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Threat Landscape
Chinese Hacker cyber espionage malware RAT Threat Landscape

Chinese Threat Actors Leveraging 'Noodle RAT' Backdoor

 

A backdoor in Executable and Linkable Format (ELF) files used by Chinese hackers has been misidentified as a version of existing malware for years, Trend Micro claimed in a recent analysis. 

In Noodle RAT: Reviewing the New Backdoor utilised by Chinese-Speaking Groups, a blog post based on a Botconf 2024 presentation, Trend Micro Research revealed Noodle RAT, a remote access Trojan employed by Chinese-speaking groups involved in espionage or criminal activity.

Noodle RAT, aka ANGRYREBEL or Nood RAT, has been active since at least 2018. However, it was always regarded as a variant of an existing malware strain, such as Gh0st RAT or Rekoobe.

“For instance, NCC Group released a report on a variant of Gh0st RAT used by Iron Tiger in 2018. Talos released a report on an ELF backdoor used by Rocke (aka Iron Cybercrime Group) in 2018. Sophos released a report on a Linux version of the Gh0st RAT variant used in the Cloud Snooper Campaign in 2018. Positive Technology Security released a report on Calypso RAT used by Calypso APT in 2019,” noted Trend Micro. 

The cybersecurity provider's threat intelligence team revealed that the ELF backdoor mentioned in these reports was actually a new malware strain known as Noodle RAT. 

Noodle RAT: New Malware Strain

Since 2020, the researchers claim to have discovered espionage campaigns employing Noodle RAT that targeted Thailand, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan. 

The Windows version of Noodle RAT contains several links to Gh0st RAT, a malware strain developed by the C. Rufus Security Team in China and exposed in 2008. For example, Win.NOODLERAT and Gh0st RAT share plugins, and the former employs a slightly similar packet encryption method to that employed by various Gh0st RAT variants, including Gh0stCringe, HiddenGh0st, and Gh0stTimes. 

However, the rest of Win.NOODLERAT and Gh0st RAT's code does not appear to be comparable, prompting Trend Micro to infer that the plugins were simply reused, despite the fact that the backdoor is completely different. 

Additionally, some Linux.NOODLERAT's code is identical to Rekoobe v2018, a backdoor built on Tiny SHell (or tsh) whose source code is freely available on GitHub. Specifically, both use the same reverse shell and process name spoofing techniques. 

“Still, since the rest of the code of Linux.NOODLERAT is totally different from any version of Rekoobe or Tiny SHell, we can conclude that Linux.NOODLERAT should be classified as another malware family,” Trend Micro concluded.
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Vulnerability management
China Cyber Security Cyber Threats Cybersecurity Dutch intelligence espionage FortiGate devices Malware Detection RAT Threat actors Vulnerability management

China Caught Deploying Remote Access Trojan Tailored for FortiGate Devices

 

The Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) of the Netherlands has issued a warning regarding the discovery of a new strain of malware believed to be orchestrated by the Chinese government. Named "Coathanger," this persistent and highly elusive malware has been identified as part of a broader political espionage agenda, targeting vulnerabilities in FortiGate devices.

In a recent advisory, MIVD disclosed that Coathanger was employed in espionage activities aimed at the Dutch Ministry of Defense (MOD) in 2023. Investigations into the breach revealed that the malware exploited a known flaw in FortiGate devices, specifically CVE-2022-42475.
Coathanger operates as a second-stage malware and does not exploit any novel vulnerabilities. 
Unlike some malware that relies on new, undisclosed vulnerabilities (zero-day exploits), Coathanger operates as a second-stage malware and does not exploit any novel vulnerabilities. However, the advisory emphasizes that it could potentially be used in conjunction with future vulnerabilities in FortiGate devices.

Described as stealthy and resilient, Coathanger evades detection by concealing itself through sophisticated methods, such as hooking system calls to evade detection. It possesses the capability to survive system reboots and firmware upgrades, making it particularly challenging to eradicate.

According to Dutch authorities, Coathanger is just one component of a larger-scale cyber espionage campaign orchestrated by Chinese state-sponsored threat actors. These actors target various internet-facing edge devices, including firewalls, VPN servers, and email servers.

The advisory issued by Dutch intelligence underscores the aggressive scanning tactics employed by Chinese threat actors, who actively seek out both disclosed and undisclosed vulnerabilities in edge devices. It warns of their rapid exploitation of vulnerabilities, sometimes within the same day they are made public.

