Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, December 16 - 20, 2019

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, December 16 - 20, 2019 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing • December 20, 2019

The Good

As we approach the end of the year, here are the top highlights from the cybersecurity landscape this week. Let us dive into the good and the bad events, followed by the new threats that emerged during this period. In good, firstly, Apple announced its open-to-all bug bounty program which now invites vulnerability reports for a much wider spectrum of products. Also, the U.S House of Representatives passed legislation aimed at protecting the U.S. energy grid from cyberattacks. Further, Google announced financial aid to the open-source cybersecurity community to motivate volunteer work done by them.

  • Apple opened its bug bounty program to all security researchers, shifting from an invitation-based bug bounty program. The company will now accept vulnerability reports for a much wider spectrum of products that includes iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and iCloud. In addition, the company has also increased its maximum bug bounty reward from $200,000 to $1,500,000, of course depending on the exploit chain's complexity and severity.
  • The anti-robocall TRACED act was finally passed by the senate. It will make it easier for consumers to identify robocalls so that they can avoid answering them. The legislation would require telecom carriers to implement, at no extra charge, a number-authentication system to help consumers identify who’s calling. It would also increase penalties for robocallers who flout the law.
  • Legislation aimed at protecting the U.S. energy grid from cyberattacks, under the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), was passed by the U.S House of Representatives. Also, the cyber and physical security of North America’s energy grid was tested recently as part of a major exercise called GridEx V.
  • This week, Google announced that it will offer financial aid to motivate volunteer work done by the open-source community for improving cybersecurity. The tech giant will help them arrange additional resources while prioritizing the security of their products. The support is available for both small teams ($5,000) as well as for a large team ($30,000) of developers.

The Bad

The week witnessed a number of breaches and threat actors targeting companies worldwide. A researcher found an exposed database containing over 267 million Facebook users’ IDs, phone numbers, and names. In other news, At least 200 equipment manufacturers across the world fell victim to a malware campaign called ‘Gangnam Industrial Style’. Also, data belonging to more than 1 million mobile users was found lying exposed on the servers of Conor Solutions.

  • A database containing more than 267 million Facebook users’ IDs, phone numbers, and names was left exposed on the web without a password or any other authentication. Experts think this may be the result of an illegal scraping operation wherein bots might be used to copy sensitive information online. More sophisticated attacks could be also planned through this data since it includes both a phone number and email address.

  • Canada’s LifeLabs admitted to paying attackers to retrieve information on over 15 million customers. The compromised data included names, home addresses, email addresses, usernames, passwords, and health card numbers. Some 85,000 lab results were stolen as well. As per the firm, the stolen data was dated 2016, and earlier.

  • At least 200 critical infrastructure equipment manufacturers across the world fell victim to a malware campaign called ‘Gangnam Industrial Style.’ The APT group behind the campaign used industry sector-themed spear-phishing emails and a combination of free tools to steal confidential information through a new variant of Separ malware. However, 60 percent of the affected companies were in South Korea alone.

  • Hackensack Meridian Health, the largest hospital in New Jersey, was hit by ransomware that disrupted its network completely. Elective surgeries for roughly 100 patients were rescheduled as a result of the ransomware incident. Soon, it was reported that it paid threat actors an undisclosed sum to restore data compromised in the cyberattack.

  • The data belonging to more than 1 million mobile users were exposed in a massive data breach event affecting South African ICT company Conor Solutions. Private browsing data, cell phone numbers, and personal identifying information of the users were at risk. Conor has over 80 million mobile subscribers to their products, with some prominent customers, including Vodafone and Telkom.

  • A ransomware attack crippled the city of New Orleans impacting more than 4000 computers, which led the state government to declare a state of emergency. New Orleans Chief Information Officer Kim LaGrue said the city was prepared for a ransomware attack, and that all the targeted data is backed up.

  • Multiple news reports confirmed the hacking of security cameras of the Amazon-owned Ring where third-parties could access the video feeds and speakers of the cameras to frighten members of the affected households. The issues came to light after cybersecurity company Bitdefender published evidence that Ring's Doorbell Pro had a flaw that could have exposed a user's WiFi details.

  • An audit report revealed that sensitive private data of Massachusetts taxpayers were exposed to cyberattacks. The agency had not taken steps to assess the potential threats to taxpayer data, such as Social Security numbers and tax-payment histories, posed by outside vendors. The state Department of Revenue was found unprepared to respond to or mitigate an event of a cyberattack.

