Analysis of Nova: A Snake Keylogger Fork

Editor’s note: The current article is authored by Mostafa ElSheimy, a malware reverse engineer and threat intelligence analyst. You can find Mostafa on X and LinkedIn. 

In this malware analysis report, we will delve into Nova, a newly discovered fork of the Snake Keylogger family. This variant has been observed employing even more sophisticated tactics, signaling the continued adaptation and persistence of the Snake malware family in the cybersecurity landscape. 

Overview of Snake Keylogger 

Snake Keylogger, a .NET-based malware first identified in November 2020, is infamous for its credential-stealing and keylogging capabilities.

Read in-depth analysis of Snake Keylogger

It primarily spreads through phishing and spearphishing campaigns, where malicious Office documents or PDFs are used to deliver downloader scripts via PowerShell. Once executed, Snake Keylogger captures keystrokes, steals saved credentials, takes screenshots, and extracts clipboard data. 

As of 2024, Snake Keylogger has continued to evolve, adopting advanced evasion techniques such as process hollowing and heavily obfuscated code to avoid detection.  

This variant uses a suspended child process to inject its payload, which makes it more difficult for security software to identify and neutralize. Furthermore, reports indicate that Snake Keylogger has grown more prevalent, with significant spikes in zero-day detections, suggesting its ongoing threat to both personal and corporate cybersecurity. 

Technical Analysis Using ANY.RUN Sandbox 

Let’s run a sandbox analysis session using ANY.RUN’s Interactive Sandbox to discover the technical details of this malware.  

View analysis session 

Process graph generated by ANY.RUN sandbox for the behavior of NOVA

In the HTTP Requests tab, we can see that Nova sends HTTP Requests to hxxp[://]checkip[.]dyndns[.]org/ to get the IP of the victim device: 

HTTP requests to victim devices

In DNS requests tab, Nova makes DNS requests to reallyfreegeoip[.]org to get the country name of the victim device: 

DNS requests by Nova to get the country name of the victim device

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Unpacking 

Nova keylogger uses a protector written in AutoIt. There are several ways to unpack it: 

1. Decompiling the executable to AutoIt script (.au3) 

2. Executing the sample and letting it unpack itself in the memory, then dumping the process. This can be done with the help of the following tools: 

  • Sandbox 
  • Unpacme
  • Pe-sieve 

Learn to unpack malware

According to Unpacme, the unpacked sample is obfuscated using the Net Reactor Obfuscator: 

.NET Reactor used for obfuscation

Exeinfo also confirms this: 

Exeinfo confirming the use of .NET Reactor for obfuscation 

The presence of numerous empty functions strongly suggests obfuscation, which aligns with the tools’ analysis. 

Presence of empty functions

To address this, we can use NETReactorSlayer for deobfuscation. 

NET Reactor Slayer used for deobfuscation

NETReactorSlayer performed exceptionally well in this task, successfully deobfuscating the sample. 

Performance of NETReactorSlayer

Deep Analysis 

Nova is capable of extracting sensitive data from a wide range of sources, including:

  • Browsers: Chrome, Brave, Opera, Firefox, Edge, etc.
  • Emaial Clients: Outlook, Foxmail, Thunderbird.
  • FTP Clients: Filezilla.
The list of browsers that the malware can exfiltrate data from

It can also retrieve and decode the Windows product key.

Let’s take a closer look at these functionalities to understand their implications and the depth of Nova’s capabilities. 

Extracting and Decrypting Outlook Passwords №

The process of password decryption

Nova performs the following steps to extract and decrypt Outlook passwords: 

1. Initialization 

  • Creates a list to store recovered account details. 
  • Prepares an array of strings representing the password types to search for in the Windows registry. 

2. Accessing registry keys 

Nova opens the following registry keys, which are known to store Outlook profile information: 

  • Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Outlook\Profiles\Outlook\9375CFF0413111d3B88A00104B2A6676 
  • Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\Outlook\9375CFF0413111d3B88A00104B2A6676 
  • Software\Microsoft\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\9375CFF0413111d3B88A00104B2A6676 
  • Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Profiles\Outlook\9375CFF0413111d3B88A00104B2A6676 

3. Iterating through registry keys and subkeys 

  • Nova scans the registry keys and their subkeys, checking for entries containing email or password data. 
  • If such entries are found, Nova attempts to decrypt the password using the decryptOutlookPassword method. 

4. Decrypting passwords 

The decryptOutlookPassword method performs the following actions: 

  • Takes the encrypted Outlook password as a byte array. 
  • Removes the first byte from the array. 
  • Decrypts the remaining data and converts it to a readable string. 
  • Strips any null characters from the resulting string before returning it. 
Striping null characters

5. Retrieving account details 

It retrieves the email value and converts it to a byte array using GetBytes. 

Then, it retrieves the SMTP server value, if available and adds the recovered account details to the list. 

Account details retrieval

Extracting and Decrypting Browser Login Information 

Various functions exist for extracting browser login credentials. For this analysis, we will focus on Chrome_Speed, which targets Google Chrome’s saved login data. 

The process of extracting browser login credentials

1. Locating the Login Data file 

Chrome_Speed constructs the path to the Login Data SQLite file, where Chrome stores saved login credentials. Then verifies the existence of the Login Data file before proceeding. 

2. Retrieving Login entries 

It loops through each login entry, retrieving the origin_url, username_value, and password_value. 

3. Decrypting passwords 

If passwords are stored in Version 10 format, it uses the master key for decryption. For older formats, an alternative decryption method, Decrypttttt, is employed. 


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Key Methods Analyzed 

Let’s analyze GetMasterKey and Decrypttttt methods: 

1. GetMasterKey 

GetMasterKey retrieves and decrypts the master key used by Google Chrome to protect saved passwords. It reads the encrypted master key from the Local State file located in the Chrome user data directory, then decrypts it for further use. 

Use of GetMasterKey method

The process begins by constructing the path to the Local State file, which stores the encrypted master key. 

It first checks for the existence of the Local State file; if the file is absent, the method returns null. 

Upon confirming the file’s presence, the contents are read, and a regular expression is employed to extract the encrypted master key. 

The method iterates through the matches to convert the encrypted key from a Base64 string into a byte array. 

Notably, a new byte array is created that excludes the first five bytes of the original array, as these bytes do not form part of the actual key. 

Finally, the method attempts to decrypt the trimmed key using the ProtectedData.Unprotect method, which is designed to decrypt data that has been secured with the ProtectedData.Protect method. 

The Unprotect method is a function that decrypts data protected by the Windows Data Protection API (DPAPI). It first checks if the input data is valid and compatible with NT-based systems.  

The method then pins the memory of the encrypted data and any optional entropy to avoid issues during decryption.  

It calls CryptUnprotectData to decrypt the data and handles errors by throwing exceptions when needed.  

Finally, it clears sensitive data from memory before releasing resources. 

2. Decrypttttt 

Decrypttttt method is a function that decrypts a byte array using the Windows Data Protection API (DPAPI). 

It begins by initializing data structures to hold the encrypted data and the decrypted output. 

The method pins the input byte array in memory to prevent the garbage collector from moving it during decryption. 

After setting up the necessary structures, it calls CryptUnprotectData API to perform the decryption. 

Once the data is decrypted, the method copies the output into a new byte array, converts it to a string, and removes any trailing null characters. 

Finally, it returns the decrypted string, ensuring proper handling of sensitive data throughout the process. 

Use of Decrypttttt method

Let’s get back to Chrome_Speed function  

It combines the URL, username, and password into a formatted string: 

"rn============X============rnURL: " 

    "rnUsername: " 

    "rnPassword: " 

    "rnApplication: Google Chromern=========================rn "

The formatted string is appended to a collection of stored credentials for further use or exfiltration. 

Extracting Windows Product Key 

The process of extracting the Windows product key involves accessing the system registry and decoding the DigitalProductID. Here’s a detailed breakdown: 

  • Accessing the registry 

First it opens “Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion” registry key 

  • Fetching DigitalProductID 

Then, the DigitalProductID is fetched from the registry as a byte array. This ID is used to generate the Windows product key. 

  • Extracting relevant bytes 

A specific portion of the DigitalProductID is copied into a new byte array. 

The product key is derived from bytes starting at index 52 in the sourceArray. 

  • Decoding the product key 

The outer loop runs 25 times (from 0 to 24) to form the product key. The inner loop processes each byte in reverse (from 14 to 0) to decode and generate the corresponding characters. 

