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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, February 15 - 19, 2021

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, February 15 - 19, 2021 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing • Feb 19, 2021

The Good

North Korean hackers have run amok for a number of years and caused damage wherever they could. But, this week the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) charged three men who are, allegedly, part of the state-backed Lazarus APT group. Brace yourself for one of the best news of the week. The data leak site of Egregor was brought down by French, Ukrainian, and U.S. law enforcement agencies. We are hoping that it would act as a major deterrent for ransomware affiliates.

  • The U.S. DoJ indicted three North Korean (DPRK) state-sponsored hackers for stealing cryptocurrency and funds from banks worth $1.3 billion. In another indictment, a Canadian man was arrested for helping the DPRK in money-laundering.

  • French and Ukrainian Police, along with U.S. law enforcement, detained some individuals for providing logistical and financial support to the gang behind the Egregor Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS).

  • A Nigerian national has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for reportedly coordinating an international spear-phishing campaign, resulting in a loss of $11 million. The scheme lasted from 2015 to 2019 and targeted Unatrac Holding Limited.

  • The Center for Internet Security is launching Malicious Domain Blocking and Reporting, a no-cost ransomware protection service, available for every healthcare facility through the MS-ISAC.

The Bad

Every week some new detail keeps popping up about the SolarWinds attack. Apparently, 100 organizations were breached and they might be targeted in the future. Following the recent Oldsmar water treatment plant attack, the FBI has warned against the use of outdated software. So, people listen to the FBI.

  • Singtel has revealed that 129,000 customers were impacted by a recently disclosed breach. This also includes some employees, partners, and corporate customers.

  • A new report from the White House has revealed that the SolarWinds hack had breached almost 100 U.S. companies, making them potential targets for follow-up attacks. Moreover, it has been revealed that more than 1,000 hackers rewrote around 4,000 of the millions of lines of code in the SolarWinds Orion update to launch the attack.

  • Kia Motors America has suffered a ransomware attack by the DoppelPaymer gang. Following the attack, the gang has demanded a ransom of $20 million to decrypt files and not leak them online.

  • Russian internet giant Yandex has revealed a data breach after a malicious insider got access to the accounts of thousands of its customers. The incident has affected around 4,887 mailboxes.

  • The FBI has warned federal government agencies and private companies about the potential threats posed due to the use of outdated Windows 7 systems and TeamViewer software.

  • The Cuba ransomware gang launched an attack against the Automatic Funds Transfer Services (AFTS) leading to several data breach notifications from agencies in Washington and California.

  • Russian-linked threat actor group Sandworm has been linked to a three-year-long stealthy operation that targeted several French entities. The intrusion, which started in late 2017 and lasted until 2020, was carried out by exploiting an IT monitoring tool called Centreon.

  • Cyberattack on Dutch Research Council (NWO) has forced the organization to suspend its research grants. The attackers had compromised servers and made the networks inaccessible.

  • The website of the U.K cryptocurrency exchange EXMO was knocked offline following a DDoS attack. This had affected the whole network infrastructure, including the website, API, Websocket API, and exchange charts.

  • The FBI, CISA, and Department of Treasury have released a joint alert highlighting the threats posed to cryptocurrency by North Korean hackers. These hackers are targeting companies and individuals alike through the propagation of cryptocurrency trading platforms.

New Threats

Mac malware has always been less ubiquitous than its Windows counterpart. However, it’s not the case anymore. Hackers have come up with a malware customized for execution on Apple’s new M1 chips. No one’s on the high chair anymore. Anyhoo, macOS wasn’t the only one that got a malware, Windows did too. Heard about the WatchDog botnet before? No? Now you will. Keep your cryptocurrency guarded.

  • A Safari adware extension called GoSearch22 is the first-ever malware designed to target Macs powered by ARM-based M1 chips. Distributed as an extension, the adware is a variant of the Pirrit advertising malware.
  • Researchers have tracked a cryptojacking campaign that was active for almost two years and involved the use of the WatchDog botnet. The operators had used 33 different exploits to target 32 vulnerabilities in Drupal, Elasticsearch, Redis, SQL Server, ThinkPHP, Oracle WebLogic, and Spring Data Commons.
  • A new variant of the Masslogger trojan is being used in attacks aimed at stealing Microsoft Outlook, Google Chrome, and Messenger service account details. The campaign is currently focused on victims in Turkey, Latvia, Spain, Bulgaria, Hungary, Estonia, Romania, and Italy.
  • The IRS has alerted U.S. taxpayers about an ongoing phishing campaign that steals both personal and financial information. Scammers are using the IRS name and/or logo to dupe people into giving access to their data.
  • Security researchers have detected a new Office malware builder, called ApoMacroSploit, that is capable of evading detection by Windows Defender.
  • Threat actors have been found abusing the Ngrok platform in a new wave of phishing attacks. Some of the malware samples used in the campaign are Njrat, DarkComet, Quasar, Asynrat, and Nanocore.
  • Security experts are warning of a new COVID-19 vaccine phishing scam that tricks users into handing over their personal and financial information. The recipients are informed that they have been selected for a job based on their family and medical history.
  • The New York State Department of Financial Services issued an alert against hackers targeting flaws in websites offering instant quotes. The attackers are specifically targeting websites providing auto insurance rates to steal driver’s license numbers and other PII.

Related Threat Briefings

Feb 14, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, February 10–14, 2025

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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

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Nov 15, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - November 11–15

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Sep 20, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - September 16–20

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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - September 09–13

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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - September 02–06

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Aug 30, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - August 26–30

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Aug 23, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - August 19–23

The Good With global cyber threats on the rise, over a dozen cyber authorities have endorsed new guidance to set baseline standards for logging and threat detection. This guidance aims to enhance cybersecurity monitoring, helping to prevent inc