Given the popularity of Fortinet devices as cyberattack targets, businesses are urged to prioritize patch management. Recent reports from Fortinet highlighted the discovery of two critical vulnerabilities in its FortiSIEM solution, emphasizing the importance of prompt patching.

To mitigate the risk posed by Coathanger and similar threats, intelligence analysts recommend conducting regular risk assessments on edge devices, restricting internet access on these devices, implementing scheduled logging analysis, and replacing any hardware that is no longer supported.
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Trojan
Bandook Malware cryptocurrency Cyber Attacks CyberCrime Cybersecurity RAT Trojan

Unveiling 'Bandook': A Threat that Adapts and Persists

 


The Bandook malware family, which was thought to be extinct, is back and may be part of a larger operation intended to sell offensive hacking tools to governments and cybercriminal groups to attack them. Several recent research papers have been released by Check Point Research, which indicate that Bandook is regaining popularity across a wide range of targeted sectors and locations despite being a 13-year-old bank, Trojan. 

It has been observed that dozens of variants of the malware have been used in attacks in the United States, Singapore, Cyprus, Chile, Italy, Turkey, Switzerland, Indonesia and Germany over the past year in attacks against organizations. Government, finance, energy, food, healthcare, education, IT, and legal are some of the sectors targeted by the software. 

In 2007, Bandook malware was discovered as a remote access trojan (RAT) that has been active for several years. It has been reported that Bandook malware has evolved into a new variant that injects its payload into msinfo32.exe to distribute the malware and allow remote attackers to take control of the system if it is infected. As a result, this remote access trojan poses a significant threat to users privacy, as it is capable of performing various tasks allowing cybercriminals to gather various types of personal data. 

Therefore, my recommendation would be to avoid installing it if people are gaming their system and its usage can lead to several problems. Originally developed as a commercial RAT written in both Delphi and C++, Bandook RAT eventually evolved into several variants over the years, and this malware became available for download from the internet. Formerly a commercial RAT, Bandook was originally developed by a Lebanese named Prince Ali as a commercial RAT. 

It is common for remote access trojans to be used to remotely manage infected computers, without the consent of the users. In addition to keylogging, audio capture (microphone) and video capture (webcam), screenshot capture and uploading to a remote server, and running various command shell programs, this malware is capable of performing a variety of malicious activities. 

Cybercriminals could take advantage of this situation to gain access to personal accounts (for example, social networks, emails, banks, etc.). To gain as much revenue as possible, these people will use hijacked accounts for various purposes such as online purchases, money transfers, asking the victim's friends to lend them money, etc. Consequently, they are likely to make misuse of hijacked accounts. 

Moreover, thieves can use hijacked accounts to spread malware, sending malicious files and links to all contacts in the account. They can also utilize Bandook to launch several Windows shell commands, which could result in a significant loss of savings and debt. A Trojan horse is often used to spread infections, such as ransomware and crypto miners since they can modify system settings as well as download (inject) additional malware. 

Trojan horses are also often used to spread viruses and malware. There is a risk that this infection will result in significant financial loss, serious privacy issues (such as identity theft), as well as additional infections of the computer system. The last time Bandook was spotted was in 2015 as part of the "Operation Manul" campaign, while the last time it was spotted was in 2017-2018 as part of the "Dark Caracal" campaign. 

During the last few years, the malware had all but disappeared from the threat landscape, but it appears it has begun to resurface again. An infected computer will receive a malware chain consisting of three stages. The first stage is to download two files into the local user folder using a lure document, which contains malicious VBA macro code encoded with an encryption algorithm. 

First, there is a PowerShell script file that gets dropped into the user's folder, and the second file is a JPG file which contains a base64 encoded PowerShell script that is saved in the JPG file. Its second stage will be the decoding and executing of the base64 encoded PowerShell scripts stored in the JPG file, which will render a zip file containing four files from cloud services, then download the zip file containing the files in the zip file. 

Among the four files, three of them are PNG files with hidden RC4 functions encapsulated in the RGB values of the pixels that belong to the RGB file. As a result of the existence of these files, an executable that acts as a Bandook loader will be constructed. 