The process of accessing the system registry and decoding the DigitalProductID
  • Formatting the product key 

The method returns the formatted product key as a string (e.g., XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX) 

Getting Victim’s Info  

The process gathers key information about the victim, including: 

  • IP Address 
  • Country 
  • PC Name 
  • Date and Time 

It gets the victim’s IP by making a request to: hxxp[://]checkip[.]dyndns[.]org/ 

The country information is retrieved by querying:  hxxps[://]reallyfreegeoip[.]org/xml/ 

Data format 

The collected information is structured in a formatted string for further use: 

Getting Clipboard Data 

The process of extracting data from the clipboard involves the following steps: 

  • IsClipboardFormatAvailable checks if the clipboard contains text in Unicode format 
  • OpenClipboard opens the clipboard to allow examination and retrieval of data 
  • GetClipboardData retrieves the data handle from the clipboard in the specified format 
Retriaval of Clipboard data

Exfiltration 

Nova supports three data exfiltration methods: FTP, SMTP, or Telegram, depending on the configuration set by the malware author. 

It compares the UltraSpeed.QJDFjPqkSr value against specific flags: 

  • “#FTPEnabled”: If true, data is exfiltrated via FTP. 
  • “#SMTPEnabled”: If true, data is exfiltrated via SMTP. 
  • “#TGEnabled”: If true, data is exfiltrated via Telegram. 
UltraSpeed.QJDFjPqkSr value compared against specific flags

In this particular sample, the exfiltration method is Telegram: 

As we see, there are no credentials provided for SMTP and FTP servers:

Telegram Exfiltration 

The code responsible for exfiltration through Telegram includes details about the bot and its endpoint for sending data: 

Telegram exfiltration

Telegram API endpoint: hxxps[://]api[.]telegram[.]org/bot7479124552:AAELHYVLYxHEQdxzK-H17KRix-YKXifzKCI 

Process communication with Telegram detected by ANY.RUN sandbox

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JSON Responses from the Telegram Bot API 

The provided images showcase JSON responses retrieved from the Telegram Bot API. These responses contain detailed information about bots that are directly associated with the NOVA family of malware. 

Information about a bot with the username “skullsnovabot”
Information about a bot with the username “onumenbot”
Information about a bot with the username “santigeebot”

Code Reference to “NOVA” 

The malware’s source code explicitly mentions “NOVA”, reinforcing its attribution to this specific malware family. 

Conclusion 

The Nova variant of the Snake Keylogger represents a significant evolution of its predecessor, with advanced evasion techniques and a broader array of data exfiltration capabilities.  

Written in VB.NET, Nova leverages obfuscation methods such as Net Reactor Obfuscator and utilizes process hollowing to evade detection, making it a more persistent and stealthy threat. Through its sophisticated techniques, including credential harvesting from a wide variety of browsers, email clients, and other sensitive data, Nova demonstrates its ability to target both personal and corporate systems effectively. 

The malware is capable of extracting a wide range of valuable information, including saved passwords, credit card details, and system keys, from both browsers and email clients. In addition, its ability to gather data from a victim’s clipboard and exfiltrate it via multiple channels—such as FTP, SMTP, or Telegram—demonstrates its adaptability and versatility. 

While the use of Telegram as the exfiltration method in this specific sample shows a shift towards more covert communication, the ability to switch exfiltration methods allows the malware to avoid detection by security systems that might block certain channels. The malware’s integration with popular tools like Telegram also indicates its use in large-scale, automated cybercrime activities, making it a serious threat to organizations and individuals alike. 

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IOCs

Nova:  

68f5247bd24e8d5d121902a2701448fe135e696f8f65f29e9115923c8efebee4  

Dropped files 

C:UsersadminAppDataLocalTempfondaco afb1dae7a6f2396c3d136e60144b02dd03c59ab10704918185d12ef8c6d7ec93 

C:UsersadminAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartupneophobia.vbs 66dbb9c8deadea9f848b1b55405738d8a65a733c804f1444533607c20584643e 

C2 URL

hxxps://api[.]telegram[.]org/bot7479124552:AAELHYVLYxHEQdxzK-H17KRix-YKXifzKCI/sendDocument 

Bot Token

7479124552:AAELHYVLYxHEQdxzK-H17KRix-YKXifzKCI 

Chat ID 

5679778644 

MITRE ATT&CK Techniques

Category  Technique  Details 
Persistence  Boot or Logon Autostart Execution  Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder 
Privilege Escalation  Boot or Logon Autostart Execution  Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder 
Defense Evasion  Impair Defenses  Disable Windows Event Logging 
Credential Access  Credentials from Password Stores  Credentials from Web Browsers 
Credential Access  Unsecured Credentials  Credentials In Files 
Discovery  Software Discovery  Security Software Discovery 
Discovery  Query Registry 
Discovery  System Network Configuration Discovery 
Discovery  System Information Discovery 
Command and Control (C&C)  Web Services 

The post Analysis of Nova: A Snake Keylogger Fork appeared first on ANY.RUN’s Cybersecurity Blog.

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Microsoft Patch Tuesday for December 2024 contains four critical vulnerabilities

Microsoft Patch Tuesday for December 2024 contains four critical vulnerabilities

The Patch Tuesday for December of 2024 includes 72 vulnerabilities, including four that Microsoft marked as “critical.” The remaining vulnerabilities listed are classified as “important.” 

Microsoft assessed that exploitation of the four “critical” vulnerabilities is “less likely.” 

CVE-2024-49112 is the most serious of this bunch, with a CVSS severity score of 9.8 out of 10. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability in Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) calls to execute arbitrary code within the context of the LDAP service. Additionally, CVE-2024-49124 and CVE-2024-49127 permit an unauthenticated attacker to send a specially crafted request to a vulnerable LDAP server, potentially executing the attacker’s code if they succeed in a “race condition.” Although the above vulnerabilities are marked as “critical” and with high CVSS, Microsoft has determined that exploitation is “less likely.” 

CVE-2024-49126 – Windows Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) remote code execution vulnerability. An attacker with no privileges could target the server accounts and execute malicious code on the server’s account through a network call. Despite being considered “critical”, the successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to win a “race condition” which complexity is high, Microsoft has determined that exploitation is “less likely.” 

CVE-2024-49105 is a “critical” remote code execution vulnerability in a remote desktop client. Microsoft has assessed exploitation of this vulnerability as “less likely”. An authenticated attacker could exploit by triggering remote code execution on the server via a remote desktop connection using Microsoft Management Console (MMC). It has not been detected in the wild. 

CVE-2024-49117 is a remote code execution vulnerability in Windows Hyper-V. Although marked as “critical,” Microsoft has determined that exploitation is “less likely.” The exploit needs an authenticated attacker and locally on a guest VM to send specially crafted file operation requests on the VM to hardware resources on the VM and trigger remote code execution on the host server. Microsoft has not detected active exploitation of this vulnerability in the wild. 

CVE-2024-49106, CVE-2024-49108, CVE-2024-49115, CVE-2024-49119 and CVE-2024-49120, CVE-2024-49123, CVE-2024-49132, CVE-2024-49116, CVE-2024-49128 are remote code execution vulnerabilities in Windows Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway) Service. An attacker could exploit this by connecting to a system with the Remote Desktop Gateway role, triggering the “race condition” to create a “use-after-free” scenario, and then leveraging the execute arbitrary code. Although marked as “critical,” Microsoft has determined that exploitations are “less likely” and the attack complexity considered “high.” Microsoft has not detected active exploitation of these vulnerabilities in the wild. 

CVE-2024-49122 and CVE-2024-49118 are remote code execution vulnerabilities in Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) which is a queue manager in Microsoft Windows system. An attacker would need to send a specially crafted malicious MSMQ packet to a MSMQ server and win the “race condition” that is able to exploit on the server side which also means the attack complexity is “high”. While considered “critical” those were determined that exploitation is “less likely” and not been detected in the wild. 

CVE-2024-49138 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows Common Log File System Driver, and while it only has a 7.8 out of 10 CVSS score, it has been actively exploited in the wild. 

