Cookie Settings

This website uses cookies and similar technologies to provide essential functionality and improve your experience. Some features, such as demo scheduling and chat support, require marketing cookies to function. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to all cookies. Alternatively, you can customize your preferences, but note that declining marketing cookies will limit certain website features.

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 25 - 29, 2020

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, May 25 - 29, 2020 - Featured Image

Weekly Threat Briefing May 29, 2020

The Good

A wave of government-sponsored cyberattack campaigns aimed at stealing COVID-19-related medical research is on the rise. Keeping this in mind, the DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has reformed the security measures for healthcare organizations and research facilities to prevent hackers from pilfering medical research data. On the other hand, Google launched a new ‘Scam Spotter’ program to combat COVID-19 scams.

  • The CISA improved the defense measures for healthcare organizations and research facilities in an effort to protect Coronavirus-related research. The development comes as state-sponsored hackers continue to target Coronavirus-related medical research data.

  • Qihoo 360 along with Baidu disrupted the operations of DoubleGuns trojan that infected thousands of computers across China. The trojan was active since July 2017 and its primary purpose was to infect users with MBR and VBR bootkits, and install malicious drivers.

  • Federal authorities arrested a member of the prolific Fin7 hacking group that impacted Chipotle and other fast food restaurants, casinos, and credit unions.

  • Google in association with the Cybercrime Support Network, launched a new ‘Scam Spotter’ program to help individuals spot and prevent COVID-19 related scams.

The Bad

This week saw the leak of confidential data belonging to several organizations such as NTT, AIS, and Bank of Costa Rica. Most of the leaked data included personal details of either employees or customers.

  • NTT disclosed a data breach that resulted in the compromise of data of about 600 customers. The hackers infiltrated Active Directory services on May 7 to gain access to NTT’s sensitive data.

  • A database containing around 26 million LiveJournal credentials was put up for sale on the dark web. The database, sold for a price of $35, was hacked in 2015.

  • Personal data of up to 1.3 million civil servants at Indonesia’s Education and Culture Ministry was reportedly breached. The leaked data included citizen identification numbers, full names, home addresses, birthplaces, and birth dates of individuals.

  • Around 31 SQL databases associated with several e-commerce sites were offered for sale on a public website. Hackers demanded a ransom of $525 in Bitcoin from victims to prevent their databases from being made publicly available. These databases contained 1.6 million rows of user information.

  • Thailand’s largest cell network, AIS, spilled billions of real-time internet records that included DNS queries and NetFlow data due to an unprotected database. It took the database offline as soon as it became aware.

  • The operators of NetWalker ransomware attacked Michigan State University and demanded a ransom in exchange for the decryption keys. They published five images associated with the documents stolen from the university to support their claim.

  • Tellus app leaked nearly 17,000 user records due to a misconfigured Amazon S3 bucket. The leaky bucket also contained chat logs of landlords, building managers, investors, and Tellus support staff.

  • The week also witnessed ransomware attacks on Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization in Halifax and North Babylon School District. The attackers disrupted many computers, thereby leaving less chance to recover the encrypted files.

  • Arbonne International revealed that it suffered a data breach last month. This affected the personal information of thousands of Californians.

  • Cybercrooks sold a database comprising records of 47.5 million TrueCaller users. The compromised data dates back to 2019.

  • Online education site EduCBA asked its users to reset passwords following a data breach. The company notified its customers about their data being accessed by an unauthorized third party.

  • Maze ransomware operators published credit card details of Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) after a failed ransom demand. The hackers had exfiltrated the data in August 2019.

New Threats

Among the new threats discovered this week, security researchers discovered a new RangeAmp attack that could bring down websites and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). A new variant of StrandHogg, found in smartphones running versions prior to Android 9.0, could let hackers steal data from installed apps.

  • Threat actors targeted industrial suppliers in Japan, Italy, Germany, and the UK to steal credentials. The campaign leveraged phishing emails written in different languages.

  • Two high severity vulnerabilities found in the PageLayer plugin could let attackers wipe out the content and take control of WordPress sites. The plugin is installed on at least 120,000 sites.

  • Trickbot trojan updated one of its propagation modules known as ‘mworm’ to a new module called ‘nworm’. With this new addition, the trojan can move across a network without being detected.

  • RagnarLocker ransomware’s anti-analysis capability was enhanced using an Oracle VirtualBox. It allowed the ransomware to evade detection during the infection process.

  • Two new ransomware - PonyFinal and [F]Unicorn - were also discovered by researchers this week. While [F]Unicorn spreads via a fake COVID-19 contact-tracing app, the PonyFinal ransomware propagates through brute-force attacks.

  • Academics used an advanced fuzzing tool, USBFuzz, to discover 26 new vulnerabilities in the USB driver stack employed by operating systems such as Linux, macOS, Windows, and FreeBSD. Of these, 18 are ‘high-severity’ flaws.

  • Privacy flaws in internet-connected doorbells and security cameras can let attackers eavesdrop on a user’s private video recordings. The flaws affect products manufactured by Ring, Nest, SimpliSafe, D-Link, TP-Link, and Blink.

  • A new form of DoS attack called RangeAmp can bring down websites and CDNs by amplifying web traffic. So far, there are two variants of the attack - RangeAmp Small Byte Range (SBR) and RangeAmp Overlapping Byte Ranges (OBR).

  • A fake Valorant app, promoted via YouTube videos, was used by cybercrooks to push an Android.FakeApp.176 trojan on to a victim’s phone.

  • The capabilities of Grandoreiro trojan and Valak malware were enhanced to target Portuguese users and Microsoft Exchange servers respectively. While the former was used to steal banking credentials, the later stole targeted enterprises’ credentials.

  • The Ke3chang hacker group developed a new malware, dubbed Ketrum, by recycling two old malware - Ketrican and Okrum. The newly discovered malware strain includes screenshot grabbing and backdoor capabilities.

  • StrandHogg 2.0 vulnerability affects all smartphones running earlier versions of Android 9.0. The flaw could be abused to invade data from all apps installed on a user’s phone.

  • The National Security Agency (NSA) raised an alarm about the Sandworm hacker group exploiting a known vulnerability in Exim email servers. It revealed that the group was abusing the flaw since August 2019.

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.