Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - January 15–19

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - January 15–19 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing January 19, 2024

The Good

In the past few months, water facilities remained a lucrative target for cyberattacks. Amidst the concern, the CISA issued an incident response guideline to help organizations augment their incident response planning and collaboration with federal partners. In another development, the FTC joined hands with Global CAPE to streamline cooperation on law enforcement investigations related to privacy and data security.

  • The Australian Cyber Security Center published a guideline on how business leaders can secure their devices, social media accounts, and communication channels from cyber threats. Some recommendations include enabling MFA, updating software and applications, installing software from trusted sources, enabling security features on messaging apps, using screen locks on all devices, and backing up important files.
  • The CISA, the FBI, and EPA, jointly published an incident response guide for organizations in the Water and Wastewater Systems (WWS) sector. Developed in collaboration with over 25 WWS sector industries, and state government partners, the guide covers the four stages of the incident response lifecycle: Preparation; Detection and analysis; Containment, eradication and recovery; and Post-incident activities. The guide will assist utilities with approaches for collaboration with federal entities to lower cyber risk against drinking water and wastewater systems.
  • The FTC joined the Global Cooperation Arrangement for Privacy Enforcement (Global CAPE) to lend intelligence and assist privacy investigators worldwide. The move will allow the FTC to streamline investigations, and share information with other privacy authorities around the world that would also participate in the Global CAPE.

The Bad

Misconfigured databases leaking a trove of information continue to explode as Toyota Tsusho Insurance Broker India and Inspiring Vacations became the latest victims. Meanwhile, the LockBit group extended its victim list with three new names, including Foxsemicon.

  • A threat actor named ‘wangfei19860902055’ advertised the sale of a database related to GEICO on a dark web forum. The compromised database contains 552,900 records with various personal information fields such as first name, last name, phone number, address, city, and state. The incident came to light on January 14 after the threat actor posted details on the Nuovo BreachForums.

  • The Singing River Health System in Mississippi notified nearly 253,000 individuals about a ransomware attack that compromised their sensitive information. Potentially affected information includes names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, medical information, and health information of patients. The Rhysida group had claimed responsibility for the assault in August 2023.

  • The now-defunctInferno Drainer crypto wallet was used to create over 16,000 unique malicious domains and trick people into handing over $80 million in assets worldwide. Over 137,000 victims were tricked on phishing websites into connecting their cryptocurrency wallets with the attackers’ infrastructure, from November 2022 through November 2023.

  • The LockBit ransomware group added two new victims to its dark web portal - Maisons de l’Avenir in France and Shinwa Co in Japan. While further details of the attacks remain unknown, threat actors have issued a stern deadline for their ransom demands, set for February 04. In another instance, Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturer, Foxsemicon, fell victim to a LockBit ransomware attack. The group threatened to publish stolen customer data if a ransom was not paid.

  • Several websites in Lithuania were hit by a wave of DDoS attacks, thus, disrupting their services. A Russian politically motivated hacker group, NoName, claimed responsibility for the attacks on its Telegram channel. Some of the impacted organizations included Compensa Vienna Insurance Group, If Insurance, Lithuanian Roads Association, AD REM, INIT, and Balticum.

  • Toyota Tsusho Insurance Broker India, an Indo-Japanese insurance venture, operated a misconfigured server that exposed more than 650,000 Microsoft-hosted email messages and customers' sensitive information. The exposed information included insurance policy PDFs, password reset links, OTP, and more.

  • A €10 million ($11 million) ransom demand followed after a crippling attack on the Calvià City Council in Majorca, Spain, impacting municipal services. Administrative deadlines are suspended until January 31. Forensic analysis is underway to understand the impact of the attack. While citizen services are reachable by phone, urgent document submissions can be made through the General State Administration portal. The mayor refused to pay the ransom.