Cisco Talos would also like to highlight several vulnerabilities that are only rated as “important,” but Microsoft lists as “more likely” to be exploited:  

  • CVE-2024-49070 – Microsoft SharePoint Remote Code Execution Vulnerability 
  • CVE-2024-49093 – Windows Resilient File System (ReFS) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability 
  • CVE-2024-49088 and CVE-2024-49090 – Windows Common Log File System Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability 
  • CVE-2024-49114 – Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability 

A complete list of all the other vulnerabilities Microsoft disclosed this month is available on its update page. In response to these vulnerability disclosures, Talos is releasing a new Snort rule set that detects attempts to exploit some of them. Please note that additional rules may be released at a future date and current rules are subject to change pending additional information. Cisco Security Firewall customers should use the latest update to their ruleset by updating their SRU. Open-source Snort Subscriber Rule Set customers can stay up to date by downloading the latest rule pack available for purchase on Snort.org

The rules included in this release that protect against the exploitation of many of these vulnerabilities are 64308, 64309, 64310, 64311, 64313, 64314, 63874, 63875, 64312, 64306, 64307. There are also these Snort 3 rules 301085, 301086, 301087, 300987, 64312, 301084 

Cisco Talos Blog – ​Read More

Nearest Neighbor: remote attacks on Wi-Fi networks

From the perspective of information security, wireless networks are typically perceived as something that can be accessed only locally — to connect to them, an attacker needs to be physically close to the access point. This significantly limits their use in attacks on organizations, and so they are perceived as relatively risk-free. It’s easy to think that some random hacker on the internet could never simply connect to a corporate Wi-Fi network. However, the newly emerged Nearest Neighbor attack tactic demonstrates that this perception is not entirely accurate.

Even a well-protected organization’s wireless network can become a convenient entry point for remote attackers if they first compromise another, more vulnerable company located in the same building or a neighboring one. Let’s delve deeper into how this works and how to protect yourself against such attacks.

A remote attack on an organization’s wireless network

Let’s imagine a group of attackers planning to remotely hack into an organization. They gather information about the given company, investigate its external perimeter, and perhaps even find employee credentials in databases of leaked passwords. But they find no exploitable vulnerabilities. Moreover, they discover that all of the company’s external services are protected by two-factor authentication, so passwords alone aren’t sufficient for access.

One potential penetration method could be the corporate Wi-Fi network, which they could attempt to access using those same employee credentials. This applies especially if the organization has a guest Wi-Fi network that’s insufficiently isolated from the main network — such networks rarely use two-factor authentication. However, there’s a problem: the attackers are on the other side of the globe and can’t physically connect to the office Wi-Fi.

This is where the Nearest Neighbor tactic comes into play. If the attackers conduct additional reconnaissance, they’ll most likely discover numerous other organizations whose offices are within the Wi-Fi signal range of the target company. And it’s possible that some of those neighboring organizations are significantly more vulnerable than the attackers’ initial target.

This may simply be because these organizations believe their activities are less interesting to cyberattack operators — leading to less stringent security measures. For example, they might not use two-factor authentication for their external resources. Or they may fail to update their software promptly — leaving easily exploitable vulnerabilities exposed.

One way or another, it’s easier for the attackers to gain access to one of these neighboring organizations’ networks. Next, they need to find within the neighbor’s infrastructure a device connected to the wired network and equipped with a wireless module, and compromise it. By scanning the Wi-Fi environment through such a device, the attackers can locate the SSID of the target company’s network.

Using the compromised neighboring device as a bridge, the attackers can then connect to the corporate Wi-Fi network of their actual target. In this way, they get inside the perimeter of the target organization. Having achieved this initial objective, the attackers can proceed with their main goals — stealing information, encrypting data, monitoring employee activity, and more.

How to protect yourself against the Nearest Neighbor attack

It’s worth noting that this tactic has already been used by at least one APT group, so this isn’t just a theoretical threat. Organizations that could be targeted by such attacks should start treating the security of their wireless local area networks as seriously as the security of their internet-connected resources.

To protect against the Nearest Neighbor attack, we recommend the following:

  • Ensure that the guest Wi-Fi network is truly isolated from the main network.
  • Strengthen the security of corporate Wi-Fi access — for instance, by using two-factor authentication with one-time codes or certificates.
  • Enable two-factor authentication — not only for external resources but also for internal ones, and, in general, adopt the Zero Trust security model.
  • Use an advanced threat detection and prevention system, such as Kaspersky Next XDR Expert.
  • If you lack highly qualified in-house cybersecurity specialists, make use of external services such as Managed Detection and Response and Incident Response.

Kaspersky official blog – ​Read More

Head Mare Group Intensifies Attacks on Russia with PhantomCore Backdoor

PhantomCore, Head Mare

Key takeaways

  • Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs (CRIL) has identified a campaign associated with the infamous group Head Mare aimed at targeting Russians.
  • This campaign involves a ZIP archive containing both a malicious LNK file and an executable. The executable is cleverly disguised as an archive file to deceive users and facilitate its malicious operations.
  • The LNK file contains commands designed to extract and execute the disguised, which has been identified as PhantomCore.
  • PhantomCore is a backdoor utilized by the hacktivist group Head Mare. It has been active since 2023 and is known for consistently targeting Russia.  
  • In previous attacks, GoLang-compiled PhantomCore binaries were used. However, in this campaign, the threat actor (TA) is using C++-compiled PhantomCore binaries instead.
  • TA also integrated the Boost.Beast library into PhantomCore to enable communication with the command-and-control (C&C) server.
  • PhantomCore collects the victim’s information, including the public IP address, to gain detailed insights into the target before deploying the final-stage payload or executing additional commands on the compromised system.
  • PhantomCore is known to deploy ransomware payloads such as LockBit and Babuk, inflicting significant damage on the victim’s systems.

Overview

On 2nd September 2024, Kaspersky released a blog about the Head Mare group, which first emerged in 2023. Head Mare is a hacktivist group targeting organizations in Russia and Belarus with the goal of causing maximum damage rather than financial gain. They use up-to-date tactics, such as exploiting the CVE-2023-38831 vulnerability in WinRAR, to gain initial access and deliver malicious payloads. The group maintains a public presence on X, where they disclose information about their victims.

Their targets span various industries, including government, transportation, energy, manufacturing, and entertainment. Unlike other groups, Head Mare also demands ransom for data decryption.

Threat Actor
Figure 1 – Threat Actor profile

CRIL recently identified a campaign targeting Russians linked to the notorious Head Mare group. While the initial infection vector remains unknown, the group typically reaches users via spam emails. In this campaign, a ZIP archive named “Doc.Zip” was discovered, containing a malicious LNK file, an executable disguised as “Doc.zip” identified as the PhantomCore, and a corrupted PDF.

Upon executing the LNK file, it extracts the “Doc.Zip” archive into the “C:/ProgramData” directory and executes the file “Doc.zip” using cmd.exe. Once executed, the malware gathers the victim’s information, such as the public IP address, windows version username, etc., and sends it to a command-and-control (C&C) server controlled by the TA. It then awaits further commands from the C&C server to execute additional malicious activities. The figure below shows the infection chain.

Infection Chain
Figure 2 – Infection chain

Earlier, PhantomCore samples were developed using GoLang. However, in the latest campaign, the threat actor is using C++-compiled PhantomCore binaries. Additionally, the C++ version of PhantomCore incorporates the Boost.Beast library, which facilitates communication between the infected system and the command-and-control (C&C) server through HTTP WebSockets.

Technical Analysis

The ZIP archive “Doc.zip,” downloaded from the file-sharing website hxxps://filetransfer[.]io/data-package/AiveGg6u/download, is suspected to have been delivered to the victim via a spam email. The email likely carried a social engineering theme, designed to appear legitimate, such as an invoice for goods or similar financial documents. This theme was intended to deceive the recipient into interacting with the malicious attachment, ultimately leading to the delivery of the malicious payload.

The zip archive contains multiple files, including two LNK files, a corrupted lure PDF file, and an executable camouflaged as a “.zip” file extension. All the files within the archive are notably in Russian, as detailed in the table below.

Actual file names Translated names
Список товаров и услуг.pdf.lnk List of goods and services.pdf.lnk
Счет-фактура.pdf.lnk Invoice.pdf.lnk
Контактные данные для оплаты.pdf Contact details for payment.pdf

The LNK file is configured to execute a PowerShell command that locates and extracts the “Doc.zip” archive into the “C:ProgramData” directory. Once extracted, the “Doc.zip” archive, which contains an executable, is launched using the cmd.exe start command. The figure below illustrates the contents of the LNK file.

