Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - March 18–22

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - March 18–22 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing • March 22, 2024

The Good

In a bold move towards safeguarding privacy, the U.S. tightened its data defense against foreign threats, complementing actions against TikTok's Chinese ties. Across the globe, an international task force, spearheaded by Germany, dealt a significant blow to cybercrime by taking down the infamous Nemesis darknet marketplace, disrupting a vast network of illicit trade and reinforcing the global commitment to online safety.

  • The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill to prevent data brokers from selling Americans' sensitive data to foreign adversaries, particularly China. The bill complements other legislation targeting TikTok's Chinese ownership. While privacy advocates see this as progress, they urge for a more comprehensive data privacy bill to be passed.

  • The NCSC issued a comprehensive cybersecurity guideline to help organizations in critical infrastructure sectors make informed decisions while migrating their SCADA systems to the cloud. It highlights the benefits and challenges of cloud-hosted SCADA, emphasizing the need for a risk-based decision, with a focus on cyber security. The guidance, furthermore, explains how moving SCADA to the cloud fundamentally alters management, security, connectivity, and access control. It outlines key sections including understanding business drivers and cloud opportunities, evaluating organizational readiness, and assessing technology suitability for migration to the cloud.

  • German police seized the infrastructure of the darknet marketplace Nemesis, taking down its website. The operation was a result of collaboration between law enforcement in the U.S., Lithuania, and Germany. The marketplace, involved in the sale of illegal goods and cybercrime services, had over 150,000 users and 1,100 sellers. Authorities also confiscated cryptocurrency assets and are investigating the operators for drug trafficking and running a criminal trading platform.

  • The White House has proposed a 10% increase in cybersecurity funds for federal civilian agencies in the 2025 budget. This would bring the total federal civilian cyber spend to $12.33 billion. The funding aims to secure federal networks, combat cyber threats, and improve information sharing between the government and private sector. The Department of Homeland Security and other key agencies would receive funding to enhance data privacy and financial security enforcement. The proposal aligns with the National Cybersecurity Strategy and includes measures to strengthen defenses against cyber threats and improve the federal government's cybersecurity posture.

The Bad

In a troubling surge of cyber incursions that darkened doorsteps around the world, the Rhysida ransomware group claimed responsibility for a sophisticated attack on the U.S. luxury yacht purveyor MarineMax. With a daring twist, they held a seven-day auction for the stolen data. Across the Pacific, New Zealand's MediaWorks grappled with the aftermath of an alleged data heist, affecting over 2.4 million individuals. Meanwhile, Ukraine found itself ensnared in a digital quagmire, as Russia-linked operatives wielded Smokeloader malware in a concerted effort to siphon millions.

  • The Rhysida ransomware group claimed responsibility for the cyberattack on U.S. luxury yacht dealer MarineMax. Rhysida is holding a seven-day auction to sell the stolen data, offering a potential plan B payout if the victim refuses to pay, a method not commonly utilized by other ransomware groups. The data is related to accounts and finances, potentially valuable due to the high-net-worth clientele of MarineMax.

  • New Zealand-based MediaWorks is investigating an alleged security incident after a digital adversary asserted to have stolen the data of just over 2.4 million individuals. The company has not yet publicly confirmed the breach but stated that the claims are related to data from website competition entries. The stolen data reportedly includes personally identifying information such as names, addresses, dates of birth, SSNs, and contact details. Financial details and passwords are believed to be unaffected.

  • Multiple state and local governments, including Jacksonville Beach and Pensacola in Florida, reported cyberattacks resulting in unauthorized access to personal information such as names and SSNs. The Jacksonville Beach incident impacted 48,949 people, while the Pensacola attack impacted 26,499 people.

  • Cybercriminals compromised the official contact email for the Belgian Grand Prix event, enticing fans with a fraudulent €50 (~$54) gift voucher offer. While the extent of the breach remains unclear, affected individuals are urged to remain vigilant and contact the event's secretariat for assistance. Importantly, the incident did not compromise the security of the official website or ticketing system.

  • An Iran-affiliated hacking group, claiming association with 'Anonymous', announced breaching Israel's Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center in solidarity with Gaza. The attackers purportedly leaked documents, denouncing civilian harm. However, a social media post hinted at risks, advocating Dimona and Yeruham evacuations. Despite accessing IT networks, evidence of breaching operational technology remains elusive, given nuclear facilities' robust safety measures.