  • A thief reportedly stole multiple unencrypted physical hard drives from a Facebook payroll staffer's car. Some tens of thousands of current and former Facebook employees were impacted. The company also faced criticism due to how long it took to come clean—the break-in took place on 17 November 2019. According to Bloomberg, banking information of 29,000 Facebook employees in the U.S. was compromised.

  • Chinese e-commerce site LightInTheBox suffered a data breach exposing 1.3TB of web server log entries. The unsecured and unencrypted data was accessible from an ordinary web browser and was being held on an unprotected Elasticsearch database.

New Threats

Meanwhile, cybercriminals continue to exploit weaknesses in networks and devices while giving security teams in organizations a very hard time. Now, a team of researchers found at least 47 million smart tracker watches vulnerable to exposure of confidential data including location and voice recordings. Facebook-owned Whatsapp also addressed a severe bug allowing a group member to crash the messaging app for other group members. Moreover, a new backdoor ‘Poison Frog’ was found to be used by the OilRig threat actor group.

  • At least 47 million kids’ smart tracker watches were found affected by multiple vulnerabilities allowing attackers to retrieve or change the real-time GPS position, or to steal audio recordings. The biggest flaw lied in a common shared cloud platform used to power millions of cellular-enabled smartwatches. The researchers commented that it is only the tip of the iceberg.

  • Operators of Smominru (aka DarkCloud or Hexmen) botnet were found using an image of a pop singer to hide malware payloads as part of their latest infection process. The group primarily focused on infecting Windows systems to deploy various cryptocurrency-mining apps to generate profits. The botnet’s internet scanning modules identify vulnerable hosts to gain a foothold on infected computers.

  • WhatsApp addressed a severe bug that could have allowed a malicious group member to crash the messaging app for all members of the same group. An attacker can trigger the vulnerability by sending a maliciously crafted message to a targeted group. The issue resided in XMPP, a communication protocol for instant messaging.

  • British citizens were targeted in a new scam email campaign that purports to be from Royal Mail. The email tricks victims into handing over their card details for a free iPhone 11 Pro. It also includes a link that takes the victim to a website having the Currys PC World logo. The website prompts the victim to share their personal details and pay a small fee of $2.62 for insured shipping.

  • Researchers have uncovered a new backdoor ‘Poison Frog’ being used by the OilRig threat actor group. The new executable which is written in C# comes with multiple issues. For instance, one sample did not execute because it used command for ‘Poweeershell.exe’ instead of ‘Powershell.exe’ while others still had the PDB path inside their binary. The malware disguised as fake Cisco AnyConnect application to propagate on victims’ systems.

  • A new botnet called Momentum was found targeting the Linux platform on various CPU architectures such as ARM, MIPS, Intel, Motorola 68020, and more. The main purpose of the botnet was to open a backdoor and accept commands to conduct various types of DoS attacks against a given target. The backdoor being distributed by the Momentum botnet were Mirai, Kaiten, and Bashlite variants.

  • The popular Barco ClickShare wireless presentation system was found riddled with several vulnerabilities. These flaws could allow an attacker to manipulate information during presentations, steal passwords, and other sensitive data. The flaws can also be exploited to install a backdoor and other malware. The highlighted issues have been patched with the release of a new firmware update.

  • The Emotet trojan gang started sending Christmas-themed emails with an intent to infect users. The emails are disguised as a Christmas party invite and use subjects like ‘Christmas Party next week’ or ‘Christmas party.’ These invites ask the recipients to view an attached malicious Word document with names like ‘Christmas party.doc’ and ‘Party menu.doc.’ The document once opened, unleashes the embedded macros that will later install the trojan in Windows.

  • Researchers uncovered an exploitable design flaw in KeyWe Smart Lock which allowed an attacker to easily pick the device by intercepting the secret passphrase sent between the lock and KeyWe’s app. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any firmware update available for the flaw, so smart lock owners will either have to replace the lock or live with the risk of an attacker hacking it to gain access to their home.

  • Schneider Electric has patched vulnerabilities affecting Modicon M580, M340, Quantum, and Premium controllers. These products were affected by DoS vulnerabilities and are caused by improper check for unusual or exceptional conditions. It remained unclear though whether the vulnerabilities were remotely exploitable from the internet. This vulnerability was identified by industrial cybersecurity firm Applied Risk.

