Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, December 16–20, 2024

The Good

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. 

• The National Cyber Incident Response Plan (NCIRP) draft update was released, outlining the government's response to large-scale cyberattacks affecting the national economy. The plan emphasizes coordination between government agencies and the private sector, aiming for agile and effective incident response. It incorporates feedback from experts and public listening sessions. The updated plan addresses the evolving threat environment and lessons learned from past incidents. 
• The fiscal year 2025 defense policy bill has passed the Senate, focusing on cybersecurity measures for both foreign allies and domestic defense. The bill includes funding for aiding Taiwan in deterring invasion and enhancing internet freedom in Iran. It also addresses the removal of Chinese networking equipment, protection against spyware, and cybersecurity assessments for internal mobile devices. Additionally, the bill orders studies on vulnerabilities in the national airspace system and the management of multi-cloud environments. 
• The CISA issued a binding operational directive (BOD 25-01) requiring federal civilian agencies to secure their cloud environments. This includes deploying assessment tools, integrating with CISA's monitoring infrastructure, and implementing secure configuration baselines for cloud services. The directive initially focuses on Microsoft 365 and will later expand to include other platforms like Google Workspace. Federal agencies must comply with specific deadlines for identifying cloud tenants, deploying assessment tools, and implementing secure configuration baselines. 

​​The Bad

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. 

• The Amazon Appstore was found to have a malicious Android spyware app called BMI CalculationVsn disguised as a health tool. This app recorded the device screen, scanned for installed apps, and intercepted SMS messages, including OTPs and verification codes. Although the app has been removed from the store, users must manually uninstall it and conduct a full scan to remove any remaining traces. The app is still under development and is linked to a developer named "PT. Visionet Data Internasional."
• Malicious VSCode extensions targeting developers and cryptocurrency projects were discovered on the VSCode marketplace and NPM. These extensions, disguised as productivity tools and targeting cryptocurrency investors, contained downloader functionality to download heavily obfuscated PowerShell payloads. The threat actors used fake reviews and installation numbers to appear legitimate. The second-stage payloads were designed to execute hidden PowerShell commands to drop further malicious payloads on the compromised system.
• The BADBOX botnet, previously believed to have been dismantled, has re-emerged and expanded to compromise over 192,000 Android-based devices globally. It now infects high-end smart TVs and smartphones at the supply chain level, making detection difficult for consumers and enterprises. The malware performs malicious activities, including ad fraud and account abuse, and communicates with command-and-control servers to download and execute new payloads.
• Juniper Networks routers with default passwords are being targeted in a botnet infection campaign, with the Mirai malware infecting systems and launching DDoS attacks. Juniper advises changing default credentials, monitoring for suspicious activity, using strong passwords, and keeping devices updated to reduce the risk of infection. If a system is found to be infected, the only certain way of stopping the threat is by reimaging the system. The malware scans the internet for devices using default usernames and passwords, attempts to gain access, and allows threat actors to execute commands remotely for malicious activities.
• Proofpoint detected the TA397 APT group targeting a Turkish defense organization. The attackers used an email lure about public infrastructure projects in Madagascar to initiate the attack. This involved a RAR archive that delivered a shortcut (LNK) file, which created a scheduled task on the target machine to download further malicious payloads. In the later stages of the attack, TA397 deployed WmRAT and MiyaRAT malware, both designed for intelligence gathering and data exfiltration. Proofpoint believes these campaigns are likely focused on supporting a South Asian government's interests.
• Criminals are spoofing Google Calendar emails in a phishing scheme affecting about 300 organizations, with over 4,000 emails sent in four weeks. They alter sender email headers to make it seem like legitimate Google Calendar invites from known contacts. The phishing emails usually include a .ics calendar file with links to Google Forms or Google Drawings. Clicking these links leads to sites that mimic cryptocurrency mining or Bitcoin support, aimed at stealing personal and payment details. 
• Bogus software update alerts are being used by cybercriminals to spread a new malware known as CoinLurker. Attackers employ various strategies to deliver these fake updates, including notifications on compromised WordPress sites, malvertising redirects, phishing emails linking to fraudulent update pages, and links shared through social media. The software update prompts utilize Microsoft Edge Webview2 to execute the malware, making it difficult for security systems to detect. One tactic used is EtherHiding, where compromised sites load scripts to download the malware disguised as legitimate tools from a Bitbucket repository.
• A SocGholish malware campaign has been found targeting Kaiser Permanente employees through fraudulent Google Search Ads. The fraudulent ad, named Heather Black, pretended to be the company’s HR portal for accessing benefits and paystubs. The attackers aimed to steal KP employees' login information, but when victims clicked the ad, they were redirected to a compromised website that asked them to update their browser. 
• Zscaler ThreatLabz found a NodeLoader malware campaign using Node.js apps for Windows to spread cryptocurrency miners and information stealers. This malware is hard to detect as Node.js is usually used for web services, and there are few antivirus signatures for it. The attackers rely on NPM to create Windows executables for malicious use, using social engineering and anti-evasion techniques. They promote malware through YouTube and Discord, directing users to fake gaming sites that lead to malware downloads. NodeLoader downloads a PowerShell script to execute further malware, such as XMRig, Lumma, and Phemedrone Stealer.