After the creation of the Internet Explorer process, the bandook loader will inject the malicious payload into the process and then proceed to the final stage of the process. It is the payload that makes contact with the command and control server, and it waits for the server to give additional commands.
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Windows
Bugs Credentials cyber threat malware RAT Windows

QWIXXRAT: A Fresh Windows RAT Emerges in the Threat Landscape

 

In early August 2023, the Uptycs Threat Research team uncovered the presence of a newly identified threat, the QwixxRAT, also referred to as the Telegram RAT. This malicious software was being promoted and distributed via platforms such as Telegram and Discord.

The QwixxRAT operates as a remote access trojan, capable of surreptitiously gathering sensitive information from targeted systems.

This ill-gotten data is then surreptitiously transmitted to the attacker's Telegram bot, granting them unauthorized access to the compromised user's confidential details. The process is facilitated by the threat actors who can manipulate and oversee the RAT's activities through the same Telegram bot.

“Once installed on the victim’s Windows platform machines, the RAT stealthily collects sensitive data, which is then sent to the attacker’s Telegram bot, providing them with unauthorized access to the victim’s sensitive information.”reads a new report published by security firm Uptycs.

“To avoid detection by antivirus software, the RAT employs command and control functionality through a Telegram bot. This allows the attacker to remotely control the RAT and manage its operations.” 

Experts have identified the QwixxRAT as a meticulously engineered threat, specifically crafted to extract a wide spectrum of sensitive data. Its repertoire includes the theft of browser histories, credit card particulars, screenshots, keystrokes, FTP credentials, messenger conversations, and data linked to the Steam platform.

Uptycs, the cybersecurity company behind the discovery, underscored that the QwixxRAT is available for purchase on the criminal market. Interested parties can acquire a weekly subscription for 150 rubles or opt for a lifetime subscription priced at 500 rubles. Additionally, a limited free version has been noted by the researchers.

Technically, the QwixxRAT is coded in C# and takes the form of a compiled binary, functioning as a 32-bit executable tailored for CPU operations. With a total of 19 distinct functions, the malware exhibits a diverse set of capabilities.

In order to evade scrutiny, the malware incorporates various anti-analysis features and evasion tactics. Notably, the RAT employs a sleep function to introduce delays, serving as a mechanism to detect potential debugging activities. Furthermore, the malicious code performs checks to ascertain if it is running within a sandbox or virtual environment.

The QwixxRAT establishes persistence by creating a scheduled task tied to a concealed file located at "C:\Users\Chrome\rat.exe". Additionally, the malware possesses a self-destruct mechanism that can be triggered for the C# program's termination.

A unique characteristic of the QwixxRAT is its incorporation of a clipper code, enabling the capture of data copied to the clipboard. This technique is adeptly employed to extract cryptocurrency wallet information pertaining to Monero, Ethereum, and Bitcoin.

The researchers have taken a proactive step by publishing a YARA detection rule tailored to identify this particular threat.
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virus
communication Cyber Attacks DNS Informationblox malware RAT Trojan virus

DNS Malware Toolkit Discovered by Infoblox and Urged to be Blocked

 


This week, Infoblox Inc. announced the release of its threat report blog on a remote access Trojan (RAT) toolkit with DNS command and control, which is being used for remote access and data theft. Infoblox provides a cloud-enabled networking and security platform capable of improving performance and protection. 

In the U.S., Europe, South America, and Asia, an anomalous DNS signature had been observed in enterprise networks that were created through the use of the toolkit. Across a wide range of sectors such as technology, healthcare, energy, financial services, and others, these trends were seen. The communications with the Russian controller can be traced to some of these communications. 

A malware program is a software application that infiltrates your computer with the intent of committing malicious acts. Viruses, worms, ransomware, spyware, Trojan horses, Trojan horses, spyware, and keylogging programs, all of which can be classified as malware. There are alarming challenges network and security professionals face daily in the face of malware that is becoming more sophisticated and capable of circumventing traditional defenses. 

By leveraging DNS infrastructure and threat intelligence, Infoblox's Malware Containment and Control solution can help organizations reduce malware risk by employing the most effective mitigation methods. Additionally, it enables leading security technologies to use contextual threat data, indicators of compromise, and other context-sensitive information to automate and accelerate the threat response process. 

Informationblox's Threat Intelligence Group discovered a new toolkit known as "Decoy Dog" that was branded as an attack toolkit. To disrupt this activity, the company collaborates with other security vendors, customers, and government agencies to work together. 

