Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, March 31–April 04, 2025

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Weekly Threat Briefing April 4, 2025

The Good

The EU is putting serious weight behind its digital ambitions. A €1.3 billion investment will fund cybersecurity and AI initiatives across the bloc from 2025 to 2027. Projects include the rollout of the EU Digital Identity Wallet, AI development hubs, and efforts to harden critical infrastructure. Canada’s privacy watchdog is giving organizations a way to think before they panic. A new online tool helps assess the risk of significant harm after a data breach, guiding users through questions about the sensitivity of exposed data and its potential misuse.

  • The EU announced a €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion) investment to fund cybersecurity and AI projects from 2025 to 2027 as part of the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL). The funding will support initiatives such as enhancing the cyber resilience of critical systems, deploying the EU Digital Identity Wallet, developing AI Factories, supporting European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), building the Destination Earth initiative, improving digital skills in education, and creating interoperable digital public services. The Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) will introduce the STEP Seal, a quality label for promising projects. 
  • The DOJ seized over $8.2 million in USDT cryptocurrency that was stolen through 'romance baiting' scams, also known as 'pig butchering'. The FBI, with the help of blockchain intelligence platform TRM Labs, traced the funds and filed for their seizure under wire fraud and money laundering charges. The seized assets will be used for restitution to known victims and others yet to be identified. The scam operation is believed to be linked to human trafficking syndicates in Cambodia and Myanmar. The worst individual loss was around $663,352. 
  • The Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Philippe Dufresne, has introduced an online tool to aid businesses and federal institutions in assessing the risk of significant harm to individuals following a privacy breach. This tool, a web-based application, guides users through a series of questions to evaluate the sensitivity of the compromised personal information and the likelihood of its misuse. The tool helps organizations conduct a risk assessment post-breach and decide on necessary actions, including notifying affected individuals. Organizations under Canada's federal private-sector privacy law, PIPEDA, and federal government institutions, must report breaches posing a real risk of significant harm to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and notify affected individuals. 
The Bad

A fake research invite is the front for something far more invasive. Operation HollowQuill is targeting Russian academic and defense networks with booby-trapped PDFs that deploy Cobalt Strike. The Bybit breach didn’t end with the heist - it opened the floodgates. In the weeks following the crypto theft, nearly 600 phishing domains emerged, many impersonating the exchange or posing as refund services. Phishing lures dressed as tax documents are making the rounds again but this time with sharper teeth. Microsoft warns that campaigns tied to the RaccoonO365 platform are using QR codes, URL shorteners, and cloud services to deliver malware.

  • A sophisticated cyber-espionage campaign named Operation HollowQuill has been discovered by SEQRITE Labs. It targets academic, governmental, and defense-related networks in Russia, particularly the Baltic State Technical University (BSTU “VOENMEKH”), using malicious PDFs to deliver Cobalt Strike payload. The attack begins with a malicious RAR archive containing a .NET-based malware dropper disguised as research invitations. This archive includes a legitimate OneDrive executable, a Golang-based shellcode loader, and a decoy PDF. The final stage involves deploying a Cobalt Strike beacon that connects to a C2 server.
  • In the wake of the Bybit heist, a significant number of phishing campaigns surfaced, aiming to steal cryptocurrency from its users. Researchers identified 596 dubious domains from at least 13 countries within three weeks of the largest crypto theft in history. Some of these domains impersonated the cryptocurrency exchange itself, employing typosquatting techniques and incorporating keywords like "refund," "wallet," "information," "check," and "recovery." The U.K registered the highest number of confirmed malicious domains. Many phishing websites posed as recovery services for customers who may have lost funds in the heist. The ultimate objective was to deceive victims into revealing their Bybit/crypto passwords. 
  • Microsoft has warned of multiple phishing campaigns that use tax-related themes to distribute malware and steal credentials. These campaigns employ redirection methods such as URL shorteners and QR codes in malicious attachments, and abuse legitimate services to evade detection. The phishing pages are delivered via a PhaaS platform known as RaccoonO365. The campaigns spread Remcos RAT, along with other malware and post-exploitation frameworks such as Latrodectus, AHKBot, GuLoader, and BruteRatel C4 (BRc4). One campaign spotted in February 2025 targeted the U.S. ahead of the tax filing season, sending hundreds of emails in an attempt to deliver BRc4 and Latrodectus. 
  • CERT-UA reported three cyberattacks against state administration bodies and critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine. The attacks aimed to steal sensitive data using compromised email accounts to send phishing messages with links to legitimate services like DropMeFiles and Google Drive. The links led to the download of a VBS loader, named WRECKSTEEL, which harvested files and captured screenshots. The activity, attributed to threat cluster UAC-0219, has been ongoing since at least fall 2024. 
  • The scam involves a spoofed email that appears to be from Spotify, informing users of a payment failure and urging them to update their account information. The email, while appearing legitimate, has several red flags, such as a mismatched 'Return-Path' field and a suspicious URL embedded in the "Update Data" button. Upon clicking the link, users are redirected to a Linktree page, which then leads to a phishing landing page designed to mimic Spotify's login page. Any credentials entered are sent to a PHP C2 managed by the threat actors. After entering their credentials, users are prompted to update their credit card information, which is also sent to the malicious C2. Finally, users are asked for their "password issued by the bank," potentially giving the attackers access to their financial accounts.
  • Socket spotted a malicious Python package named "disgrasya" on PyPI. This package contains an automated carding script targeting WooCommerce stores using CyberSource as their payment gateway. Unlike typical supply chain attacks, disgrasya made no attempt to appear legitimate. The script simulates real transactions to test stolen credit card numbers, making it hard to detect. It has been downloaded over 34,000 times. 
  • On November 29, 2024, a malware attack was discovered where threat actors impersonated a recruitment email from the developer community, Dev[.]to. The attack involved a BitBucket link containing a project with malicious code. The project included BeaverTail malware disguised as "tailwind.config.js" and a downloader malware named car.dll. BeaverTail was found to be distributed primarily through phishing attacks disguised as job offers. The "car.dll" downloader shares similarities with the LightlessCan malware of the Lazarus group. The Tropidoor malware operates in memory through the downloader and connects to 4 C&C server addresses. 
  • Researchers discovered a malicious campaign targeting the First Ukrainian International Bank using the Emmenhtal Loader, also known as Peaklight, which has been active since early 2024. The campaign uses a 7-Zip archive file delivered via email, which contains a bait PDF file and a PDF shortcut that downloads a file from a remote server. The downloaded file exploits the Target field to execute Mshta via PowerShell, which in turn downloads and executes a binary sample with malicious HTA script from a remote file server. The Emmenhtal Loader is then used to deploy SmokeLoader, a modular malware that can download and execute additional malware, steal credentials, execute remote commands, evade detection, and use anti-analysis and anti-debugging techniques. The use of the Emmenhtal Loader in this campaign is part of an ongoing trend in malware development that leverages LOLBAS techniques, and it allows threat actors to deploy secondary payloads while using advanced evasion techniques. 
New Threats

