinRAR file compression program has been actively exploited since April, to install malware on victims’ systems. Tracked as CVE-2023-38831, the flaw stems from the way WinRAR processes the ZIP file format and enables threat actors to craft ZIP archives that serve as carriers for various malware families such as DarkMe, GuLoader, and Remcos RAT.
  • A lesser-known CosmicBeetle threat actor is using the Spacecolon toolset to deploy variants of Scarab ransomware worldwide. The toolset provides a large variety of third-party and red-team tools that can serve as a backdoor or deploy ransomware. The latest ransomware to be distributed via the toolset is a new ransomware named ScRansom.
  • ReversingLabs researchers observed more than a dozen malicious packages on the npm repository, deploying Luna Grabber information-stealing malware on infected systems. The campaign was first spotted on August 1 and the intended targets were Roblox developers.
  • Microsoft identified a nation-state group, Flax Typhoon, based in China, that launched espionage attacks against dozens of organizations. The attacks relied on compromised valid accounts, and living-off-the-land binaries to evade detection. The initial access is achieved by exploiting known vulnerabilities in public-facing servers.
  • A new version of Adhubllka ransomware, dubbed TZW, has been launching attacks since 2019 with lower ransom demands from small businesses and individuals. Studies conducted by researchers reveal that the ransomware shares similarities with LOLKEK, BIT, OBZ, and U2K ransomware families.
  • A previously undetected APT hacking group called Carderbee, was found engaging in supply chain attacks against entities located in Hong Kong and neighboring Asian regions. The group employed authentic software such as DocGuard software updater to implant the PlugX malware into the targeted computers.
  • ESET has deciphered the malicious activity of the Telekopye Telegram bot that is very popular among Russian hackers. The bot is available on various Russian online marketplaces and is capable of building phishing pages for scammers to scam victims.
  • The Lazarus group was found to be associated with a new campaign against healthcare entities in Europe and the U.S. In this campaign, the attackers are exploiting a ManageEngine ServiceDesk vulnerability (CVE-2022-47966) to distribute the QuiteRAT malware. The malware has many capabilities similar to MagicRAT, another malware from the Lazarus group.
  • Cybercriminals behind Smoke Loader malware have been found dropping a new Wi-Fi scanning malware called Whiffy Recon. The malicious code locates the position of infected devices using nearby Wi-Fi access points, thus helping attackers carry out further attacks.

Related Threat Briefings

Aug 22, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 18–22, 2025

As cyber threats evolve, global takedown efforts are stepping up to safeguard digital ecosystems. INTERPOL’s Operation Serengeti arrested 1,209 cybercriminals across 18 African nations, recovering $97.4 million and dismantling over 11,000 malicious infrastructures. In another coordinated operation, U.S. authorities seized the Rapper Bot DDoS botnet, which had been active since 2021 and targeted 18,000 victims across 80 countries. The Python Package Index (PyPI) introduced defenses against domain resurrection attacks to prevent account hijacking and supply chain attacks. Berserk Bear hackers are wielding a seven-year-old Cisco flaw to infiltrate global critical infrastructure. Exploiting CVE-2018-0171, these FSB-linked attackers trigger device reloads and use custom SNMP tools. MuddyWater APT is targeting CFOs with spear-phishing, using Firebase-hosted phishing pages and custom CAPTCHAs. With a diplomat’s charm, malicious emails are smuggling XenoRAT into South Korea’s embassies via GitHub traps. Since March, this spearphishing spree has targeted European missions. Masquerading as an Australian electronics store, Cookie Spider’s malvertising campaign unleashed the AMOS malware on over 300 targets. Fraudsters posing as celebrity podcast reps are reeling in business owners with a bait. This podcast imposter scam lures victims into tech-check calls that grant remote access. A zero-day flaw has Apple racing to patch millions of devices with emergency iOS and iPadOS updates.

