Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - May 20–24

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - May 20–24 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing • May 24, 2024

The Good

In a dramatic sweep against the shadowy underbelly of the internet, authorities have dismantled several dark web marketplaces in Operation SpecTor, seizing drugs, firearms, counterfeit currencies, and cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, the White House has rolled out a framework to safeguard U.S. workers from AI risks, emphasizing health, safety, and job transition support.

  • Authorities have successfully dismantled several dark web marketplaces offering illicit goods in a coordinated global crackdown known as Operation SpecTor. The operation, led by Europol, involved authorities from the U.S., U.K, Germany, and Australia. Authorities targeted several high-profile dark web markets, seizing servers, arresting key operators, and confiscating vast amounts of illegal goods including drugs, firearms, counterfeit currencies, and stolen data. Significant amounts of cryptocurrency used for dark web transactions were also confiscated.
  • The White House unveiled a framework to protect U.S. workers from the risks posed by AI in the workplace, emphasizing the importance of health and safety rights, governance, human oversight, and transparency as organizations adopt emerging technologies. The principles also encourage employers to upskill workers whose jobs are replaced or transitioned due to AI technologies. The AI safety framework is voluntary, similar to other recent AI frameworks and best practices released by the White House.
  • The U.K government has published voluntary guidance to help AI developers and vendors secure their AI models. The guidance includes recommendations such as monitoring AI system behavior, performing model testing, and procuring secure software components from verified third-party developers. It also emphasizes the need to ensure the integrity of training data and to provide security training for AI developers.
  • The U.K government is investing £8.5 million ($10.8 million) to fund new AI safety research aimed at tackling cyber-threats, including deepfakes, to better protect society from AI risks and harness the technology's benefits. The research aims to generate ideas on how to adapt infrastructure and systems for a world where AI is embedded in everything.

The Bad

In a brazen cyberattack, JAVS courtroom software was compromised, affecting over 10,000 installations worldwide. Simultaneously, Apple’s Wi-Fi Positioning System is facing scrutiny for potential privacy abuses, enabling global tracking. Meanwhile, the GitCaught campaign, exploiting GitHub and FileZilla, is spreading malware, raising alarms about sensitive data theft by possible Russian-speaking threat actors.

  • The JAVS courtroom recording software was recently targeted in a supply chain attack where attackers backdoored the installer with malware, allowing them to compromise systems. The compromised software, containing a malicious fffmpeg.exe binary, was distributed to over 10,000 installations in courtrooms, legal offices, correctional facilities, and government agencies worldwide.
  • Apple's Wi-Fi Positioning System can be abused to create a global privacy nightmare by allowing the tracking of individuals and groups, even those not using Apple devices, through the collection and analysis of Wi-Fi access point (AP) location data. This data can be used to identify individual homes, businesses, military units, and other sensitive locations.
  • Recorded Future's Insikt Group discovered a campaign dubbed GitCaught, exploiting legitimate services like GitHub and FileZilla to distribute an array of malware. Perpetrators, possibly Russian-speaking threat actors, utilize fake profiles and repositories on GitHub to host counterfeit software, aiming to steal sensitive data. The malware distributed included Atomic, Vidar, and Octo.
  • A consumer-grade spyware app, pcTattletale, has been discovered on check-in systems at three Wyndham hotels in the U.S., exposing sensitive data. The spyware, intended for remote monitoring, captured screenshots containing sensitive information like guest names and partial payment card numbers. It was found exposing these screenshots publicly due to a security flaw.
  • Attackers exploited the obscure Dessky Snippets WordPress plugin to inject server-side malware into a WooCommerce store, stealing credit card details. The malware, disguised within PHP code, manipulates billing forms to capture sensitive information. It then sends the captured data to a third-party URL, bypassing browser autocomplete warnings to avoid suspicion.
  • An unidentified threat actor was found exploiting known vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server to deploy a keylogger malware, targeting entities across Africa and the Middle East. Russian cybersecurity firm Positive Technologies revealed over 30 victims, including government agencies, banks, and educational institutions, with compromises dating back to 2021. The attack exploits ProxyShell flaws, allowing attackers to bypass authentication and execute remote code.