Trojan, Lure
Figure 3 – Contents of Список товаров и услуг.pdf.lnk

Upon execution, the Doc.zip file sets both the input and output code pages to OEM Russian (Cyrillic) using the SetConsoleCP and SetConsoleOutputCP Win32 APIs. Additionally, it sets the locale language of the victim machine to “ru_RU.UTF-8” to configure the system to use the Russian locale with UTF-8 encoding.

Locale, Russia
Figure 4 – Sets locale to Russia

After configuring the locale settings, the malware attempts to connect to the C&C server at 45.10.247[.]152 using the User-Agent string “Boost.Beast/353”. It retries the connection until successful, sleeping for 10 seconds between each attempt.

Connect Request
Figure 5 – Connect request

After a successful connection is established, the malware gathers the victim’s information, including the Buildname, Windows version, public IP address, computer name, username, and domain details. The Buildname, which can vary (e.g., ZIP, URL), may indicate the infection vector. This collected data is then sent to the C&C server via the “init” endpoint, as illustrated in the figure below.

Infostealer
Figure 6 – Gathering victim’s information

Extracting victim details
Figure 7 – Sending victim’s details

After sending the initial request containing the victim details and UUID, the malware waits for a response from the TA. However, during our analysis, we were unable to capture the response. Nevertheless, code analysis indicates that the typical response from the TA follows a format similar to the one shown below.

TA Response
Figure 8 – TA’s response

Moreover, the TA can execute commands on the victim’s machine and download additional payloads from the C&C server. This enables them to escalate the compromise, conduct further malicious activities, or expand the attack by deploying specific commands and payloads.  The malware uses the following endpoints for its C&C communication and to receive commands

  • hxxp:// [C&C IP Address]/connect
  • hxxp:// [C&C IP Address]/init
  • hxxp:// [C&C IP Address]/check
  • hxxp:// [C&C IP Address]/command

The TA uses the following methods to execute commands and deploy additional payloads.

Command Execution through Pipes

The execution process involves creating a pipe and redirecting the WritePipe handle to the standard output (stdout) and standard error (stderr). A new process is then launched using the command “cmd.exe /c” to execute the specified command. After the command is executed, the output is retrieved by reading from the pipe using the “ReadFile” API and the ReadPipe handle. Additionally, a log is generated to monitor and track the success or failure of the pipe creation and command execution.

The following code demonstrates the TA’s ability to execute commands through a pipe, read the command output, and parse the commands for execution via the pipe.

PIPE
Figure 9 – PIPE creation

Creating new process

The malware can also create a new process based on the input from the calling function. If successful, it closes the process and thread handles, updates the log with a success message, and sets a flag to notify the calling process. In case of failure, it logs an error message and sets a different flag to indicate the failure.

Process
Figure 10 – New Process Creation

The Head Mare group has been known to deploy ransomware in previous attacks, targeting a variety of systems and environments. This includes the use of widely recognized ransomware strains such as LockBit for Windows machines and Babuk for ESXi (VMware) environments. These ransomware strains are notorious for their ability to encrypt valuable data and demand ransom payments from victims in exchange for decryption keys.

Yara and Sigma rules to detect this campaign are available for download from the linked Github repository.

Conclusion

The Head Mare group’s campaign continues to target Russian organizations using the PhantomCore backdoor and evolving tactics, including using C++-compiled binaries and social engineering techniques. The group’s ability to collect victim data and deploy additional payloads, including ransomware, highlights the ongoing threat it poses. Organizations must stay vigilant and strengthen their security measures to defend against such attacks.

Recommendations

  • Avoid opening unexpected or suspicious email attachments, particularly ZIP or LNK files. Train employees to identify phishing attempts and verify file origins before interacting with downloads. Implement email security solutions that detect and block malicious attachments.
  • Ensure all software, including WinRAR and operating systems, is updated with the latest security patches. Vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-38831 can be exploited in outdated software, making patch management critical for prevention.
  • Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor suspicious activities such as unauthorized PowerShell execution. Use intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to block connections to known malicious C&C servers like the one observed in this attack.
  • Limit user permissions to execute potentially dangerous commands or files. Use application whitelisting to allow only trusted programs to run and disable unnecessary scripting tools like PowerShell on non-administrative systems.
  • Continuously monitor network traffic for anomalies, such as unusual locale settings or repeated connection attempts to unknown IP addresses. Create an incident response plan to quickly isolate and remediate affected systems in case of compromise.

MITRE ATT&CK® Techniques

Tactic Technique Procedure
Initial Access (TA0001) Phishing (T1566) ZIP archives might be sent through phishing email to the target users
Execution (TA0002) Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell (T1059.001) Powershell is used to extract the archive file
Execution (TA0002) Windows Command Shell (T1059.003) Cmd.exe is used to execute commands through PIPE, start command
Execution (TA0002) Native API (T1106) SetConsoleCP, SetConsoleOutputCP, and other Win32 APIs to configure locale
Command and Control (TA0011) System Information Discovery (T1082) Collects victim details, including OS version, computer name, username, and domain details
Command and Control (TA0011) Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols (T1071.001)   Communicates with the C&C server over HTTP using the “Boost.Beast” library.

Indicators of Compromise

Indicator Indicator type Comments
6ac2d57d066ef791b906c3b4c6b5e5c54081d6657af459115eb6abb1a9d1085d SHA-256 coYLaSU4TQum
0f578e437f5c09fb81059f4b5e6ee0b93cfc0cdf8b31a29abc8396b6137d10c3 SHA-256 Список товаров и услуг.pdf.lnk
dd49fd0e614ac3f6f89bae7b7a6aa9cdab3b338d2a8d11a11a774ecc9d287d6f SHA-256 Счет-фактура.pdf.lnk
57848d222cfbf05309d7684123128f9a2bffd173f48aa3217590f79612f4c773 SHA-256 Doc.zip
4b62da75898d1f685b675e7cbaec24472eb7162474d2fd66f3678fb86322ef0a SHA-256 Phantomcore Backdoor
44b1f97e1bbdd56afeb1efd477aa4e0ecaa79645032e44c7783f997f377d749f SHA-256 Phantomcore Backdoor
2dccb526de9a17a07e39bdedc54fbd66288277f05fb45c7cba56f88df00e86a7 SHA-256 Phantomcore Backdoor
1a2d1654d8ff10f200c47015d96d2fcb1d4d40ee027beb55bb46199c11b810cc SHA-256 Phantomcore Backdoor
8aad7f80f0120d1455320489ff1f807222c02c8703bd46250dd7c3868164ab70 SHA-256 Phantomcore Backdoor
9df6afb2afbd903289f3b4794be4768214c223a3024a90f954ae6d2bb093bea3 SHA-256 Phantomcore Backdoor
hxxps://city-tuning[.]ru/collection/srvhost.exe URL Phantomcore Backdoor Download URL
hxxps://filetransfer[.]io/data-package/AiveGg6u/download URL ZIP file download URL
hxxp://45.10.247[.]152/init URL C&C
hxxp://45.10.247[.]152/check URL C&C
hxxp://45.10.247[.]152/connect URL C&C
hxxp://45.10.247[.]152/command  URL  C&C
hxxp://185.80.91[.]84/command URL C&C
hxxp://185.80.91[.]84/connect URL C&C
hxxp://185.80.91[.]84/check URL C&C
hxxp://185.80.91[.]84/init URL C&C
hxxp://45.87.245[.]53/init URL C&C
hxxp://45.87.245[.]53/check URL C&C
hxxp://45.87.245[.]53/connect URL C&C
hxxp://45.87.245[.]53/command URL C&C

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Think Twice Before You Click: INTERPOL Unveils Alarming Cybercrime Trends

Interpol

Overview

In response to the growing threat of cyber and financial crimes targeting individuals and organizations, INTERPOL has launched a new campaign called “Think Twice.” The campaign aims to raise awareness about the dangers of increasingly complex online threats, urging people to pause and think before making decisions online. The campaign highlights five key cyber threats: ransomware attacks, malware attacks, phishing, generative AI scams, and romance baiting.

With these crimes becoming more advanced and widespread, the campaign serves as a timely reminder of the importance of vigilance and careful decision-making in the digital world.

The Rising Threat of Cybercrime

Cybercrime is on the rise, with criminals using more advanced techniques to exploit vulnerable individuals and organizations. According to INTERPOL’s findings, ransomware attacks have increased by 70 percent, and malware attacks have risen by over 30 percent in just the past year.