Aug 8, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 04–08, 2025

In the wake of recent cyberattacks, the US federal judiciary is locking down sensitive court documents with a fortified approach to cybersecurity. Courts nationwide are enforcing stricter access controls, monitored handling procedures, and a mandatory IT security “scorecard” for annual self-assessments to pinpoint vulnerabilities. DARPA is raising the stakes at DEF CON, pitting seven AI-powered cyber reasoning systems against each other to secure the open-source software underpinning critical infrastructure. These autonomous tools, designed to detect and patch vulnerabilities in code vital to water systems and financial institutions, analyzed 7.8 million lines in preliminary rounds, catching 59% of synthetic flaws and uncovering real ones. Akira ransomware is striking with surgical precision, exploiting a suspected zero-day flaw in SonicWall SSL VPN devices, even those fully patched. Since mid-July 2025, attackers have used Virtual Private Server logins to bypass MFA, hitting multiple targets in rapid succession. A stealthy Python-based PXA Stealer is sweeping across 62 countries, pilfering sensitive data from unsuspecting victims. This infostealer campaign has exfiltrated hundreds of thousands of passwords and more. Phishing emails disguised as court summons are delivering a malicious payload to Ukrainian government and defense sectors, courtesy of UAC-0099. A cunning Android RAT, PlayPraetor, is sweeping through six countries, already compromising over 11,000 devices with its deceptive tactics. It masquerades as legitimate apps via fake Google Play Store pages and Meta Ads. ClickTok is luring TikTok Shop users into a trap with a crafty blend of phishing and malware. This global campaign deploys over 10,000 fake TikTok websites and 5,000 malicious apps, impersonating TikTok’s e-commerce platforms to steal cryptocurrency wallet credentials. Ghost Calls, a new evasion tactic, is turning Zoom and Microsoft Teams into covert channels for malicious activity, slipping past traditional defenses with ease.

Aug 1, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 28–August 01, 2025

Picture this: a tool so fast it dissects malware at lightning speed, giving your team the edge in a digital arms race. Meet Thorium, the CISA’s latest open-source gem. This platform automates cyberattack investigations, processing over 1,700 jobs per second and ingesting 10 million files per hour per permission group. Meanwhile, as AI reshapes the battlefield, OWASP is arming professionals with fresh guidance to secure agentic AI applications driven by LLMs. It’s a playbook for locking down user authentication with OAuth 2.0, encrypting sensitive data, and bolstering supply chain security. Cybercriminals are donning digital disguises, impersonating trusted enterprises with fake Microsoft OAuth applications to steal credentials and bypass multi-factor authentication. Hackers exploited a critical SAP NetWeaver flaw to deploy the Auto-Color Linux malware. This malware, equipped with a rootkit and adaptive evasion tactics, adjusts its behavior based on user privileges. Operation CargoTalon, tied to threat cluster UNG0901, targeted organizations with EAGLET malware hidden in fake invoice files, quietly siphoning off sensitive data to a C2 server. A newly discovered cyberattack technique, dubbed Man in the Prompt, is turning browser extensions into unwitting accomplices in data theft from generative AI tools. DoubleTrouble is targeting users through Discord-hosted APKs, disguising itself as a legitimate app to slip past defenses. A stealthy Android banking trojan, RedHook, is targeting Vietnamese users through phishing sites mimicking trusted agencies. Spread via a malicious APK on an exposed AWS S3 bucket, it exploits accessibility services to steal credentials and banking details, with over 500 infections tied to Chinese-speaking actors.

