_CISA released a directive in November 2021, recommending urgent and prioritized remediation of actively exploited vulnerabilities. Both government agencies and corporations should heed this advice. This blog outlines how Qualys Vulnerability Management, Detection & Response can be used by any organization to respond to this directive efficiently and effectively._
### Situation
Last November 2021, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a [Binding Operational Directive 22-01](<https://cyber.dhs.gov/bod/22-01/>) called “Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities.” [This directive](<https://www.cisa.gov/news/2021/11/03/cisa-releases-directive-reducing-significant-risk-known-exploited-vulnerabilities>) recommends urgent and prioritized remediation of the vulnerabilities that adversaries are actively exploiting. It establishes a CISA-managed catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities that carry significant risk to the federal government and sets requirements for agencies to remediate these vulnerabilities.
This directive requires federal agencies to review and update internal vulnerability management procedures to remediate each vulnerability according to the timelines outlined in CISA’s vulnerability catalog.
### Directive Scope
This CISA directive applies to all software and hardware found on federal information systems managed on agency premises or hosted by third parties on an agency’s behalf.
However, CISA strongly recommends that public and private businesses as well as state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments prioritize the mitigation of vulnerabilities listed in CISA’s public catalog. This is truly vulnerability management guidance for all organizations to heed.
### CISA Catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
In total, CISA posted a list of [379 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs)](<https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog>) that pose the highest risk to federal agencies. CISA’s most recent update was issued on February 22, 2022.
The Qualys Research team is continuously updating CVEs to available QIDs (Qualys vulnerability identifiers) in the Qualys Knowledgebase, with the RTI field “CISA Exploited” and this is going to be a continuous approach, as CISA frequently amends with the latest CVE as part of their regular feeds.
Out of these vulnerabilities, Directive 22-01 urges all organizations to reduce their exposure to cyberattacks by effectively prioritizing the remediation of the identified Vulnerabilities.
CISA has ordered U.S. federal agencies to apply patches as soon as possible. The remediation guidance is grouped into multiple categories by CISA based on attack surface severity and time-to-remediate. The timelines are available in the [Catalog](<https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog>) for each of the CVEs.
### Detect CISA Vulnerabilities Using Qualys VMDR
Qualys helps customers to identify and assess the risk to their organizations’ digital infrastructure, and then to automate remediation. Qualys’ guidance for rapid response to Directive 22-01 follows.
The Qualys Research team has released multiple remote and authenticated detections (QIDs) for these vulnerabilities. Since the directive includes 379 CVEs (as of February 22, 2022) we recommend executing your search based on QQL (Qualys Query Language), as shown here for released QIDs by Qualys **_vulnerabilities.vulnerability.threatIntel.cisaKnownExploitedVulns:"true"_**
### CISA Exploited RTI
Using [Qualys VMDR](<https://www.qualys.com/subscriptions/vmdr/>), you can effectively prioritize those vulnerabilities using VMDR Prioritization. Qualys has introduced an **RTI Category, CISA Exploited**.
This RTI indicates that the vulnerabilities are associated with the CISA catalog.
In addition, you can locate a vulnerable host through Qualys Threat Protection by simply clicking on the impacted hosts to effectively identify and track this vulnerability.
With Qualys Unified Dashboard, you can track your exposure to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities and track your status and overall management in real-time. With dashboard widgets, you can keep track of the status of vulnerabilities in your environment using the [“CISA 2010-21| KNOWN EXPLOITED VULNERABILITIES”](<https://success.qualys.com/support/s/article/000006791>) Dashboard.
### Detailed Operational Dashboard
### Remediation
To comply with this directive, federal agencies need to remediate all vulnerabilities as per the remediation timelines suggested in [CISA Catalog](<https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog>)**.**
Qualys patch content covers many Microsoft, Linux, and third-party applications. However, some of the vulnerabilities introduced by CISA are not currently supported out-of-the-box by Qualys. To remediate those vulnerabilities, Qualys provides the ability to deploy custom patches. The flexibility to customize patch deployment allows customers to patch all the remaining CVEs in their list.
Customers can copy the following query into the Patch Management app to help customers comply with the directive’s aggressive remediation timelines set by CISA. Running this query for specific CVEs will find required patches and allow quick and efficient deployment of those missing patches to all assets directly from within Qualys Cloud Platform.
cve:[`CVE-2010-5326`,`CVE-2012-0158`,`CVE-2012-0391`,`CVE-2012-3152`,`CVE-2013-3900`,`CVE-2013-3906`,`CVE-2014-1761`,`CVE-2014-1776`,`CVE-2014-1812`,`CVE-2015-1635`,`CVE-2015-1641`,`CVE-2015-4852`,`CVE-2016-0167`,`CVE-2016-0185`,`CVE-2016-3088`,`CVE-2016-3235`,`CVE-2016-3643`,`CVE-2016-3976`,`CVE-2016-7255`,`CVE-2016-9563`,`CVE-2017-0143`,`CVE-2017-0144`,`CVE-2017-0145`,`CVE-2017-0199`,`CVE-2017-0262`,`CVE-2017-0263`,`CVE-2017-10271`,`CVE-2017-11774`,`CVE-2017-11882`,`CVE-2017-5638`,`CVE-2017-5689`,`CVE-2017-6327`,`CVE-2017-7269`,`CVE-2017-8464`,`CVE-2017-8759`,`CVE-2017-9791`,`CVE-2017-9805`,`CVE-2017-9841`,`CVE-2018-0798`,`CVE-2018-0802`,`CVE-2018-1000861`,`CVE-2018-11776`,`CVE-2018-15961`,`CVE-2018-15982`,`CVE-2018-2380`,`CVE-2018-4878`,`CVE-2018-4939`,`CVE-2018-6789`,`CVE-2018-7600`,`CVE-2018-8174`,`CVE-2018-8453`,`CVE-2018-8653`,`CVE-2019-0193`,`CVE-2019-0211`,`CVE-2019-0541`,`CVE-2019-0604`,`CVE-2019-0708`,`CVE-2019-0752`,`CVE-2019-0797`,`CVE-2019-0803`,`CVE-2019-0808`,`CVE-2019-0859`,`CVE-2019-0863`,`CVE-2019-10149`,`CVE-2019-10758`,`CVE-2019-11510`,`CVE-2019-11539`,`CVE-2019-1214`,`CVE-2019-1215`,`CVE-2019-1367`,`CVE-2019-1429`,`CVE-2019-1458`,`CVE-2019-16759`,`CVE-2019-17026`,`CVE-2019-17558`,`CVE-2019-18187`,`CVE-2019-18988`,`CVE-2019-2725`,`CVE-2019-8394`,`CVE-2019-9978`,`CVE-2020-0601`,`CVE-2020-0646`,`CVE-2020-0674`,`CVE-2020-0683`,`CVE-2020-0688`,`CVE-2020-0787`,`CVE-2020-0796`,`CVE-2020-0878`,`CVE-2020-0938`,`CVE-2020-0968`,`CVE-2020-0986`,`CVE-2020-10148`,`CVE-2020-10189`,`CVE-2020-1020`,`CVE-2020-1040`,`CVE-2020-1054`,`CVE-2020-1147`,`CVE-2020-11738`,`CVE-2020-11978`,`CVE-2020-1350`,`CVE-2020-13671`,`CVE-2020-1380`,`CVE-2020-13927`,`CVE-2020-1464`,`CVE-2020-1472`,`CVE-2020-14750`,`CVE-2020-14871`,`CVE-2020-14882`,`CVE-2020-14883`,`CVE-2020-15505`,`CVE-2020-15999`,`CVE-2020-16009`,`CVE-2020-16010`,`CVE-2020-16013`,`CVE-2020-16017`,`CVE-2020-17087`,`CVE-2020-17144`,`CVE-2020-17496`,`CVE-2020-17530`,`CVE-2020-24557`,`CVE-2020-25213`,`CVE-2020-2555`,`CVE-2020-6207`,`CVE-2020-6287`,`CVE-2020-6418`,`CVE-2020-6572`,`CVE-2020-6819`,`CVE-2020-6820`,`CVE-2020-8243`,`CVE-2020-8260`,`CVE-2020-8467`,`CVE-2020-8468`,`CVE-2020-8599`,`CVE-2021-1647`,`CVE-2021-1675`,`CVE-2021-1732`,`CVE-2021-21017`,`CVE-2021-21148`,`CVE-2021-21166`,`CVE-2021-21193`,`CVE-2021-21206`,`CVE-2021-21220`,`CVE-2021-21224`,`CVE-2021-22204`,`CVE-2021-22893`,`CVE-2021-22894`,`CVE-2021-22899`,`CVE-2021-22900`,`CVE-2021-26411`,`CVE-2021-26855`,`CVE-2021-26857`,`CVE-2021-26858`,`CVE-2021-27059`,`CVE-2021-27065`,`CVE-2021-27085`,`CVE-2021-28310`,`CVE-2021-28550`,`CVE-2021-30116`,`CVE-2021-30551`,`CVE-2021-30554`,`CVE-2021-30563`,`CVE-2021-30632`,`CVE-2021-30633`,`CVE-2021-31199`,`CVE-2021-31201`,`CVE-2021-31207`,`CVE-2021-31955`,`CVE-2021-31956`,`CVE-2021-31979`,`CVE-2021-33739`,`CVE-2021-33742`,`CVE-2021-33766`,`CVE-2021-33771`,`CVE-2021-34448`,`CVE-2021-34473`,`CVE-2021-34523`,`CVE-2021-34527`,`CVE-2021-35211`,`CVE-2021-35247`,`CVE-2021-36741`,`CVE-2021-36742`,`CVE-2021-36934`,`CVE-2021-36942`,`CVE-2021-36948`,`CVE-2021-36955`,`CVE-2021-37415`,`CVE-2021-37973`,`CVE-2021-37975`,`CVE-2021-37976`,`CVE-2021-38000`,`CVE-2021-38003`,`CVE-2021-38645`,`CVE-2021-38647`,`CVE-2021-38648`,`CVE-2021-38649`,`CVE-2021-40438`,`CVE-2021-40444`,`CVE-2021-40449`,`CVE-2021-40539`,`CVE-2021-4102`,`CVE-2021-41773`,`CVE-2021-42013`,`CVE-2021-42292`,`CVE-2021-42321`,`CVE-2021-43890`,`CVE-2021-44077`,`CVE-2021-44228`,`CVE-2021-44515`,`CVE-2022-0609`,`CVE-2022-21882`,`CVE-2022-24086`,`CVE-2010-1871`,`CVE-2017-12149`,`CVE-2019-13272` ]
Vulnerabilities can be validated through VMDR and a Patch Job can be configured for vulnerable assets.