Fostering a culture of cyber-awareness in the workforce is the first and last line of defense against cybercrime, as employees form the backbone of any cybersecurity strategy.

Phishing attacks have also evolved, becoming increasingly difficult to detect. Cybercriminals are now using sophisticated methods, including generative AI, to manipulate voices, images, and text, creating ultra-realistic human avatars to deceive victims. These scams are gaining traction, with scammers targeting victims worldwide using tactics that were once unimaginable. Another rising threat is romance baiting, where criminals use fake online profiles to form relationships with victims, only to later ask for money.

The “Think Twice” campaign, which will run from December 3 to December 19, 2024, emphasizes the importance of making informed choices online. By raising awareness of these growing threats, INTERPOL hopes to empower individuals and organizations to take proactive steps in safeguarding themselves against cybercrime.

Key Threats Highlighted by the “Think Twice” Campaign

The campaign focuses on five major threats that have been identified as rapidly growing concerns in the online space:

  1. Ransomware Attacks:
    Ransomware continues to be one of the most disruptive forms of cybercrime. It involves criminals encrypting a victim’s data and demanding a ransom to unlock it. The rise of ransomware attacks has been staggering, with a 70 percent increase in the past year alone.
  2. Malware Attacks:
    Malware attacks involve malicious software designed to infiltrate and damage computers or networks. Over 30 percent of malware attacks have increased in the past year, often spreading through emails, links, or infected files.
  3. Phishing:
    Phishing scams involve tricking individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or financial data, through deceptive emails or messages. Phishing has become more sophisticated, with cybercriminals using AI-generated content to make their scams harder to detect.
  4. Generative AI Scams:
    Generative AI scams involve using AI technology to create fake human avatars, voices, and images to deceive victims. These scams are gaining traction, with cybercriminals using realistic content to manipulate and steal money from victims.
  5. Romance Baiting Scams:
    Romance baiting is a growing form of fraud where criminals create fake online profiles to form emotional connections with victims. After gaining their trust, they ask for money, often claiming to be in a financial emergency or need.

The “Think Twice” Campaign: Empowering Individuals and Organizations

The primary objective of the “Think Twice” campaign is to encourage individuals to pause and think before acting on digital content. INTERPOL urges people to verify the authenticity of messages, links, and requests before taking any action. This two-week awareness campaign will primarily run through social media channels, reaching individuals globally and educating them about the risks associated with cybercrime.

INTERPOL emphasizes the importance of adopting a mindset of caution and awareness when interacting with digital content. The campaign encourages individuals to:

  • Pause and evaluate: Take a moment to verify the authenticity of any unsolicited emails, links, or messages.
  • Check for credibility: Ensure the sources of information are legitimate, especially if you’re asked for personal or financial information.
  • Verify identities: Even if a request seems to come from a familiar contact, always verify their identity through multiple channels.
  • Stay informed: Learn about the latest cybercrime tactics and how to recognize them.
  • Be cautious with online relationships: Especially when money is involved, approach online relationships with skepticism.

Taking Action Against Cybercrime: What Can You Do?

INTERPOL’s campaign is not just about raising awareness; it also provides a practical checklist for reducing the risks of cybercrime. Here are some simple steps that individuals and organizations can take to protect themselves:

  1. Be cautious of unsolicited requests: Always be wary of emails or messages from unfamiliar sources. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments.
  2. Implement a cybersecurity culture: Businesses should foster a culture of cybersecurity awareness among employees, providing training and guidelines on handling potential threats.
  3. Verify identities: If you receive a request for money or sensitive information from a known person, verify their identity before acting.
  4. Use in-person verification: For high-risk situations, like online transactions or relationships, consider verifying details through face-to-face meetings or phone calls.
  5. Stay informed: Cybercrime tactics are constantly evolving, so it’s crucial to stay updated on the latest scams and threats.

Conclusion

As cyber and financial crimes continue to grow in scale, INTERPOL’s “Think Twice” campaign serves as an essential reminder for individuals and organizations to remain vigilant. By pausing to consider their digital actions and verifying the authenticity of online content, people can reduce their exposure to threats like phishing, malware, and romance baiting.

As INTERPOL’s Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Through proactive measures and informed decisions, we can help build a safer digital world for everyone.

Source: https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2024/INTERPOL-campaign-warns-against-cyber-and-financial-crimes

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Head Mare Group Intensifies Attacks on Russia with PhantomCore RAT

Head Mare

Key takeaways

  • Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs (CRIL) has identified a campaign associated with the infamous group Head Mare aimed at targeting Russians.
  • This campaign involves a ZIP archive containing both a malicious LNK file and an executable. The executable is cleverly disguised as an archive file to deceive users and facilitate its malicious operations.
  • The LNK file contains commands designed to extract and execute the disguised, which has been identified as PhantomCore.
  • PhantomCore is a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) utilized by the hacktivist group Head Mare. It has been active since 2023 and is known for consistently targeting Russia.  
  • In previous attacks, GoLang-compiled PhantomCore binaries were used. However, in this campaign, the threat actor (TA) is using C++-compiled PhantomCore binaries instead.
  • TA also integrated the Boost.Beast library into PhantomCore to enable communication with the command-and-control (C&C) server.
  • PhantomCore collects the victim’s information, including the public IP address, to gain detailed insights into the target before deploying the final-stage payload or executing additional commands on the compromised system.
  • PhantomCore RAT is known to deploy ransomware payloads such as LockBit and Babuk, inflicting significant damage on the victim’s systems.

Overview

On 2nd September 2024, Kaspersky released a blog about the Head Mare group, which first emerged in 2023. Head Mare is a hacktivist group targeting organizations in Russia and Belarus with the goal of causing maximum damage rather than financial gain. They use up-to-date tactics, such as exploiting the CVE-2023-38831 vulnerability in WinRAR, to gain initial access and deliver malicious payloads. The group maintains a public presence on X, where they disclose information about their victims.

Their targets span various industries, including government, transportation, energy, manufacturing, and entertainment. Unlike other groups, Head Mare also demands ransom for data decryption.

Threat Actor
Figure 1 – Threat Actor profile

CRIL recently identified a campaign targeting Russians linked to the notorious Head Mare group. While the initial infection vector remains unknown, the group typically reaches users via spam emails. In this campaign, a ZIP archive named “Doc.Zip” was discovered, containing a malicious LNK file, an executable disguised as “Doc.zip” identified as the PhantomCore RAT, and a corrupted PDF.

Upon executing the LNK file, it extracts the “Doc.Zip” archive into the “C:ProgramData” directory and executes the file “Doc.zip” using cmd.exe. Once executed, the malware gathers the victim’s information, such as the public IP address, windows version username, etc., and sends it to a command-and-control (C&C) server controlled by the TA. It then awaits further commands from the C&C server to execute additional malicious activities. The figure below shows the infection chain.

Infection Chain
Figure 2 – Infection chain

Earlier, PhantomCore samples were developed using GoLang. However, in the latest campaign, the threat actor is using C++-compiled PhantomCore binaries. Additionally, the C++ version of PhantomCore incorporates the Boost.Beast library, which facilitates communication between the infected system and the command-and-control (C&C) server through HTTP WebSockets.

Technical Analysis

The ZIP archive “Doc.zip,” downloaded from the file-sharing website hxxps://filetransfer[.]io/data-package/AiveGg6u/download, is suspected to have been delivered to the victim via a spam email. The email likely carried a social engineering theme, designed to appear legitimate, such as an invoice for goods or similar financial documents. This theme was intended to deceive the recipient into interacting with the malicious attachment, ultimately leading to the delivery of the malicious payload.

The zip archive contains multiple files, including two LNK files, a corrupted lure PDF file, and an executable camouflaged as a “.zip” file extension. All the files within the archive are notably in Russian, as detailed in the table below.

Actual file names Translated names
Список товаров и услуг.pdf.lnk List of goods and services.pdf.lnk
Счет-фактура.pdf.lnk Invoice.pdf.lnk
Контактные данные для оплаты.pdf Contact details for payment.pdf
Doc.zip Doc.zip

The LNK file is configured to execute a PowerShell command that locates and extracts the “Doc.zip” archive into the “C:ProgramData” directory. Once extracted, the “Doc.zip” archive, which contains an executable, is launched using the cmd.exe start command. The figure below illustrates the contents of the LNK file.