Cloudflare branding, Telegram tracking, and malware in disguise - this phishing campaign checks all the boxes. Hosted on legitimate Cloudflare platforms, fake DMCA takedown pages lure victims into downloading PDFs rigged to launch malware. Credit card skimming has moved beyond compromised websites. RolandSkimmer is targeting Windows users in Bulgaria through malicious browser extensions on Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. Microsoft Teams is being turned against the workplace. In a new campaign, attackers are sending phishing messages through Teams chats to deliver PowerShell-based malware. 

  • A new, sophisticated phishing campaign misuses Cloudflare services and Telegram for malicious purposes. The attacks use Cloudflare-branded phishing pages and advanced tactics to evade detection. The phishing pages, hosted on Cloudflare’s Pages[.]dev and Workers[.]dev platforms, impersonate DMCA takedown notices and trick victims into downloading malicious files disguised as PDFs. The attackers exploit the "search-ms" protocol to initiate a malware infection chain. The malware establishes persistence and communicates with Pyramid C2 servers. A significant evolution in this campaign is the integration of Telegram for victim tracking. 
  • A sophisticated cyber threat called RolandSkimmer has been targeting Microsoft Windows users, particularly in Bulgaria. This threat is a form of web-based credit card skimming that uses malicious browser extensions on Chrome, Edge, and Firefox to collect sensitive financial data from affected users. The attack is initiated through a deceptive LNK file, which executes obfuscated scripts to establish covert and persistent access to the victim's system. The malware then systematically harvests and exfiltrates sensitive data, often without detection.
  • A new malware campaign targets Microsoft Teams users to gain access to corporate systems. The attack begins with a phishing message sent via Microsoft Teams, tricking users into clicking on malicious links or running embedded scripts. The attackers then use PowerShell scripts to bypass traditional defenses and deliver malware capable of stealing credentials and establishing persistent backdoors. The attack unfolds in several stages, including initial delivery via Teams message, abuse of remote assistance tools, DLL sideloading to evade detection, and establishing C2 through a Node.js-based backdoor.
  • The Gootloader malware has re-emerged with a new campaign that combines traditional social engineering tactics with modern ad-based delivery methods. The operators are now using Google Ads to target individuals searching for legal document templates. The attack chain begins with a Google search, where a sponsored ad from a seemingly legitimate legal document provider, lawliner[.]com, appears among the top results. Upon clicking, users are prompted to enter their email address to access the document. They then receive an email containing a link to download a ZIP archive with a JavaScript file. When executed, this file performs classic Gootloader behavior, creating a scheduled task, dropping another .js file, and launching PowerShell scripts that attempt to reach out to a series of compromised WordPress blogs. 
  • Researchers identified a new version of KoiLoader, used for C&C and deploying Koi Stealer, an information stealer. The attack initiates with a phishing email containing a ZIP attachment, which holds a deceptive .lnk file. Upon clicking, it triggers a hidden PowerShell command that downloads two malicious JScript files. These scripts establish scheduled tasks, create an illusion of system-trusted processes, and download further payloads. The second script acts as the infection's engine room, retrieving system info, creating a unique file path for persistence, and downloading two PowerShell scripts. The first script disables AMSI, and the second loads the KoiLoader binary into memory. Finally, KoiLoader downloads and executes the KoiStealer malware, which is designed to extract saved passwords, system credentials, session cookies, and browser and application data. KoiLoader uses a custom HTTP-based C2 protocol and offers various command options.

Related Threat Briefings

Aug 29, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, August 25–29, 2025

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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 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 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.