### Federal Enterprises and Agencies Can Act Now
For federal agencies and enterprises, it’s a race against time to remediate these vulnerabilities across their respective environments and achieve compliance with this binding directive. Qualys solutions can help your organization to achieve compliance with this binding directive. Qualys Cloud Platform is FedRAMP authorized, with [107 FedRAMP authorizations](<https://marketplace.fedramp.gov/#!/product/qualys-cloud-platform?sort=-authorizations>) to our credit.
Here are a few steps Federal entities can take immediately:
* Run vulnerability assessments against all of your assets by leveraging our various sensors such as Qualys agent, scanners, and more
* Prioritize remediation by due dates
* Identify all vulnerable assets automatically mapped into the threat feed
* Use Qualys Patch Management to apply patches and other configuration changes
* Track remediation progress through our Unified Dashboards
### Summary
Understanding just which vulnerabilities exist in your environment is a critical but small part of threat mitigation. Qualys VMDR helps customers discover their exposure, assess threats, assign risk, and remediate threats – all in a single unified solution. Qualys customers rely on the accuracy of Qualys’ threat intelligence to protect their digital environments and stay current with patch guidance. Using Qualys VMDR can help any size organization efficiently respond to CISA Binding Operational Directive 22-01.
#### Getting Started
Learn how [Qualys VMDR](<https://www.qualys.com/subscriptions/vmdr/>) provides actionable vulnerability guidance and automates remediation in one solution. Ready to get started? Sign up for a 30-day, no-cost [VMDR trial](<https://www.qualys.com/forms/vmdr/>).
{"threatpost": [{"lastseen": "2022-02-15T21:47:28", "description": "Google on Monday issued 11 security fixes for its Chrome browser, including a high-severity zero-day bug that\u2019s actively being jumped on by attackers in the wild.\n\nIn a brief update, Google [described](<https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/02/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_14.html>) the weakness, tracked as [CVE-2022-0609](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2022-0609>), as a [use-after-free](<https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/416.html>) vulnerability in Chrome\u2019s Animation component. This kind of flaw can lead to all sorts of misery, ranging from the corruption of valid data to the execution of arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. Such flaws can also be used to escape the browser\u2019s security sandbox.\n\n\u201cGoogle is aware of reports that an exploit for CVE-2022-0609 exists in the wild,\u201d according to its security update.\n\nChrome users can fix it straight away, though, by going into the Chrome menu > Help > About Google Chrome.\n\nGiven that the zero day is under active attack, updating Chrome should be done ASAP.\n\n[](<https://media.threatpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/103/2022/02/15125804/Chrome-zero-day-e1644947947750.png>)\n\nChrome security updates. Source: Google.\n\nCredit for the Animation zero day goes to Adam Weidemann and Cl\u00e9ment Lecigne, both from Google\u2019s Threat Analysis Group (TAG).\n\nMonday\u2019s update also plastered over four other high-severity use-after-free flaws found in Chrome\u2019s Webstore API, File Manager, [ANGLE](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANGLE_\\(software\\)>) and GPU. As well, the company addressed a high-severity integer overflow in [Mojo](<https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/main/docs/mojo_and_services.md>), plus a high-severity h\u200beap buffer overflow in Tab Groups. Finally, Google patched a medium-severity issue with inappropriate implementation in Gamepad API.\n\n## And So It Begins\n\nThis is Chrome\u2019s first zero day of the year, and more are sure to follow. But at least we\u2019ve made it into the new-ish year 10 more days than we managed in 2021, when the first bug to hit arrived on Feb. 4.\n\nLast year delivered a total of these 16 Chrome zero days:\n\n * [CVE-2021-21148](<https://threatpost.com/google-chrome-zero-day-windows-mac/163688/>) \u2013 Feb. 4, a vulnerability in its V8 open-source web engine.\n * [CVE-2021-21166](<https://threatpost.com/google-patches-actively-exploited-flaw-in-chrome-browser/164468/>) \u2013 March 2, a flaw in the Audio component of Google Chrome.\n * [CVE-2021-21193](<https://threatpost.com/google-mac-windows-chrome-zero-day/164759/>) \u2013 March 12, a use-after-free flaw in Blink, [the browser engine for Chrome](<https://threatpost.com/google-high-severity-blink-browser-engine-flaw/147770/>) that was developed as part of the Chromium project.\n * [CVE-2021-21220](<https://threatpost.com/chrome-zero-day-exploit-twitter/165363/>) \u2013 April 13, a remote-code execution issue.\n * [CVE-2021-21224](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-21224>) \u2013 April 20, an issue with type confusion in V8 in Google Chrome that could have allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside a sandbox via a crafted HTML page.\n * [CVE-2021-30551](<https://threatpost.com/chrome-browser-bug-under-attack/166804/>) \u2013- June 9, a type confusion bug within Google\u2019s V8 open-source JavaScript and WebAssembly engine.\n * [CVE-2021-30554](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-30554>) \u2013 June 17, a use-after-free bug.\n * [CVE-2021-30563](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-30563>) \u2013 July 15, type confusion in V8.\n * [CVE-2021-30632 and CVE-2021-30633](<https://threatpost.com/google-chrome-zero-day-exploited/169442/>) \u2013 Sept. 13, an out-of-bounds write in V8 and a use-after-free bug in the IndexedDB API, respectively.\n * [CVE-2021-37973](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-37973>) \u2013 Sept. 24, a use-after-free flaw in Portals.\n * [CVE-2021-37976 and CVE-2021-37975](<https://threatpost.com/google-emergency-update-chrome-zero-days/175266/>) \u2013 Sept. 30, an information leak in core and a use-after-free bug in V8, respectively.\n * [CVE-2021-38000](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-38000>) and [CVE-2021-38003](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-38003>) \u2013 Oct. 28, an issue with Insufficient validation of untrusted input in Intents in Google Chrome on Android, and an inappropriate implementation in V8 respectively.\n * [CVE-2021-4102](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-4102>) \u2013 Dec. 13, a use after free in V8.\n\n**_Join Threatpost on Wed. Feb 23 at 2 PM ET for a [LIVE roundtable discussion](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/protect-sensitive-cloud-data/?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=Article&utm_id=Keeper+Webinar>) \u201cThe Secret to Keeping Secrets,\u201d sponsored by Keeper Security, focused on how to locate and lock down your organization\u2019s most sensitive data. Zane Bond with Keeper Security will join Threatpost\u2019s Becky Bracken to offer concrete steps to protect your organization\u2019s critical information in the cloud, in transit and in storage. [REGISTER NOW](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/protect-sensitive-cloud-data/?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=Article&utm_id=Keeper+Webinar>) and please Tweet us your questions ahead of time @Threatpost so they can be included in the discussion._**\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "CHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "baseScore": 10.0, "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H", "version": "3.1", "userInteraction": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 6.0}, "published": "2022-02-15T18:33:28", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Chrome Zero-Day Under Active Attack: Patch ASAP", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "HIGH", "exploitabilityScore": 8.6, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": false, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE", "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE", "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE", "baseScore": 9.3, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 10.0, "acInsufInfo": false, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-21148", "CVE-2021-21166", "CVE-2021-21193", "CVE-2021-21220", "CVE-2021-21224", "CVE-2021-30551", "CVE-2021-30554", "CVE-2021-30563", "CVE-2021-30632", "CVE-2021-30633", "CVE-2021-37973", "CVE-2021-37975", "CVE-2021-37976", "CVE-2021-38000", "CVE-2021-38003", "CVE-2021-4102", "CVE-2021-44228", "CVE-2022-0609"], "modified": "2022-02-15T18:33:28", "id": "THREATPOST:3697F9293A6DFF6CD5927E9E68FF488A", "href": "https://threatpost.com/google-chrome-zero-day-under-attack/178428/", "cvss": {"score": 9.3, "vector": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-04-07T18:10:44", "description": "Active cyberattacks on known vulnerabilities in SAP systems could lead to full control of unsecured SAP applications, researchers are warning.\n\nAdversaries are carrying out a range of attacks, according to [an alert](<https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/current-activity/2021/04/06/malicious-cyber-activity-targeting-critical-sap-applications>) from SAP and security firm Onapsis issued Tuesday \u2013 including theft of sensitive data, financial fraud, disruption of mission-critical business processes and other operational disruptions, and delivery of ransomware and other malware.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nSAP applications help organizations manage critical business processes \u2013 including enterprise resource planning (ERP), product lifecycle management, customer relationship management (CRM) and supply-chain management.\n\nFrom mid-2020 until today, Onapsis researchers have recorded more than 300 successful exploit attempts on unprotected SAP instances.\n\n## Who\u2019s at Risk?\n\nUnfortunately, the ongoing attacks could have far-reaching consequences, as SAP noted in the warning:\n\n\u201cThese are the applications that 92 percent of the Forbes Global 2000 have standardized on SAP to power their operations and fuel the global economy,\u201d the alert noted. \u201cWith more than 400,000 organizations using SAP, 77 percent of the world\u2019s transactional revenue touches an SAP system. These organizations include the vast majority of pharmaceutical, critical infrastructure and utility companies, food distributors, defense and many more.\u201d\n\nGovernment agencies should take particular notice of the spate of attacks, researchers said.\n\n\u201cSAP systems are a prominent attack vector for bad actors,\u201d Kevin Dunne, president at Pathlock, told Threatpost. \u201cMost federal agencies are running on SAP, as it has become the industry standard for government entities. However, these SAP implementations are often on-premise, and managed by the government entities themselves due to security concerns. These systems then become increasingly vulnerable when updates and patches are not applied in a timely fashion, leaving them wide open for interested hackers.\u201d\n\nThe technology sector is another hot target for attacks, according to Setu Kulkarni, vice president of strategy at WhiteHat Security.\n\n\u201cOur reporting has found that independent software vendors (ISVs) and technology companies have and inordinately high window of exposure,\u201d he told Threatpost. \u201cWe are seeing that ISVs and technology companies are lacking in their security rigor as they ultimately may pass on the security responsibilities to the companies that use the ISV to build products for their customers.\u201d\n\n## **Active Exploitation**\n\nThe attacks are brute-forcing high-privilege SAP user accounts, as well as exploiting a raft of known bugs: [CVE-2020-6287](<https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-6287>), [CVE-2020-6207](<https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-6207>), [CVE-2018-2380](<https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-2380>), [CVE-2016-9563](<https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9563>), [CVE-2016-3976](<https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3976>) and [CVE-2010-5326](<https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-5326>), according to the warning.\n\nThe adversaries are \u201cadvanced threat actors,\u201d according to Onapsis, as evidenced by how quickly they\u2019ve been able to develop exploits, among other things.\n\nThere is \u201cconclusive evidence that cyberattackers are actively targeting and exploiting unsecured SAP applications, through a varied set of techniques, tools and procedures and clear indications of sophisticated knowledge of mission-critical applications,\u201d the alert reads. \u201cThe window for defenders is significantly smaller than previously thought, with examples of SAP vulnerabilities being weaponized in less than 72 hours since the release of patches, and new unprotected SAP applications provisioned in cloud (IaaS) environments being discovered and compromised in less than three hours.