Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - March 23–27

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - March 23–27 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing • March 27, 2020

The Good

The last weekend of March 2020 is almost here and in the pandemonium caused by Coronavirus, there is some news to cheer us up. The DHS’s CISA along with NIST has published guidelines for federal workers and contractors on how to secure their data and systems while working remotely during the current epidemic. The guide aims at boosting telecommunication security from external threats. On the other hand, academics have introduced a project that utilizes AI to identify deepfake videos, false information, and morphed images.

  • Academics at the University of Notre Dame have come up with a project that utilizes artificial intelligence to identify deepfake videos, disinformation online and manipulated images. The project aims at protecting online users from spreading inaccurate information that can be harmful.
  • The Australian Cyber Security Center (ASCS) has issued a new update to increase awareness around coronavirus-themed malicious cyber activities. The Center has received more than 100 reports related to COVID-19 scams in the last three months. Reported scams include those pretending to be from Australia Post, international health organizations and programs offering financial assistance.
  • Amid the Coronavirus epidemic, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have issued guidelines for federal workers and contractors working remotely to prevent cyberattacks on their networks. The measures include adhering to telework security policy, using multi-factor authentication for enterprise access and implementing validated encryption technologies to protect communications and data stored on the client devices.

The Bad

The week also saw some major tech giants - General Electric (GE) and AMD - falling victim to data breaches due to unauthorized access. While GE saw the PII of current and former employees being affected, AMD reported that a hacker had gained access to several confidential source code of its graphics products. Weibo also witnessed a major backlash after the personal data of 538 million users were put up for sale on the dark web.

  • Personal data of 538 million Weibo users were put up for sale on the dark web this week. The stolen data were priced at $250 as it did not include passwords. Among the personal data exposed, it included the real names, site usernames, gender and locations of users.
  • Finastra, a leading financial technology service provider in the UK, took its servers offline following a ransomware attack. Officials reported that they do not have any evidence of customer or employed data being accessed or exfiltrated.
  • Maze ransomware operators appeared in two different incidents this week. The first case occurred after they published the data stolen from Hammersmith Medicines Research online. The second case came to light after they attacked a cyber insurance company Chubb.
  • A leading free web hosting provider for dark web services, Daniel’s Hosting suffered an attack for the second time in 16 months. The incident occurred on March 10, after an attacker deleted the web hosting portal’s entire database. This had affected almost 7,600 dark web portals.
  • General Electric (GE) suffered a data breach, affecting the PII of current and former employees as well as beneficiaries. The information exposed in the breach included direct deposit forms, driver’s licenses, passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, tax withholding forms, Social Security numbers, and more.
  • The University of Utah Health had disclosed a security incident that occurred between January 7 and February 21, 2020. The incident occurred after hackers gained unauthorized access to some employees’ email accounts.
  • Data Deposit Box exposed over 270,000 consumer files due to an unsecured Amazon S3 bucket. The leaked data included IP addresses, email addresses, and GUIDs of users.
  • AMD confirmed that a hacker had stolen files related to its current and future graphics products. The stolen files included source code for the Navi 10 architecture, which is used in some Radeon RX 5000-series graphics cards, the upcoming Navi 21, and Arden.

New threats

Talking about new threats, the notorious TrickBot trojan made a comeback, disguised as a malicious TrickMo app to bypass 2FA protection. In a different incident, a new version of Android banking trojan Ginp leveraged a fake ‘Coronavirus Finder’ website to target online banking users in the U.K and Spain.

  • Researchers discovered a new version of Ginp Android trojan that targeted online banking users in Spain and the U.K. The operators were found sending a special command that opened a fake website called ‘Coronavirus Finder’.

  • Threat actors lured victims to install fake Corona antivirus with an aim to infect their computers with BlackNET RAT. The fake antivirus was distributed via two websites.

  • Attackers hijacked D-Link and Linksys’ DNS settings to propagate the Oski information-stealing malware. Once the attacker gained access to the router and changed the DNS settings, the victims were displayed with a fake COVID-19 alert that distributed the malware.

  • The TrickBot gang used a malicious Android application called TrickMo to bypass 2FA protection and infect Android devices. The campaign was used against German users.