New Threats

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. 

• An analysis by Forescout revealed new malware attacks targeting ICS, specifically Mitsubishi and Siemens engineering workstations. The malware, named Ramnit and Chaya_003, has the capability to terminate engineering processes, posing a significant threat to operational technology and ICS environments. The attackers used legitimate services for C2, making detection challenging. The Ramnit malware was observed in two clusters infecting workstations, while Chaya_003 was found to employ a Discord C2 infrastructure for system reconnaissance and process disruption.
• The Chinese hacking group Winnti has been found using a new PHP backdoor called Glutton to target organizations in China and the U.S. Glutton is an ELF-based modular backdoor that allows for tailored attacks, targeting specific industries and organizations. It can also be used to target other cybercriminals by embedding itself in software packages and deploying a tool called 'HackBrowserData' to extract sensitive information from their systems. This comprehensive attack framework has been active for over a year, but the initial access vector remains unknown.
• A new phishing campaign, known as FLUX#CONSOLE, is using tax-themed lures to deliver a stealthy backdoor payload in attacks targeting Pakistan. The campaign starts with a phishing email link or attachment, leveraging MSC files to deploy malicious payloads. The threat actors use double-extension files masquerading as PDFs and execute embedded JavaScript code to load a DLL file in the background. The main payload is a backdoor capable of exfiltrating data from compromised systems.
• A new malware called I2PRAT is improving cybercriminals’ ability to avoid detection. This malware uses the Invisible Internet Project (I2P) to hide its C2 communications. Unlike traditional malware, I2PRAT uses I2PD to enable anonymous and encrypted peer-to-peer communication, hiding both attackers and victims. I2PRAT infects victims through phishing emails, leading them to fake CAPTCHA pages with malicious JavaScript. This script tricks users into running a PowerShell command to install the malware loader, which then installs the RAT and hides its components. It can disable Microsoft Defender and block updates, manipulating system defenses effectively. 
• A new phishing campaign is tricking people by pretending to be a data breach warning from Ledger. These emails ask users to verify their recovery phrases, which can lead to stolen cryptocurrency. The phishing emails look authentic but come from a marketing service, claiming that recovery phrases may be exposed. Clicking links leads to a fake site that collects recovery phrases.
• The CISA has added a critical flaw affecting BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access and Remote Support products to its KEV catalog due to active exploitation. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-12356, allows attackers to run commands as a site user. Users with self-hosted versions should update to specific patched versions. A second medium-severity flaw (CVE-2024-12686) was found and has been patched.
• Guardio Labs discovered a new type of ClickFix-style attack linked to a campaign called DeceptionAds, which exploits a single ad network to spread malvertising. This campaign is responsible for over one million daily ad impressions and has led to significant losses for thousands of victims through a network of over 3,000 compromised content sites. These attacks target visitors on pirated movie sites, redirecting them to fake CAPTCHA pages that prompt users to run a harmful PowerShell command. Guardio traced the campaign back to the ad platform Monetag, with attackers using BeMob ad-tracking to disguise their actions.
• The FBI warned about new HiatusRAT attacks targeting vulnerable web cameras and DVRs, particularly focusing on Chinese-branded devices with known vulnerabilities and weak passwords. The attackers use open-source tools to exploit telnet access and target specific TCP ports. Network defenders are advised to limit the use of these devices and report any suspected compromises to the FBI. The malware is used to create covert proxy networks and aligns with Chinese strategic interests.