Trojan, Lure
Figure 3 – Contents of Список товаров и услуг.pdf.lnk

Upon execution, the Doc.zip file sets both the input and output code pages to OEM Russian (Cyrillic) using the SetConsoleCP and SetConsoleOutputCP Win32 APIs. Additionally, it sets the locale language of the victim machine to “ru_RU.UTF-8” to configure the system to use the Russian locale with UTF-8 encoding.

Locale, Russia
Figure 4 – Sets locale to Russia

After configuring the locale settings, the malware attempts to connect to the C&C server at 45.10.247.152 using the User-Agent string “Boost.Beast/353”. It retries the connection until successful, sleeping for 10 seconds between each attempt.

Connect Request
Figure 5 – Connect request

After a successful connection is established, the malware gathers the victim’s information, including the Buildname, Windows version, public IP address, computer name, username, and domain details. The Buildname, which can vary (e.g., ZIP, URL), may indicate the infection vector. This collected data is then sent to the C&C server via the “init” endpoint, as illustrated in the figure below.

Infostealer
Figure 6 – Gathering victim’s information

Extracting victim details
Figure 7 – Sending victim’s details

After sending the initial request containing the victim details and UUID, the malware waits for a response from the TA. However, during our analysis, we were unable to capture the response. Nevertheless, code analysis indicates that the typical response from the TA follows a format similar to the one shown below.

TA Response
Figure 8 – TA’s response

Moreover, the TA can execute commands on the victim’s machine and download additional payloads from the C&C server. This enables them to escalate the compromise, conduct further malicious activities, or expand the attack by deploying specific commands and payloads.  The RAT uses the following endpoints for its C&C communication and to receive commands

  • hxxp:// [C&C IP Address]/connect
  • hxxp:// [C&C IP Address]/init
  • hxxp:// [C&C IP Address]/check
  • hxxp:// [C&C IP Address]/command

The TA uses the following methods to execute commands and deploy additional payloads.

Command Execution through Pipes

The execution process involves creating a pipe and redirecting the WritePipe handle to the standard output (stdout) and standard error (stderr). A new process is then launched using the command “cmd.exe /c” to execute the specified command. After the command is executed, the output is retrieved by reading from the pipe using the “ReadFile” API and the ReadPipe handle. Additionally, a log is generated to monitor and track the success or failure of the pipe creation and command execution.

The following code demonstrates the TAs ability to execute commands through a pipe, read the command output, and parse the commands for execution via the pipe.

PIPE
Figure 9 – PIPE creation

Creating new process

The malware can also create a new process based on the input from the calling function. If successful, it closes the process and thread handles, updates the log with a success message, and sets a flag to notify the calling process. In case of failure, it logs an error message and sets a different flag to indicate the failure.

Process
Figure 10 – New Process Creation

The Head Mare group has been known to deploy ransomware in previous attacks, targeting a variety of systems and environments. This includes the use of widely recognized ransomware strains such as LockBit for Windows machines and Babuk for ESXi (VMware) environments. These ransomware strains are notorious for their ability to encrypt valuable data and demand ransom payments from victims in exchange for decryption keys.

Yara and Sigma rules to detect this campaign are available for download from the linked Github repository.

Conclusion

The Head Mare group’s campaign continues to target Russian organizations using the PhantomCore RAT and evolving tactics, including using C++-compiled binaries and social engineering techniques. The group’s ability to collect victim data and deploy additional payloads, including ransomware, highlights the ongoing threat it poses. Organizations must stay vigilant and strengthen their security measures to defend against such attacks.

Recommendations

  • Avoid opening unexpected or suspicious email attachments, particularly ZIP or LNK files. Train employees to identify phishing attempts and verify file origins before interacting with downloads. Implement email security solutions that detect and block malicious attachments.
  • Ensure all software, including WinRAR and operating systems, is updated with the latest security patches. Vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-38831 can be exploited in outdated software, making patch management critical for prevention.
  • Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor suspicious activities such as unauthorized PowerShell execution. Use intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to block connections to known malicious C&C servers like the one observed in this attack.
  • Limit user permissions to execute potentially dangerous commands or files. Use application whitelisting to allow only trusted programs to run and disable unnecessary scripting tools like PowerShell on non-administrative systems.
  • Continuously monitor network traffic for anomalies, such as unusual locale settings or repeated connection attempts to unknown IP addresses. Create an incident response plan to quickly isolate and remediate affected systems in case of compromise.

MITRE ATT&CK® Techniques

Tactic Technique Procedure
Initial Access (TA0001) Phishing (T1566) ZIP archives might be sent through phishing email to the target users
Execution (TA0002) Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell (T1059.001) Powershell is used to extract the archive file
Execution (TA0002) Windows Command Shell (T1059.003) Cmd.exe is used to execute commands through PIPE, start command
Execution (TA0002) Native API (T1106) SetConsoleCP, SetConsoleOutputCP, and other Win32 APIs to configure locale
Command and Control (TA0011) System Information Discovery (T1082) Collects victim details, including OS version, computer name, username, and domain details
Command and Control (TA0011) Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols (T1071.001)   Communicates with the C&C server over HTTP using the “Boost.Beast” library.

Indicators of Compromise

Indicator Indicator type Comments
6ac2d57d066ef791b906c3b4c6b5e5c54081d6657af459115eb6abb1a9d1085d SHA-256 coYLaSU4TQum
0f578e437f5c09fb81059f4b5e6ee0b93cfc0cdf8b31a29abc8396b6137d10c3 SHA-256 Список товаров и услуг.pdf.lnk
dd49fd0e614ac3f6f89bae7b7a6aa9cdab3b338d2a8d11a11a774ecc9d287d6f SHA-256 Счет-фактура.pdf.lnk
57848d222cfbf05309d7684123128f9a2bffd173f48aa3217590f79612f4c773 SHA-256 Doc.zip
4b62da75898d1f685b675e7cbaec24472eb7162474d2fd66f3678fb86322ef0a SHA-256 Phantomcore RAT
44b1f97e1bbdd56afeb1efd477aa4e0ecaa79645032e44c7783f997f377d749f SHA-256 Phantomcore RAT
2dccb526de9a17a07e39bdedc54fbd66288277f05fb45c7cba56f88df00e86a7 SHA-256 Phantomcore RAT
1a2d1654d8ff10f200c47015d96d2fcb1d4d40ee027beb55bb46199c11b810cc SHA-256 Phantomcore RAT
8aad7f80f0120d1455320489ff1f807222c02c8703bd46250dd7c3868164ab70 SHA-256 Phantomcore RAT
9df6afb2afbd903289f3b4794be4768214c223a3024a90f954ae6d2bb093bea3 SHA-256 Phantomcore RAT
hxxps://city-tuning[.]ru/collection/srvhost.exe URL Phantomcore RAT Download URL
hxxps://filetransfer[.]io/data-package/AiveGg6u/download URL ZIP file download URL
hxxp://45.10.247[.]152/init URL C&C
hxxp://45.10.247[.]152/check URL C&C
hxxp://45.10.247[.]152/connect URL C&C
hxxp://45.10.247[.]152/command  URL  C&C
hxxp://185.80.91[.]84/command URL C&C
hxxp://185.80.91[.]84/connect URL C&C
hxxp://185.80.91[.]84/check URL C&C
hxxp://185.80.91[.]84/init URL C&C
hxxp://45.87.245[.]53/init URL C&C
hxxp://45.87.245[.]53/check URL C&C
hxxp://45.87.245[.]53/connect URL C&C
hxxp://45.87.245[.]53/command URL C&C

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Security Risks in TP-Link Archer Router Could Lead to Unauthorized Access

TP Link Archer

Overview

The TP-Link Archer C50 V4, a popular dual-band wireless router designed for small office and home office (SOHO) networks, has been found to contain multiple security vulnerabilities that could expose users to a range of cyber threats.

These TP-Link Archer router vulnerabilities, identified under the CVE-2024-54126 and CVE-2024-54127 identifiers, affect all firmware versions prior to Archer C50(EU)_V4_240917. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) flagged these vulnerabilities and the security of TP-Link Archer routers.

The vulnerabilities identified in the TP-Link Archer C50 V4 wireless router could allow attackers to exploit critical security holes in the device, leading to unauthorized access and potentially damaging consequences. Two specific issues have been highlighted: a flaw in the firmware upgrade process and the exposure of sensitive Wi-Fi credentials.