\u201d\n\n\n\nSource: Onapsis.\n\nThe issues are as follows:\n\n * CVE-2020-6287 is a [critical authentication bypass issue](<https://threatpost.com/critical-sap-bug-enterprise-system-takeover/157392/>) in SAP NetWeaver Application Server Java allowing full account takeover;\n * CVE-2020-6207 is another critical authentication bypass bug, in SAP Solution Manager;\n * CVE-2018-2380 is a medium-severity flaw in SAP CRM, which allows an attacker to exploit insufficient validation of path information provided by users;\n * CVE-2016-9563 is also a medium-severity bug, this time in SAP NetWeaver AS Java. Remote authenticated users can exploit it to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks, which allow them to interfere with XML processing;\n * CVE-2016-3976 is a high-severity directory traversal vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver AS Java that allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files;\n * And CVE-2010-5326 is an 11-year-old critical issue in the Invoker Servlet on SAP NetWeaver AS Java. It doesn\u2019t require authentication, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via an HTTP or HTTPS request.\n\n\n\nExploit uses \u2013 click to enlarge. Source: Onapsis.\n\nAfter initial access, Onapsis observed threat actors using the vulnerabilities to establish persistence, for privilege escalation, evasion and, ultimately, complete control of SAP systems, including financial, human capital management and supply-chain applications.\n\n\u201cAdditionally, attempts at chaining vulnerabilities to achieve privilege escalation for OS-level access were observed, expanding potential impact beyond SAP systems and applications,\u201d according to the analysis.\n\nAs an example, Onapsis said that one actor was able to scan and create an admin user utilizing an exploit utility for CVE-2020-6287. Upon successfully creating the profile and logging in, additional exploits were executed against CVE-2018-2380 for shell upload, as the attackers tried to access the operating system layer. Following that, exploits for CVE-2016-3976 were executed, targeting the download of a \u201ccredential store,\u201d which provides access to logins for high-privileged accounts and the core database. Worryingly, this all happened within 90 minutes, according to Onapsis.\n\n\n\nExploit chaining. Source: Onapsis.\n\nInterestingly, the cyberattackers in some cases are patching the exploited vulnerabilities after they\u2019ve gained access to a victim\u2019s environment, Onapsis said.\n\n\u201cThis action illustrates the threat actors\u2019 advanced domain knowledge of SAP applications, access to the manufacturer\u2019s patches and their ability to reconfigure these systems,\u201d according to the firm. \u201cThis technique is often used by threat actors to deploy backdoors on seemingly patched systems to maintain persistence or to evade detection.\u201d\n\n## **Who\u2019s Behind the SAP Attacks?**\n\nThe activity is being mounted by multiple groups, who appear to be engaged in coordinated activity across vast swathes of infrastructure, according to the alert.\n\n\u201cAttackers [are] triggering exploitation from different source systems from the ones used to perform subsequent manual logins were detected, indicating the possibility of coordinated groups and/or actors leveraging wide-spread attack infrastructure,\u201d it reads. \u201cWhile this behavior is common when analyzing operating system and network-based attacks, this data provides evidence that the same approach is also used when targeting mission-critical applications, as these actors use TOR nodes and distributed VPS infrastructures to launch the attacks and escalate privileges.\u201d\n\nThe activity is originating from all over the world, including Hong Kong, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, United States, Vietnam and Yemen.\n\n## **How Can I Prevent an Attack?**\n\nThe main way to thwart these kinds of attacks is to patch the vulnerabilities. Also, any web-facing accounts should have unique passwords to disallow automated brute-force attempts to break in; and any systems that don\u2019t need to face the public web should be taken offline.\n\n\u201cAll observed exploited critical weaknesses have been promptly patched by SAP, and have been available to customers for months and years in some cases,\u201d the alert noted. \u201cUnfortunately, both SAP and Onapsis continue to observe many organizations that have still not applied the proper mitigations\u2026allowing unprotected SAP systems to continue to operate and, in many cases, remain visible to attackers via the internet.\u201d\n\nAlso, while applying security patches in a timely fashion is critical to closing down the risk from major, known vulnerabilities, Pathlock\u2019s Dunne pointed out that patching can only remedy issues that are in the rear-view. With cyberattackers patching the bugs behind them, there also needs to be a way to detect malicious activity.\n\n\u201cFor a comprehensive, forward looking approach to SAP security, organizations need to implement a comprehensive solution to monitor user activities within the system, including interactions with sensitive data,\u201d he told Threatpost. \u201cThis way, even attackers that are able to breach SAP systems by known or unknown vulnerabilities can still be identified and their damage can be mitigated in real-time.\u201d\n\n**_Ever wonder what goes on in underground cybercrime forums? Find out on April 21 at 2 p.m. ET during a _****_[FREE Threatpost event](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/underground-markets-a-tour-of-the-dark-economy/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=April_webinar>)_****_, \u201cUnderground Markets: A Tour of the Dark Economy.\u201d Experts will take you on a guided tour of the Dark Web, including what\u2019s for sale, how much it costs, how hackers work together and the latest tools available for hackers. _****_[Register here](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/underground-markets-a-tour-of-the-dark-economy/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=April_webinar>)_****_ for the Wed., April 21 LIVE event. _**\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-04-06T18:47:57", "type": "threatpost", "title": "SAP Bugs Under Active Cyberattack", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2010-5326", "CVE-2016-3976", "CVE-2016-9563", "CVE-2018-2380", "CVE-2020-6207", "CVE-2020-6287"], "modified": "2021-04-06T18:47:57", "id": "THREATPOST:4CFA3A7AC21D83FC03B1B74B2DA261BD", "href": "https://threatpost.com/sap-bugs-cyberattack-compromise/165265/", "cvss": {"score": 10.0, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-05-04T17:56:13", "description": "Pulse Secure has [rushed a fix](<https://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Secure_Article/SA44784/>) for a critical zero-day security vulnerability in its Connect Secure VPN devices, which has been exploited by nation-state actors to launch cyberattacks against U.S. defense, finance and government targets, as well as victims in Europe.\n\nPulse Secure also patched three other security bugs, two of them also critical RCE vulnerabilities.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>)\n\nJoin Threatpost for \u201c[Fortifying Your Business Against Ransomware, DDoS & Cryptojacking Attacks](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>)\u201d a LIVE roundtable event on Wednesday, May 12 at 2:00 PM EDT for this FREE webinar sponsored by Zoho ManageEngine.\n\nThe zero-day flaw, tracked as CVE-2021-22893, was first disclosed on April 20 and carries the highest possible CVSS severity score, 10 out of 10. An exploit allows remote code-execution (RCE) and two-factor authentication bypass. The bug [is being used in the wild](<https://threatpost.com/pulse-secure-critical-zero-day-active-exploit/165523/>) to gain administrator-level access to the appliances, according to research from Pulse Secure\u2019s parent company, Ivanti.\n\nIt\u2019s related to multiple use-after-free problems in Pulse Connect Secure before version 9.1R11.4, according to the advisory issued Tuesday, and \u201callows a remote unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code via license server web services.\u201d It can be exploited without any user interaction.\n\nThe activity level has been such that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) [issued an alert](<https://cyber.dhs.gov/ed/21-03/>) warning businesses of the ongoing campaigns. These are [being tracked by FireEye Mandiant](<https://threatpost.com/pulse-secure-critical-zero-day-active-exploit/165523/>) as being carried out by two main advanced persistent threat (APT) clusters with links to China: UNC2630 and UNC2717.\n\nIn addition to the exploit for CVE-2021-22893, the campaigns involve 12 different malware families overall, Mandiant said. The malware is used for authentication-bypass and establishing backdoor access to the VPN devices, and for lateral movement.\n\n\u201cNation-state hackers will forever pose a threat to businesses around the world,\u201d Andrey Yesyev, director of cybersecurity at Accedian, said via email. \u201cThese types of attacks are almost impossible to detect and are increasingly dangerous for any organization\u2019s sensitive data. Once hackers gain initial access to a victim\u2019s network, they\u2019ll move laterally in order to find valuable data. Furthermore, if they\u2019re able to infiltrate an organization\u2019s perimeter, bad actors could establish a connection to a command-and-control server (C2) \u2013 allowing them to control compromised systems and steal data from target networks.\u201d\n\n## **Additional Critical Pulse Connect VPN RCE Bugs**\n\nPulse Secure also rolled out fixes for three other concerning issues. Threatpost has reached out to Pulse Secure to find out whether these bugs are also being actively exploited in the wild.\n\nThe other patches are:\n\n * **CVE-2021-22894 (CVSS rating of 9.9)**: A buffer overflow in Pulse Connect Secure Collaboration Suite before 9.1R11.4 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code as the root user via maliciously crafted meeting room.\n * **CVE-2021-22899 (CVSS rating of 9.9):** A command-injection bug in Pulse Connect Secure before 9.1R11.4 allows remote authenticated users to perform RCE via Windows File Resource Profiles.\n * **CVE-2021-22900 (CVSS rating of 7.2):** Multiple unrestricted uploads in Pulse Connect Secure before 9.1R11.4 allow an authenticated administrator to perform a file write via a maliciously crafted archive upload in the administrator web interface.\n\n## **Pulse Secure: A Cyberattacker\u2019s Favorite**\n\nPulse Secure appliances have been in the sights of APTs for months, with ongoing nation-state attacks using the bug tracked as CVE-2019-11510. It allows unauthenticated remote attackers to send a specially crafted URI to carry out arbitrary file-reading \u2013 perfect for espionage efforts.\n\nHere\u2019s a rundown of recent activity:\n\n * **April:** [The FBI warned](<https://threatpost.com/nsa-security-bugs-active-nation-state-cyberattack/165446/>) that a known arbitrary file-read Pulse Secure bug (CVE-2019-11510) was part of five vulnerabilities under attack by the Russia-linked group known as APT29 (a.k.a. Cozy Bear or The Dukes). APT29 is conducting \u201cwidespread scanning and exploitation against vulnerable systems in an effort to obtain authentication credentials to allow further access,\u201d according to the Feds.\n * **April**: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urged companies that use Pulse Secure VPNs to change their passwords for Active Directory accounts, because in many cases, attackers have already exploited CVE-2019-11510 to hoover up victims\u2019 credentials \u2013 and now are using those credentials to move laterally through organizations, [DHS warned](<https://threatpost.com/dhs-urges-pulse-secure-vpn-users-to-update-passwords/154925/>).\n * **October**: CISA said that a federal agency had suffered a successful espionage-related cyberattack that led to a backdoor and multistage malware being dropped on its network. Once again, [CVE-2019-11510 was in play](<https://threatpost.com/feds-cyberattack-data-stolen/159541/>), used to gain access to employees\u2019 legitimate Microsoft Office 365 log-in credentials and sign into an agency computer remotely.\n\nTo stay safe, Accedian\u2019s Yesyev suggested monitoring east-west traffic to detect these types of intrusions.