Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - June 3–7

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - June 3–7 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing • June 7, 2019

The Good

The week witnessed some major developments in cybersecurity with government agencies making good strides towards addressing cyber threats. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security has released its draft bill for the year 2020 which includes funding for new technologies, the establishment of a cybersecurity agency and research activities. Apple has unveiled a new ‘Find My’ app which can help users to locate their macOS and iOS devices even when they are not connected to the internet. The app is a merged version of ‘Find My Friends’ and ‘Find My iPhone’ apps.

  • The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security has released its draft bill which includes funding for new technologies, the establishment of a cybersecurity agency and research activities. An estimated sum of $898 million has been allocated towards specific technologies & research and almost $2 million for the government’s lead cybersecurity agency. The draft appropriations bill aims at investing in smart, effective technologies and programs in order to keep Americans safe from threats.
  • The U.S. Department of State has sent to Congress a long-awaited plan of reestablishing the Bureau of Cyberspace Security and Emerging Technologies (CSET). This cybersecurity-focused bureau will assist the US government to secure cyberspace and its technologies by reducing the likelihood of cyber conflict. The new bureau has been proposed to include 80 staff members. The budget is projected at $20.8 million.
  • Apple has unveiled a new ‘Find My’ app, which is available on its Mac and iOS platforms. The new app is a merged version of ‘Find My Friends’ and ‘Find My iPhone’ apps. The purpose of the app is to help the users to locate their lost macOS and iOS devices even when they are not connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network. The app leverages nearby Bluetooth-enabled Apple devices to accomplish the work.
  • Security researchers have found a novel way to defeat hackers trying to take over critical parts of autonomous cars. This technique takes advantage of a feature in Control Area Network (CAN) bus protocol and uses covert channels. This eliminates the possibility of unauthorized interference with the car’s operation.
  • The creators of GandCrab have announced that they will stop the ransomware’s operation within a month. The announcement has been made on a hacking forum where the creators have been advertising the ransomware since its inception.

The Bad

The last seven days also saw several data breaches worldwide. This includes breaches on American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA), WestPac’s PayID, University of Chicago and Radisson. Moreover, a hacker who goes by the online name Achilles has been found selling network access data of UNICEF, Symantec, and Comodo Group. The details are being sold at a price between $2000-$5000.

  • The web payment page breach at American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA) has impacted millions of individuals of Quest Diagnostics, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp) and Opko Health Inc. While Quest Diagnostics saw the compromise of personal & financial information of nearly 11.9 million patients, LabCorp disclosed that 7.7 million customers were affected in the breach. In addition, the data breach has affected around 422,600 patients of OPKO Health Inc.
  • Private details of almost 100,000 Australian bank customers have been exposed in a cyber attack on WestPac’s PayID. An investigation has revealed that the attack had begun on April 7, 2019. The company has confirmed that no financial information was compromised in the attack.
  • A hacker who goes by the online name Achilles has been found selling network access details of major big firms which includes UNICEF, Symantec and Comodo Group. Achilles is selling the data at a price ranging between $2000-$5000, depending on the value of the target.
  • A security lapse at IT giant Tech Data had exposed its customer and billing data. The incident occurred due to an unprotected database. The database contained a swath of customer personal data and records related to payment cards. After being informed by a research team from vpnMentor, the database was secured by Tech Data.
  • The Australian National University has confirmed that around 200,000 people have been impacted in a data breach that took place in late 2018. The unauthorized party has accessed a significant amount of personal data related to staff and students and visitors. The data is believed to be as old as 19 years.
  • An unprotected Elasticsearch database belonging to FMC Consulting had exposed millions of resumes and company data. The leaky database contained 884,178 internal emails, 5,392,816 company records, 110,000 customer records and 73,000 client messages. Upon learning this, CNCERT/CC immediately took down the unsecured database.
  • The University of Chicago has exposed 1,679,993 records due to a misconfigured Elasticsearch database. The database contained a 34GB cluster named ‘data-ucmbsd2’. It included full names, birth dates, phone numbers, email addresses, marital status and communication notes of individuals.
  • Radisson has inadvertently sent information related to its loyalty program users to wrong members. This exposed first names, point balances, membership tiers, and email addresses of loyalty program users.

New Threats

Various new malware and vulnerabilities were also unearthed by researchers this week. A newly discovered GoldBrute botnet has been found brute forcing over 1.5 million unique RDP endpoints to launch its malicious activities. On the other hand, a new variant of Vega ransomware called Buran is leveraging the RIG exploit kit for distribution. Security researchers have also discovered a critical vulnerability in Exim that affects nearly half of the email servers.