  • Cybersecurity firm Netcraft reported that scammers are utilizing newly registered, low-cost domain names with global top-level domain extensions (.cloud, .sbs) to host sites selling dubious health products. Perpetrators often use fake news campaigns, mimicking reputable layouts, and fabricate endorsements from TV shows like Shark Tank and Dragons’ Den. The affordability of these domains allows criminals to spread these campaigns cost-effectively.

  • Melbourne-based travel agency Inspiring Vacations experienced a significant data leak, with a 26.8GB database left publicly accessible without any security measures. The database contained 112,605 records, including high-resolution passport images, travel visa certificates, itinerary or ticket files, and personal information of 13,684 customers. The incident also impacted internal company documents, including 17,000 tax invoices to partners and affiliates.

  • Kansas State University (K-State) suffered a cybersecurity incident that impacted a portion of its network and services. The disruption affected certain network systems, including VPN, K-State Today emails, and videos on Canvas, or Mediasite. The university immediately launched an investigation into the incident and is working to restore the impacted systems.

  • A cyberattack at VF Corp affected the personal data of 35.5 million customers. The firm has reported the data breach to regulators in a filing, however, there is no mention of the kind of data stolen in the attack. ALPHV (or BlackCat) ransomware group has claimed credit for the breach.

  • Google’s Threat Analysis Group revealed that COLDRIVER actors have increasingly attempted to deploy backdoors on the devices of targets in NATO countries and Ukraine. These attacks have been active since November 2022 and the main targets are high-profile individuals in NGOs, former intelligence and military officials and NATO governments.

New Threats

The exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities spiked with Google and Citrix products taking a hit across the globe. The FBI raised alarm against Androxgh0st malware attacks and the NCSC-FI reported a surge in Akira ransomware attacks in the country.

  • The FBI warned against a new campaign leveraging Androxgh0st malware to steal credentials from various high-profile applications such as AWS, Microsoft 365, Twilio, and SendGrid. The campaign targeted Apache webservers and websites using the vulnerable version of the Laravel Web application framework to gain initial access. In many instances, the attackers were found exploiting other vulnerabilities in the PHPUnit testing framework and Apache HTTP Server to deploy the malware.

  • Google addressed CVE-2024-0519, a zero-day vulnerability in the Chrome browser, marking the first instance of such a flaw being exploited in the wild this year. The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds memory access bug in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine. Attackers could leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to data beyond the memory buffer, potentially leading to sensitive information exposure or system crashes.

  • ASEC discovered a new campaign that used booby-trapped files disguised as adult games to infect South Korean users with Remcos RAT. These files were distributed via web hards and upon execution, caused the download of malicious Visual Basic Scripts that launched an intermediate binary named "ffmpeg.exe." This process fetches the Remcos RAT from a server controlled by threat actors, enabling unauthorized remote control and surveillance of compromised systems.

  • The NCSC-FI noted a surge in Akira ransomware attacks targeting organizations in the country. The attacks, which increased in December 2023, involve threat actors wiping NAS and backup devices. Six out of seven reported infections were attributed to the Akira ransomware family. The attackers exploit poorly secured VPN gateways on Cisco ASA or FTD devices, leveraging a known vulnerability tracked as CVE-2023-20269. The ransomware group claims to have hacked multiple organizations in various industries since March 2023.

  • CRIL identified a Go Stealer variant potentially targeting the Indian Air Force. The malware is distributed through a ZIP file named ‘SU-30_Aircraft_Procurement, hosted on Oshi, an anonymous file storage. The sequence of the infection in the attack involves a progression from a ZIP file to an ISO file, followed by an LNK file, ultimately leading to the deployment of a stealer payload.

  • Microsoft reported Mint Sandstorm, an Iranian APT35 subgroup, using spear-phishing to target researchers and university staff in the U.S., Belgium, France, Gaza, Israel, the and U.K. Employing custom phishing lures, the hackers deliver a new, evasive backdoor called MediaPl. This malware disguises itself as Windows Media Player, utilizing encrypted communication channels to interact with its command-and-control server.