  • A report highlighted that Smokeloader malware was used as a major tool employed by Russia-linked cybercriminals for financial hacks in Ukraine. Between May and November 2023, 23 Smokeloader campaigns targeted various Ukrainian entities, including financial and government institutions. The hackers, identified as UAC-0006 by CERT-UA, aimed to steal tens of millions of hryvnias. Using phishing campaigns with compromised email addresses, they tricked victims into opening malicious attachments.

  • A hacking attempt against Pokémon Company prompted proactive password resets for affected individuals. The company confirmed that no breach has occurred, and only a small fraction (0.1%) of accounts were compromised. It is assumed to be a credential-stuffing attack by adversaries. Notably, Pokémon Company does not currently offer two-factor authentication.

  • California-based Crinetics Pharmaceuticals is allegedly under attack by the LockBit ransomware group. LockBit members have demanded a $4 million ransom from the firm and have been given a deadline of March 23. According to a spokesperson from the firm, experts detected “suspicious activity in an employee’s account and disabled it on the same day.”

  • Documentation startup Mintlify suffered a data breach, exposing the GitHub tokens of 91 customers due to a vulnerability in its systems. These tokens allowed access to users' source code repositories. Mintlify is reportedly working with GitHub to assess any unauthorized access to private repositories.

  • A significant data leak stemmed from misconfigured Google Firebase instances, starting with hacking Chattr, an AI hiring system used by various US organizations. Exploiting a weakness in Chattr's Firebase implementation, researchers identified 900 websites exposing data on 125 million users, including names, emails, phone numbers, passwords, and billing information.

  • Nevada-based Nations Direct Mortgage disclosed a breach that affected over 83,000 customers. The inquiry established that an unauthorized third party gained access to and potentially extracted data belonging to specific individuals nationwide. The third party may have obtained personal information such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and unique Nations Direct loan numbers.

New Threats

In a digital age where shadows loom large, cybersecurity faces fresh challenges: from Fluffy Wolf's phishing prowess against Russian firms, Microsoft's urgent patch for a hidden Xbox vulnerability, to cunning tax scams targeting the backbone of our economy - small businesses. These incidents spotlight the relentless evolution of cyber threats, urging a fortified defense against the invisible adversaries that dwell in the depths of our interconnected world.

  • A threat group, dubbed Fluffy Wolf, employed phishing emails with accounting report lures to distribute malware, including Meta Stealer, targeting Russian organizations. Despite its low technical sophistication, the group's campaign underscores the ease of leveraging readily available malware and legitimate tools like Remote Utilities. Organizations were urged to enhance their cyber defenses, including managed email security services and threat intelligence platforms.
  • Microsoft issued a patch for a vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-2891, affecting Xbox Gaming Services. Initially dismissed as a non-security issue, it allowed local attackers with low privileges to escalate permissions to System. Microsoft acknowledged the severity of the issue and began working on a fix following public exposure. The patch, included in app package versions 19.87.13001.0 and later, is automatically distributed to users with enabled automatic updates.
  • Small business owners and self-employed individuals are being targeted by a tax scam, prompting them to apply for an IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN) through a fraudulent email. Scammers likely obtained email addresses from data brokers, seeking extensive personal information, including SSNs. There are telltale signs of the scam, such as errors in website setup. Recipients are advised to exercise caution, refrain from clicking links, and report suspicious activity to the IRS.
  • A new evasive Azorult campaign has been spotted targeting the healthcare sector wherein attackers leverage HTML smuggling via Google Sites to deliver a malicious JSON payload from an external source. The attack is disguised within fake Google Docs pages, bypassing scanners with CAPTCHA, and utilizing PowerShell scripts for payload delivery. The payload can steal sensitive data including login credentials, crypto wallet information, and browser data.
  • SentinelOne researchers have identified a new variant of the data-wiping malware AcidRain, named AcidPour, specifically tailored to target Linux x86 devices. This ELF binary, distinct from previous iterations, is designed to erase content from RAID arrays and Unsorted Block Image (UBI) file systems. While the exact targets remain unclear, SentinelOne has alerted Ukrainian agencies, highlighting the ongoing threat of wiper malware.
  • Security researchers reported AsukaStealer, a C++-based malware available being promoted on the dark web. Appears to be the predecessor of ObserverStealer, the malware boasts various capabilities such as deploying payloads, configuring FileGrabber settings, and delivering logs via Telegram. The comparison indicates similarities in their codebase and configuration retrieval methods, with AsukaStealer opting to decrypt data on the server to reduce its digital footprint.
  • Cybersecurity researchers from G-Data discovered a campaign dubbed gitgub, utilizing at least 13 GitHub repositories to host cracked software to distribute the RisePro info-stealer. The campaign employed a common download link, leading to layered archives unpacked using provided passwords. The final stage unpacked the RisePro loader injecting its payload into system processes, collecting sensitive data, and exfiltrating it to Telegram channels.
  • The ShadowSyndicate ransomware group was found actively scanning for servers vulnerable to CVE-2024-23334, a directory traversal flaw in the aiohttp Python library. Although a patch was released, exploitation attempts persist, with a recent PoC exploit on GitHub and YouTube tutorials. Cyble's threat analysts have detected exploitation attempts originating from IPs linked to ShadowSyndicate, suggesting potential breaches. Over 44,000 internet-exposed aiohttp instances globally.