\n\n\u201cAnd in order to detect C2 communications, it\u2019s important to have visibility into network communication patterns,\u201d he added. \u201cThis is yet another instance that proves the benefits of a layered security model. In addition to adopting network-based threat detection and user/endpoint behavior analytics solutions, security must be designed into the DevOps cycle. These technologies and processes help organizations understand communication patterns and destinations to help identify C2 tunnels\u2026allowing teams to identify stealthy lateral movements and ultimately protect data from being stolen.\u201d\n\n**Join Threatpost for \u201c**[**Fortifying Your Business Against Ransomware, DDoS & Cryptojacking Attacks**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>)**\u201d \u2013 a LIVE roundtable event on**[** Wed, May 12 at 2:00 PM EDT**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinarhttps://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>)**. Sponsored by Zoho ManageEngine, Threatpost host Becky Bracken moderates an expert panel discussing best defense strategies for these 2021 threats. Questions and LIVE audience participation encouraged. Join the lively discussion and [Register HERE](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>) for free. **\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-05-04T17:42:30", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Pulse Secure VPNs Get a Fix for Critical Zero-Day Bugs", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2019-11510", "CVE-2021-22893", "CVE-2021-22894", "CVE-2021-22899", "CVE-2021-22900"], "modified": "2021-05-04T17:42:30", "id": "THREATPOST:18D24326B561A78A05ACB7E8EE54F396", "href": "https://threatpost.com/pulse-secure-vpns-fix-critical-zero-day-bugs/165850/", "cvss": {"score": 7.5, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2022-03-30T16:18:23", "description": "Google has updated its Stable channel for the desktop version of Chrome, to address a zero-day security vulnerability that\u2019s being actively exploited in the wild.\n\nThe bug, tracked as CVE-2022-1096, is a type-confusion issue in the V8 JavaScript engine, which is an open-source engine used by Chrome and Chromium-based web browsers. Type confusion, as Microsoft has [laid out](<https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2015/06/17/understanding-type-confusion-vulnerabilities-cve-2015-0336/>) in the past, occurs \u201cwhen a piece of code doesn\u2019t verify the type of object that is passed to it, and uses it blindly without type-checking, it leads to type confusion\u2026Also with type confusion, wrong function pointers or data are fed into the wrong piece of code. In some circumstances this can lead to code execution.\u201d\n\nGoogle didn\u2019t provide additional technical details, as is its wont, but did say that it was \u201caware that an exploit for CVE-2022-1096 exists in the wild.\u201d An anonymous researcher was credited with finding the issue, which is labeled \u201chigh-severity\u201d (no CVSS score was given).\n\nThe lack of any further information is a source of frustration to some.\n\n\u201cAs a defender, I really wish it was more clear what this security fix is,\u201d John Bambenek, principal threat hunter at Netenrich, said via email. \u201cI get permission-denied errors or \u2018need to authenticate,\u2019 so I can\u2019t make decisions or advise my clients. A little more transparency would be beneficial and appreciated.\u201d\n\n## **Emergency Patch; Active Exploit**\n\nThe internet giant has updated the Stable channel to 99.0.4844.84 for Chrome for Windows, Mac and Linux, according to the its [security advisory](<https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2022/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_25.html>). Microsoft, which offers the Chromium-based Edge browser, also issued its [own advisory](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2022-1096>). It\u2019s unclear whether other offerings built in V8, such as the JavaScript runtime environment Node.js, are also affected.\n\nThe patch was issued on an emergency basis, likely due to the active exploit that\u2019s circulating, researchers noted.\n\n\u201cThe first thing which stood out to me about this update is that it only fixes a single issue,\u201d Casey Ellis, founder and CTO at Bugcrowd, noted by email. \u201cThis is pretty unusual for Google. They typically fix multiple issues in these types of releases, which suggests that they are quite concerned and very motivated to see fixes against CVE-2022-1096 applied across their user-base ASAP.\u201d\n\nHe also commented on the speed of the patch being rolled out.\n\n\u201cThe vulnerability was only reported on the 23rd of March, and while Google\u2019s Chrome team do tend to be fairly prompt in developing, testing and rolling patches, the idea of a patch for software deployed as widely deployed as Chrome in 48 hours is something is continue to be impressed by,\u201d he said. \u201cSpeculatively, I\u2019d suggest that the vulnerability has been discovered via detection of active exploitation in the wild, and the combination of impact and potentially the malicious actors currently using it contributed to the fast turnaround.\u201d\n\n## **V8 Engine in the Crosshairs**\n\nThe V8 engine has been plagued with security bugs and targeted by cyberattackers many times in the last year:\n\nLast year delivered a total of these 16 Chrome zero days:\n\n * [CVE-2021-21148](<https://threatpost.com/google-chrome-zero-day-windows-mac/163688/>) \u2013 Feb. 4, an unnamed type of bug in V8\n * [CVE-2021-21224](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-21224>) \u2013 April 20, an issue with type confusion in V8 that could have allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside a sandbox via a crafted HTML page.\n * [CVE-2021-30551](<https://threatpost.com/chrome-browser-bug-under-attack/166804/>) \u2013- June 9, a type-confusion bug within V8 (also under active attack as a zero-day)\n * [CVE-2021-30563](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-30563>) \u2013 July 15, another type-confusion bug in V8.\n * [CVE-2021-30633](<https://threatpost.com/google-chrome-zero-day-exploited/169442/>) \u2013 Sept. 13, an out-of-bounds write in V8\n * [CVE-2021-37975](<https://threatpost.com/google-emergency-update-chrome-zero-days/175266/>) \u2013 Sept. 30, a use-after-free bug in V8 (also attacked as a zero-day)\n * [CVE-2021-38003](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-38003>) \u2013 Oct. 28, an inappropriate implementation in V8\n * [CVE-2021-4102](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-4102>) \u2013 Dec. 13, a use-after-free bug in V8.\n\n_**Moving to the cloud? Discover emerging cloud-security threats along with solid advice for how to defend your assets with our **_[_**FREE downloadable eBook**_](<https://bit.ly/3Jy6Bfs>)_**, \u201cCloud Security: The Forecast for 2022.\u201d**_ _**We explore organizations\u2019 top risks and challenges, best practices for defense, and advice for security success in such a dynamic computing environment, including handy checklists.**_\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "CHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "baseScore": 10.0, "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H", "version": "3.1", "userInteraction": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 6.0}, "published": "2022-03-30T16:14:30", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Google Chrome Bug Actively Exploited as Zero-Day", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "HIGH", "exploitabilityScore": 8.6, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": false, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE", "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE", "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE", "baseScore": 9.3, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 10.0, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2015-0336", "CVE-2021-21148", "CVE-2021-21224", "CVE-2021-30551", "CVE-2021-30563", "CVE-2021-30633", "CVE-2021-37975", "CVE-2021-38003", "CVE-2021-4102", "CVE-2021-44228", "CVE-2022-1096"], "modified": "2022-03-30T16:14:30", "id": "THREATPOST:45B63C766965F5748AEC30DE709C8003", "href": "https://threatpost.com/google-chrome-bug-actively-exploited-zero-day/179161/", "cvss": {"score": 9.3, "vector": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-08-30T18:54:34", "description": "A serious security vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server that researchers have dubbed ProxyToken could allow an unauthenticated attacker to access and steal emails from a target\u2019s mailbox.\n\nMicrosoft Exchange uses two websites; one, the front end, is what users connect to in order to access email. The second is a back-end site that handles the authentication function.\n\n\u201cThe front-end website is mostly just a proxy to the back end. To allow access that requires forms authentication, the front end serves pages such as /owa/auth/logon.aspx,\u201d according to a [Monday posting](<https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2021/8/30/proxytoken-an-authentication-bypass-in-microsoft-exchange-server>) on the bug from Trend Micro\u2019s Zero Day Initiative. \u201cFor all post-authentication requests, the front end\u2019s main role is to repackage the requests and proxy them to corresponding endpoints on the Exchange Back End site. It then collects the responses from the back end and forwards them to the client.\u201d\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/infosec-insider-subscription-page/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=InfosecInsiders_Newsletter_Promo/>)\n\nThe issue arises specifically in a feature called \u201cDelegated Authentication,\u201d where the front end passes authentication requests directly to the back end. These requests contain a SecurityToken cookie that identify them; i.e., if the front end finds a non-empty cookie named SecurityToken, it delegates authentication to the back end. However, Exchange has to be specifically configured to have the back end perform the authentication checks; in a default configuration, the module responsible for that (the \u201cDelegatedAuthModule\u201d) isn\u2019t loaded.\n\n\u201cWhen the front end sees the SecurityToken cookie, it knows that the back end alone is responsible for authenticating this request,\u201d according to ZDI. \u201cMeanwhile, the back end is completely unaware that it needs to authenticate some incoming requests based upon the SecurityToken cookie, since the DelegatedAuthModule is not loaded in installations that have not been configured to use the special delegated authentication feature. The net result is that requests can sail through, without being subjected to authentication on either the front or back end.\u201d\n\nFrom there, attacker could install a forwarding rule allowing them to read the victim\u2019s incoming mail.\n\n\u201cWith this vulnerability, an unauthenticated attacker can perform configuration actions on mailboxes belonging to arbitrary users,\u201d according to the post. \u201cAs an illustration of the impact, this can be used to copy all emails addressed to a target and account and forward them to an account controlled by the attacker.\u201d\n\nZDI outlined an exploitation scenario wherein an attacker has an account on the same Exchange server as the victim. However, if an administrator permits forwarding rules having arbitrary internet destinations, no Exchange credentials are needed at all, researchers noted.\n\nThe bug ([CVE-2021-33766](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-33766>)) was reported to the Zero Day Initiative by researcher Le Xuan Tuyen of VNPT ISC, and it was patched by Microsoft in the July Exchange cumulative updates. Organizations should update their products to avoid compromise.\n\nThe ProxyToken revelation comes after [the disclosure of](<https://threatpost.com/attackers-target-proxylogon-cryptojacker/165418/>) ProxyLogon in early March; that\u2019s an exploit chain comprised of four Exchange flaws (CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858, CVE-2021-27065), which together create a pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) exploit. Attackers can take over unpatched servers without knowing any valid account credentials, giving them access to email communications and the opportunity to install a web shell for further exploitation within the environment. ProxyLogon was weaponized in [wide-scale attacks](<https://threatpost.com/fbi-proxylogon-web-shells/165400/>) throughout the spring.\n\n_**Check out our free **_[_**upcoming live and on-demand webinar events**_](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>)_** \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community.