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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - March 13–17

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - March 13–17 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing Mar 17, 2023

The Good

This week, the CISA launched a pilot program to help critical infrastructure organizations deal with ransomware threats. Created under the purview of recent incident reporting legislation, and in collaboration with the FBI, the program will be used to warn organizations about the vulnerabilities lurking in their systems and software, along with the remedies to reduce the impacts of ransomware attacks. Meanwhile, the NSA and the SEC also released two different cybersecurity guidelines in an effort to improve the security posture of organizations in several critical sectors.

  • The CISA unveiled a new program named ‘The Ransomware Vulnerability Warning Pilot’ in an effort to protect critical infrastructure entities from ransomware attacks. Under this program, the law enforcement agency will warn organizations about commonly exploited vulnerabilities in ransomware attacks and provide actionable information to reduce the impact. The effort will be coordinated by the Joint Ransomware Task Force.

  • The NSA this week released the ‘Advancing Zero Trust Maturity throughout the User Pillar’ cybersecurity information sheet to help system operators mature ICAM capabilities. The guidance is aimed at reducing the impact of cyber threats on the nation’s critical infrastructure and Defense Industrial Base (DIB) systems due to immature capabilities in ICAM.

  • The SEC proposed new cyber incident reporting rules for a range of financial organizations. The new rules make it mandatory for some financial organizations to annually test and review the effectiveness of their cybersecurity policies and procedures. In case of an attack, organizations are required to report within 48 hours of detecting the incident.

  • Researchers at Kaspersky got hold of a cache of 258 private keys that enabled them to generate a decryption tool for the MeowCorp ransomware. The ransomware had emerged after the source code for Conti was leaked last year in March and targeted around 257 victims. The decryption key can help hundreds of victims recover their files for free.

The Bad

Remember the GoAnywhere MFT zero-day vulnerability that the Cl0p ransomware group had exploited to compromise over 130 organizations? This week, a data security firm confirmed that it was among those affected companies. Meanwhile, the LockBit group has set a ransom payment deadline for a SpaceX supplier following which it plans to auction the stolen 3,000 proprietary schematics of SpaceX. Besides these, researchers spotted a wave of phishing attacks that capitalized on the recent crisis at SVB to target its customers.

  • The France-based multinational aviation company, Safran Group, was found leaking sensitive data for over a year due to a misconfigured database. The leaked information included the Laravel app key, JSON web token key, MySQL credentials, and SMTP credentials for the ‘no-reply’ emails. The exposure of the keys and credentials could have enabled attackers to gain access to the website’s backend, employee computers, and other servers.
  • Data security firm Rubrik disclosed that it was the victim of a ransomware attack that targeted a zero-day vulnerability in the Fortra GoAnywhere secure file transfer platform. The firm was quick to take action by isolating the impacted IT testing environment.
  • Since November 2022, there has been a more than 200% month-on-month increase in the abuse of YouTube to spread stealer malware such as Vidar, RedLine, and Raccoon. The videos pretend to be tutorials on downloading cracked versions of popular software, such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Autodesk 3ds Max, and AutoCAD, for free.
  • DeFi platform Euler Finance was hacked for $197 million worth of cryptocurrency assets. The attackers exploited a vulnerability in the donation feature of the platform to exfiltrate legitimate funds and transfer them to an account they controlled.
  • The U.K’s Wymondham College reported a sophisticated cyberattack that disrupted some of its systems. As a result, school officials were prevented from accessing some internal files and resources. While the classes continue to run as usual, the school is working with the NCSC to take appropriate response action.
  • LockBit ransomware gang hacked SpaceX contractor Maximum Industries and stole 3,000 proprietary schematics developed by the space company. The cybercrime crew has threatened to leak or sell the blueprints from March 20 onwards, if their ransom demand is not fulfilled. In another incident, the Staples-owned wholesale distributor of office products, Essendant suffered a network outage following an attack by LockBit gang.
  • Zoll Medical Corporation has begun notifying more than one million individuals of a healthcare data breach that affected their personal information. The potentially compromised information includes names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and birthdates of patients. The investigation is still ongoing and law enforcement authorities have also been notified about the breach.
  • Multiple instances of phishing attacks leveraging the recent crisis at the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) were reported this week. In one incident, the scammers had created dubious websites to trick users into handing over their personal and financial information. In another incident, researchers discovered a significant KYC phishing campaign utilizing SVB branding in a DocuSign-themed template.
  • A convincing Twitter scam that abused the platform’s quote-tweet feature was found targeting bank customers. Scammers impersonated popular banks and responded to the issues or complaints raised by their customers. The quote tweet followed a specific template and urged users to call on the fake helpline number shared in the text.

New Threats

Coming to new threats, researchers reported the first-ever Dero cryptojacking operation that was orchestrated against exposed Kubernetes clusters. In separate news, Microsoft warned of high-volume AiTM attacks facilitated by a phishing kit from DEV-1101. In addition to these, several new malware, GoatRAT, HinataBot, and dotRunpeX to name a few, were uncovered this week in different cyberespionage campaigns across the globe.

  • Cisco Talos identified a new threat actor running several successful espionage campaigns since June 2022. Named YoroTrooper, the attacker is responsible for attacks against a critical European Union healthcare agency and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Information stolen during these incidents includes system information and credentials from multiple applications, browser histories, and cookies.
  • Microsoft discovered a new phishing kit, that has been part of several high-volume AiTM phishing attacks. Offered by a threat actor named DEV-1101, the kit was first advertised on a cybercrime forum in May 2022. The kit includes a wide range of readymade phishing pages that mimics several services such as Microsoft Office and Outlook.
  • A fake version of the ChatGPT chrome extension called Quick access to Chat GPT, was found hijacking Facebook accounts and installing backdoors that could give threat actors super-admin permissions to run paid ads and steal cookies of authorized active sessions.
  • In an update on the first-ever detected Dero cryptojacking operation, researchers revealed that threat actors have potentially deployed more than 4,000 miners since February. The operators targeted exposed Kubernetes clusters to spread the mining malware.
  • A new Android trojan named GoatRAT targeted the mobile apps of three Brazilian banks - NuBank, Banco Inter, and PagBank- to steal funds from users' accounts. The trojan uses a four-step process to perform automated transfer once it infects a user’s device. Once the targeted app is identified, it creates a fake banking overlay window above the legitimate application to hide its malicious activity.
  • Researchers shared details of a new Go-based botnet called HinataBot that abuses old vulnerabilities and weak credentials. The botnet appears to share similarities with the Mirai botnet and is still under development.
  • A newly discovered .NET malware injector is being used in the wild to deliver a wide range of malware. Tracked as dotRunpeX, the malware rose to prominence between November 2022 and January 2023. The malware leverages the process hollowing technique to hide its presence during the infection process.
  • Threat actors leveraged trojanized versions of Telegram and WhatsApp apps to target Android and Windows users with clipper malware. These malware were designed to enable their operators to steal crypto assets by switching the cryptocurrency wallet address sent by victims in chat messages with the address of the attackers.

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.