Related Threat Briefings

Mar 21, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, March 17–21, 2025

The race to outpace quantum threats is officially on. The NCSC has issued guidance to help organizations transition to post-quantum cryptography by 2035, with a focus on NIST-approved algorithms and planned support for critical sectors. A nationwide fraud crackdown ends with hundreds behind bars. Operation Henhouse led to 422 arrests and the seizure of millions in assets, as U.K. police target the country’s most widespread and costly crime - fraud. A threat actor briefly exposed their entire playbook. Researchers found a public server hosting tools tied to a campaign targeting South Korea, including a Rust-compiled payload delivering Cobalt Strike Cat and a list of over 1,000 potential targets. Phishing messages on Signal are leading to full system compromise. CERT-UA warns of DarkCrystal RAT attacks targeting Ukraine’s defense sector, using fake contacts and malicious files to trick victims into executing spyware. Ransomware slipped into VSCode under the radar. Two malicious extensions were discovered on the VSCode Marketplace, bypassing checks to deliver test-stage ransomware demanding ShibaCoin for decryption. Fake ads are being weaponized to steal Google credentials. A campaign targeting Semrush users is redirecting victims to spoofed login pages, where attackers harvest Google account logins through a fake “Log in with Google” prompt. A fake browser update could cost you more than a few clicks. A new ClearFake campaign is using fake reCAPTCHA and Turnstile pages to deliver malware like Lumma and Vidar Stealer, with payloads fetched through Binance’s Smart Chain. Hackers are quietly poisoning AI-generated code. A new supply chain attack targets AI editors like Copilot and Cursor, exploiting rules files to inject malicious prompts that trick the tools into writing compromised code.

Mar 14, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, March 10–14, 2025

A Russian hosting provider is feeling the heat from global sanctions. Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. have sanctioned Zservers, a bulletproof hosting provider linked to ransomware and fraud, freezing its assets and restricting operations. Switzerland is tightening its grip on cyber incident reporting. Starting April 1, critical infrastructure operatorsmust report cyberattacks to the NCSC within 24 hours, reinforcing national cybersecurity defenses. Cybercriminals are upgrading their toolkit for long-term access. Ragnar Loader is being leveraged by ransomware groups like FIN7, FIN8, and Ragnar Locker, evolving into a stealthier and more modular malware for persistent system compromise. Chinese hackers are slipping past defenses in Juniper routers. The UNC3886 threat group is backdooring older Juniper MX routers, bypassing security protections and embedding custom TinyShell malware to maintain access. North Korean hackers are adding ransomware to their arsenal. Moonstone Sleet (Storm-1789) is deploying Qilin ransomware, using fake companies and trojanized tools to infiltrate targets through LinkedIn and freelance platforms. A botnet is turning home routers into attack platforms. The Ballista botnet is exploiting an unpatched TP-Link Archer router flaw (CVE-2023-1389) to spread stealthily, using Tor domains and remote command execution to launch DDoS attacks worldwide. Copy, paste, and lose your crypto. MassJacker hijacks clipboard transactions, swapping wallet addresses with attacker-controlled ones, stealing funds from victims who unknowingly send money to the wrong destination. A fake CAPTCHA is all it takes to get root access. The OBSCURE#BAT campaign is using social engineering tactics to install the r77 rootkit, bypassing defenses and targeting English-speaking users with stealthy, persistent malware.