Furthermore, it identifies the attack vector and even secures networks across the globe. A crucial insight is that DNS anomalies that are measured over time proved to be important in detecting and analyzing the RAT, but also enabling the C2 communications to be tracked together despite appearing to be independent on the surface. 

Analyzing threats, identifying them, and mitigating them: 

During the first and second quarters of 2023, Infoblox discovered activity in multiple enterprise networks caused by the remote access Trojan (RAT) Puppy being active in multiple enterprise networks. C2 communication has not been found since April 2022, indicating that this was a one-way communication. 

An indicator of the presence of a RAT can be uncovered by investigating its DNS footprint. It does, however, show some strong outlier behavior when analyzed using a global cloud-based DNS protection system such as Infoblox's BloxOne® Threat Defense, when compared to traditional DNS protection systems. The integration of heterogeneous domains within Infoblox was also made possible by this technology. 

Communication between two C2 systems takes place over DNS and is supported by an open-source RAT known as Puppy. The project is an open-source project but it has always been associated with actors that are acting on behalf of nations despite its open nature. 

The risks associated with a vulnerable DNS can be mitigated by organizations with a protective DNS. There is no need to worry about these suspicious domains because BloxOne Threat Defense protects customers against them. 

In the detection of the RAT, anomalous DNS traffic has been detected on limited networks and devices on the network, like firewalls, but not on devices used by users, like laptops and mobile devices. 

Malware uses DNS to connect to its command and control (C&C) servers to communicate with them. As a result of its ability to contain and control malware, DNS is ideally suited for the task. Infoblox, for example, should focus on DNS as the point of attack from where malware can be injected to contain and control malware. 

It is imperative to highlight that malware prevention solutions are becoming more and more adept at sharing threat data with the broader security ecosystem. This is thanks to APIs, Syslog, and SNMP communication protocols.
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Trojan
cryptomining malware Linux malware RAT Remote Access Trojan Trend Micro Trojan

This Linux-Targeting Malware is Becoming Even More Potent


A trojan software has been added to the capabilities of a cryptomining malware campaign that targets Linux-based devices and cloud computing instances, potentially making attacks more severe. 

This cryptomining campaign, as described by cybersecurity experts at Trend Micro, uses Linux computers' processing power, in order to sneakily compromise Linux servers and mine for Monero. 

Cryptomining attacks are frequently distributed by utilizing common cybersecurity flaws or by being concealed inside cracked software downloads. 

One compromised system is unlikely to generate much profit from cryptomining malware, but attackers infect a vast network of compromised servers and computers to produce as much cryptocurrency as possible, with the related energy bill being unknowingly carried by the victim. 

Because the affected user is unlikely to notice the decrease in system performance unless the machine is pushed to its limit, the attacks usually go unnoticed. Large networks of infected systems can thus generate a consistent income for threat actors, which is why this method has become a prevalent form of malware. 

Remote Access Trojan (RAT) 

Cryptojacking campaign comprises a remote access trojan (RAT) in its attacks – the reason why it stands out from other cyberthreat campaigns. Chaos RAT, a trojan malware is free and open source, and allows threat actors to take charge of any operating system. 

The RAT is downloaded with XMRig miner, which is utilized by threat actors in order to mine cryptocurrency, comprising of a shell script which is used to eliminate competing miners that could have previously been set up on the system. 

Chaos RAT has a variety of potent functions, like the ability to download, upload and delete files, take screenshots, access file explorer, as well as open URLs. 

In a blog post, written by Trend Micro researchers David Fisher and Oliveira, stated, “On the surface, the incorporation of a RAT into the infection routine of a cryptocurrency mining malware might seem relatively minor […] However, given the tool's array of functions and the fact that this evolution shows that cloud-based threat actors are still evolving their campaigns, it is important that both organizations and individuals stay extra vigilant when it comes to security.” 

In order to secure networks and cloud services against cryptomining malware and numerous other cyberattacks, organizations are advised to employ generic best cybersecurity measures, such as timely patching and updating of software and applications, in order to mitigate the risks of vulnerability being exploited in the outdated versions.  

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Remote Access Trojan
Malicious Software malware Phishing mail RAT Remote Access Trojan

Hackers Using Malicious Versions of Popular Software Brands to Propagate RomCom RAT

 

The RomCom RAT (remote access trojan) hacker has launched a new campaign impersonating the official websites of popular software brands SolarWinds, KeePass, and PDF Technologies to propagate malware. 