**_\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 9.8, "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "userInteraction": "NONE", "version": "3.1"}, "impactScore": 5.9}, "published": "2021-08-30T17:31:06", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Microsoft Exchange 'ProxyToken' Bug Allows Email Snooping", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "HIGH", "exploitabilityScore": 10.0, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": false, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "LOW", "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL", "availabilityImpact": "PARTIAL", "integrityImpact": "PARTIAL", "baseScore": 7.5, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "acInsufInfo": false, "impactScore": 6.4, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27065", "CVE-2021-33766"], "modified": "2021-08-30T17:31:06", "id": "THREATPOST:9AF5E0BBCEF3F8F871ED50F3A8A604A9", "href": "https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-proxytoken-email/169030/", "cvss": {"score": 7.5, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-06-08T22:18:00", "description": "Microsoft jumped on 50 vulnerabilities in this month\u2019s [Patch Tuesday update](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide>), issuing fixes for CVEs in Microsoft Windows, .NET Core and Visual Studio, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based and EdgeHTML), SharePoint Server, Hyper-V, Visual Studio Code \u2013 Kubernetes Tools, Windows HTML Platform, and Windows Remote Desktop.\n\nFive of the CVEs are rated Critical and 45 are rated Important in severity. Microsoft reported that six of the bugs are currently under active attack, while three are publicly known at the time of release.\n\nThe number might seem light \u2013 it represents six fewer patches than Microsoft [released in May](<https://threatpost.com/wormable-windows-bug-dos-rce/166057/>) \u2013 but the number of critical vulnerabilities ticked up to five month-over-month.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nThose actively exploited vulnerabilities can enable an attacker to hijack a system. They have no workarounds, so some security experts are recommending that they be patched as the highest priority.\n\nThe six CVEs under active attack in the wild include four elevation of privilege vulnerabilities, one information disclosure vulnerability and one remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability.\n\n## Critical Bugs of Note\n\n[CVE-2021-31985](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-31985>) is a critical RCE vulnerability in Microsoft\u2019s Defender antimalware software that should grab attention. A similar, critical bug in Defender was [patched in January](<https://threatpost.com/critical-microsoft-defender-bug-exploited/162992/>). The most serious of the year\u2019s first Patch Tuesday, that earlier Defender bug was an RCE vulnerability that came under active exploit.\n\nAnother critical flaw is [CVE-2021-31963](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-31963>), a Microsoft SharePoint Server RCE vulnerability. Jay Goodman, director of product marketing at Automox, said in a [blog post](<https://blog.automox.com/automox-experts-weigh-in-june-patch-tuesday-2021>) that an attacker exploiting this vulnerability \u201ccould take control of a system where they would be free to install programs, view or change data, or create new accounts on the target system with full user rights.\u201d \nWhile Microsoft reports that this vulnerability is less likely to be exploited,Goodman suggested that organizations don\u2019t let it slide: \u201cPatching critical vulnerabilities in the 72-hour window before attackers can weaponize is an important first step to maintaining a safe and secure infrastructure,\u201d he observed.\n\n[](<https://media.threatpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/103/2021/06/08141612/Sophos-impact-chart-June-21-patch-Tuesday-e1623176186946.png>)\n\nA year-to-date summary of 2021 Microsoft vulnerability releases as of June. Source: Sophos\n\n## Bugs Exploited in the Wild\n\nMicrosoft fixed a total of seven zero-day vulnerabilities. One was [CVE-2021-31968](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-US/vulnerability/CVE-2021-31968>), Windows Remote Desktop Services Denial of Service Vulnerability that was publicly disclosed but hasn\u2019t been seen in attacks. It was issued a CVSS score of 7.5.\n\nThese are the six flaws that MIcrosoft said are under active attack, all of them also zero days.\n\n * [CVE-2021-31955](<https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31955>) \u2013 Windows Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability. Rating: Important. CVSS 5.5\n * [CVE-2021-31956](<https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31956>) \u2013 Windows NTFS Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rating: Important. CVSS 7.8\n * [CVE-2021-33739](<https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-33739>) \u2013 Microsoft DWM Core Library Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rating: Important. CVSS 8.4\n * [CVE-2021-33742](<https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-33742>) \u2013 Windows MSHTML Platform Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rating: **Critical**. CVSS 7.5\n * [CVE-2021-31199](<https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31199>) \u2013 Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rating: Important. CVSS 5.2\n * [CVE-2021-31201](<https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31201>) \u2013 Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rating: Important. CVSS 5.2\n\n## CVE-2021-33742\n\nThis RCE vulnerability exploits MSHTML, a component used by the Internet Explorer engine to read and display content from websites.The bug could allow an attacker to execute code on a target system if a user views specially crafted web content. The [Zero Day Initiative](<https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2021/6/8/the-june-2021-security-update-review>)\u2018s (ZDI\u2019s) Dustin Childs noted in his Patch Tuesday analysis that since the vulnerability is in the Trident (MSHTML) engine itself, many different applications are affected, not just Internet Explorer. \u201cIt\u2019s not clear how widespread the active attacks are, but considering the vulnerability impacts all supported Windows versions, this should be at the top of your test and deploy list,\u201d he recommended.\n\nThe vulnerability doesn\u2019t require special privilege to exploit, though the attack complexity is high, if that\u2019s any consolation. An attacker would need to do some extra legwork to pull it off, noted Satnam Narang, staff research engineer at Tenable, in an email to Threatpost on Tuesday.\n\nImmersive Labs\u2019 Kevin Breen, director of cyber threat research, noted that visiting a website in a vulnerable browser is \u201ca simple way for attackers to deliver this exploit.\u201d He told Threatpost via email on Tuesday that since the library is used by other services and applications, \u201cemailing HTML files as part of a phishing campaign is also a viable method of delivery.\u201d\n\n[Sophos decreed](<https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2021/06/08/six-in-the-wild-exploits-patched-in-microsofts-june-security-fix-release/>) this one to be the top concern of this month\u2019s crop, given that it\u2019s already being actively exploited by malicious actors.\n\n## CVE-2021-31955, CVE-2021-31956: Used in PuzzleMaker Targeted Malware\n\nCVE-2021-31955 is an information disclosure vulnerability in the Windows Kernel, while CVE-2021-31956 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows NTFS. The ZDI\u2019s Childs noted that CVE-2021-31956 was reported by the same researcher who found CVE-2021-31955, an information disclosure bug also listed as under active attack. They could be linked, he suggested: \u201cIt\u2019s possible these bugs were used in conjunction, as that is a common technique \u2013 use a memory leak to get the address needed to escalate privileges. These bugs are important on their own and could be even worse when combined. Definitely prioritize the testing and deployment of these patches.\u201d\n\nHe was spot-on. On Tuesday, Kaspersky announced that its researchers had discovered a highly targeted malware campaign launched in April against multiple companies, in which a previously unknown threat actor used a chain of Chrome and Windows zero-day exploits: Namely, these two.\n\nIn a press release, Kaspersky said that one of the exploits was used for RCE in the Google Chrome web browser, while the other was an elevation of privilege exploit fine-tuned to target \u201cthe latest and most prominent builds\u201d of Windows 10.\n\n\u201cRecent months have seen a wave of advanced threat activity exploiting zero-days in the wild,\u201d according to the release. \u201cIn mid-April, Kaspersky experts discovered yet a new series of highly targeted exploit attacks against multiple companies that allowed the attackers to stealthily compromise the targeted networks.\u201d\n\nKaspersky hasn\u2019t yet found a connection between these attacks and any known threat actors, so it\u2019s gone ahead and dubbed the actor PuzzleMaker. It said that all the attacks were conducted through Chrome and used an exploit that allowed for RCE. Kaspersky researchers weren\u2019t able to retrieve the code for the exploit, but the timeline and availability suggests the attackers were using the now-patched [CVE-2021-21224](<https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2021-21224>) vulnerability in Chrome and Chromium browsers that allows attackers to exploit the Chrome renderer process (the processes that are responsible for what happens inside users\u2019 tabs).\n\nKaspersky experts did find and analyze the second exploit, however: An elevation of privilege exploit that exploits two distinct vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Windows OS kernel: CVE-2021-31955 and CVE-2021-31956. The CVE-2021-31955 bug \u201cis affiliated with SuperFetch, a feature first introduced in Windows Vista that aims to reduce software loading times by pre-loading commonly used applications into memory,\u201d they explained.\n\nThe second flaw, CVE-2021-31956, is an Elevation of Privilege vulnerability and heap-based buffer overflow. Kaspersky said that attackers used this vulnerability alongside Windows Notification Facility (WNF) \u201cto create arbitrary memory read/write primitives and execute malware modules with system privileges.\u201d\n\n\u201cOnce the attackers have used both the Chrome and Windows exploits to gain a foothold in the targeted system, the stager module downloads and executes a more complex malware dropper from a remote server,\u201d they continued. \u201cThis dropper then installs two executables, which pretend to be legitimate files belonging to Microsoft Windows OS. The second of these two executables is a remote shell module, which is able to download and upload files, create processes, sleep for certain periods of time, and delete itself from the infected system.\u201d\n\nBoris Larin, senior security researcher with Kaspersky\u2019s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT), said that the team hasn\u2019t been able to link these highly targeted attacks to any known threat actor: Hence the name PuzzleMaker and the determination to closely monitor the security landscape \u201cfor future activity or new insights about this group,\u201d he was quoted as saying in the press release.\n\nIf the current trend is any indication, expect to see more of the same, Larin said. \u201cOverall, of late, we\u2019ve been seeing several waves of high-profile threat activity being driven by zero-day exploits,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a reminder that zero days continue to be the most effective method for infecting targets. Now that these vulnerabilities have been made publicly known, it\u2019s possible that we\u2019ll see an increase of their usage in attacks by this and other threat actors. That means it\u2019s very important for users to download the latest patch from Microsoft as soon as possible.\u201d\n\n## CVE-2021-31199/CVE-2021-31201\n\nThe two Enhanced Cryptographic Provider Elevation of Privilege vulnerabilities are linked to the Adobe Reader bug that [came under active attack](<https://threatpost.com/adobe-zero-day-bug-acrobat-reader/166044/>) last month (CVE-2021-28550), ZDI explained. \u201cIt\u2019s common to see privilege escalation paired with code execution bugs, and it seems these two vulnerabilities were the privilege escalation part of those exploits,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt is a bit unusual to see a delay between patch availability between the different parts of an active attack, but good to see these holes now getting closed.