Details of the TP-Link Archer Router Vulnerabilities

The TP-Link Archer router vulnerabilities have been classified as medium risk. While the immediate impact may not be critical, the potential for exploitation remains a threat to network security. CVE-2024-54126 and CVE-2024-54127 were reported by Khalid Markar, Amey Chavekar, Sushant Mane, and Dr. Faruk Kazi from CoE-CNDS Lab, VJTI, Mumbai.

Vulnerability Details in TP-Link Archer Router

  1. Insufficient Integrity Verification During Firmware Upgrade (CVE-2024-54126)

One of the key vulnerabilities in the TP-Link Archer C50 router arises from an improper signature verification mechanism in the firmware upgrade process. This issue is present in the web interface of the router, which could be exploited by an attacker with administrative privileges. If the attacker is within the Wi-Fi range of the router, they could upload and execute malicious firmware, allowing them to compromise the device completely.

The absence of adequate integrity checks during firmware updates could enable an attacker to introduce backdoors or malicious code into the router. This would allow the attacker to control the device, manipulate network traffic, or even hijack the entire system, posing a serious security risk for users relying on this router for their home or business networks.

  • Exposure of Wi-Fi Credentials in Plaintext (CVE-2024-54127)

The second vulnerability is related to the lack of proper access control on the serial interface of the TP-Link Archer C50 router. An attacker with physical access to the device could exploit this weakness by accessing the Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART) shell. Once inside, the attacker could easily extract Wi-Fi credentials, including the network name (SSID) and password, which would give them unauthorized access to the targeted network.

This vulnerability in TP-Link Archer routers is particularly malicious because obtaining Wi-Fi credentials allows attackers to infiltrate the network, potentially exposing sensitive data, intercepting communications, or launching further attacks on connected devices. The ability to obtain such information without the need for remote access makes this vulnerability especially dangerous in situations where physical access to the device is possible.

Impact of the TP-Link Archer Vulnerability

The presence of these vulnerabilities in the TP-Link Archer C50 V4 router could lead to significant security risks, including:

  • Compromise of the router: Malicious firmware uploads could enable attackers to control the device, potentially disrupting network operations or using it as a platform for launching further attacks.
  • Exposure of sensitive information: The vulnerability related to the exposure of Wi-Fi credentials allows attackers to access the network and all connected devices. This could lead to data breaches, unauthorized surveillance, and even identity theft.
  • Potential system compromise: Once the attacker gains access to the router or the Wi-Fi network, they may leverage this foothold to exploit other vulnerabilities in the network infrastructure, leading to a larger-scale attack.

Given that many home and small office networks rely on TP-Link Archer routers for wireless connectivity, these vulnerabilities have the potential to affect a large number of users. The impact could be particularly severe for businesses or individuals who store sensitive information or rely on secure communications.

Mitigating the Vulnerability in TP-Link Archer Router

To mitigate the risks associated with these vulnerabilities, TP-Link has released a firmware update designed to address the issues. The solution is available for download through the official TP-Link website and should be applied as soon as possible to protect the router from potential attacks. Some of the recommended actions include:

  • Update Firmware: Users of the TP-Link Archer C50 V4 router are advised to upgrade to the latest firmware version, Archer C50(EU)_V4_240917. This update fixes the vulnerabilities by enhancing the integrity checks during the firmware upgrade process and securing access to the serial interface to prevent unauthorized access to Wi-Fi credentials.
  • Firmware Upgrade Instructions: To ensure a smooth upgrade, users should follow the specific instructions provided by TP-Link, which include verifying the hardware version of the router, downloading the correct firmware, and ensuring the router is not powered off during the upgrade process. It is also recommended to use a wired connection during the upgrade to avoid any issues with wireless disconnections.

Conclusion

The discovery of vulnerabilities in the TP-Link Archer router highlights the critical need for users to stay updated with the latest firmware releases and security patches. The vulnerabilities in the TP-Link Archer C50 V4, including the insufficient integrity verification during firmware upgrades and the exposure of Wi-Fi credentials, present an ongoing security risks that could lead to unauthorized access and system compromise.

By upgrading to the latest firmware version, users can mitigate the risks associated with these vulnerabilities and protect their networks from potential exploitation. TP-Link Archer router users should take immediate action to secure their devices and ensure their networks remain safe from attackers seeking to exploit these flaws.

References

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Manufacturing Companies Targeted with New Lumma and Amadey Campaign

The manufacturing industry has long been a target of cybercriminals. While data encryption has been a prevalent tactic in recent years, threat actors are now increasingly focusing on stealing sensitive information and gaining control over critical infrastructure.  

One of the latest campaigns on record involves the use of Lumma and Amadey malware. 

Campaign Uses Fake LogicalDOC URLs  

This campaign heavily leverages Living Off the Land (LOLBAS) techniques to deliver malware as part of its operations. 

Threat actors distribute phishing emails with URLs leading targets to download LNK files disguised as PDFs. These files are accessed via a domain name masquerading as one belonging to LogicalDOC, a service for managing documentation widely utilized in the manufacturing industry.  

Attack Involves Scripts to Aid Infection  

The malicious LNK file, once activated, initiates PowerShell via an ssh.exe command. Following a chain of scripts, a CPL file is downloaded from berb[.]fitnessclub-filmfanatics[.]com as a ZIP archive.  

The malware utilizes both PowerShell and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) commands to collect detailed information about the victim’s system. This includes:  

  • Data such as language settings 
  • Antivirus software 
  • Operating system versions 
  • Hardware specifications 

This reconnaissance allows attackers to tailor subsequent attacks and enhances their credibility when sending follow-up malicious emails within the targeted organization. 

DLL Sideloading Ensures Evasion  

Attackers run malicious code in memory without leaving traces and abuse standard Windows tools to blend in with regular system activities. The downloaded ZIP file contains several malicious files used to carry out DLL sideloading.  

Key Objective

The primary purpose of this attack is to:

  • Steal important information with Lumma Stealer
  • Maintain control over the infected systems with Amadey Bot

Aattackers gain the ability to continuously monitor and manipulate their targets, which poses a significant threat to manufacturing businesses.

Why Businesses Need to Pay Attention 

For manufacturing companies, the consequences of such attacks can be severe and include:  

  • Theft of intellectual property 
  • Disruption of operations 
  • Financial losses and compliance violations 

Understanding and preparing for these threats is crucial for protecting valuable assets, maintaining operational integrity, and ensuring the safety of employees and customers. 

Analysis of the Attack with ANY.RUN Sandbox

To proactively identify malicious files belonging to this and other malware attacks, analyze them in the safe environment of ANY.RUN’s Interactive Sandbox that offers: 

  • Real-time Insights: In-depth view of malicious activities as they occur. 
  • Interactivity: Test threat responses in a live system. 
  • Comprehensive Reporting: Detailed reports on IOCs, malware families, and more. 
Analysis of a malicious LNK file inside ANY.RUN’s Sandbox

By uploading a malicious LNK file to the sandbox and executing it we can observe how the entire chain of infection plays out. 

View analysis session 

ANY.RUN detects activities related to malicious and suspicious process

First, the .lnk file initiates SSH, which starts PowerShell. 

Mshta is utilized to download a payload from remote server

PowerShell then launches Mshta with the AES-encrypted first-stage payload that it decrypts and executes. 

Attack uses Emmenhtal loader to faciliate infection

PowerShell executes an AES-encrypted command to decrypt and run Emmenhtal

Suricata IDS is used in ANY.RUN to identify Amadey-related traffic

Emmental leads to system infections with Lumma and Amadey as a result. 

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Collect Threat Intelligence on Lumma and Amadey Attacks 

With TI Lookup, ANY.RUN’s searchable database of the latest threat intelligence, you can find more info on malware and phishing campaigns. TI Lookup provides: 

  • Fresh Data: Latest samples from a global network of security professionals. 
  • Actionable Indicators: IOCs from traffic, memory dumps, and manual collection. 
  • Contextual Information: Links to full sandbox analysis sessions with detailed data. 

Use the following query, consisting of the name of the threat and the path to one of the malicious files used in the attack, for your search: 

TI Lookup lets you collect threat data and view relevant sandbox sessions

The service provides a list of files matching the query along with sandbox sessions featuring analysis of samples belonging to the same campaign that you can explore in detail. 

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About ANY.RUN  

ANY.RUN helps more than 500,000 cybersecurity professionals worldwide. Our interactive sandbox simplifies malware analysis of threats that target both Windows and Linux systems. Our threat intelligence products, TI LookupYARA Search and Feeds, help you find IOCs or files to learn more about the threats and respond to incidents faster.  

