In traditional malware distribution attacks, hackers used malicious downloads, compromised websites, and phishing emails. But the new attack method uses auto-replies, experts from F.A.C.C.T explained that the new technique was employed in delivering the Xmrig crypto-miner to workers at Russian tech companies, insurance firms, financial businesses, and retail marketplaces. Experts found 150 emails that contained Xmrig earlier this year.
Dmitry Eremenko, senior analyst at F.A.C.C.T said “This method of malware delivery is dangerous because the potential victim initiates communication first. This is the main difference from traditional mass mailings, where the recipient often receives an irrelevant email and ignores it.”
Despite not looking convincing, E-mails sent through auto-replies didn't raise suspicions. To avoid detection, the hackers used a scan of a real invoice for equipment payment, different than subject mail. It means the companies as well as users who are in contact with the breached mail can become targets.
Xmrig is an open-source cryptocurrency mining software mainly used for mining Monero (XMR). Cybercriminals have been using new techniques to deliver Xmrig to target devices. For instance, in one campaign, the hackers used a pirated version of Final Cut Pro (a video editing software) to deploy the crypto-miner on Apple computers.
F.A.C.C.T doesn't have any information regarding the main culprit behind the attack and their success. Experts do believe that the breached email accounts had a history of their credentials leaked on darknet, including their data. Breached accounts include construction companies, a furniture factory, a farm, and small trading firms.
To stay safe, the report suggests “do not save passwords in browsers, install unlicensed software, because it may contain stealers, do not follow dubious links in the mail and do not enter your data on dubious sites (phishing)
RansomHub is a relatively new player in the ransomware scene, but it has quickly made a name for itself with its advanced techniques and targeted attacks. Unlike traditional ransomware groups that rely on brute force methods or simple phishing campaigns, RansomHub employs a more nuanced strategy. By using legitimate software tools in unexpected ways, they can evade detection and maximize the impact of their attacks.
Kaspersky’s TDSSKiller is a well-known tool in the cybersecurity community, designed to detect and remove rootkits from infected systems. Rootkits are a type of malware that can hide the presence of other malicious software, making them particularly dangerous. TDSSKiller is widely trusted and used by security professionals to clean compromised systems.
However, RansomHub has found a way to exploit this tool for malicious purposes. By incorporating TDSSKiller into their attack chain, they can disable EDR software that would otherwise detect and block their ransomware. This tactic is particularly insidious because it uses a trusted tool to carry out malicious actions, making it harder for security teams to identify and respond to the threat.
RansomHub’s attack chain typically begins with a phishing email or a compromised website that delivers the initial payload. Once the ransomware is on the target system, it uses a variety of techniques to escalate privileges and gain control over the machine. This is where TDSSKiller comes into play.
By running TDSSKiller, the ransomware can disable EDR software and other security measures that would normally detect and block the attack. With these defenses out of the way, RansomHub can then proceed to encrypt the victim’s files and demand a ransom for their release. In some cases, they also use a credential-harvesting tool called LaZagne to extract sensitive information, further increasing the pressure on the victim to pay the ransom.
The use of legitimate tools like TDSSKiller in ransomware attacks highlights a significant challenge for the cybersecurity community. Traditional security measures are often designed to detect and block known malware and suspicious behavior. However, when attackers use trusted tools unexpectedly, these measures can be less effective.
This tactic also underscores the importance of a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity. Relying solely on EDR software or other endpoint protection measures is no longer sufficient. Organizations must implement a comprehensive security strategy that includes network monitoring, threat intelligence, and user education to detect and respond to these advanced threats.
The top trend concerning the report is the rise in campaigns that involve Chrome extensions. The extensions, often masked as genuine tools, are made to hack into users' browsers and do various activities. After installing, threat actors can hack login credentials, take screenshots, and deploy malicious scripts into web pages. The report stresses that these extensions are specifically dangerous as they can evade traditional security checks and stay hidden for longer periods.
The report also sheds light on the notorious activities of the cybercriminal group known as CyberCartel. The group has been associated with various high-profile attacks on financial organizations and government officials in LATAM. CyberCartel works via the Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) model, offering other threat actors the tools and infrastructure needed to launch sophisticated attacks. This has allowed amateur cybercriminals to give access and contribute to the frequency and severity of attacks.
CyberCartel's main targets are high-profile entities like government offices and financial institutions. These forms are lucrative targets because of the sensitive info they manage and the possible financial gain for threat actors. The report mentions various incidents where CyberCartel successfully hacked these organizations, causing reputational and financial damage. The group's potential to adjust and develop its techniques makes it a dangerous adversary for cybersecurity experts.
One sophisticated technique is using social engineering to fool users into installing malicious software. Cybercriminals make believable phishing emails and fake websites that impersonate genuine institutions. Hackers access their accounts and launch fraudulent transactions once users are tricked into giving their credentials.
Another sophisticated technique is using polymorphic malware, infamous for changing its code to escape detection by antivirus software. This kind of malware is difficult to address as it requires consistent updates to security systems to keep up with changing threat scenarios.
The campaigns involve exploiting cloud storage platforms such as Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Backblaze B2, and IBM Cloud Object Storage. Unnamed threat actors are behind these campaigns. Their primary goal is to redirect users to malicious websites using SMS messages.
Bypassing Network Firewalls: First, they want to ensure that scam text messages reach mobile handsets without being detected by network firewalls. Second, they attempt to persuade end users that the communications or links they receive are legitimate.
Building Trust: They aim to convince end users that the messages or links they receive are trustworthy. By using cloud storage systems to host static websites with embedded spam URLs, attackers can make their messages appear authentic while avoiding typical security safeguards.
Cloud storage services enable enterprises to store and manage files and host static websites by storing website components in storage buckets. Cybercriminals have used this capacity to inject spam URLs into static websites hosted on these platforms.
They send URLs referring to these cloud storage sites by SMS, which frequently avoids firewall limitations due to the apparent authenticity of well-known cloud domains. Users who click on these links are unknowingly sent to dangerous websites.
For example, attackers utilized the Google Cloud Storage domain "storage.googleapis.com" to generate URLs that lead to spam sites. The static webpage housed in a Google Cloud bucket uses HTML meta-refresh techniques to route readers to fraud sites right away. This strategy enables fraudsters to lead customers to fraudulent websites that frequently replicate real offerings, such as gift card promotions, to obtain personal and financial information.
Enea has also detected similar approaches with other cloud storage platforms like Amazon Web (AWS) and IBM Cloud, in which URLs in SMS messages redirect to static websites hosting spam.
To protect against such risks, Enea advised monitoring traffic activity, checking URLs, and being cautious of unexpected communications including links.