  • Malicious actors were found pushing Raccoon information-stealer through an HHS.gov open redirect to unsuspecting victims’ systems. They leveraged Coronavirus-themed phishing emails to push the phishing page that dispatched the malware.

  • In a widespread attack campaign, the APT41 threat actor group exploited vulnerabilities in Cisco routers, Citrix ADC and Zoho ManageEngine to infect several organizations across the US, the UK, France, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland.

  • Researchers uncovered a new malicious campaign distributing a new trojan called Milum. The attack was carried out by a newly discovered WildPressure APT group and targeted organizations in the Middle East.

  • Google removed 56 malicious apps from its Play Store for distributing auto-clicker malware. These apps had more than a million installs across Android devices.

  • A cyberespionage campaign called Operation Poison News was uncovered targeting iOS users in Hong Kong. The campaign used links posted on multiple forums that supposedly lead to various news sites. While these links led users to the actual news sites, they silently deployed malicious hidden iframe onto victims’ systems.

  • Certain online news blog websites of corporates were compromised to redirect users to a website that promoted fake Chrome updates. These updates were used to distribute malware onto victims’ computers.

  • At least European companies in the pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries were attacked by Silence and TA505 threat actor groups. These organizations were affected by Silence.ProxyBot and updated versions of Silence.MainModule.

Related Threat Briefings

Aug 29, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 25–29, 2025

From cryptocurrency scams to software vulnerabilities, recent global efforts showcase robust responses to sophisticated cyber threats. Cryptocurrency firms, including Chainalysis, Binance, OKX, and Tether, froze $46.9 million in funds stolen through Southeast Asia-based "romance baiting" scams, targeting victims via fake investment schemes. Meanwhile, the CISA introduced the new ‘Software Acquisition Guide: Supplier Response Web Tool’ to empower organizations to integrate cybersecurity into their procurement processes, addressing software supply chain vulnerabilities. Posing as a golden ticket from the Bangladesh Education Board, SikkahBot is preying on students with fake scholarship lures. Active since July 2024, this Android malware grabs high-risk permissions to intercept SMS and steal financial data. A data theft campaign attributed to UNC6395 targeted Salesforce instances via compromised OAuth tokens linked to the Salesloft Drift app, exfiltrating sensitive credentials. Blind Eagle's shadow looms over Colombia, with five activity clusters unleashing RATs and phishing on government sectors from May 2024 to July 2025. Click Studios is sounding the alarm on a dangerous flaw in Passwordstate’s password manager. This authentication bypass lets attackers access the admin section via a crafted URL. Truesec uncovered a cybercrime campaign distributing a trojanized "AppSuite PDF Editor" via Google ads, installing "TamperedChef" malware that steals credentials and web cookies. The Sangoma FreePBX Security Team has warned about an actively exploited zero-day vulnerability in FreePBX servers with the Administrator Control Panel (ACP) exposed to the internet.

Aug 22, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 18–22, 2025

As cyber threats evolve, global takedown efforts are stepping up to safeguard digital ecosystems. INTERPOL’s Operation Serengeti arrested 1,209 cybercriminals across 18 African nations, recovering $97.4 million and dismantling over 11,000 malicious infrastructures. In another coordinated operation, U.S. authorities seized the Rapper Bot DDoS botnet, which had been active since 2021 and targeted 18,000 victims across 80 countries. The Python Package Index (PyPI) introduced defenses against domain resurrection attacks to prevent account hijacking and supply chain attacks. Berserk Bear hackers are wielding a seven-year-old Cisco flaw to infiltrate global critical infrastructure. Exploiting CVE-2018-0171, these FSB-linked attackers trigger device reloads and use custom SNMP tools. MuddyWater APT is targeting CFOs with spear-phishing, using Firebase-hosted phishing pages and custom CAPTCHAs. With a diplomat’s charm, malicious emails are smuggling XenoRAT into South Korea’s embassies via GitHub traps. Since March, this spearphishing spree has targeted European missions. Masquerading as an Australian electronics store, Cookie Spider’s malvertising campaign unleashed the AMOS malware on over 300 targets. Fraudsters posing as celebrity podcast reps are reeling in business owners with a bait. This podcast imposter scam lures victims into tech-check calls that grant remote access. A zero-day flaw has Apple racing to patch millions of devices with emergency iOS and iPadOS updates.

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.