The post Manufacturing Companies Targeted with New Lumma and Amadey Campaign appeared first on ANY.RUN’s Cybersecurity Blog.

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MC LR Router and GoCast unpatched vulnerabilities

MC LR Router and GoCast unpatched vulnerabilities

Cisco Talos’ Vulnerability Research team recently discovered two vulnerabilities in MC Technologies LR Router and three vulnerabilities in the GoCast service. 

These vulnerabilities have not been patched at time of this posting. 

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.  

MC Technologies OS command injection vulnerabilities 

Discovered by Matt Wiseman of Cisco Talos. 

The MC-LR Router from MC Technologies supports IPsec and OpenVPN implementations, firewall capabilities, remote management via HTTP and SNMP, and configurable alerting via SMS and email, with two-port and four-port variants, includes models that support transparent serial-to-TCP translations and 1-in/1-out digital I/O. 

Talos recently published two advisories detailing OS command injection vulnerabilities discovered in the MC-LR Router from MC Technologies. TALOS-2024-1953 covers three vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-28025 through CVE-2024-28027), which are reachable through the I/O configuration functionality of the web interface. TALOS-2024-1954 covers one vulnerability (CVE-2024-21786) in the importation of uploaded configuration files. All vulnerabilities may be triggered with an authenticated HTTP request. 

GoCast authentication and OS command injection vulnerabilities 

Discovered by Edwin Molenaar and Matt Street of Cisco Meraki. 

The GoCast tool provides BGP routing for advertisements from a host; it is commonly used for anycast-based load balancing for infrastructure service instances available in geographically diverse regions.  

The GoCast HTTP API allows the registration and deregistration of apps without requiring authentication, shown in TALOS-2024-1962 (CVE-2024-21855). The lack of authentication can be used to exploit TALOS-2024-1960 (CVE-2024-28892) and TALOS-2024-1961 (CVE-2024-29224), leading to OS command injection and arbitrary command execution. 

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Cyble’s Weekly Vulnerability Report: Critical Flaws in Major Software Including Progress Software, QNAP, and 7-Zip

Weekly Vulnerability

Overview

The Cyble Research & Intelligence Labs (CRIL) has released its Weekly Vulnerability Insights Report, highlighting a series of critical vulnerabilities reported between November 27, 2024, and December 3, 2024.

This week’s findings focus on various vulnerabilities that pose risks to organizations, ranging from open-source applications to widely used enterprise software. The analysis includes vulnerabilities that have been actively exploited or are likely to be exploited in the near future, with some already accompanied by proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit code.

One of the most noteworthy vulnerabilities identified in this week’s report is CVE-2024-11680, which impacts ProjectSend, an open-source file-sharing application. This vulnerability is categorized as a critical vulnerability in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added CVE-2024-11680 along with two other vulnerabilities to its catalog.

Throughout this week, CRIL has extensively analyzed vulnerabilities in products from major vendors like Progress Software, Veeam, Microsoft, and QNAP, as well as open-source software like 7-Zip.

CISA’s KEV Catalog: Active Exploitation and Critical Vulnerabilities

As part of its efforts to inform the public about vulnerabilities that are actively exploited, CISA has added three vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog between November 27 and December 3, 2024.

Among these is CVE-2024-11680, a critical flaw in ProjectSend that involves improper authentication, allowing attackers to bypass security and potentially gain unauthorized access. This vulnerability has been assigned a CVSSv3 score of 9.8, making it a high-priority issue for organizations using the software.

Additionally, CVE-2024-11667, a path traversal vulnerability in Zyxel firewalls, also made it to the KEV catalog. Although not as critical as CVE-2024-11680, this vulnerability is still high-risk, affecting multiple models of Zyxel Firewalls with a CVSSv3 score of 7.5. This issue could allow attackers to access sensitive files on vulnerable systems.

Furthermore, CVE-2023-45727, an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in North Grid’s Proself software, was included as well. Exploitation of this vulnerability can allow attackers to launch XXE attacks remotely, exposing systems to potential data breaches.

Major Vulnerabilities Identified

Several other vulnerabilities have been identified as critical threats in this week’s report. Among them:

  1. CVE-2024-8785 – A Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in WhatsUp Gold, a network monitoring software by Progress Software Corporation. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to exploit the NmAPI.exe service to manipulate the Windows registry, potentially resulting in system compromise. With the availability of PoC exploit code, the risk of this vulnerability being weaponized is particularly high.
  2. CVE-2024-42448 and CVE-2024-42449 – Both vulnerabilities affect the Veeam Service Provider Console (VSPC), a cloud-based platform used for managing and monitoring data protection services. These vulnerabilities could allow for Remote Code Execution (RCE) and the exposure of sensitive information like NTLM hashes. Veeam has released patches, but organizations are urged to patch their systems immediately to prevent exploitation.
  3. CVE-2024-11477 – An RCE vulnerability in the popular file archiver 7-Zip. This flaw arises from Zstandard Decompression in versions prior to 24.07 and could be exploited in email-based phishing campaigns that use malicious compressed files as delivery mechanisms. Given the high use of 7-Zip in both personal and organizational settings, this vulnerability is a major concern.
  4. CVE-2024-49019 – A high-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft’s Active Directory Certificate Services. This flaw allows attackers to gain elevated permissions by exploiting misconfigurations in certificate templates. CVE-2024-49019 affects millions of Windows-based systems, and with exploit codes already circulating, it poses a significant risk.
  5. CVE-2024-38077 – A critical vulnerability affecting the Windows Remote Desktop Licensing Service, which allows Remote Code Execution (RCE). This vulnerability is particularly dangerous as it impacts multiple versions of Windows, making it a prime target for attackers.

Online Threats on Underground Forums

One of the more concerning findings in the Weekly Vulnerability Report is the presence of active discussions and exploit sharing on underground forums and Telegram channels. These forums are often frequented by cybercriminals who share PoC exploit codes for various vulnerabilities. This week, researchers from CRIL tracked several discussions related to the following vulnerabilities:

  • CVE-2024-44285 – A use-after-free vulnerability found in Apple’s operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Exploiting this flaw could lead to unexpected termination of the system or even kernel memory corruption.
  • CVE-2024-11320 – An arbitrary code execution (RCE) vulnerability affecting Pandora FMS. This vulnerability can be exploited via the LDAP authentication mechanism, potentially giving attackers full access to vulnerable systems.
  • CVE-2024-44308 – A critical vulnerability in JavaScriptCore, part of the WebKit engine used by Apple’s Safari browser. This flaw could lead to RCE when users visit malicious websites.
  • CVE-2024-0012 – An authentication bypass vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks’ PAN-OS, affecting several versions of the software. This flaw allows attackers to bypass authentication and gain administrative privileges, providing them with full control over affected devices.

Recommendations and Mitigations

Following these vulnerabilities, CRIL offers several key recommendations to help organizations mitigate potential security risks:

  1. Organizations should ensure they are applying the latest patches released by vendors to address vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-11680 and others identified in this report. Patching critical vulnerabilities immediately can prevent attacks from exploiting these weaknesses.
  2. A comprehensive patch management process is essential. This includes testing, deployment, and verification of patches to ensure that systems remain secure.
  3. Critical systems should be isolated from less secure areas of the network to reduce exposure to potential attacks. Using firewalls and access control measures can help limit the impact of a breach.
  4. Organizations should implement monitoring systems such as SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) to detect suspicious activities across their networks.
  5. Regular training on security best practices, particularly for dealing with phishing emails and malicious attachments, can help reduce the risk of exploitation through social engineering.

Conclusion

The Weekly Vulnerability Report from Cyble Research & Intelligence Labs provides essential insights into the vulnerabilities impacting critical systems and software. With high-risk vulnerabilities such as CVE-2024-11680, CVE-2024-8785, and CVE-2024-49019 in play, it is crucial for organizations to stay proactive in applying patches, monitoring for potential attacks, and reinforcing their overall security posture.

With PoC exploit code already circulating for many of these vulnerabilities, the window of opportunity for attackers to exploit these flaws is rapidly closing, making immediate action imperative. By following the best practices and recommendations provided in this report, organizations can better protect themselves.

The post Cyble’s Weekly Vulnerability Report: Critical Flaws in Major Software Including Progress Software, QNAP, and 7-Zip appeared first on Cyble.

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