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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 29 - July 03, 2020

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 29 - July 03, 2020 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing Jul 3, 2020

The Good

With the number of cybercrimes increasing day by day, it has become an utmost priority to heighten the cybersecurity vigilance across the organizations. Taking this into account, federal authorities have released many advisories related to synthetic identity theft and cyberattacks through Tor networks and IPsec VPNs. Meanwhile, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published three new standards to improve the security of IoT devices.

  • The U.S. Federal Reserve has issued guidelines for financial organizations on how to mitigate synthetic identity fraud. The experts have recommended a multi-layer approach to effectively identify and mitigate such types of frauds.

  • The Cybersecurity Security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has shared tips on defense against cyberattacks via Tor network - that is used by threat actors to hide their identity and real IP address. The advisory has been created with contributions from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

  • The ISO has published three new standards to increase security and seamless communication between IoT devices. The standards are ISO/IEC 21823, ISO/IEC TR 30164, and ISO/IEC TR 30166.

  • The Australian Signal Directorate (ASD) has been assigned a fund of over $1 billion amid the rise in cyberattacks against the nation’s governments and businesses. The amount will be used over the next 10 years to disrupt foreign cybercriminals and better identify malicious hackers.

  • A group of academics has developed a new SSO algorithm that aims at security user information, including username and passwords, from being accessed by third-party services and applications.

  • The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has published an advisory to warn about potential threats on IP Security Virtual Private Networks (IPsec VPNs). It has provided recommendations on how to secure IPsec tunnels which can be exploited to steal sensitive data contained within the traffic.

The Bad

The week saw one of the worst data leaks of the year due to misconfigured databases. A set of SQL databases containing 14 million users records from 945 websites was dumped for sale on the dark web. On the other hand, a data breach broker claimed to have sold over 1.3 million people’s records stolen from 14 different websites.

  • A data breach at CNY Works exposed the names and social security numbers of around 56,000 users. The firm claimed that there was no evidence of misuse of the stolen data.

  • The Evil Corp gang’s new ransomware, WastedLocker, was used to infect dozens of the U.S. newspaper websites owned by the same company. These attacks relied on fake software update alerts that delivered the malicious payload.

  • A hacker took over nearly 23,000 unsecured MongoDB databases with an intent to get ransom from victim companies. The affected company was given two days time to pay the asked ransom, failing which the data would be leaked online. Additionally, the hacker threatened to contact the local GDPR authority to report the leak.

  • Printer manufacturer, Xerox Corporation, became the latest victim of Maze ransomware. The attackers had breached the company on June 25 and stole nearly 100 GB worth of data.

  • Unsecured databases belonging to two Chinese firms - Xiaoxintong and Shanghai Yahua Smartech - had leaked millions of user records. The compromised information included mobile numbers, hashed passwords, and more.

  • Around 250,000 sets of personally identifiable information of users were leaked in a targeted multi-stage bitcoin scam. The scam affected users in the UK, Australia, South Africa, the U.S., Singapore, Spain, and Malaysia.

  • A collection of SQL databases linked with 945 websites were up for sale on the dark web. These databases included approximately 150GB data of nearly 14 million people.

  • Decentralized finance liquidity provider, Balancer Pool, disclosed a sophisticated hack that tricked the firm into releasing $500,000 worth of tokens.

  • A data breach broker claimed to have sold databases containing over 1.3 million records on the dark web. These databases belonged to 14 companies that included HomeChef, Footters, Revelo, Tokopedia, Fluke, DarkThrone, JamesDelivery, and Playwings.

  • Eight U.S. cities using Click2Gov web-based software were hit in Magecart skimming attacks. This enabled the attackers to steal personal and credit card information from customers.

  • One of the broadcasting sites of France Télévisions was hit in a cyberattack. However, the attack did not affect its antennae.

  • Five dating apps used in the U.S. and East Asia leaked millions of customer records due to unprotected databases. These affected apps include CatholicSingles, Yestiki, SPYKX, Blurry, Charin, and Kyuun.

  • V Shred exposed the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of over 99,000 customers and trainers following an unsecured AWS S3 bucket. The bucket contained 1.3 million files, totaling about 606 GB of data.

  • A database containing more than 300,000 BMW car owners was offered for sale on an underground forum. The data exposed included full names, email addresses, vehicle numbers, and dealer names.

