25-April-2023
Welcome to the weekly threat detection update report from Stamus Networks. Each week, you will receive this email with a summary of the updates.
Current Stamus Threat Intelligence (STI) release version: 727
This week, in addition to daily ruleset and IOC updates, we provided Stamus Security Platform customers with the following improved defense(s):
Note: a "method" as referenced below, is a discrete detection vector for a given threat.
The following detections were added to your Stamus Security Platform this past week:
MyMacro (by vrbrothers.com) is an adware program that displays pop-up ads and unwanted advertisements on web pages that you visit. These MyMacro advertisements will be shown as boxes containing coupons, as underlined keywords (in-text ads), pop-up ads or advertising banners.Malwaretips
VrBrothers - Microsoft |
Loaders, for the most part, have one job: grab malicious executables or payloads from an attacker-controlled server. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t more happening under the hood of some, such as a user-friendly UI, self-healing capabilities, or the equivalent of a retail shop where a botmaster can sell his bots to potential clients.
Loaders are essentially basic remote access Trojans that give an attacker the ability to remotely interact with and control a compromised computer, or bot. While traditionally lightweight (smaller than 50 KB in size) in order to bypass detection by antivirus and other security monitoring technology, loaders evolve, and their viability to cybercriminals remains.
Filez - Bleepingcomputer |
JobCrypter is ransomware designed to encrypt various files stored on the system. It targets PC users from France, adding a .locked or .css extension to each encrypted file (therefore, it is easy to recognize which files are compromised). A .txt file is then created containing all information about the encryption. It is stated that users must pay a ransom, otherwise the files will remain encrypted forever. pcrisk
JobCrypter - Malpedia |
Trustwave SpiderLabs uncovered a new strain of malware that it dubbed Rilide, which targets Chromium-based browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Opera.
Rilide malware is disguised as a legitimate Google Drive extension and enables threat actors to carry out a broad spectrum of malicious activities, including monitoring browsing history, taking screenshots, and injecting malicious scripts to withdraw funds from various cryptocurrency exchanges.Trustwave SpiderLabs
Ekipa is the name of a Remote Administration Trojan (RAT) sold on a hacker forum for $4500. Threat actors use RATs to perform remote malicious activities on infected computers. Ekipa RAT can gather system information, manage files, and perform other tasks. It should be removed from the infected computers immediately. Pcrisk
Ekipa RAT - MalwareBazaar |
An estimated one million WordPress websites have been compromised during a long-lasting campaign that exploits "all known and recently discovered theme and plugin vulnerabilities" to inject a Linux backdoor that researchers named Balad Injector.
The campaign has been running since 2017 and aims mostly to redirect to fake tech support pages, fraudulent lottery wins, and push notification scams. Bleepingcomputer
The following detections were updated this past week with changes to kill chain phase(s) or MITRE ATT&CK tactic(s)/technique(s):
VICEROY TIGER is an adversary with a nexus to India that has historically targeted entities throughout multiple sectors. Older activity targeted multiple sectors and countries; however, since 2015 this adversary appears to focus on entities in Pakistan with a particular focus on government and security organizations. This adversary consistently leverages spear phishing emails containing malicious Microsoft Office documents, malware designed to target the Android mobile platform, and phishing activity designed to harvest user credentials. In March 2017, the 360 Chasing Team found a sample of targeted attacks that confirmed the previously unknown sample of APT's attack actions, which the organization can now trace back at least in April 2016. The chasing team named the attack organization APT-C-35. In June 2017, the 360 Threat Intelligence Center discovered the organization’s new attack activity, confirmed and exposed the gang’s targeted attacks against Pakistan, and analyzed in detail. The unique EHDevel malicious code framework used by the organization. Malpedia
Agent Tesla is a spyware Trojan written for the .NET framework that has been observed since at least 2014. MITRE
Harly is a piece of malicious software targeting Android operating systems. It is a type of toll fraud malware designed to stealthily subscribe victims to various premium-rate services. Harly is proliferated under the guise of various useful and innocuous-looking applications. Pcrisk
Malware of this family uses advertising as its main monetization method. The malware uses different methods to display as many ads as possible to the user, including by installing new adware.
