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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - May 01–05

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - May 01–05 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing May 5, 2023

The Good

As new technologies continue to emerge and transform various industries, it has become equally important to protect them from the abuse of bad actors. In the same light, the FBI was able to disrupt nine cryptocurrency exchange websites that were involved in facilitating illegal scams and cybercrime operations. In other news, Facebook took action against rising cases of ChatGPT-themed malware attacks and blocked over 1,000 malicious URLs that were targeting user accounts.

  • The U.S. and Ukrainian authorities seized nine cryptocurrency exchange websites advertised on private hacker forums. These websites were used to launder the profits from online scams and cybercrime operations. The nine exchanges were hosted across Europe and were tracked as 24xbtc[.]com, 100btc[.]pro, pridechange[.]com, 101crypta[.]com, uxbtc[.]com, trust-exchang[.]org, bitcoin24[.]exchange, paybtc[.]pro, and owl[.]gold.

  • Meta blocked more than 1,000 ChatGPT-themed malicious URLs from being shared on its platforms as they were found distributing about 10 different malware families, including a new malware dubbed NodeStealer. The development comes following the increase in the use of fake ChatGPT web browser extensions to steal Facebook account credentials.

  • Washington state governor signed the ‘My Health My Data Act’ into law to bolster the health data privacy for its people. The act aims to modernize the state’s consumer protection framework by giving individuals the right to withdraw consent, request data deletion, and prohibit the collection and sharing of health data without their consent.

The Bad

Meanwhile, the growing ransomware landscape has made it easier for cybercriminals to launch attacks. This week, the Royal ransomware group scored another bunch of victims by targeting the city of Dallas and a for-profit virtual learning provider with its presence in the U.S. and the U.K. In another instance, a law firm based in Australia fell victim to the BlackCat ransomware attack, affecting 4 TB worth of the company’s data. Meanwhile, T-Mobile reported suffering yet another data breach in 2023.

  • T-Mobile was subjected to a data breach between February and March. This is the second time in 2023 that the telecommunication company has suffered a data breach that impacted the personal information of hundreds of its customers. While the exposed information varied for each of the affected customers, it could include full names, account numbers, contact information, Social Security numbers, government IDs, balance due, and dates of birth.
  • United Healthcare, Maryland, notified its customers about a data breach that enabled threat actors to access the personal information of those enrolled in the company’s healthcare plans. Officials believe that the exposed information includes first and last names, dates of birth, addresses, dates of services, health insurance identification numbers, and claim information of members.
  • Personal information of thousands of people based in Missouri was accessible to anyone using the Casenet website, the state’s judicial record system. The issue arose due to a vulnerability that is now fixed. However, thousands more documents containing sensitive information remain available on the website as they are considered open records.
  • In a new update, the BlackCat ransomware group published 29 screenshots of internal emails and video conferences related to Western Digital. It is believed that these files were stolen after the company detected the attack and while response actions were taken to block unauthorized access to their systems.
  • Bitmarck, an IT service provider based in Germany, suffered a cyberattack that temporarily disrupted its website. While the company is yet to determine whether any data was stolen, it has taken systems offline to isolate the scope of the attack.
  • The city of Dallas, Texas, was hit by a Royal ransomware attack, impacting several of its functional areas, and the Dallas Police Department and City Hall websites. The city was forced to shut down some of its IT systems to prevent the spread of the attack. Meanwhile, the officials are also working along with its vendors to restore the impacted services.
  • The virtual learning provider Edison Learning was targeted by the Royal ransomware gang. The gang stole 20GB of the company’s data including personal information of employees and students and threatened to post the data early next week.
  • The Australian commercial law firm HWL Ebsworth fell victim to a BlackCat ransomware attack. The group claimed to have stolen 4 TB of company data, including financial reports, accounting data, client documentation, credit card information, and a blueprint containing the network map of the entire HWL Ebsworth computer network.
  • Customers in the Nordic countries were the target of a massive phishing campaign that leveraged emails purporting to be from PostNord DK service. The email informed recipients about the status of an unclaimed package which could be tracked by clicking on a link embedded in the email.
  • The Adna School District lost $346,000 in a sophisticated phishing campaign. The scam involved a construction project, where a multi-step procedure was established for reviewing and approving payments for the work done.

New Threats

Now, let's go through new threat updates this week where several new malware affecting Android devices were discovered. One of these is named Fleckpe which was discovered in at least 11 apps. Active since 2022, it has infected over 620,000 devices so far. In another case, a malware strain called FluHorse reportedly infected over one million Android users across Vietnam and Taiwan by mimicking legitimate apps. Furthermore, the CISA warned against multiple threat groups actively exploiting bugs in TP-Link, Apache Log4j2, and Oracle WebLogic Server.

  • The Iranian government used an Android malware, called BouldSpy, to surveil minority groups and traffickers in the country. Upon execution, the malware collected account usernames, a list of installed apps and services, browser data, call logs, clipboard content, contact lists, device information, and SMS messages. The malware also enabled operators to log keystrokes, record audio, take screenshots, and capture device locations.
  • Over the years, the deployment methods of ROKRAT backdoor malware have evolved. Presently, archives containing LNK files are being used to deliver the malware that is attributed to the APT37 threat group. The lures used as part of the infection chain are largely focused on South Korean foreign and domestic affairs.
  • Russian cyberespionage group Nomadic Octopus has been associated with a new campaign, dubbed Operation PaperBug, that used the Octopus malware to spy on government officials, telecommunication services, and public service infrastructures in Tajikistan. The campaign used a broad range of devices, including individuals’ computers and OT devices, as part of the operation and was executed by hacking a telecoms provider that was linked to the 18 targeted entities.
  • Earth Longzhi, a subgroup of APT41, launched attacks on organizations in Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, and Fiji. The campaign leveraged a new DoS technique, dubbed stack rumbling, to disable security products. The attackers targeted public-facing applications, IIS servers, and Microsoft Exchange servers to initiate attacks.
  • The CISA added three actively exploited flaws, impacting TP-Link Archer AX-21 routers, Apache Log4j2 library, and Oracle WebLogic Server, to its KEV catalog. The flaws are tracked as CVE-2023-1389, CVE-2021-45046, and CVE-2023-21839. The agency urged the FCEB agencies to apply vendor-provided security patches by May 1 to prevent attacks.
  • The North Korean Kimsuky hacking group was observed employing a new version of its reconnaissance malware in a cyberespionage campaign to expand its targeting scope. Called ReconShark, the malware is considered to overlap with BabyShark, another malware from Kimusky, and was also seen to be deployed by APT43.
  • Kaspersky researchers discovered 11 Android apps available through the Google Play Store that were infected with a malware named Fleckpe. The malware operates by subscribing users to unwanted premium services. So far, more than 620,000 devices have been infected by the malware.
  • Check Point researchers also spotted a new Android malware called FluHorse. It mimicked legitimate applications to infect users and steal mobile banking credentials, bypass 2FA, and pilfer funds from their accounts. The malware was distributed via two apps on the Google Play Store, both of which were installed more than one million times by users located in Vietnam and Taiwan.

Related Threat Briefings

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.