  • NetWalker operators claimed attacks on Trinity Metro by publishing some of the stolen data on the internet. The data included contents related to “Accounting and HR Shared,” “Daily Operations Documents,” “Planning Documents,” and “Security.”

New Threats

In addition to data leaks, the cybersecurity landscape witnessed the notoriety of other malware such as Trickbot, Alina PoS, and XMRig. All these malware have now evolved with extra stealing and evasion capabilities to affect more and more people.

  • The****Sodinokibi ransomware gang began the first dark web auction of legal data stolen from Grubman Shire Meiselas and Sacks. The stolen data belonged to high-profile celebrities such as Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, and LeBron James.
  • Threat actors continued to evolve the capabilities of several existing malware such as Trickbot, Alina PoS malware, and XMRig to expand their attack surfaces. While the new variant of Trickbot checked for screen resolution as an anti-VM check, the latest version of Alina malware used the DNS Tunneling method to exfiltrate payment card details from PoS systems. Meanwhile, the new XMRig variant masquerades as Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service to unleash cryptomining payloads.
  • Two new ransomware, named EvilQuest and Try2Cry, were found targeting users. The EvilQuest is distributed on torrent sites bundled with a software app named Little Snitch. On the other hand, Try2Cry adopts USB flash drives spreading LNK files.
  • The terror of Snake ransomware is spreading far and wide. According to researchers, this ransomware will pose a unique threat to companies with industrial control systems. Since its inception, Snake has struck two firms - Honda and Enel Group.
  • FakeSpy Android malware operators were discovered impersonating postal services in the U.S., China, and Europe to steal financial data from users. The attack was carried out through phony messages.
  • Researchers revealed that the Windows drivers used in ATMs and PoS devices could be abused to allow attackers to escalate privileges and gain deeper access into the targeted system. Ultimately, this would enable them to steal money or customer data.
  • Google removed 25 malicious apps from the Google Play Store for stealing Facebook credentials. These apps were developed by the same threat actor group.
  • Magecart attackers are using an EXIF metadata of an image file to hide their skimmer code and load on to retail sites. The skimmer code is loaded on websites using a WordPress e-commerce plugin.
  • Researchers demonstrated a new hack technique on Industrial Control Systems (ICS). This can be done by remotely injecting keystrokes through an industrial barcode scanner that is connected to the computer.
  • The Valak information stealer is being distributed in ongoing campaigns targeted at enterprises in North America, South America, and Europe. The malware is propagated via malicious spam alongside secondary payloads such as Gozi and IcedID.

Related Threat Briefings

Feb 14, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, February 10–14, 2025

Cyber defenders are sharpening their tools, and EARLYCROW is the latest weapon against stealthy APT operations. This method detects C2 activity over HTTP(S) using a novel traffic analysis format called PAIRFLOW. India is taking digital banking security up a notch. The RBI is launching a dedicated domain to curb financial fraud and enhance trust in online banking. Starting April 2025, financial institutions will register under this domain. China’s RedMike hackers are dialing into telecom networks - literally. Between December 2024 and January 2025, they targeted over 1,000 unpatched Cisco devices. Their primary focus? Global telecoms and university networks in Argentina, Bangladesh, and the U.S. Russia’s Sandworm hackers are using pirated software as bait. Their latest attack on Ukrainian Windows users disguises malware inside trojanized KMS activators and fake Windows updates. Love is in the air, but so are phishing scams. In late January, cybercriminals launched a Valentine’s-themed phishing campaign, offering fake gift baskets in exchange for stolen credentials. Cybercriminals are upping their game with Astaroth, a phishing kit that doesn’t just steal credentials but also hijacks entire sessions. By using a reverse proxy, Astaroth intercepts logins and 2FA tokens in real time, allowing attackers to bypass security measures undetected. South America’s foreign ministry was caught in the crosshairs of an advanced cyber-espionage campaign. In November 2024, attackers linked to REF7707 deployed the PATHLOADER and FINALDRAFT malware to infiltrate diplomatic networks. A new malware named Ratatouille is stirring up trouble by bypassing UAC and using I2P for anonymous communications. Spreading through phishing emails and fake CAPTCHA pages, it tricks victims into running an embedded PowerShell script.

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.