These Trojans can get root privileges in order to hide in the system folder, which makes the Trojans very difficult to remove. Kaspersky
AutoIt backdoor is malware that has been used by the actors responsible for the MONSOON campaign. The actors frequently used it in weaponized .pps files exploiting CVE-2014-6352. [1] This malware makes use of the legitimate scripting language for Windows GUI automation with the same name. MITRE
Backdoors are designed to give malicious users remote control over an infected computer. In terms of functionality, Backdoors are similar to many administration systems designed and distributed by software developers.
These types of malicious programs make it possible to do anything the author wants on the infected computer: send and receive files, launch files or delete them, display messages, delete data, reboot the computer, etc.
The programs in this category are often used in order to unite a group of victim computers and form a botnet or zombie network. This gives malicious users centralized control over an army of infected computers which can then be used for criminal purposes.
There is also a group of Backdoors which are capable of spreading via networks and infecting other computers as Net-Worms do. The difference is that such Backdoors do not spread automatically (as Net-Worms do), but only upon a special “command” from the malicious user that controls them. Kaspersky
The term info stealer is self-explanatory. This type of malware resides in an infected computer and gathers data in order to send it to the attacker. Typical targets are credentials used in online banking services, social media sites, emails, or FTP accounts.
Info stealers may use many methods of data acquisition. The most common are:
hooking browsers (and sometimes other applications) and stealing credentials that are typed by the user using web injection scripts that are adding extra fields to web forms and submitting information from them to a server owned by the attacker form grabbing (finding specific opened windows and stealing their content) keylogging stealing passwords saved in the system and cookies Modern info stealers are usually parts of botnets. Sometimes the target of attack and related events are configured remotely by the command sent from the Command and Control server (C&C). Malwarebytes
APT17 is a China-based threat group that has conducted network intrusions against U.S. government entities, the defense industry, law firms, information technology companies, mining companies, and non-government organizations. MITRE
A Trojan horse or Trojan is a type of malware that is often disguised as legitimate software. Trojans can be employed by cyber-thieves and hackers trying to gain access to users' systems. Users are typically tricked by some form of social engineering into loading and executing Trojans on their systems. Once activated, Trojans can enable cyber-criminals to spy on you, steal your sensitive data, and gain backdoor access to your system. Kaspersky
Voice phishing attacks have a long history in the South Korean market. According to the report published on the South Korean government website, financial losses due to voice phishing constituted approximately 600 million USD in 2020, with the number of victims reaching as many as 170,000 people in the period from 2016 to 2020.
Check Point Research discovered more than 2500 samples of the FakeCalls malware that used a variety of combinations of mimicked financial organizations and implemented anti-analysis (also called evasions) techniques. The malware developers paid special attention to the protection of their malware, using several unique evasions that we had not previously seen in the wild. Check Point Research
Gamaredon Group is a threat group that has been active since at least 2013 and has targeted individuals likely involved in the Ukrainian government. The name Gamaredon Group comes from a misspelling of the word "Armageddon", which was detected in the adversary's early campaigns. MITRE
The IcedID banking Trojan was discovered by IBM X-Force researchers in 2017. At that time, it targeted banks, payment card providers, mobile services providers, payroll, webmail and e-commerce sites, mainly in the U.S. IcedID has since continued to evolve, and while one of its more recent versions became active in late-2019, X-Force researchers have identified a new major version release that emerged in 2020 with some substantial changes. securityintelligence.com
Injector trojans insert malicious code into processes running on a computer in order to perform various actions, such as downloading additional malware, interfering with web browsing activities or monitoring the user's actions. f-secure
Cyber criminals violated the law TDS (Traffic Direction System) platform Keitaro and used it to redirect them users in exploit kits RIG and Fallout in order to infect them with malicious software.