New Threats

In a digital cloak and dagger, researchers unveiled Hijack Loader's new anti-analysis tactics, bypassing defenses and distributing potent malware. Meanwhile, two students exposed a vulnerability in CSC’s laundry machines, triggering cycles without payment via a flawed API. Additionally, over 20,000 WordPress sites using the UserPro plugin face a critical security flaw, risking unauthorized access through compromised password resets.

  • Zscaler ThreatLabz reported a new version of Hijack Loader incorporating updated anti-analysis methods for stealthier operations. The loader now bypasses Windows Defender, UAC, and employs process hollowing. It delivers various malware families, including Amadey, and utilizes PNG image decryption for payload loading. Recent iterations also feature additional modules for enhanced capabilities, posing a significant threat in malware distribution campaigns.
  • Two UC Santa Cruz students Alexander Sherbrooke and Iakov Taranenko uncovered a vulnerability affecting over a million internet-connected laundry machines. They could remotely command the laundry machines to start cycles without payment. The flaw lies in the insecure API used by CSC's mobile app, lacking proper security checks. CSC reportedly reset the students' account balance of several million dollars but failed to fix the bug.
  • The UserPro plugin by DeluxeThemes, used by over 20,000 WordPress sites for creating user profiles and community portals, was found to have a critical security vulnerability. Discovered by Patchstack, the flaw resides in the password reset mechanism within the userpro_process_form function, allowing unauthenticated users to change others' passwords under certain conditions. Identified as CVE-2024-35700, the issue stemmed from improper handling of the “secret key” during password resets, enabling unauthorized access.
  • Google has patched the eighth zero-day vulnerability in Chrome this year that was being actively exploited. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-5274, is a high-severity 'type confusion' flaw in Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. Google has updated Chrome to version 125.0.6422.112/.113 for Windows and Mac, and version 125.0.6422.112 for Linux to fix the vulnerability.
  • Intel disclosed a critical vulnerability in its Intel Neural Compressor software for AI model compression that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The vulnerability, designated as CVE-2024-22476, is caused by improper input validation in the software. It allows unauthenticated attackers to remotely execute arbitrary code on systems running affected versions of Intel Neural Compressor. Intel has given the vulnerability a maximum severity score of 10 on the CVSS scale.
  • Sentinel One researchers revealed a shift in tactics among cybercriminal groups increasingly deploying ransomware to disrupt and draw attention to political causes, targeting Philippine entities. Groups such as Ikaruz Red Team (IRT), Turk Hack Team, and Anka Underground leverage leaked builders, hijack branding from government agencies like CERT-PH, intertwining cyberattacks with geopolitical tensions.

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Aug 1, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 28–August 01, 2025

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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

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Jul 4, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 30–July 04, 2025

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Jun 27, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 23–27, 2025

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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.

Jun 6, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, June 02–06, 2025

Authorities have taken down a major hub for stolen financial data. The DOJ seized approximately 145 domains associated with the BidenCash marketplace, which had evolved from a small credit card shop in 2022 into a massive hub for stolen payment data. In a move to reinforce Europe’s cyber defenses, Microsoft is stepping in with strategic support. The newly launched European Security Program offers EU governments free access to AI-driven threat intelligence, vulnerability alerts, and guidance to counter attacks from state-sponsored actors. Not all GitHub projects are built with good intentions. Researchers uncovered a widespread campaign involving more than 130 repositories booby-trapped with malware disguised as game cheats, hacking tools, and utilities. A free software download could end up costing your entire crypto wallet. ViperSoftX is back in circulation, targeting crypto users with malicious PowerShell scripts bundled into cracked apps, keygens, and torrent packages. Some attackers mine crypto, JINX-0132 mines misconfigurations. This threat actor is running a stealthy cryptojacking campaign against DevOps platforms, exploiting exposed defaults and overlooked RCE flaws. Destruction masquerading as maintenance tools is hitting Ukraine’s infrastructure. Researchers attributed a new wiper malware called PathWiper to a Russia-linked APT group, targeting critical systems by leveraging legitimate administrative frameworks. A few swapped letters could be all it takes to get owned. A new supply chain attack targets Python and npm developers through typo-squatting and name confusion. A new Android banking trojan, named Crocodilus, has emerged in the threat landscape. It masquerades as legitimate apps like Google Chrome and uses overlay attacks to steal credentials from financial apps.