  • A newly discovered GoldBrute botnet has compiled over 1.5 million unique systems that have RDP connections. The attack begins by gaining access to the system using a brute-force attack. If successful, a ZIP file containing the GoldBrute malware code is downloaded onto the system.
  • A new variant of Vega ransomware named Buran has been found to be distributed via RIG exploit kit. When executed, the ransomware copies itself to the %APPDATA%\microsoft\windows\ctfmon.exe and launches itself from that point. The ransomware encrypts files with specific extensions and later appends them with the victim’s unique ID.
  • A critical RCE vulnerability in mail transfer agent Exim has affected nearly half of the email servers. The vulnerability has been identified as CVE-2019-10149 and exists in Exim version 4.87 to 4.91. The flaw is remediated in Exim 4.92.
  • Over 440 million Android phones have been infected by a BeiTaPlugin adware. The adware is distributed via 238 unique applications on Google Play. It forcibly displays ads on the users’ screen even when the phone is locked as well as triggers unwanted video and audio advertisements on victims’ phones.
  • Hackers are exploiting a four-year-old vulnerability, CVE-2014-8361, in Realtek routers to distribute multiple IoT malware families. The installer includes a script for Hakai botnet which is a variant of Gafgyt botnet. The campaign targeted users in South Africa.
  • A new malware family named BlackSquid has been found using eight notorious exploits to drop XMRig miner on infected systems. The exploits can be used to compromise web servers, network drives, and removable devices. The malware employs anti-virtualization, anti-debugging, and anti-sandboxing methods to evade detection. It also has worm-like behavior for lateral propagation.

Related Threat Briefings

Aug 15, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 11–15, 2025

Ransomware gangs are taking heavy hits on multiple fronts. In Operation Checkmate, U.S. authorities seized $1.1 million in ransom-linked cryptocurrency and shut down four servers and nine domains tied to the BlackSuit group. At the same time, researchers dealt a critical blow to DarkBit ransomware, linked to Iran’s MuddyWater APT, by exploiting flaws in its AES-128-CBC key generation to crack the encryption.

Aug 8, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 04–08, 2025

In the wake of recent cyberattacks, the US federal judiciary is locking down sensitive court documents with a fortified approach to cybersecurity. Courts nationwide are enforcing stricter access controls, monitored handling procedures, and a mandatory IT security “scorecard” for annual self-assessments to pinpoint vulnerabilities. DARPA is raising the stakes at DEF CON, pitting seven AI-powered cyber reasoning systems against each other to secure the open-source software underpinning critical infrastructure. These autonomous tools, designed to detect and patch vulnerabilities in code vital to water systems and financial institutions, analyzed 7.8 million lines in preliminary rounds, catching 59% of synthetic flaws and uncovering real ones. Akira ransomware is striking with surgical precision, exploiting a suspected zero-day flaw in SonicWall SSL VPN devices, even those fully patched. Since mid-July 2025, attackers have used Virtual Private Server logins to bypass MFA, hitting multiple targets in rapid succession. A stealthy Python-based PXA Stealer is sweeping across 62 countries, pilfering sensitive data from unsuspecting victims. This infostealer campaign has exfiltrated hundreds of thousands of passwords and more. Phishing emails disguised as court summons are delivering a malicious payload to Ukrainian government and defense sectors, courtesy of UAC-0099. A cunning Android RAT, PlayPraetor, is sweeping through six countries, already compromising over 11,000 devices with its deceptive tactics. It masquerades as legitimate apps via fake Google Play Store pages and Meta Ads. ClickTok is luring TikTok Shop users into a trap with a crafty blend of phishing and malware. This global campaign deploys over 10,000 fake TikTok websites and 5,000 malicious apps, impersonating TikTok’s e-commerce platforms to steal cryptocurrency wallet credentials. Ghost Calls, a new evasion tactic, is turning Zoom and Microsoft Teams into covert channels for malicious activity, slipping past traditional defenses with ease.