TDS platforms are designed for redirection of users in particular sites. Legitimate TDS platforms, such as Keitaro, are mainly used by individuals and companies that want to advertise services or their products. Platforms drive users to the pages that companies want, targeting specific customers and promoting an ad campaign. techbizweb
Ransom malware, or ransomware, is a type of malware that prevents users from accessing their system or personal files and demands ransom payment in order to regain access. The earliest variants of ransomware were developed in the late 1980s, and payment was to be sent via snail mail. Today, ransomware authors order that payment be sent via cryptocurrency or credit card. Malwarebytes
An adversary may rely upon a user opening a malicious file in order to gain execution. Users may be subjected to social engineering to get them to open a file that will lead to code execution. This user action will typically be observed as follow-on behavior from Spearphishing Attachment. Adversaries may use several types of files that require a user to execute them, including .doc, .pdf, .xls, .rtf, .scr, .exe, .lnk, .pif, and .cpl.
Adversaries may employ various forms of Masquerading on the file to increase the likelihood that a user will open it.
While Malicious File frequently occurs shortly after Initial Access it may occur at other phases of an intrusion, such as when an adversary places a file in a shared directory or on a user's desktop hoping that a user will click on it. This activity may also be seen shortly after Internal Spearphishing. MITRE
Malicious programs of this family request administrator rights and then make themselves invisible in the list of installed apps. This malware can intercept the user’s personal data, such as SMS messages, MMS messages, and USSD requests. The program can redirect incoming calls to the phone numbers of cybercriminals. Phone numbers, the texts of the messages to be intercepted, and cybercriminal phone numbers for redirecting calls are downloaded from the command-and-control server.
Programs of this family interfere with bank apps, such as the Commerzbank app or Google Play. When the user tries to open one of these legitimate apps, the malware replaces the genuine app window with a phishing window that asks for banking information. The user’s stolen data is sent to the cybercriminals. Kaspersky
Mekotio is a typical Latin American banking trojan that has been active since at least 2015. As such, it attacks by displaying fake pop-up windows to its victims, trying to entice them to divulge sensitive information. These windows are carefully designed to target Latin American banks and other financial institutions. welivesecurity
Remote Access Trojans are programs that provide the capability to allow covert surveillance or the ability to gain unauthorized access to a victim PC. Remote Access Trojans often mimic similar behaviors of keylogger applications by allowing the automated collection of keystrokes, usernames, passwords, screenshots, browser history, emails, chat lots, etc. Remote Access Trojans differ from keyloggers in that they provide the capability for an attacker to gain unauthorized remote access to the victim machine via specially configured communication protocols which are set up upon initial infection of the victim computer. This backdoor into the victim machine can allow an attacker unfettered access, including the ability to monitor user behavior, change computer settings, browse and copy files, utilize the bandwidth (Internet connection) for possible criminal activity, access connected systems, and more. Malwarebytes
Remote Access Trojans are programs that provide the capability to allow covert surveillance or the ability to gain unauthorized access to a victim PC. Remote Access Trojans often mimic similar behaviors of keylogger applications by allowing the automated collection of keystrokes, usernames, passwords, screenshots, browser history, emails, chat lots, etc. Remote Access Trojans differ from keyloggers in that they provide the capability for an attacker to gain unauthorized remote access to the victim machine via specially configured communication protocols which are set up upon initial infection of the victim computer. This backdoor into the victim machine can allow an attacker unfettered access, including the ability to monitor user behavior, change computer settings, browse and copy files, utilize the bandwidth (Internet connection) for possible criminal activity, access connected systems, and more. Malwarebytes
It leverages compromised websites and performs some of the most creative fingerprinting checks we’ve seen, before delivering its payload (NetSupport RAT). Malwarebytes
Its first known detection goes back to May 31, 2011, according to Microsoft Malware Protection Center. This Trojanware opens up an Internet Explorer browser to a predefined page (like to i.163vv.com/?96). Trojan Files with the LNK extension (expression) is a Windows shortcut to a malicious file, program, or folder. A LNK file of this family launches a malicious executable or may be dropped by other malware. These files are mostly used by worms to spread via USB drives (i.e.). Wikipedia
The term info stealer is self-explanatory. This type of malware resides in an infected computer and gathers data in order to send it to the attacker. Typical targets are credentials used in online banking services, social media sites, emails, or FTP accounts.
