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Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - May 17–21

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - May 17–21 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing May 21, 2021

The Good

As we wait for the return of normalcy in our lives, we need good things in life. Like the smell of freshly brewed coffee and the news of ransomware gangs shutting down operations. Yes, that happened! Another notorious ransomware actor shut down shops and we are cheering! In other news, the CISA announced a new initiative to tackle security flaws a layer beneath the operating system.

  • The Qlocker ransomware gang shut down its operation after earning $350,000 in a month. The ransomware was infamous for exploiting vulnerabilities in QNAP devices.

  • Researchers released a decryptor for Judge ransomware that also decrypts files encrypted by the very similar NoCry ransomware. It creates a mutex to prevent multiple instances from running in parallel, provides sandbox detection, and deletes system restore points.

  • Officials from the U.S. CISA announced a new initiative to fight firmware vulnerabilities which made more than 2.5% of the National Vulnerability Database over the last five years.

  • The Biden Administration ordered an overhaul that focuses on cybersecurity spending, including helping companies upgrade cybersecurity measures as part of its $2.3 trillion infrastructure spending.

  • Microsoft released an open-source lab environment SimuLand that will help test and strengthen Microsoft 365 Defender, Azure Sentinel, and Azure Defender against real attack scenarios.

The Bad

However, the respite is short-lived. The week saw an unnerving case of mixed-up video feeds because of an internal server flaw. Although poorly secured databases keep getting buried under other attacks, they continue to be a massive pain point for organizations. More than 20 apps were found leaking the personal information of tens of millions of users. It will be an injustice to end this blurb without talking about scams. This time families of missing people came under the radar of scammers.

  • Personal data—names, email addresses, dates of birth, chat messages, location, and payment details—of over 100 million Android users was exposed due to unprotected databases used by 23 apps. Some of the apps are Logo Maker, Astro Guru, and T’Leva.

  • An internal server bug in Eufy home security cameras enabled strangers to view, pan, and zoom in on victims’ home video feeds.

  • Australian digital real estate business Domain Group fell victim to a phishing attack that targeted its users by asking them to pay a deposit to secure rental property on a website nominated by the scammer.

  • Most of the IT services of New Zealand’s Waikato District Health Board (DHB) were knocked offline following a ransomware attack. As a result, patient notes became inaccessible, clinical services were disrupted, and surgeries postponed.

  • Meal kit delivery scams impersonating well-known companies like Gousto and HelloFresh have surged. The scam leverages SMS and WhatsApp messages to reach its targets.

  • Taxpayers in South Korea, Australia, and the U.S. are being targeted in a phishing campaign pretending to be accounting ledgers. The campaign is used to distribute RATs.

  • The FBI warned about scammers actively targeting the families of missing persons to make quick money between $5,000 and $10,000. Hackers are leveraging social media posts to gather information about the missing person.

  • Avaddon ransomware gang added Acer Finance to its list of victims. The gang gave the firm 240 hours for negotiation before it starts leaking the stolen valuable company documents.

  • A pair of attacks hit Toyota. While the first one attacked Daihatsu Diesel, a subsidiary of Toyota; the other one was launched against Auto Parts Manufacturing Mississippi, another subsidiary.

  • Betenbough Homes fell victim to an attack by REvil ransomware, following which the threat actor added the attack to its data leak site.

New Threats

Leaked source codes serve as a base for the development of many new malware strains. One such instance this week was the new Simps botnet built using the codes of Mirai and Gafgyt. The MountLocker ransomware got a pretty nasty update and has come back with enhanced capabilities. Also this week, Magecart threat actors made news (again).

  • Researchers unveiled a fake Microsoft Authenticator extension that can dupe users into sharing their account details. The extension has been downloaded 448 times.
  • The Royal Mail delivery firm, once again, came into the crosshairs of scammers aiming to evade security checks in a new phishing scam. The scam is initiated with recipients receiving SMS messages claiming that a parcel has been redirected to the local post office due to an unpaid shipping fee.
  • A new malware campaign has been spotted by Microsoft that spreads the Strrat RAT masquerading as ransomware. It aims to steal victims’ data.
  • The new Simps botnet that conducts DDoS attacks has been linked to the Keksec group. The botnet borrows its code from Mirai and Gafgyt botnets.
  • A cyberespionage campaign, active since February, was discovered using the new RIG exploit kit propagating a new variant of WastedLocker ransomware. The campaign targets unpatched IE browsers using known VBScript flaws.
  • The MountLocker ransomware got an update and now uses enterprise Windows Active Directory APIs to spread laterally across victim networks. This enables the ransomware to find devices part of the compromised Windows domain and encrypt them using stolen domain credentials.
  • A new object injection vulnerability in the PHPMailer library—versions between 6.1.8 and 6.4.0—can allow attackers to conduct attacks such as code injection, SQL injection, path traversal, and application denial of service.
  • A new wave of web skimming attacks by Magecart Group 12 threat actors was found stealing card details from Magento 1 websites.

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.