  • Citrix has urgently advised customers to patch Netscaler ADC and Netscaler Gateway appliances against two actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities, identified as CVE-2023-6548 and CVE-2023-6549. These vulnerabilities affect the Netscaler management interface and expose unpatched instances to RCE and DoS attacks. However, attackers require low-privilege account access and specific configuration settings to exploit the flaws. Only customer-managed Netscaler appliances are impacted, while Citrix-managed cloud services are unaffected.

  • Amidst the rise in the number of attacks exploiting two recently disclosed vulnerabilities in Ivanti COnnect Secure VPN appliances, the CISA warned that another Ivanti product flaw (CVE-2023-35082) was being widely exploited. The flaw affects Ivanti’s Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) product. If exploited, the vulnerability can enable attackers to potentially access users’ PII and changes on the server.

  • VMware warned its customers about a critical vCenter Server vulnerability being exploited in the wild. Tracked as CVE-2023-34048, the vulnerability is an out-of-bounds write issue related to the implementation of the DCERPC protocol. It can allow attackers to remotely execute arbitrary code on systems.

  • A malicious package uploaded to the npm registry was found deploying a sophisticated trojan on compromised Windows machines. The package, named “oscompatible,” attracted 380 downloads before it was taken down. It contained a few strange binaries, including a single executable file, a DLL and an encrypted DAT file, alongside a JavaScript file.

  • More than 170000 Android TVs were hacked by the Bigpanzi bot to launch DDoS attacks. The botnet was built by a group with the same name that has been active since 2015. It is distributed through a variety of fake apps pretending to offer pirated content, enhance TV viewing experiences, and backdoor firmware updates. Once installed, the apps and firmware updates would ensnare infected devices into the Bigpanzi botnet and carry out attacks.

  • Security researchers discovered that more than 178,000 SonicWall NGFW appliances with exposed online management interfaces are vulnerable to potential DoS and RCE attacks. Two DoS security flaws, tracked as CVE-2022-22274 and CVE-2023-0656, affect these appliances. While SonicWall PSIRT claims no knowledge of these vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild, the exposure poses a significant risk.

Related Threat Briefings

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.

May 23, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 19–23, 2025

Operation Endgame just dealt a major blow to the ransomware supply chain. Europol led the charge in dismantling malware infrastructure tied to multiple malware families, seizing 300 servers and more. Japan has officially gone on the cyber offense. The new Active Cyberdefense Law allows preemptive strikes against foreign cyber threats. It enables traffic analysis and takedowns of hostile servers. Think twice before clicking on that Ledger update. A new macOS malware campaign is deploying fake versions of the Ledger Live app to steal cryptocurrency seed phrases. A Turkish phishing lure leads straight to SnakeKeylogger. Fake AI tools are the new phishing lures and they’re convincing. Cybercriminals cloned Kling AI’s brand through Facebook ads and spoofed websites to trick users into downloading malware. The DBatLoader (aka ModiLoader) malware is making the rounds again - this time disguised as a Turkish bank email. The copyright threat in your inbox might be bait. A phishing campaign sweeping across central and eastern Europe is using fake legal complaints to deliver the Rhadamanthys Stealer. Two years of silence, 6,200 downloads later - the malware is finally found. A malicious campaign targeting JavaScript developers slipped past detection by disguising harmful npm packages as plugins for frameworks like React, Vue.js, Vite, and Quill Editor. Researchers uncovered a stealthy new backdoor paired with a Monero coinminer, using the PyBitmessage library for encrypted peer-to-peer communications.