Info stealers may use many methods of data acquisition. The most common are:
hooking browsers (and sometimes other applications) and stealing credentials that are typed by the user using web injection scripts that are adding extra fields to web forms and submitting information from them to a server owned by the attacker form grabbing (finding specific opened windows and stealing their content) keylogging stealing passwords saved in the system and cookies Modern info stealers are usually parts of botnets. Sometimes the target of attack and related events are configured remotely by the command sent from the Command and Control server (C&C). Malwarebytes
StormKitty is a stealer, clipper and keylogger written in the C# programming language. Cyber criminals can use it to steal various sensitive information, which could be misused for malicious purposes and to generate revenue. Research shows that StormKitty is not detected by a number of antivirus programs. Therefore, it is likely that many users will be unaware that they have StormKitty installed on their computers. Pcrisk
DPRK APT actor tracked by Proofpoint as TA444 Malpedia
Proofpoint researchers have identified a years-long social engineering and targeted malware campaign by the Iranian-state aligned threat actor TA456. Using the social media persona “Marcella Flores,” TA456 built a relationship across corporate and personal communication platforms with an employee of a small subsidiary of an aerospace defense contractor. In early June 2021, the threat actor attempted to capitalize on this relationship by sending the target malware via an ongoing email communication chain. Designed to conduct reconnaissance on the target’s machine, the macro-laden document contained personalized content and demonstrated the importance TA456 placed on the target. Once the malware, which is an updated version of Liderc that Proofpoint has dubbed LEMPO, establishes persistence, it can perform reconnaissance on the infected machine, save the reconnaissance details to the host, exfiltrate sensitive information to an actor-controlled email account via SMTPS, and then cover its tracks by deleting that day’s host artifacts. PFPT
A Trojan downloader is a type of Trojan horse that downloads and installs files, often malicious programs. A Trojan horse is a type of software that looks legitimate but can be malicious in nature. Sometimes these programs can be downloaded onto a device without the user’s knowledge or consent. A Trojan’s purpose is to damage, disrupt, steal, or generally inflict some other harm on your computer and devices. Norton
A dropper is a kind of Trojan that has been designed to "install" some sort of malware (virus, backdoor, etc.) to a target system. The malware code can be contained within the dropper (single-stage) in such a way as to avoid detection by virus scanners or the dropper may download the malware to the target machine once activated (two stage). Wikipedia
Malicious programs of this family secretly send information to the criminal from the user’s infected Android mobile device. Kaspersky
During a routine threat-hunting exercise, Cyble research labs discovered a dark web post where a malware developer was advertising a powerful Windows RAT. Cyble
The following threat detection(s) were improved this past week with new or updated threat methods.