Aug 1, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 28–August 01, 2025

Picture this: a tool so fast it dissects malware at lightning speed, giving your team the edge in a digital arms race. Meet Thorium, the CISA’s latest open-source gem. This platform automates cyberattack investigations, processing over 1,700 jobs per second and ingesting 10 million files per hour per permission group. Meanwhile, as AI reshapes the battlefield, OWASP is arming professionals with fresh guidance to secure agentic AI applications driven by LLMs. It’s a playbook for locking down user authentication with OAuth 2.0, encrypting sensitive data, and bolstering supply chain security. Cybercriminals are donning digital disguises, impersonating trusted enterprises with fake Microsoft OAuth applications to steal credentials and bypass multi-factor authentication. Hackers exploited a critical SAP NetWeaver flaw to deploy the Auto-Color Linux malware. This malware, equipped with a rootkit and adaptive evasion tactics, adjusts its behavior based on user privileges. Operation CargoTalon, tied to threat cluster UNG0901, targeted organizations with EAGLET malware hidden in fake invoice files, quietly siphoning off sensitive data to a C2 server. A newly discovered cyberattack technique, dubbed Man in the Prompt, is turning browser extensions into unwitting accomplices in data theft from generative AI tools. DoubleTrouble is targeting users through Discord-hosted APKs, disguising itself as a legitimate app to slip past defenses. A stealthy Android banking trojan, RedHook, is targeting Vietnamese users through phishing sites mimicking trusted agencies. Spread via a malicious APK on an exposed AWS S3 bucket, it exploits accessibility services to steal credentials and banking details, with over 500 infections tied to Chinese-speaking actors.

Jul 25, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 21–25, 2025

The BlackSuit ransomware crew just lost its home turf. As part of Operation Checkmate, international law enforcement has seized the group’s dark web extortion and negotiation sites. New York is taking aim at cyber threats to its water systems. A newly proposed set of regulations outlines mandatory IT and OT cybersecurity measures for water and wastewater infrastructure, aligning with federal guidelines and introducing funding to support modernization across the state. Not every scam needs sophistication, sometimes all it takes is a lonely heart and a convincing profile picture. SarangTrap, a massive mobile spyware campaign, is luring victims on Android and iOS through fake dating apps. Storm-2603 is slipping through SharePoint’s cracks and locking the doors behind it. The suspected China-based threat group is exploiting two SharePoint vulnerabilities to deploy Warlock ransomware. A trusted source turned treacherous. Hackers launched a supply chain attack on Arch Linux by slipping malware into three AUR packages. These packages silently deployed a RAT that gave attackers persistent control over infected machines. A browser tweak here, a fake mod there, and suddenly your crypto wallet spills its secrets. In a new campaign, the Scavenger trojan exploits DLL Search Order Hijacking to infiltrate password managers and wallets. A new RaaS group called Chaos is conducting high-impact ransomware campaigns through a number of tactics, using remote management tools for long-term access. Mimo is getting stealthier and greedier. The financially motivated group has moved from targeting Craft CMS to Magento, exploiting PHP-FPM vulnerabilities to deploy malware via fileless techniques.

Jul 18, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 14–18, 2025

A keyboard army just lost its command center. Europol’s Operation Eastwood has crippled the pro-Russian hacktivist group NoName057(16). The international effort, involving law enforcement from 12 nations, led to two arrests and the takedown of over 100 servers linked to the group’s “DDoSia” project. Britain wants bug-hunters on its side. The NCSC has launched the Vulnerability Research Initiative, a new program inviting external researchers to help uncover security flaws in widely used hardware and software. Cisco Talos uncovered a MaaS campaign targeting Ukraine, where attackers used Amadey malware and GitHub repositories to stage payloads. The setup mimics tactics from a SmokeLoader phishing operation. Over 600 malicious domains are distributing fake Telegram APKs to unsuspecting users. Most are hosted in China and exploit the Janus vulnerability in Android. Users who trusted GravityForms’ official site got more than they expected. A supply chain attack injected backdoors into plugin files distributed via the official site and Composer. The H2Miner botnet has resurfaced with updated scripts that mine Monero, kill rival malware, and deploy multiple malware. Bundled with it is Lcrypt0rx, a likely AI-generated ransomware that exhibits sloppy logic, malformed syntax, and weak encryption using XOR. A new Konfety variant uses the same package name as a legitimate app but hides the real payload in a lookalike version distributed through third-party stores. One sandbox escape makes five. Google patched a high-severity Chrome flaw that lets attackers break out of the browser’s sandbox using crafted HTML and unvalidated GPU commands.

Jul 11, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 07–11, 2025

You don’t need to visit shady corners of the internet to get infected, GitHub will do. A malware campaign is disguising Lumma Stealer as tools like Free VPN for PC, using polished project pages, Base64 payloads, and trusted Windows processes to slip past defenses. The Anatsa banking trojan slipped back into Google Play, targeting North American users with fake maintenance screens while logging keystrokes and automating fraudulent transactions. Crypto users are being lured in by fake AI and gaming firms offering too-good-to-be-true deals.