\u201d\n\n## CVE-2021-33739\n\nBreen noted that privilege escalation vulnerabilities such as this one in the Microsoft DWM Core Library are just as valuable to attackers as RCEs. \u201cOnce they have gained an initial foothold, they can move laterally across the network and uncover further ways to escalate to system or domain-level access,\u201d he said. \u201cThis can be hugely damaging in the event of ransomware attacks, where high privileges can enable the attackers to stop or destroy backups and other security tools.\u201d\n\n**Download our exclusive FREE Threatpost Insider eBook, ****_\u201c_**[**_2021: The Evolution of Ransomware_**](<https://threatpost.com/ebooks/2021-the-evolution-of-ransomware/?utm_source=April_eBook&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=ART>)**_,\u201d_**** to help hone your cyber-defense strategies against this growing scourge. We go beyond the status quo to uncover what\u2019s next for ransomware and the related emerging risks. Get the whole story and **[**DOWNLOAD**](<https://threatpost.com/ebooks/2021-the-evolution-of-ransomware/?utm_source=April_eBook&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=ART>)** the eBook now \u2013 on us!**\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-06-08T21:45:12", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Microsoft Patch Tuesday Fixes 6 In-The-Wild Exploits", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-21224", "CVE-2021-28550", "CVE-2021-31199", "CVE-2021-31201", "CVE-2021-31955", "CVE-2021-31956", "CVE-2021-31963", "CVE-2021-31968", "CVE-2021-31985", "CVE-2021-33739", "CVE-2021-33742"], "modified": "2021-06-08T21:45:12", "id": "THREATPOST:61CC1EAC83030C2B053946454FE77AC3", "href": "https://threatpost.com/microsoft-patch-tuesday-in-the-wild-exploits/166724/", "cvss": {"score": 6.8, "vector": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-09-16T15:56:08", "description": "Four Microsoft zero-day vulnerabilities in the Azure cloud platform\u2019s Open Management Infrastructure (OMI) \u2014 a software that many don\u2019t know is embedded in a host of services \u2014 show that OMI represents a significant security blind spot, researchers said.\n\nCollectively dubbed \u201cOMIGOD\u201d because of the name and the reaction of the researchers who discovered them, the flaws \u2014 which were zero-day when found \u2014 affect thousands of Azure customers and millions of endpoints, according to a [blog post](<https://www.wiz.io/blog/secret-agent-exposes-azure-customers-to-unauthorized-code-execution>) published this week by cloud infrastructure security firm Wiz.\n\nThough Microsoft patched them this week in its [monthly Patch Tuesday](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-patch-tuesday-exploited-windows-zero-day/169459/>) raft of updates, their presence in OMI highlights the risk for the supply chain when companies unknowingly run code \u2014 particularly open-source code \u2014 on their systems that allows for exploitation, researchers said.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/infosec-insider-subscription-page/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=InfosecInsiders_Newsletter_Promo/>)\n\nIndeed, recent high-profile supply-chain attacks such as [SolarWinds](<https://threatpost.com/solarwinds-attackers-dhs-emails/165110/>) and [Kaseya](<https://threatpost.com/kaseya-patches-zero-days-revil-attacks/167670/>) demonstrate how much damage can be done when undetected flaws in third-party software that organizations use in larger systems are exploited.\n\n\u201cOne of the biggest challenges in preventing them is that our digital supply chain is not transparent,\u201d senior security researcher Nir Ohfeld wrote in the Wiz post. \u201cIf you don\u2019t know what\u2019s hidden in the services and products you use every day, how can you manage the risk?\n\nIndeed, the OMIGOD vulnerabilities discovered by Ohfeld and his colleagues present a security danger to potentially millions of unsuspecting customers of cloud computing services, he said.\n\n\u201cIn a small sample of Azure tenants we analyzed, over 65 percent [of Azure customers] were unknowingly at risk,\u201d Ohfeld wrote.\n\nThe vulnerabilities that Wiz researchers discovered include one that allows for remote code execution (RCE), [CVE-2021-38647](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38647>). The other three are privilege-escalation vulnerabilities ([CVE-2021-38648](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38648>), [CVE-2021-38645](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38645>) and [CVE-2021-38649)](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38649>) of lower risk but which are critical for a full attack chain.\n\n\u201cUnless a patch is applied, attackers can easily exploit these four vulnerabilities to escalate to root privileges and remotely execute malicious code (for instance, encrypting files for ransom),\u201d Ohfeld said.\n\n## **Hidden Cloud Security Danger in OMI**\n\nOne reason for the significant alarm over the flaws is that they are found in OMI, an agent automatically deployed when customers set up a Linux virtual machine (VM) in their cloud and enable certain Azure services, researchers explained.\n\n\u201cThis happens without customers\u2019 explicit consent or knowledge,\u201d Ohfeld wrote. \u201cUsers simply click \u2018agree\u2019 to log collection during setup, and they have unknowingly opted in.\u201d\n\nOMI is a perilous attack surface because Azure provides \u201cvirtually no public documentation\u201d about it, he said. That means most customers have never heard of it and are unaware that it even exists as an exploitable entity in their deployment.\n\nMoreover, the OMI agent runs as root with the highest privileges, so any user can communicate with it using a UNIX socket or via an HTTP API when configured to allow external access, Ohfeld explained.\n\n\u201cAs a result, the vulnerabilities we found would allow external users or low-privileged users to remotely execute code on target machines or escalate privileges,\u201d he wrote.\n\n## **\u2018Textbook RCE Vulnerability\u201d**\n\n** **[CVE-2021-38647](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38647>), with a 9.8 severity rating, is the most serious of the flaws, allowing for RCE. However, for it to be exploited, the Azure product using OMI would have to be one, such as Configuration Management, that exposes an HTTPS port, or port 5986, for interacting with OMI.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s what makes RCE possible,\u201d Ohfeld explained. \u201cNote that most Azure services that use OMI deploy it without exposing the HTTPS port.\u201d\n\nCalling the bug \u201ca textbook RCE vulnerability that you would expect to see in the 90s\u201d not in 2021, the flaw can expose millions of endpoints because \u201can attacker could use a single packet to become root on a remote machine by simply removing the authentication header,\u201d Ohfeld wrote.\n\n\u201cThanks to the combination of a simple conditional statement coding mistake and an uninitialized auth struct, any request without an Authorization header has its privileges default to uid=0, gid=0, which is root,\u201d he explained.\n\nIn situations where the OMI ports are accessible to the internet to allow for remote management, threat actors can use the vulnerability co-obtain initial access to a target Azure environment and then move laterally within it, Ohfeld added.\n\n\u201cAn exposed HTTPS port is the holy grail for malicious actors,\u201d he observed. \u201cWith one simple exploit they can get access to new targets, execute commands at the highest privileges and possibly spread to new target machines.\u201d\n\nThe other three flaws\u2014with severity ratings that range from 7.1 to 7.8\u2014can be used as part of attack chains once attackers gain initial low-privileged access to their targets, Ohfeld added.\n\n## **Threat Discovery and Mitigations**\n\nWiz researchers reported the four vulnerabilities to Microsoft through the responsible disclosure process; the company patched them as of Tuesday, researchers said.\n\nUpgrading OMI and thus patch installation happens through the parent Azure service that installed it, they added. \u201cHowever, we urge customers to verify that their environment is indeed patched and they are running the latest version of OMI (Version 1.6.8.1),\u201d Ohfeld wrote.\n\nDifferent Azure services have different port numbers, Microsoft noted in its advisory for CVE-2021-38647. However, for customers who want to check that their Azure Linux Node does not have an exposed port, they should look for the command \u2018_netstat -an | grep <port-number>_\u2018 on most Linux distributions, which will indicate if any processes are listening on an open port, the company said.\n\n**Rule #1 of Linux Security: **No cybersecurity solution is viable if you don\u2019t have the basics down. **[JOIN](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/4-golden-rules-linux-security/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=September_Uptycs_Webinar>)** Threatpost and Linux security pros at Uptycs for a LIVE roundtable on the **[4 Golden Rules of Linux Security](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/4-golden-rules-linux-security/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=September_Uptycs_Webinar>)**. Your top takeaway will be a Linux roadmap to getting the basics right! **[REGISTER NOW](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/4-golden-rules-linux-security/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=September_Uptycs_Webinar>) **and join the **LIVE event on Sept. 29 at Noon EST**. Joining Threatpost is Uptycs\u2019 Ben Montour and Rishi Kant who will spell out Linux security best practices and take your most pressing questions in real time.\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-09-16T11:37:48", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Azure Zero-Day Bugs Show Lurking Supply-Chain Risk", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-38645", "CVE-2021-38647", "CVE-2021-38648", "CVE-2021-38649"], "modified": "2021-09-16T11:37:48", "id": "THREATPOST:FD28EAD589B45A1A4A7412632B25CEAB", "href": "https://threatpost.com/azure-zero-day-supply-chain/169508/", "cvss": {"score": 0.0, "vector": "NONE"}}, {"lastseen": "2022-02-11T21:10:33", "description": "Threat actors are hijacking the devices of India\u2019s human rights lawyers, activists and defenders, planting incriminating evidence to set them up for arrest, researchers warn.\n\nThe actor, dubbed ModifiedElephant, has been at it for at least 10 years, and it\u2019s still active. It\u2019s been shafting targets since 2012, if not sooner, going after hundreds of groups and individuals \u2013 some repeatedly \u2013 according to SentinelLabs researchers.\n\nThe operators aren\u2019t what you\u2019d call technical prodigies, but that doesn\u2019t matter. Tom Hegel, threat researcher at SentinelOne, said in a Wednesday [post](<https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/modifiedelephant-apt-and-a-decade-of-fabricating-evidence/>) that the advanced persistent threat (APT) group \u2013 which may be tied to the [commercial surveillance](<https://threatpost.com/quadream-israeli-spyware-weaponized-iphone-bug/178252/>) industry \u2013 has been muddling along just fine using rudimentary hacking tools such as commercially available remote-access trojans (RATs).\n\nThe APT is snaring victims with spearphishing, delivering malware via rigged documents.\n\nThe group\u2019s preferred malwares include [NetWire](<https://threatpost.com/netwire-rat-back-stealing-payment-card-data/122156/>), [DarkComet](<https://threatpost.com/darkcomet-rat-flames-out-070912/76777/>) and simple keyloggers \u201cwith infrastructure overlaps that allow us to connect long periods of previously unattributed malicious activity,\u201d Hegel wrote.\n\nThe DarkComet RAT, for one, has been used in politically motivated attacks for at least as long as ModifiedElephant has been doing its dirty work. In 2012, its author [threw in](<https://threatpost.com/darkcomet-rat-flames-out-070912/76777/>) the towel on development and sales after finding out that[ DarkComet was used by the Syrian government](<https://threatpost.com/syrian-government-using-skype-spyware-monitor-rebels-050412/>) in attacks against anti-government activists.\n\n## Frumpy Old Tools\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s something to be said about how mundane the mechanisms of this operation are,\u201d said Juan Andr\u00e9s Guerrero-Saade, threat researcher at SentinelOne and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins SAIS,[ via Twitter](<https://twitter.com/juanandres_gs/status/1491784707008122885?s=20>). \u201cThe malware is either custom garbage [or] commodity garbage. There\u2019s nothing *technically* impressive about this threat actor, instead we marvel at their audacity.