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.

Nov 15, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - November 11–15

As cyber threats to critical infrastructure surge, the TSA has proposed formal rules for pipeline and railroad operators, while the World Economic Forum introduced a new framework to enhance public-private collaboration against cybercrime. These efforts highlight the urgency of uniting resources and governance to fortify cybersecurity resilience on all fronts. This week, several emerging threats highlighted the diversity of attack tactics. The new Glove Stealer exploits browser encryption to pilfer cookies and crypto wallets, whereas the Lazarus group’s RustyAttr trojan targets macOS users using the Tauri framework. A Chinese threat actor, SilkSpecter, was found scamming online shoppers via 4,695 fake domains, impersonating popular brands to steal credit card details during Black Friday hunts. This week, several emerging threats highlighted the diversity of attack tactics. The new Glove Stealer exploits browser encryption to pilfer cookies and crypto wallets, whereas the Lazarus group’s RustyAttr trojan targets macOS users using the Tauri framework. A Chinese threat actor, SilkSpecter, was found scamming online shoppers via 4,695 fake domains, impersonating popular brands to steal credit card details during Black Friday hunts.

Sep 20, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - September 16–20

The Good German law enforcement has dealt a double blow to cybercriminals, first by dismantling infrastructure used by the Vanir Locker ransomware group. In a separate operation, they took down 47 cryptocurrency exchanges used for illegal money

Sep 13, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - September 09–13

The Good The U.K government has elevated data centers to a new level of importance, officially designating them as critical national infrastructure - ensuring these digital fortresses get the protection and support they need during crises. Choo

Sep 6, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - September 02–06

The Good As cyber threats loom larger than ever, the White House released a comprehensive roadmap to secure the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), a key component of internet routing. The initiative focuses on implementing Resource Public Key Infra

Aug 30, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - August 26–30

The Good In response to the rising tide of cyber threats, organizations and governments are stepping up their efforts to protect critical infrastructure and personal data. NASA's Katherine Johnson IV&V Facility expanded its mission to include c

Aug 23, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - August 19–23

The Good With global cyber threats on the rise, over a dozen cyber authorities have endorsed new guidance to set baseline standards for logging and threat detection. This guidance aims to enhance cybersecurity monitoring, helping to prevent inc

Aug 16, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - August 12–16

The Good In a landmark move, the UN has unanimously passed its first-ever cybercrime treaty, laying the groundwork for a unified global response to cyber threats. This historic treaty, now headed to the General Assembly for final approval, empo

Aug 9, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence - August 05–09

The Good In a significant international crackdown, authorities from the U.S. and Germany have seized the domain of the online cryptocurrency wallet service, Cryptonator, after it was found to be facilitating illicit activities and failing to im

Aug 5, 2024

Cyware Weekly Threat Intelligence, July 29 - August 02, 2024

The Good In recent cybersecurity developments, significant strides have been made in combating cyber threats and enhancing defenses. The UK’s NCA has successfully dismantled Russian Coms, a major caller ID spoofing platform used by scammers to make

Weekly Threat Briefing