20-June-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: 773
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:
Rozena is a backdoor malware that is capable of injecting a remote shell connection back to the attacker’s machine. Fortinet
Rozena - Malpedia | Rozena - Microsoft |
Phishing is a type of online scam that targets consumers by sending them an e-mail that appears to be from a well-known source – an internet service provider, a bank, or a mortgage company, for example. It asks the consumer to provide personal identifying information. Then a scammer uses the information to open new accounts, or invade the consumer’s existing accounts. There are several tips that consumers can follow to avoid phishing scams, such as not responding to e-mails or pop-up messages that ask for personal or financial information.
Zscaler ThreatLabz has been tracking a new information stealer called Bandit Stealer that emerged in April 2023. Bandit collects sensitive information from victims' machines including cookies, saved login data, and credit card information from more than a dozen web browsers. The stealer also performs credential theft for popular FTP clients and email clients. Lastly, Bandit targets desktop cryptocurrency wallet applications. All of the stolen information is then exfiltrated back to a command and control (C2) server via Telegram. The malware is written in the Go (a.k.a. Golang) programming language and is especially notable with the large number of attempts to evade virtual environments and automated malware analysis platforms.
Bandit Stealer - Microsoft |
The Metasploit Project is a computer security project that provides information about security vulnerabilities and aids in penetration testing and IDS signature development. It is owned by Boston, Massachusetts-based security company Rapid7.
Its best-known sub-project is the open-source Metasploit Framework, a tool for developing and executing exploit code against a remote target machine. Other important sub-projects include the Opcode Database, shellcode archive and related research.
The Metasploit Project includes anti-forensic and evasion tools, some of which are built into the Metasploit Framework. Metasploit is pre-installed in the Kali Linux operating system.
Metasploit - Github |
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
Stealth Soldier malware is an undocumented backdoor that primarily operates surveillance functions such as file exfiltration, screen and microphone recording, keystroke logging and stealing browser information," cybersecurity company Check Point said in a technical report.
The ongoing operation is characterized by the use of command-and-control (C&C) servers that mimic sites belonging to the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The earliest artifacts associated with the campaign date back to October 2022.
The attacks commence with potential targets downloading bogus downloader binaries that are delivered via social engineering attacks. The intermediate payloads act as a conduit for retrieving Stealth Soldier, while simultaneously displaying a decoy empty PDF file.
The custom modular implant, which is believed to be used sparingly, enables surveillance capabilities by gathering directory listings and browser credentials, logging keystrokes, recording microphone audio, taking screenshots, uploading files, and running PowerShell commands.
Stealth Soldier - Check Point Research |
The following detections were updated this past week with changes to kill chain phase(s) or MITRE ATT&CK tactic(s)/technique(s):
APT-C-36 is a suspected South America espionage group that has been active since at least 2018. The group mainly targets Colombian government institutions as well as important corporations in the financial sector, petroleum industry, and professional manufacturing. MITRE
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
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
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
Kimsuky is a North Korean-based threat group that has been active since at least September 2013. The group initially focused on targeting Korean think tanks and DPRK/nuclear-related targets, expanding recently to the United States, Russia, and Europe. The group was attributed as the actor behind the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. compromise. MITRE
Legion Loader is a malicious program designed to infect systems with 2-3 other programs of this type (or more). Research shows that Legion Loader is used to spread information stealers (such as Vidar, Predator the Thief and Raccoon Stealer), backdoors, cryptocurrency stealers and a cryptocurrency miner. Pcrisk
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
“RisePro” is a newly identified stealer written in C++ that appears to possess similar functionality to the stealer malware “Vidar.” RisePro targets potentially sensitive information on infected machines and attempts to exfiltrate it in the form of logs. Flashpoint
It leverages compromised websites and performs some of the most creative fingerprinting checks we’ve seen, before delivering its payload (NetSupport RAT). Malwarebytes
DPRK APT actor tracked by Proofpoint as TA444 Malpedia
Proofpoint researchers have identified a phishing campaign originating from an email address (ukr[.]net) that appears to belong to a compromised Ukranian armed service member. This discovery comes on the heels of alerts by the Ukrainian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA) and the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine about widespread phishing campaigns targeting private email accounts of Ukrainian armed service members by ‘UNC1151’, which Proofpoint tracks as part of TA445. The email observed by Proofpoint may represent the next stage of these attacks. The email included a malicious macro attachment which utilised social engineering themes pertaining to the Emergency Meeting of the NATO Security Council held on February 23, 2022. The email also contained a malicious attachment which attempted to download malicious Lua malware named SunSeed and targeted European government personnel tasked with managing transportation and population movement in Europe. While Proofpoint has not definitively attributed this campaign to the threat actor TA445, researchers acknowledge that the timeline, use of compromised sender addresses aligning with Ukrainian government reports, and the victimology of the campaign align with published TA445 tactics to include the targeting and collection around refugee movement in Europe. Proofpoint
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
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-36 | 1 | command and control | dns | 5 | command and control | dns | 2023-06-15 |
| AutoIt | 1 | actions on objectives | http | 64 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt | 2023-06-13 |
| Bandit Stealer | 2 | actions on objectives | http | 2 | actions on objectives | http | 2023-06-14 |
| Fake Service | 23 | command and control, delivery | http, tls, dns, tcp | 23 | command and control, delivery | http, tls, dns, tcp | 2023-06-14 |
| Gamaredon | 12 | command and control | dns | 370 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-06-13 |
| Keitaro | 2 | exploitation | dns | 95 | command and control, delivery, exploitation | dns, http, tls | 2023-06-16 |
| Kimsuky | 4 | delivery, command and control | http | 122 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, ftp, ftp-data, http, tls | 2023-06-14 |
| Legion Loader | 3 | command and control | dns, tls, http | 18 | command and control | dns, http, tls | 2023-06-17 |
| MalDoc | 1 | delivery | http | 491 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-06-13 |
| Metasploit | 2 | delivery | http | 2 | delivery | http | 2023-06-14 |
| RisePro | 2 | command and control, actions on objectives | tcp | 54 | actions on objectives, command and control | dns, http, tcp | 2023-06-15 |
| Rozena | 3 | command and control | http | 3 | command and control | http | 2023-06-14 |
| SocGholish | 10 | command and control | dns | 336 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, exploitation, reconnaissance | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-06-16 |
| Stealth Soldier | 2 | command and control | http, dns | 2 | command and control | http, dns | 2023-06-14 |
| TA444 | 12 | command and control | dns | 343 | command and control | dns, http, tls | 2023-06-17 |
| TA445 | 5 | command and control | http | 14 | command and control, delivery | dns, http | 2023-06-14 |
| Trojan Downloader | 3 | actions on objectives, command and control | http | 251 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation | dns, http, tcp, tls, udp | 2023-06-14 |
| ValleyRat | 1 | command and control | dns | 5 | command and control | dns | 2023-06-14 |
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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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