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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence July 19–23, 2021

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence July 19–23, 2021 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing Jul 23, 2021

The Good

This week brings Kaseya attack victims a fresh piece of good news in the form of a universal decryptor. Seems like the nightmare is finally over. Arrests of cybercriminals always set us in the right mood for the weekend. The individual responsible for the mega-Twitter hack last year has been arrested from a Spanish town.

  • The CISA, FBI, and NSA issued a joint cybersecurity advisory against rising Chinese state-sponsored cyber activities and offered mitigation steps to protect the federal government.

  • After securing a court order, Microsoft will be taking down malicious homoglyph domains that scammers or hackers register to spoof legitimate sites of various businesses and brands.

  • Kaseya received a universal decryptor for the victims of REvil ransomware to help them recover and restore their systems.

  • A U.K citizen was arrested in Estepona, Spain, for his involvement in the Twitter hack in July 2020, which resulted in the compromise of 130 high-profile accounts.

  • Group-IB and the Dutch National Police tracked down alleged members of the cybercrime group named Fraud Family. The group develops, sells, and rents sophisticated phishing frameworks.

  • A study by Columbia Engineering revealed the first way to encrypt personal images in cloud photo services. Dubbed Easy Secure, the system encrypts images uploaded on the cloud and deters attackers and the services from decrypting the images.

The Bad

Commercial spyware has always been a cause of concern in the cyber landscape. One such spyware—Pegasus— was used to target thousands of smartphones to pilfer confidential information. The Olympics are here and hackers are busy taking advantage of it. Data from the Tokyo Olympic ticket gateway were posted on a leak forum. Identity theft is not a joke, especially not when hackers exploit the recent condo-collapse tragedy to steal the identity of the deceased.

  • Italy-based TicketClub fell victim to a security breach and the data of over 300,000 users are put on sale on RaidForums marketplace. The threat actor responsible goes by the online name of bl4ckt0r.

  • An SQL database belonging to Humana leaked highly sensitive data—patients’ names, IDs, email addresses, password hashes, Medicare Advantage Plan listings, and medical treatment data—of over 6,000 patients on a hacker forum.

  • Cloudstar was hit by ransomware that disrupted its systems. Presently, only the Office 365 mail services, the email encryption offering, and some support services are fully operational.

  • Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the recent tragic condo collapse incident in South Florida to steal the identities of deceased members.

  • A malspam campaign was found delivering Remcos RAT via financially-themed emails. The types of attachments used to lure users are related to transaction invoices, appraisal reports, and payment advice, among others.

  • Scammers launched multiple fake American Rescue Plan Act signup sites to harvest credentials and personal information from users. The fake sites imitate government websites and ask for names, social security numbers, and photos of drivers’ licenses from targets.

  • ZeroX claimed to have stolen 1TB of sensitive data from Saudi Aramco. The stolen data has been put up for sale on multiple hacking forums. Saudi Aramco denied the hack.

  • Pegasus malware has been linked to worldwide espionage attacks that targeted activists, journalists, business executives, and politicians. The spyware was used to potentially steal data from more than 50,000 smartphones.

  • User IDs and passwords for the Tokyo Olympic ticket gateway were posted on a leak website, following an alleged breach. The data also include names, addresses, and account numbers of people who bought Paralympic tickets.

New Threats

A new cyberespionage campaign was initiated this week. The campaign is conducted by a new group dubbed TA2721, which is spreading Bandook. Threat actors, time and again, try to come up with new attack devices. In one such case, they were found disseminating 11 apps on Google Play Store that were propagating the Joker malware. Although crypto scams are nothing new, however, now an advance fee scam has been observed that promises crypto riches via a WhatsApp conversation.

  • A new XCSSET malware variant has been found targeting macOS 11 systems in a new attack campaign. This variant can pilfer data from Telegram and other apps.
  • A new malware strain dubbed MosaicLoader is targeting systems via cracked installers and propagating sets of sophisticated malware such as Glupteba. The malware includes several anti-analysis techniques to slip past antivirus software.
  • The new Dmechant is being disseminated via phishing emails. The malware steals crypto wallet information and credentials from the victims’ infected devices.
  • Bandook has been linked to a new espionage campaign that targets Spanish citizens via phishing emails. The campaign is carried out by a new group identified as TA2721.
  • An Olympics-themed wiper malware was discovered targeting Japanese PCs. The malware is capable of wiping files on infected systems and specifically targets files created with the Ichitaro app.
  • A new strain of the Joker malware was recently spotted being propagated via 11 apps on the Google Play Store.
  • The ANSSI issued an alert bulletin warning against a new series of attacks against many French organizations. The campaign is being coordinated by the China-sponsored APT31 group.
  • A new crypto scam that promises users huge returns has been spotted. It further asks the recipients to connect via WhatsApp for more details and guidelines.

Related Threat Briefings

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

NIST sharpened the tools for organizations to measure their cybersecurity readiness, addressing both technical and leadership challenges. The two-volume guidance blends data-driven assessments with managerial insights, emphasizing the critical role of leadership in applying findings. The Manson Market, a notorious hub for phishing networks, fell in a sweeping Europol-led takedown. With over 50 servers seized and 200TB of stolen data recovered, the operation spanned multiple countries, including Germany and Austria. Russian APT group BlueAlpha leveraged Cloudflare Tunnels to cloak its GammaDrop malware campaign from prying eyes. The group deployed HTML smuggling and DNS fast-fluxing to bypass detection, targeting Ukrainian organizations with precision. Earth Minotaur intensified its surveillance operations against Tibetan and Uyghur communities through the MOONSHINE exploit kit. The kit, now updated with newer exploits, enables the installation of the DarkNimbus backdoor on Android and Windows devices. Cloudflare Pages became an unwitting ally in the sharp rise of phishing campaigns, with a staggering 198% increase in abuse cases. Cybercriminals exploited the platform's infrastructure to host malicious pages, fueling a surge from 460 incidents in 2023 to over 1,370 by October 2024. DroidBot has quietly infiltrated over 77 cryptocurrency exchanges and banking apps, building a web of theft across Europe. Active since June 2024, this Android malware operates as a MaaS platform, enabling affiliates to tailor attacks. Rockstar 2FA, a phishing platform targeting Microsoft 365 users, has set the stage for large-scale credential theft. With over 5,000 phishing domains launched, the platform is marketed on Telegram. The Gafgyt malware is shifting gears, targeting exposed Docker Remote API servers through legitimate Docker images, creating botnets capable of launching DDoS attacks.