Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence July 26–30, 2021

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence July 26–30, 2021 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing • July 30, 2021

The Good

Better late than never. Patch your vulnerabilities now as the Five Eyes cybersecurity agencies have issued an advisory about the top 30 most exploited flaws. In another good piece of news, GitLab issued a new open-source tool that would help developers detect malicious code.

  • Brazil created a cyberattack response network called the Federal Cyber Incident Management Network to promote faster response to cyberattacks and vulnerabilities while establishing coordination between federal government bodies.
  • The CISA, ACSC, FBI, and NCSC released a joint advisory on the top 30 vulnerabilities routinely exploited by threat actors. Some of these flaws affect VPNs from Pulse Secure, Fortinet, and F5-Big IP.
  • Google announced more details about its Safety Section feature in Google Play Store that offers information about the data collected by an Android app.
  • GitLab rolled out a new open-source tool, dubbed Package Hunter, to help developers identify malicious code in their project dependencies. Right now, it includes support for NodeJS modules and Ruby Gems.

The Bad

‘Once burned twice shy,’ the saying goes. However, sometimes that’s not the case as is evident from JustDial experiencing another data breach, which is eerily similar to the one from 2019. Moving away from human errors, we are tired of witnessing attacks and data breaches at healthcare facilities every single day. This week attackers stole sensitive information from Homewood Health. And, BazarCall attackers are back in action.

  • Cybercriminals stole the confidential data of British Columbians from Homewood Health. The trove contains data related to finances, amendments, agreements, accruals, and projects, among others.
  • IP cameras sold by a dozen vendors are vulnerable to remote assaults due to a myriad of serious and high-severity flaws affecting UDP Technology firmware. Eleven of these flaws are related to remote code execution issues and one authentication bypass vulnerability.
  • University of San Diego Health underwent a data breach that compromised the personal information of its patients, students, and employees. The incident occurred between December 2, 2020, and April 8, 2021, after hackers gained unauthorized access to some employee email accounts.
  • NFT Ethereum-based game Axie Infinity players were targeted after threat actors infected Google Ads content. The threat actors lured the players into transferring funds from their cryptocurrency accounts.
  • Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) suffered a data breach after threat actors allegedly accessed sensitive information from the CONNECT public claimant portal between April 27 and July 16. The affected data includes social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank account numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and birth dates of claimants.
  • An ongoing malicious campaign—BazaCall—is leveraging fake call centers to lure victims into downloading malware. The attacks employ conventional social engineering tactics.
  • Chinese state benefits app, named Beijing One Pass, has been found laden with spyware-like features. It is mandatory for foreign organizations in China to download the app to handle employee state benefits.
  • Reports revealed that attackers are using the XAMPP web server solutions stack to host Agent Tesla and Formbook malware.
  • JustDial once again exposed the personal information—usernames, email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth—of over 100 million users due to an unprotected API.
  • LINE accounts of more than 100 Taiwanese politicians and government officials were hacked and data pilfered. Users have been asked to enable their account’s message encryption feature.

New Threats

Cybercriminals are in the race of revamping everything, from malware to entire gangs. DoppelPaymer got rebranded as Grief. Also, researchers believe that a new ransomware gang, BlackMatter, might be the scion of REvil and DarkSide. Scary! Speaking of ransomware, there’s a new ransomware called AvosLocker which is actively looking for affiliates.

  • A mobile malware Oscorp got revamped as the new UBEL Android botnet and is on sale for a price of $980 on underground forums. It is capable of reading and sending SMS, stealing audio recordings, and installing and deleting applications, among others.
  • A new Android RAT, dubbed Vultur, is exploiting screen recording features to steal credentials and other sensitive data from compromised devices. So far, Vultur has infected between 5,000 and 8,000 users.
  • DoppelPaymer ransomware got rebranded as Grief in an attempt to expand the group’s attack surface. DoppelPaymer had gone underground in mid-May, only to re-emerge as Grief ransomware in June.
  • In a new revelation, the Imperial Kitten threat actor group was found masquerading as an aerobic instructor ‘Marcella Flores’ for years. Its aim was to distribute a malware dubbed LEMPO onto the infected machines.
  • Researchers have identified a ransomware called Haron that borrows its code and tactics from Thanos and Avaddon ransomware. On another tangent, the new BlackMatter ransomware is expanding is recruiting affiliates and is claimed to be the successor of the now-defunct DarkSide and REvil ransomware.
  • Mustang Panda, a Chinese cyberespionage group, was spotted using a new variant of PlugX RAT. The RAT was used to target Microsoft Exchange Servers in March.
  • After studying the cyberattack on Iran’s train system, SentinelOne linked the incident to a new threat actor they named MeteorExpress, a hitherto unknown wiper.
  • Sygnia researchers reported a new APT group—Praying Mantis or TG1021—targeting Microsoft IIS web servers to reach victims’ internal networks to steal sensitive data.
  • Experts warn of a new ransomware variant called AvosLocker whose activities suggest that the group is actively looking for partnership in the underground markets.
  • A phishing campaign was observed using a unique tactic to pilfer PayPal credentials. It leverages carefully designed emails that seem to be legitimate until a recipient decides to check out the links and headers.

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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

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Jun 13, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 09–13, 2025

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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 16, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 12–16, 2025

Not every AI tool on Facebook is what it claims to be. Threat actors are luring users with fake content-generation apps, pushing Noodlophile malware to tens of thousands of victims. Disguised as AI-powered services, these tools trick users into executing malicious files that steal browser credentials, crypto wallet data, and other sensitive information through a layered infection chain. OtterCookie is getting smarter with every version. The North Korea-linked group WaterPlum is actively using the malware to breach financial institutions and crypto platforms worldwide. Since late 2024, new iterations have added capabilities like credential theft from browsers and file uploads - each version revealing signs of modular development and distinct authorship. A flaw in Linux’s nftables is turning dirty sets into dangerous ones. A critical double-free vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges by exploiting memory corruption. Kernel-level fixes are already rolling out to improve cleanup routines and patch the vulnerable destroy path.

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.