Jul 4, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 30–July 04, 2025

It looked like a crypto investment until €460 million vanished. Operation BORRELLI dismantled a global fraud ring that scammed over 5,000 victims, with arrests in Madrid and the Canary Islands. A fake workforce was quietly funding a real regime. The DoJ disrupted a North Korean scheme where remote IT workers used stolen identities to get jobs at over 100 U.S. companies. The operation funneled $5 million to the DPRK, exposed military tech, and led to raids across 16 states. Sometimes, the app that looks harmless is just the decoy. Recent investigations uncovered massive Android fraud schemes, including IconAds and Kaleidoscope, which used icon hiding, fake apps, and third-party distribution to flood ad networks with billions of fake requests. Two different names - same tactics, same tools, same playbook. Researchers have found striking overlaps between TA829 and the lesser-known UNK_GreenSec, both of which use phishing lures and REM Proxy services through compromised MikroTik routers. It starts with what looks like an official message from the Colombian government. Behind it is a phishing campaign delivering DCRAT, a modular remote access tool designed for theft and system control. Botnet operators are now turning broken routers into system wreckers. RondoDox is a new Linux-based botnet exploiting CVE-2024-3721 and CVE-2024-12856 to gain remote access to TBK DVRs and Four-Faith routers. That Zoom update request on Telegram? It could be a trap. North Korean actors are deploying NimDoor malware to infiltrate Web3 and crypto platforms using social engineering via Telegram. Google has patched CVE-2025-6554, a critical zero-day in Chrome’s V8 engine that was exploited in the wild to execute arbitrary code.

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

As cybercriminals weave intricate webs in the digital underworld, global defenders are cutting through the chaos. Six nations toppled Archetyp Market, a darknet drug bazaar with €250 million ($288 million) in Monero deals, nabbing its admin and vendors while seizing €7.8 million ($9 million) in assets. The U.K unveiled a Cyber Growth Action Plan, injecting £16m ($21.2m) to fortify its £13.2bn ($17.5bn) cybersecurity industry after attacks bled retailers like M&S. Stateside, the U.S. reclaimed $225 million in crypto from investment scams, marking the Secret Service’s biggest digital heist bust yet. Cloud services are being quietly turned into covert attack channels. The Serpentine#Cloud campaign is abusing Cloudflare Tunnels and Python to deploy fileless malware via invoice-themed phishing lures. A popular WordPress plugin is exposing sites to full takeover. It affects the AI Engine plugin, impacting over 100,000 websites and opening the door to site-wide compromise. An official-looking email from the tax department may be anything but. Silver Fox APT is targeting Taiwanese users with phishing emails posing as the National Taxation Bureau, delivering malware like Winos 4.0, HoldingHands RAT, and Gh0stCringe. A new Android trojan is turning devices into data-harvesting tools under attackers’ full control. Attributed to the LARVA-398 group, AntiDot has infected thousands of devices through phishing and malicious ads. A fake job offer could now come bundled with custom-built spyware. PylangGhost is targeting crypto professionals in India. Delivered through spoofed job sites, the malware includes registry tampering, remote control, and data exfiltration modules aimed at compromising Windows systems. One compromised travel site is now a launchpad for infostealer infections. A new ClickFix variant, LightPerlGirl, is using fake Cloudflare CAPTCHA prompts and clipboard hijacking to deliver the Lumma infostealer.

Jun 13, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 09–13, 2025

A global sweep just knocked out thousands of malicious command centers. INTERPOL’s Operation Secure led to the dismantling of over 20,000 malicious IPs tied to 69 malware strains across 26 countries. NIST has published new guidance to help organizations put Zero Trust Architecture into action, offering 19 real-world implementations built with industry partners. CyberEye lowers the barrier for cybercrime with a plug-and-play toolkit. This .NET-based RAT uses Telegram for command and control while offering modules for keylogging, credential theft, and platform-specific data grabbing. The TokenBreak attack manipulates how text is tokenized in classification models to sneak past defenses. A Mirai variant is actively exploiting a command injection vulnerability in TBK DVR-4104 and DVR-4216 devices, to conscript them into a botnet for DDoS attacks. Unpatched IT tools are once again opening the door to ransomware attacks. CISA has warned about vulnerabilities in SimpleHelp RMM software being exploited by groups like Play and DragonForce in double-extortion campaigns. Fog ransomware operators are blurring the line between admin tools and attack chains. In a recent incident, they deployed a mix of open-source and legitimate software to gain persistence and exfiltrate data undetected. Over 20 phishing applications impersonating popular crypto wallets have been found stealing mnemonic phrases to drain users’ funds.

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.