Researchers from BlackBerry uncovered the malicious campaign while analyzing network artifacts linked with RomComRAT infections resulting from attacks targeting Ukrainian military institutions and some English-speaking nations including the United Kingdom. 

According to Mike Parkin, senior technical engineer at Vulcan Cyber, given the targets and the nature of the attack, there's more than just a cybercriminal motivation in play. It's quite likely there’s state-level planning behind the scenes. 

"At its core, though, this is an attack against human targets,” Parkin said. “They are primarily relying on victims being socially engineered through email to go to a malicious site disguised as a legitimate one. That makes the users the first line of defense, as well as the primary attack surface.” 

The RomCom hacker installed clone websites on malicious domains similar to the legitimate ones that they registered. Subsequently, the threat actor trojanized a legitimate application and propagated via the decoy website, deploying targeted phishing emails to the victims. In some cases, the attackers used additional infector vectors. 

The malicious campaign seems like a direct copycat of some attacks we examined during the pandemic where we witnessed a number of vendor products and support tools being impersonated or "wrapped" with malware, stated Andrew Barratt, vice president at Coalfire. 

“The wrapping means that the underlying legitimate tool is still deployed, but as part of that deployment some malware is dropped into the target environment,” Barratt explained. “Major APTs like FIN7 have used these tactics in the past. Leveraging well-known brands that they have probably identified are in use gives an intruder a high possibility of a positive response by a user they mislead.” 

Earlier this year in August, Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 linked the RomCom RAT with an affiliate of the Cuba Ransomware named 'Tropical Scorpius,' as this was the first actor to employ the malware with features like ICMP-based communications, commands for file manipulation, process hatching and spoofing, data exfiltration, and activating a reverse shell.

However, the BlackBerry researchers said that there was no evidence for that assumption, and its report mentions Cuba Ransomware and Industrial Spy as possibly related to RomCom RAT. Hence, it remains unclear who is behind RomCom RAT or what are the motives behind the attacks.
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Zoho
fake domain Gmail Malicious Emails malware Ransom RAT Scam Zoho

Luna Moth: Hackers After the Subscription Scam 

Luna Moth is a brand-new data extortion group that has been breaking into businesses to spoof users' data. If the victims don't pay a ransom to prevent the information from being made public, hackers threaten to make the records publicly accessible. 

The hacker group adopted the alias Luna Moth and has been engaged in phishing efforts since at least March in which remote access tools (RAT) were distributed, enabling corporate data theft.

How does the scam work?

The Luna Moth ransomware gang has been analyzed by the incident response team at cybersecurity firm Sygnia, it was noted that the actor is attempting to establish a reputation under the name Silent Ransom Group (SRG).

In a report published, Sygnia claims that although the goal of Luna Moth, also known as TG2729, is to acquire key data, its method of operation is similar to that of a scammer.

The organization has been posing as Zoho MasterClass Inc. and Duolingo over the last three months, operating a widespread phishing scam.  The malicious emails are sent from Gmail accounts that were altered to look like official company email accounts, claiming to be from the Zoho Corporation or Duolingo.

Domains used

In April 2022, the first verified campaign-related domain was registered. Hostwinds, a service provider, hosts both the exfiltration and phishing domains, which are both listed under Namecheap.

The two primary sets of domains and IPs that make up Luna Moth infrastructure  can be tied to subscription fraud:

  • Domains with the XYZ TLD, such as maaays[.]xyz, are exfiltration domains. The organization uses these domains as the endpoint for the exfiltrated data when using the Rclone obfuscation method.
  • Phishing sites like masterzohoclass[.]com that pretend to be associated with Duolingo or Zoho. The majority of these domains only last for four hours or less.

Standard tools

Atera, Splashtop, Syncro, and AnyDesk are just a couple of good remote administration tools (RATs) that the hackers mainly employ to control compromised devices. These tools also give the hackers some flexibility and persistence: even if one of the RATs is taken out of the system, the others can still reinstall it. Furthermore, off-the-shelf tools like SharpShares, and SoftPerfect Network Scanner,  are being utilized by the group.

The tools are saved on spyware with fake names that make them appear to be legitimate These technologies enable threat actors to conduct basic reconnaissance tasks, acquire access to additional resources, and steal data from compromised networks in addition to RATs.



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