Jul 25, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 21–25, 2025

The BlackSuit ransomware crew just lost its home turf. As part of Operation Checkmate, international law enforcement has seized the group’s dark web extortion and negotiation sites. New York is taking aim at cyber threats to its water systems. A newly proposed set of regulations outlines mandatory IT and OT cybersecurity measures for water and wastewater infrastructure, aligning with federal guidelines and introducing funding to support modernization across the state. Not every scam needs sophistication, sometimes all it takes is a lonely heart and a convincing profile picture. SarangTrap, a massive mobile spyware campaign, is luring victims on Android and iOS through fake dating apps. Storm-2603 is slipping through SharePoint’s cracks and locking the doors behind it. The suspected China-based threat group is exploiting two SharePoint vulnerabilities to deploy Warlock ransomware. A trusted source turned treacherous. Hackers launched a supply chain attack on Arch Linux by slipping malware into three AUR packages. These packages silently deployed a RAT that gave attackers persistent control over infected machines. A browser tweak here, a fake mod there, and suddenly your crypto wallet spills its secrets. In a new campaign, the Scavenger trojan exploits DLL Search Order Hijacking to infiltrate password managers and wallets. A new RaaS group called Chaos is conducting high-impact ransomware campaigns through a number of tactics, using remote management tools for long-term access. Mimo is getting stealthier and greedier. The financially motivated group has moved from targeting Craft CMS to Magento, exploiting PHP-FPM vulnerabilities to deploy malware via fileless techniques.

Jul 18, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 14–18, 2025

A keyboard army just lost its command center. Europol’s Operation Eastwood has crippled the pro-Russian hacktivist group NoName057(16). The international effort, involving law enforcement from 12 nations, led to two arrests and the takedown of over 100 servers linked to the group’s “DDoSia” project. Britain wants bug-hunters on its side. The NCSC has launched the Vulnerability Research Initiative, a new program inviting external researchers to help uncover security flaws in widely used hardware and software. Cisco Talos uncovered a MaaS campaign targeting Ukraine, where attackers used Amadey malware and GitHub repositories to stage payloads. The setup mimics tactics from a SmokeLoader phishing operation. Over 600 malicious domains are distributing fake Telegram APKs to unsuspecting users. Most are hosted in China and exploit the Janus vulnerability in Android. Users who trusted GravityForms’ official site got more than they expected. A supply chain attack injected backdoors into plugin files distributed via the official site and Composer. The H2Miner botnet has resurfaced with updated scripts that mine Monero, kill rival malware, and deploy multiple malware. Bundled with it is Lcrypt0rx, a likely AI-generated ransomware that exhibits sloppy logic, malformed syntax, and weak encryption using XOR. A new Konfety variant uses the same package name as a legitimate app but hides the real payload in a lookalike version distributed through third-party stores. One sandbox escape makes five. Google patched a high-severity Chrome flaw that lets attackers break out of the browser’s sandbox using crafted HTML and unvalidated GPU commands.

Jul 4, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 30–July 04, 2025

It looked like a crypto investment until €460 million vanished. Operation BORRELLI dismantled a global fraud ring that scammed over 5,000 victims, with arrests in Madrid and the Canary Islands. A fake workforce was quietly funding a real regime. The DoJ disrupted a North Korean scheme where remote IT workers used stolen identities to get jobs at over 100 U.S. companies. The operation funneled $5 million to the DPRK, exposed military tech, and led to raids across 16 states. Sometimes, the app that looks harmless is just the decoy. Recent investigations uncovered massive Android fraud schemes, including IconAds and Kaleidoscope, which used icon hiding, fake apps, and third-party distribution to flood ad networks with billions of fake requests. Two different names - same tactics, same tools, same playbook. Researchers have found striking overlaps between TA829 and the lesser-known UNK_GreenSec, both of which use phishing lures and REM Proxy services through compromised MikroTik routers. It starts with what looks like an official message from the Colombian government. Behind it is a phishing campaign delivering DCRAT, a modular remote access tool designed for theft and system control. Botnet operators are now turning broken routers into system wreckers. RondoDox is a new Linux-based botnet exploiting CVE-2024-3721 and CVE-2024-12856 to gain remote access to TBK DVRs and Four-Faith routers. That Zoom update request on Telegram? It could be a trap. North Korean actors are deploying NimDoor malware to infiltrate Web3 and crypto platforms using social engineering via Telegram. Google has patched CVE-2025-6554, a critical zero-day in Chrome’s V8 engine that was exploited in the wild to execute arbitrary code.

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.