May 9, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 05–09, 2025

Another blow to DDoS-for-hire networks. Europol has shut down six services used to launch global cyberattacks, arresting suspects in Poland and seizing domains in the U.S. The UN has launched a new framework to help policymakers make sense of cyber intrusions. Called UNIDIR Intrusion Path, it complements models like MITRE ATT&CK but simplifies the technical details. It breaks down attacker activity into three layers, making it easier to evaluate threats in a policy context. Old routers are becoming cybercrime goldmines. The FBI has warned that end-of-life routers are being hijacked with malware like TheMoon and sold on proxy networks such as 5Socks and Anyproxy. These compromised devices are used for crypto theft, cybercrime-as-a-service, and even espionage. Crypto users on Discord are the latest targets of a phishing campaign tied to Inferno Drainer. Attackers were found impersonating the Collab.Land bot to trick users into signing malicious transactions. The Play ransomware group has joined the list of actors exploiting CVE-2025-29824. This Windows zero-day in the CLFS driver enables privilege escalation via a race condition during file operations. Linked to the Balloonfly group, the attacks targeted a U.S. organization and included deployment of the Grixba infostealer. COLDRIVER’s latest malware, LOSTKEYS, is now in play. The Russian state-backed group is deploying this tool to steal files and system data from advisors, journalists, NGOs, and individuals linked to Ukraine. Agenda’s playbook just got upgraded. The ransomware group has added two new tools: SmokeLoader and a stealthy .NET-based loader called NETXLOADER. The latter leverages techniques like JIT hooking and AES decryption to deploy ransomware. Corporate HR teams are the latest target in a spear-phishing spree by Venom Spider. Disguised as job applications, these emails deliver More_eggs backdoor, now upgraded with advanced features.

May 2, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 28–May 02, 2025

The FBI just dropped a massive breadcrumb trail. Details of 42,000 phishing domains tied to the LabHost platform have been released to help defenders investigate potential breaches. The service enabled the theft of 500,000 credit cards and over a million credentials. The takedown of JokerOTP has exposed just how far phishing has evolved. The tool was used in more than 28,000 attacks across 13 countries, tricking victims into handing over 2FA codes by mimicking trusted brands. The operation cost victims £7.5 million and has now led to serious criminal charges, thanks to a joint effort involving Europol and Dutch authorities. Malware’s now hitching a ride on Go modules. Socket has uncovered three malicious packages hiding disk-wiping payloads, designed to cause irreversible data loss, especially on Linux systems. These modules take advantage of Go’s decentralized ecosystem. In the shadows of the cybersecurity landscape, MintsLoader emerges as a formidable adversary, orchestrating a multi-faceted infection strategy that deploys the notorious GhostWeaver RAT. Some PyPI packages are doing more than importing functions. Researchers uncovered seven malicious Python packages under the “Coffin” naming scheme, using Gmail’s SMTP service as a stealthy C2 channel. Ransomware groups aren’t always the ones breaking the door open. Researchers have uncovered ToyMaker, an initial access broker selling network entry to ransomware groups. Using a custom malware strain called LAGTOY, ToyMaker establishes reverse shells and executes commands on compromised systems. New vulnerabilities in Apple’s AirPlay protocol, collectively dubbed AirBorne, expose billions of devices to remote code execution without user interaction. Sharp and TX stealers are back, donning a new cloak - named Hannibal Stealer. It is going after credentials from browsers, crypto wallets, FTP clients, and VPN apps. It even captures Discord tokens and Steam sessions.

Apr 25, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 21–25, 2025

AI security finally has a global playbook. ETSI has released TS 104 223, a first-of-its-kind technical specification outlining how to secure AI systems across their entire lifecycle - from design to decommissioning. MITRE’s latest update is catching up with the cloud. ATT&CK v17 expands the framework to include ESXi and adds more than 140 defensive analytics. Platform-specific data collection advice, improved mitigation mapping, and deeper coverage of mobile threats like SIM swaps round out the upgrade. An APT group with deep roots in Southeast Asia is quietly siphoning data through everyday cloud platforms. Earth Kurma has been active since late 2020, targeting government and telecom entities across the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. Signal and WhatsApp are the new frontline for cloud compromise. Russian actors are running OAuth phishing campaigns against Microsoft 365 users tied to Ukraine and human rights work. A forged email that passes every security check - that’s the new phishing trick. Attackers are using DKIM replay tactics to forward legitimate Google security alerts to unsuspecting victims. It starts with a fake sales order and ends with FormBook silently stealing your data. A recent phishing campaign has been abusing a long-patched Microsoft flaw to deliver a fileless variant of the malware. Docker containers aren’t always what they seem. A new threat named TenoBot is targeting systems running outdated Teneo Web3 node software, deploying malicious containers to hijack environments. A stealthy new RAT is slipping through Ivanti Connect Secure devices in Japan. Dubbed DslogdRAT, the malware exploits a zero-day flaw to execute commands via web shell and quietly exfiltrate data using encoded C2 traffic.