\u201d\n\nIn fact, ModifiedElephant uses old Visual Basic keyloggers that \u201care not the least bit technically impressive,\u201d Hegel wrote, noting that the overall keylogger structure resembles code that was freely available on [Italian hacking forums](<https://italianhack.forumfree.it/?t=63131534>) back in 2012. The loggers don\u2019t even work anymore, he said, given that they\u2019re built \u201cin such a brittle fashion.\u201d\n\nModifiedElephant is also sending a commodity Android trojan payload, delivered as an APK file (0330921c85d582deb2b77a4dc53c78b3), along with the NetWire trojan. The Android trojan tries to trick recipients into installing the malware themselves, by posing as a news app or a safe messaging tool.\n\nBelow is an example of ModifiedElephant\u2019s phishing emails, which include attachments for the NetWire and Android trojan variants.\n\n[](<https://media.threatpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/103/2022/02/11142225/phishing-email-sample-e1644607361703.jpg>)\n\nModifiedElephant phishing email with malicious attachments for Netwire and [Android GM Bot](<https://threatpost.com/source-code-for-android-banking-malware-leaked/116380/>) variants. Source: SentinelLabs.\n\nThe Android trojan appears to have been designed as a multi-purpose hacking tool for broader cybercrime, researchers said. But the fact that it\u2019s delivered at the same time as NetWire means that the same attacker was trying to target victims across the spectrum, getting them both from the endpoint and on mobile.\n\nThe trojan enables attackers to intercept and manage SMS and call data, wipe or unlock the device, perform network requests, and perform remote administration, according to SentinelLabs: In other words, it\u2019s a basic, ideal, low-cost mobile surveillance toolkit.\n\n## Evidence Tampering\n\nAn example of the incriminating files planted by ModifiedElephant is a file, Ltr_1804_to_cc.pdf, that detailed an assassination plot against India Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Arsenal Consulting\u2019s digital analysis shows that the file \u2013 one of the more [incriminating pieces](<https://web.archive.org/web/20210917152050/https://scroll.in/article/991095/why-isnt-the-government-looking-for-the-source-of-modi-assassination-malware-on-rona-wilsons-pc>) of data seized by police \u2013 was one of many files delivered via a NetWire RAT remote session associated with ModifiedElephant.\n\n\u201cFurther analysis showed how ModifiedElephant was performing nearly identical evidence creation and organization across multiple unrelated victim systems within roughly fifteen minutes of each other,\u201d according to SentinelLabs\u2019 detailed [report](<https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/modifiedelephant-apt-and-a-decade-of-fabricating-evidence/>).\n\nIf the notion of a threat actor tampering with evidence sounds familiar, it might be because ModifiedElephant\u2019s tactics have precedence, Guerrero-Saade [tweeted](<https://twitter.com/juanandres_gs/status/1491784711110234126>).\n\nA few months back, SentinelOne [reported](<https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/egomaniac-an-unscrupulous-turkish-nexus-threat-actor/>) on EGoManiac, a Turkish nexus (as in, its malware contained Turkish language, its lures were written in Turkish, and its victims are Turkish and related to local politics) threat actor that was doing similar with the Octopus Brain campaign.\n\nIn that campaign, Arsenal Consulting\u2019s digital forensics revealed that the threat actor [planted](<https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/5859cea0a759501d3b140f5b>) incriminating files on the systems of journalists working at the Turkish online news portal OdaTV immediately before Turkish National Police seized their machines. The fabricated files were later used as evidence of terrorism and justification for jailing journalists.\n\n\u201cA threat actor willing to frame and incarcerate vulnerable opponents is a critically underreported dimension of the cyber threat landscape that brings up uncomfortable questions about the integrity of devices introduced as evidence,\u201d SentinelOne\u2019s Hegel pointed out in Wednesday\u2019s post.\n\nAnalyzing EGoManiac\u2019s intrusions revealed the decade\u2019s worth of malicious activity that SentinelLab now attributes to a previously unknown threat actor \u2013 namely, ModifiedElephant.\n\n\u201cThis actor has operated for years, evading research attention and detection due to their limited scope of operations, the mundane nature of their tools, and their regionally-specific targeting,\u201d Hegel said. What\u2019s more, it\u2019s still actively targeting victims.\n\n## Victimology\n\nModifiedElephant\u2019s goal is long-term surveillance, sometimes leading up to the delivery of cooked-up \u201cevidence\u201d that supposedly connects the target to specific crimes right before what Hegel referred to as \u201cconveniently coordinated arrests,\u201d like the files planted on the devices used by OdaTV journalists Bar\u0131\u015f Pehlivan and M\u00fcyesser Y\u0131ld\u0131z.\n\nResearchers have identified hundreds of groups and individuals targeted by ModifiedElephant phishing campaigns: predominantly, they\u2019re activists, human rights defenders, journalists, academics and law professionals in India.\n\nThe APT primarily uses weaponized Microsoft Office files to deliver whichever malware the operators currently favor \u2013 a preference that\u2019s changed over time and depending on the target.\n\nHere\u2019s how the group has evolved over the years, researchers said:\n\n * Mid-2013: the actor used phishing emails containing executable file attachments with fake double extensions (filename.pdf.exe).\n * Post-2015: the actor moved on to less obvious files containing publicly available exploits, such as .doc, .pps, .docx, .rar, and password protected .rar files. These attempts involved legitimate lure documents in .pdf, .docx, and .mht formats to captivate the target\u2019s attention while also executing malware.\n * 2019: ModifiedElephant operators employed phishing campaigns that dangled links to files hosted externally for manual download and execution by the target.\n * 2020: As Amnesty International and Citizen Lab [documented](<https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2020/06/india-human-rights-defenders-targeted-by-a-coordinated-spyware-operation/>), the operators also made use of large .rar archives (up to 300MB), potentially in an attempt to bypass detection, in a coordinated spyware attack that illegally targeted nine human rights defenders.\n\nSentinelLabs found that the lure documents they analyzed repeatedly made use of exploits of vulnerabilities that have been used plenty of times over the years \u2013 [CVE-2012-0158](<https://threatpost.com/extensible-attack-platform-has-familiar-feel/103021/>), [CVE-2014-1761](<https://threatpost.com/plugx-go-to-malware-for-targeted-attacks-more-prominent-than-ever/110936/>), [CVE-2013-3906](<https://threatpost.com/attacks-on-new-microsoft-zero-day-using-multi-stage-malware/102833/>) and [CVE-2015-1641](<https://threatpost.com/apt-targeting-tibetans-packs-four-vulnerabilities-in-one-compromise/117493/>) \u2013 to drop and execute malware. The spearphishing emails and lures use titles and themes around topics relevant to the target, Hegel said, \u201csuch as activism news and groups, global and local events on climate change, politics, and public service.\u201d\n\nBelow is another phishing example:\n\n[](<https://media.threatpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/103/2022/02/11140538/phishing-sample-e1644606353578.jpg>)\n\nSpearphishing email containing malicious attachment attributed to ModifiedElephant. Source: SentinelLabs.\n\n## Critics of Authoritarian Governments, Beware\n\nSentinelOne cautions that it only took a look at \u201ca small subset\u201d of the total list of ModifiedElephant\u2019s potential targets, the actor\u2019s techniques and its objectives.\n\nMore work needs to be done, and many questions remain to be answered. But one thing\u2019s clear, researchers said: \u201cCritics of authoritarian governments around the world must carefully understand the technical capabilities of those who would seek to silence them.\u201d\n\n_**Check out our free **_[_**upcoming live and on-demand online town halls**_](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>)_** \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community.**_\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "CHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "baseScore": 10.0, "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H", "version": "3.1", "userInteraction": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 6.0}, "published": "2022-02-11T19:57:34", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Cybercrooks Frame Targets by Planting Fabricated Digital Evidence", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "HIGH", "exploitabilityScore": 8.6, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": true, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE", "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE", "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE", "baseScore": 9.3, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 10.0, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2012-0158", "CVE-2013-3906", "CVE-2014-1761", "CVE-2015-1641", "CVE-2021-44228"], "modified": "2022-02-11T19:57:34", "id": "THREATPOST:8E47F9D5A51C75BA6BB0A1E286296563", "href": "https://threatpost.com/cybercrooks-frame-targets-plant-incriminating-evidence/178384/", "cvss": {"score": 9.3, "vector": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-04-21T15:44:32", "description": "A critical zero-day security vulnerability in Pulse Secure VPN devices has been exploited by nation-state actors to launch cyberattacks against U.S. defense, finance and government targets, as well as victims in Europe, researchers said.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/ebooks/2021-the-evolution-of-ransomware/?utm_source=April_eBook&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=ART>)\n\nDownload \u201cThe Evolution of Ransomware\u201d to gain valuable insights on emerging trends amidst rapidly growing attack volumes. Click above to hone your defense intelligence!\n\nThe flaw, tracked as CVE-2021-22893, allows remote code-execution (RCE) and is being used in the wild to gain administrator-level access to the appliances, according to Ivanti research. Pulse Secure said that the zero-day will be patched in early May; but in the meantime, the company worked with Ivanti (its parent company) to release both mitigations and the [Pulse Connect Secure Integrity Tool](<https://kb.pulsesecure.net/pkb_mobile#article/l:en_US/KB44755/s>), to help determine if systems have been impacted.\n\n\u201cThe investigation shows ongoing attempts to exploit four issues: The substantial bulk of these issues involve three vulnerabilities that were patched in 2019 and 2020: [Security Advisory SA44101](<https://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44101/>) (CVE-2019-11510), [Security Advisory SA44588](<https://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44588>) (CVE-2020-8243) and [Security Advisory SA44601](<https://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44601>) (CVE-2020-8260),\u201d according to a Pulse Secure statement provided to Threatpost. \u201cThe new issue, discovered this month, impacted a very limited number of customers.\u201d\n\n## **CVE-2021-22893: A Zero-Day in Pulse Connect Secure VPNs**\n\nThe newly discovered critical security hole is rated 10 out of 10 on the CVSS vulnerability-rating scale. It\u2019s an authentication bypass vulnerability that can allow an unauthenticated user to perform RCE on the Pulse Connect Secure gateway. It \u201cposes a significant risk to your deployment,\u201d according to the advisory, [issued Tuesday](<https://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44784>).\n\n\u201cThe ongoing COVID-19 crisis resulted in an overnight shift to remote work culture, and VPNs played a critical role to make this possible,\u201d Bharat Jogi, senior manager of vulnerability and threat research at Qualys, said via email. \u201cVPNs have become a prime target for cybercriminals and over the past few months.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Pulse Connect Secure vulnerability with CVE-2021-22893\u2026can be exploited without any user interaction,\u201d he added.\n\nThe mitigations involve importing a file called \u201cWorkaround-2104.xml,\u201d available on the advisory page. It disables the Windows File Share Browser and Pulse Secure Collaboration features on the appliance.\n\nUser can also use the blacklisting feature to disable URL-based attacks, the firm noted, by blocking the following URIs:\n\n * ^/+dana/+meeting\n * ^/+dana/+fb/+smb\n * ^/+dana-cached/+fb/+smb\n * ^/+dana-ws/+namedusers\n * ^/+dana-ws/+metric\n\n\u201cThe Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) team is in contact with a limited number of customers who have experienced evidence of exploit behavior on their PCS appliances,\u201d according to Pulse Secure. \u201cThe PCS team has provided remediation guidance to these customers directly.