May 30, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 26–30, 2025

Under the hood of vulnerability management, NIST just added a sharper diagnostic tool. The new Likely Exploited Vulnerabilities metric offers deeper insight into which CVEs are likely being used in the wild, complementing EPSS with more contextual signals. Digital warfare is no longer a future threat, it's a current investment. The U.K. Ministry of Defence has unveiled a £1 billion Cyber and Electromagnetic Command to protect military networks and support offensive cyber missions. With AI-driven systems like the Digital Targeting Web in development, the goal is seamless coordination across weapons platforms. A quiet but relentless campaign has been unfolding across multiple industries. The Chinese group Earth Lamia is targeting finance, government, logistics, and more by exploiting known web app vulnerabilities. APT41 hides malware commands where no one’s looking: your calendar. In a creative twist on C2 infrastructure, China-backed APT41 embedded encrypted instructions inside Google Calendar events. AyySSHush doesn’t make noise, it builds armies. More than 9,000 ASUS routers have been compromised by this botnet, which quietly slips in through a CVE-2023-39780 exploit. Fake CAPTCHA prompts are now doing more than testing if you're human—they're installing malware. EDDIESTEALER, a new Rust-based infostealer, spreads through deceptive CAPTCHA pages that trigger malicious PowerShell scripts. Threat actors are wrapping their tools in layers of obfuscation, and DOUBLELOADER is no exception. This new backdoor uses the ALCATRAZ obfuscator—once seen in the game-hacking scene—to disguise its presence. A new Go-based botnet called PumaBot is clawing its way through Linux IoT devices. It brute-forces SSH credentials, impersonates Redis files for stealth, and deploys rootkits to mine crypto and steal credentials.

May 23, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 19–23, 2025

Operation Endgame just dealt a major blow to the ransomware supply chain. Europol led the charge in dismantling malware infrastructure tied to multiple malware families, seizing 300 servers and more. Japan has officially gone on the cyber offense. The new Active Cyberdefense Law allows preemptive strikes against foreign cyber threats. It enables traffic analysis and takedowns of hostile servers. Think twice before clicking on that Ledger update. A new macOS malware campaign is deploying fake versions of the Ledger Live app to steal cryptocurrency seed phrases. A Turkish phishing lure leads straight to SnakeKeylogger. Fake AI tools are the new phishing lures and they’re convincing. Cybercriminals cloned Kling AI’s brand through Facebook ads and spoofed websites to trick users into downloading malware. The DBatLoader (aka ModiLoader) malware is making the rounds again - this time disguised as a Turkish bank email. The copyright threat in your inbox might be bait. A phishing campaign sweeping across central and eastern Europe is using fake legal complaints to deliver the Rhadamanthys Stealer. Two years of silence, 6,200 downloads later - the malware is finally found. A malicious campaign targeting JavaScript developers slipped past detection by disguising harmful npm packages as plugins for frameworks like React, Vue.js, Vite, and Quill Editor. Researchers uncovered a stealthy new backdoor paired with a Monero coinminer, using the PyBitmessage library for encrypted peer-to-peer communications.

May 16, 2025

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 12–16, 2025

Not every AI tool on Facebook is what it claims to be. Threat actors are luring users with fake content-generation apps, pushing Noodlophile malware to tens of thousands of victims. Disguised as AI-powered services, these tools trick users into executing malicious files that steal browser credentials, crypto wallet data, and other sensitive information through a layered infection chain. OtterCookie is getting smarter with every version. The North Korea-linked group WaterPlum is actively using the malware to breach financial institutions and crypto platforms worldwide. Since late 2024, new iterations have added capabilities like credential theft from browsers and file uploads - each version revealing signs of modular development and distinct authorship. A flaw in Linux’s nftables is turning dirty sets into dangerous ones. A critical double-free vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges by exploiting memory corruption. Kernel-level fixes are already rolling out to improve cleanup routines and patch the vulnerable destroy path.