Apr 11, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, April 07–11, 2025

The U.K. government rolled out a Cyber Governance Code of Practice aimed at directors and board members, not just CISOs. Backed by the NCSC and other national bodies, the code includes practical actions, modular training, and a board-level toolkit. Startups building the future of cyber defense are getting serious backing. The British Business Bank has committed most of a £50 million fund to Osney Capital, which will invest in early-stage cybersecurity companies across the U.K. A torrent download might be doing more than delivering cracked software. A campaign has been distributing ViperSoftX to Korean users, likely run by Arabic-speaking threat actors. Invasive spyware campaigns are zeroing in on high-risk communities. MOONSHINE and BADBAZAAR are being deployed through trojanized mobile apps to surveil Uyghur, Tibetan, and Taiwanese individuals, as well as civil society groups. Search for QuickBooks during tax season, and you might land on a trap. Threat actors are placing deceptive Google Ads that link to phishing pages almost identical to the real QuickBooks login portal. It starts with a PDF search and ends with malware on your machine. A new campaign is using fake CAPTCHAs and Cloudflare Turnstile to lure users into downloading LegionLoader. Seed phrases aren’t supposed to come from strangers. The PoisonSeed campaign is targeting crypto holders and enterprise users by compromising bulk email services. Victims are lured with fake wallet setup instructions that embed attacker-controlled recovery phrases - giving threat actors full access once the wallets are used. A Chinese-linked threat group, ToddyCat, has been exploiting a security vulnerability in ESET's software to deliver a new malware, TCESB, in Asia.

Mar 28, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, March 24–28, 2025

The U.K’s NCSC is putting domain abuse in its crosshairs. New guidance targets registrars with a push to curb malicious domain registrations and hijacks. The recommendations focus on tightening security at registration, offering enhanced protections to customers, and more. Europe is getting serious about the quantum future. ETSI has rolled out a new quantum-safe encryption standard featuring Covercrypt, a novel key encapsulation scheme with built-in access controls. By tying decryption permissions to user attributes, Covercrypt delivers speed and post-quantum security. Medusa isn’t just encrypting files, it’s dismantling defenses first. The RaaS has been leveraging a malicious driver called ABYSSWORKER in BYOVD attacks to disable endpoint protections. FamousSparrow has returned with new tools and a familiar agenda. The Chinese APT group was behind a July 2024 attack targeting a U.S. trade group and a Mexican research institute, deploying a web shell on an IIS server to drop SparrowDoor and ShadowPad. A supply chain attack snuck through npm by modifying what developers thought they could trust. Threat actors used two packages to inject malware into the widely used ethers library. Lucid isn’t just phishing - it’s engineering trust through your inbox. This advanced PhaaS platform weaponizes the built-in features of iMessage and RCS to create hyper-realistic scams. Known for years of corporate espionage, RedCurl has shifted gears with a new ransomware called QWCrypt. The malware was found in a North American network, targeting hypervisors for maximum disruption. PlayBoy Locker is offering ransomware with a user manual and tech support. The newly investigated RaaS platform operates on an affiliate model and comes packed with features. Targeting Windows, NAS, and ESXi systems, it moves laterally using LDAP scans and abuses Restart Manager DLLs to shut down active processes before encryption.