  • Two serious vulnerabilities discovered in the NPM CLI have been patched recently. One of these flaws allowed a binary planting attack. The flaw affects NPM CLI versions prior to 6.13.3. The second vulnerability exists in bin-links, which is an NPM package that manages links from the bin field to the file in “./node_modules/.bin/”. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker would have to persuade a user to install a cleverly crafted bin entry file.

Related Threat Briefings

Aug 15, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 11–15, 2025

Ransomware gangs are taking heavy hits on multiple fronts. In Operation Checkmate, U.S. authorities seized $1.1 million in ransom-linked cryptocurrency and shut down four servers and nine domains tied to the BlackSuit group. At the same time, researchers dealt a critical blow to DarkBit ransomware, linked to Iran’s MuddyWater APT, by exploiting flaws in its AES-128-CBC key generation to crack the encryption.

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 11, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 07–11, 2025

You don’t need to visit shady corners of the internet to get infected, GitHub will do. A malware campaign is disguising Lumma Stealer as tools like Free VPN for PC, using polished project pages, Base64 payloads, and trusted Windows processes to slip past defenses. The Anatsa banking trojan slipped back into Google Play, targeting North American users with fake maintenance screens while logging keystrokes and automating fraudulent transactions. Crypto users are being lured in by fake AI and gaming firms offering too-good-to-be-true deals.

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 13, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 09–13, 2025

A global sweep just knocked out thousands of malicious command centers. INTERPOL’s Operation Secure led to the dismantling of over 20,000 malicious IPs tied to 69 malware strains across 26 countries. NIST has published new guidance to help organizations put Zero Trust Architecture into action, offering 19 real-world implementations built with industry partners. CyberEye lowers the barrier for cybercrime with a plug-and-play toolkit. This .NET-based RAT uses Telegram for command and control while offering modules for keylogging, credential theft, and platform-specific data grabbing. The TokenBreak attack manipulates how text is tokenized in classification models to sneak past defenses. A Mirai variant is actively exploiting a command injection vulnerability in TBK DVR-4104 and DVR-4216 devices, to conscript them into a botnet for DDoS attacks. Unpatched IT tools are once again opening the door to ransomware attacks. CISA has warned about vulnerabilities in SimpleHelp RMM software being exploited by groups like Play and DragonForce in double-extortion campaigns. Fog ransomware operators are blurring the line between admin tools and attack chains. In a recent incident, they deployed a mix of open-source and legitimate software to gain persistence and exfiltrate data undetected. Over 20 phishing applications impersonating popular crypto wallets have been found stealing mnemonic phrases to drain users’ funds.

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.

May 30, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 26–30, 2025

Under the hood of vulnerability management, NIST just added a sharper diagnostic tool. The new Likely Exploited Vulnerabilities metric offers deeper insight into which CVEs are likely being used in the wild, complementing EPSS with more contextual signals. Digital warfare is no longer a future threat, it's a current investment. The U.K. Ministry of Defence has unveiled a £1 billion Cyber and Electromagnetic Command to protect military networks and support offensive cyber missions. With AI-driven systems like the Digital Targeting Web in development, the goal is seamless coordination across weapons platforms. A quiet but relentless campaign has been unfolding across multiple industries. The Chinese group Earth Lamia is targeting finance, government, logistics, and more by exploiting known web app vulnerabilities. APT41 hides malware commands where no one’s looking: your calendar. In a creative twist on C2 infrastructure, China-backed APT41 embedded encrypted instructions inside Google Calendar events. AyySSHush doesn’t make noise, it builds armies. More than 9,000 ASUS routers have been compromised by this botnet, which quietly slips in through a CVE-2023-39780 exploit. Fake CAPTCHA prompts are now doing more than testing if you're human—they're installing malware. EDDIESTEALER, a new Rust-based infostealer, spreads through deceptive CAPTCHA pages that trigger malicious PowerShell scripts. Threat actors are wrapping their tools in layers of obfuscation, and DOUBLELOADER is no exception. This new backdoor uses the ALCATRAZ obfuscator—once seen in the game-hacking scene—to disguise its presence. A new Go-based botnet called PumaBot is clawing its way through Linux IoT devices. It brute-forces SSH credentials, impersonates Redis files for stealth, and deploys rootkits to mine crypto and steal credentials.