Mar 7, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, March 03–07, 2025

The code caves of GitHub just got a cleanup crew courtesy of Microsoft. A sprawling malvertising campaign that snagged nearly a million devices worldwide has been knocked down a peg. Cheap Android gadgets are getting a breather from a relentless digital pest. The BadBox 2.0 botnet, a souped-up sequel backed by multiple threat crews, saw 24 shady apps booted from Google Play and half a million infected devices cut off from their puppet masters, thanks to some crafty sinkholing and Google’s cleanup sweep. A sneaky gatecrasher has turned WordPress into a redirect rollercoaster. A malicious JavaScript injection lurking in a theme file has snagged at least 31 sites, pulling visitors through a two-step detour to shady third-party domains. Japan’s digital defenses are under siege from a shadowy crew with a taste for chaos. Since January, unknown threat actors have been prying open organizations in tech, telecom, entertainment, and more, exploiting CVE-2024-4577 in PHP-CGI on Windows. Crooks posing as the Electronic Frontier Foundation are targeting Albion Online players with phishing emails and fake PDFs, claiming account trouble. It’s a ruse to drop Stealc malware and Pyramid C2. A fresh face in the cybercrime underworld is juggling a bag of nasty surprises. EncryptHub is hitting users of QQ Talk, WeChat, Google Meet, and more with trojanized apps and slick multi-stage attacks. The Eleven11bot botnet, loosely tied to Iran, has taken over 86,000 IoT devices to slam telecoms and gaming servers with relentless DDoS barrages. Social media’s sunny side has a dark shadow creeping across the Middle East and North Africa. Since September 2024, Desert Dexter has been slinging a tweaked AsyncRAT via legit file-sharing sites and Telegram. For detailed Cyber Threat Intel, click ‘Read More’.

Feb 28, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, February 24–28, 2025

Stay ahead of cyber threats with the latest on the Vo1d botnet infecting Android TVs, GitVenom malware on GitHub, Redox Stealer, LCRYX ransomware, and a critical WordPress XSS vulnerability. Plus, insights on Lotus Blossom cyber espionage, PolarEdge malware targeting routers, Chrome extension hijacks, and PayPal phishing scams. Get the full security briefing now!

Feb 21, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, February 17–21, 2025

Google is stepping up its defenses against the quantum threat. The company is rolling out quantum-resistant digital signatures in Cloud KMS, following NIST’s post-quantum cryptography standards. Supply chain attacks just got harder to pull off. Apiiro has released two open-source tools to detect malicious code in software projects. With high detection rates across PyPI and npm packages, these tools add a crucial layer of security for developers. China’s Salt Typhoon is making itself at home in global telecom networks. The group has been caught using JumbledPath, a custom-built spying tool, to infiltrate ISPs in the U.S., Italy, South Africa, and Thailand. ShadowPad malware is once again causing havoc in Europe. Trend Micro flagged 21 targeted companies across 15 countries, with manufacturing firms bearing the brunt. A RAT is hiding in plain sight. SectopRAT has been spotted disguised as a fake Google Docs Chrome extension. It steals browser data, targets VPNs and cryptocurrency wallets, and injects malicious scripts into web pages. Darcula Suite is taking PhaaS to the next level. The upcoming update, currently in beta, will let users generate their own phishing kits by cloning real websites and customizing attack elements. A new payment card skimming campaign is turning Stripe’s old API into a weapon. Hackers are injecting malicious scripts into checkout pages, validating stolen card details through Stripe before exfiltration. LummaC2 is spreading through cracked software downloads again. ASEC found it disguised as a pirated Total Commander installer, hiding behind Google Collab Drive and Reddit links.

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.

Nov 15, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - November 11–15

As cyber threats to critical infrastructure surge, the TSA has proposed formal rules for pipeline and railroad operators, while the World Economic Forum introduced a new framework to enhance public-private collaboration against cybercrime. These efforts highlight the urgency of uniting resources and governance to fortify cybersecurity resilience on all fronts. This week, several emerging threats highlighted the diversity of attack tactics. The new Glove Stealer exploits browser encryption to pilfer cookies and crypto wallets, whereas the Lazarus group’s RustyAttr trojan targets macOS users using the Tauri framework. A Chinese threat actor, SilkSpecter, was found scamming online shoppers via 4,695 fake domains, impersonating popular brands to steal credit card details during Black Friday hunts. This week, several emerging threats highlighted the diversity of attack tactics. The new Glove Stealer exploits browser encryption to pilfer cookies and crypto wallets, whereas the Lazarus group’s RustyAttr trojan targets macOS users using the Tauri framework. A Chinese threat actor, SilkSpecter, was found scamming online shoppers via 4,695 fake domains, impersonating popular brands to steal credit card details during Black Friday hunts.