| Name of threat | New coverage | Total coverage | Last updated | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Detection methods | Kill chain phases | Protocols involved | Detection methods | Kill chain phases | Protocols involved | ||
| APT-C-35 | 1 | command and control | http | 191 | command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tls | 2023-04-22 |
| AgentTesla | 1 | command and control | dns | 36 | actions on objectives, command and control | dns, ftp, http, smtp, tcp, tls | 2023-04-22 |
| Android Harly | 1 | command and control | dns | 8 | command and control | dns, http | 2023-04-20 |
| Android Trojan Agent | 1 | command and control | dns | 186 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tls | 2023-04-20 |
| AutoIt | 1 | command and control | http | 63 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt | 2023-04-22 |
| Backdoor | 1 | command and control | dns | 387 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation | dns, ftp, http, icmp, smtp, tcp, tls, udp | 2023-04-20 |
| Balada | 1 | exploitation | http | 1 | exploitation | http | 2023-04-18 |
| Banker Stealer | 5 | command and control | dns, http | 231 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, smtp, tcp, tls | 2023-04-20 |
| Bitter | 1 | command and control | http | 44 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt | 2023-04-20 |
| Ekipa RAT | 1 | command and control | dns | 1 | command and control | dns | 2023-04-18 |
| Fabookie | 2 | command and control | dns, http | 7 | command and control | dns, http | 2023-04-20 |
| FakeCalls | 1 | command and control | dns | 18 | command and control | dns, http | 2023-04-20 |
| Filez | 2 | command and control | http | 2 | command and control | http | 2023-04-18 |
| Gamaredon | 43 | delivery, command and control | http, dns | 263 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-04-20 |
| IcedID | 1 | command and control | dns | 438 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tls | 2023-04-19 |
| Injector | 1 | command and control | tcp-pkt | 64 | command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt, udp | 2023-04-21 |
| JobCrypter | 3 | command and control | smtp, tcp | 3 | command and control | smtp, tcp | 2023-04-18 |
| Keitaro | 9 | exploitation | dns | 78 | command and control, delivery, exploitation | dns, http, tls | 2023-04-18 |
| Lockbit | 1 | command and control | dns | 3 | command and control | dns | 2023-04-21 |
| MalDoc | 1 | delivery | http | 488 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-04-18 |
| Marcher | 2 | command and control | dns | 110 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tls | 2023-04-20 |
| Mekotio | 1 | command and control | tcp | 9 | command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt | 2023-04-20 |
| RAT Generic | 7 | command and control | tcp-pkt | 68 | command and control, installation | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-04-19 |
| Realrat | 2 | command and control | dns | 41 | command and control | dns, tls | 2023-04-20 |
| Rilide | 2 | command and control | dns | 2 | command and control | dns | 2023-04-18 |
| SocGholish | 1 | command and control | dns | 274 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, exploitation, reconnaissance | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-04-18 |
| Startpage | 1 | delivery | http | 30 | command and control, delivery | http, tls | 2023-04-20 |
| Stealer and Exfiltration | 5 | command and control, actions on objectives | http, tcp-pkt | 326 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, exploitation, installation | dns, ftp, http, smtp, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-04-22 |
| StormKitty | 1 | delivery | http | 11 | actions on objectives, delivery | http, smtp | 2023-04-18 |
| TA444 | 46 | command and control | dns | 228 | command and control | dns, http, tls | 2023-04-21 |
| TA456 | 3 | command and control | dns, http | 21 | command and control, delivery | dns, http | 2023-04-21 |
| Trojan Downloader | 1 | delivery | http | 247 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation | dns, http, tcp, tls, udp | 2023-04-20 |
| Trojan Dropper | 1 | delivery | http | 297 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation | dns, http, tcp, tls, udp | 2023-04-20 |
| TrojanSpy-Android | 5 | command and control | dns, http | 488 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation | dns, http, tcp, tls | 2023-04-20 |
| VrBrothers | 2 | command and control | http | 3 | command and control | http | 2023-04-18 |
| XWorm | 12 | command and control | tcp-pkt | 571 | command and control | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt | 2023-04-19 |
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Stamus Networks believes in a world where defenders are heroes, and a future where those they protect remain safe. As organizations face threats from well-funded adversaries, we relentlessly pursue solutions that make the defender’s job easier and more impactful. The global leader in Suricata-based network security solutions, Stamus Networks helps enterprise security teams know more, respond sooner and mitigate their risk with insights gathered from cloud and on-premise network activity. Our Stamus Security Platform combines the best of intrusion detection (IDS), network security monitoring (NSM), and network detection and response (NDR) systems into a single solution that exposes serious and imminent threats to critical assets and empowers rapid response.
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