\u201d\n\nAccording to tandem research from Mandiant, this and the other bugs are at the center of a flurry of activity by different threat actors, involving 12 different malware families overall. The malware is used for authentication-bypass and establishing backdoor access to the VPN devices, and for lateral movement. Two specific advanced persistent threat (APT) groups, UNC2630 and UNC2717, are particularly involved, researchers said.\n\n## **UNC2630 Cyber-Activity: Links to China**\n\n\u201cWe observed UNC2630 harvesting credentials from various Pulse Secure VPN login flows, which ultimately allowed the actor to use legitimate account credentials to move laterally into the affected environments,\u201d according to Mandiant, in a [Tuesday posting](<https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2021/04/suspected-apt-actors-leverage-bypass-techniques-pulse-secure-zero-day.html>). \u201cIn order to maintain persistence to the compromised networks, the actor utilized legitimate, but modified, Pulse Secure binaries and scripts on the VPN appliance.\u201d\n\nThe firm tracks those tools as the following:\n\n * **SlowPulse:** Trojanized shared objects with malicious code to log credentials and bypass authentication flows within the legitimate Pulse Secure shared object libdsplibs.so, including multifactor authentication requirements.\n * **RadialPulse and PulseCheck:** Web shells injected into legitimate, internet-accessible Pulse Secure VPN appliance administrative web pages.\n * **ThinBlood:** A utility used to clear relevant log files.\n * **Other capabilities:** Toggling the filesystem between Read-Only and Read-Write modes to allow for file modification on a typically Read-Only filesystem; the ability to maintain persistence across VPN appliance general upgrades that are performed by the administrator; and the ability to unpatch modified files and delete utilities and scripts after use to evade detection.\n\nUNC2630 targeted U.S. defense-sector companies as early as last August, Mandiant noted. It added that the activity could be state-sponsored, likely backed by China.\n\n\u201cWe suspect UNC2630 operates on behalf of the Chinese government and may have ties to APT5,\u201d according to the analysis. \u201cUNC2630\u2019s combination of infrastructure, tools, and on-network behavior appear to be unique, and we have not observed them during any other campaigns or at any other engagement. Despite these new tools and infrastructure, Mandiant analysts noted strong similarities to historic intrusions dating back to 2014 and 2015 and conducted by Chinese espionage actor APT5.\u201d\n\nAPT5 consistently targets defense and technology companies in the Asia, Europe and the U.S., Mandiant noted.\n\n\u201c[It] has shown significant interest in compromising networking devices and manipulating the underlying software which supports these appliances,\u201d Mandiant researchers said. \u201cAPT5 persistently targets high value corporate networks and often re-compromises networks over many years. Their primary targets appear to be aerospace and defense companies located in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Secondary targets (used to facilitate access to their primary targets) include network appliance manufacturers and software companies usually located in the U.S.\u201d\n\n## **The UNC2717 APT Connection**\n\nAs for UNC2717, Mandiant linked Pulse Secure zero-day activity back to the APT in a separate incident in March, targeted against an unnamed European organization. UNC2717 was also seen targeting global government agencies between October and March.\n\nSo far, there\u2019s not enough evidence about UNC2717 to determine government sponsorship or suspected affiliation with any known APT group, Mandiant said.\n\nThe tools used by this group include HardPulse, which is a web shell; PulseJump, used for credential-harvesting; and RadialPulse. The firm also observed a new malware that it calls LockPick, which is a trojanized OpenSSL library file that appears to weaken encryption for communications used by the VPN appliances.\n\nAll of the malware families in use in the campaigns appear to be loosely related, according to Mandiant.\n\n\u201cAlthough we did not observe PulseJump or HardPulse used by UNC2630 against U.S. [defense] companies, these malware families have shared characteristics and serve similar purposes to other code families used by UNC2630,\u201d researchers said.\n\nThey added, \u201cMandiant cannot associate all the code families described in this report to UNC2630 or UNC2717. We also note the possibility that one or more related groups is responsible for the development and dissemination of these different tools across loosely connected APT actors.\u201d\n\n## **Pulse Secure: A Favorite Target for APTs**\n\nPulse Secure VPNs continue to be a hot target for nation-state actors. Last week, [the FBI warned](<https://threatpost.com/nsa-security-bugs-active-nation-state-cyberattack/165446/>) that a known arbitrary file-read Pulse Secure bug (CVE-2019-11510) was part of five vulnerabilities under attack by the Russia-linked group known as APT29 (a.k.a. Cozy Bear or The Dukes). APT29 is conducting \u201cwidespread scanning and exploitation against vulnerable systems in an effort to obtain authentication credentials to allow further access,\u201d according to the Feds.\n\nMeanwhile, earlier in April, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urged companies that use Pulse Secure VPNs to change their passwords for Active Directory accounts, because in many cases, attackers have already exploited CVE-2019-11510 to hoover up victims\u2019 credentials \u2013 and now are using those credentials to move laterally through organizations, [DHS warned](<https://threatpost.com/dhs-urges-pulse-secure-vpn-users-to-update-passwords/154925/>).\n\nAnd last fall, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said that a federal agency had suffered a successful espionage-related cyberattack that led to a backdoor and multistage malware being dropped on its network. Once again, [CVE-2019-11510 was in play](<https://threatpost.com/feds-cyberattack-data-stolen/159541/>), used to gain access to employees\u2019 legitimate Microsoft Office 365 log-in credentials and sign into an agency computer remotely.\n\n\u201cAlmost without fail, the common thread with any APT is the exploitation of known vulnerabilities both new and old,\u201d Yaniv Bar-Dayan, CEO and co-founder at Vulcan Cyber, said via email. \u201cMalicious activity, whether using a supply-chain vector or a VPN authentication bypass, is thwarted by good cyber-hygiene practices and serious blue teaming. Vulnerability management, or more importantly vulnerability remediation, is a cybersecurity dirty job that is under-resourced and underappreciated and businesses are paying the price.\u201d\n\n**Download our exclusive FREE Threatpost Insider eBook,** **_\u201c[2021: The Evolution of Ransomware](<https://threatpost.com/ebooks/2021-the-evolution-of-ransomware/?utm_source=April_eBook&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=ART>),\u201d_**** to help hone your cyber-defense strategies against this growing scourge. We go beyond the status quo to uncover what\u2019s next for ransomware and the related emerging risks. Get the whole story and [DOWNLOAD](<https://threatpost.com/ebooks/2021-the-evolution-of-ransomware/?utm_source=April_eBook&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=ART>) the eBook now \u2013 on us!**\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-04-21T15:35:37", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Pulse Secure Critical Zero-Day Security Bug Under Active Exploit", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2019-11510", "CVE-2020-8243", "CVE-2020-8260", "CVE-2021-22893"], "modified": "2021-04-21T15:35:37", "id": "THREATPOST:2BD1A92D071EE3E52CB5EA7DD865F60A", "href": "https://threatpost.com/pulse-secure-critical-zero-day-active-exploit/165523/", "cvss": {"score": 7.5, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-05-11T06:29:15", "description": "The Lemon Duck cryptocurrency-mining botnet has added the [ProxyLogon group of exploits](<https://threatpost.com/fbi-proxylogon-web-shells/165400/>) to its bag of tricks, targeting Microsoft Exchange servers.\n\nThat\u2019s according to researchers at Cisco Talos, who said that the cybercrime group behind Lemon Duck has also added the Cobalt Strike attack framework into its malware toolkit and has beefed up anti-detection capabilities. On the latter front, it\u2019s using fake domains on East Asian top-level domains (TLDs) to hide command-and-control (C2) infrastructure.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>)\n\nJoin Threatpost for \u201c[Fortifying Your Business Against Ransomware, DDoS & Cryptojacking Attacks](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>)\u201d a LIVE roundtable event on Wednesday, May 12 at 2:00 PM EDT for this FREE webinar sponsored by Zoho ManageEngine.\n\nLemon Duck targets victims\u2019 computer resources to mine the Monero virtual currency, with self-propagating capabilities and a modular framework that allows it to infect additional systems that become part of the botnet. It has been active since at least the end of December 2018, and Cisco Talos calls it \u201cone of the more complex\u201d mining botnets, with several interesting tricks up its sleeve.\n\nFor instance, Lemon Duck has at least 12 different initial-infection vectors \u2013 more than most malware, with Proxylogon exploits only the latest addition. Its existing capabilities ranged from Server Message Block (SMB) and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) password brute-forcing; targeting the RDP BlueKeep flaw (CVE-2019-0708) in Windows machines; [targeting internet-of-things devices](<https://threatpost.com/lemon-duck-malware-targets-iot/152596/>) with weak or default passwords; and exploiting vulnerabilities in Redis (an open-source, in-memory data structure store used as a database, cache and message broker) and YARN Hadoop (a resource-management and job-scheduling technology) in Linux machines.\n\n\u201cSince April 2021, Cisco Talos has observed updated infrastructure and new components associated with the Lemon Duck that target unpatched Microsoft Exchange Servers and attempt to download and execute payloads for Cobalt Strike DNS beacons,\u201d according to [an analysis](<https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2021/05/lemon-duck-spreads-wings.html>) released Friday.\n\nCisco Talos researchers [previously observed](<https://threatpost.com/lemon-duck-cryptocurrency-botnet/160046/>) an increase in DNS requests connected with Lemon Duck\u2019s C2 and mining servers last August, with the attacks mainly targeting Egypt, India, Iran, the Philippines and Vietnam. In the latest rash of attacks, which began in April, the group has changed up its geographic targets to focus primarily on North America, followed by Europe and Southeast Asia, and a handful of victims in Africa and South America.\n\n## **Targeting Exchange Servers with Monero-Mining**\n\nProxyLogon consists of four flaws (CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858, CVE-2021-27065) that can be chained together to create a pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) exploit \u2013 meaning that attackers can take over servers without knowing any valid account credentials. This gives them access to email communications and the opportunity to install a web shell for further exploitation within the environment, such as the deployment of ransomware.\n\nThe highly publicized exploit chain suffered a barrage of attacks from advanced persistent threat (APT) groups to infect systems with everything from ransomware to info-stealers, and now financially motivated groups are getting in on the action too.\n\nIn Lemon Duck\u2019s case, once the Exchange servers are compromised, it executes various system commands using the Windows Control Manager (sc.exe), including copying two .ASPX files named \u201cwanlins.aspx\u201d and \u201cwanlin.aspx.\u201d\n\n\u201cThese files are likely web shells and were copied from C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\aspnet_client\\, a known directory where a majority of the web shells were initially observed following Microsoft\u2019s release of details related to Hafnium activity,\u201d according to the research.\n\nNext, Cisco Talos researchers observed the echo command being used to write code associated with a web shell into the previously created ASPX files, and the modification of the Windows registry to enable RDP access to the system.\n\n\u201cIn this case, several characteristics matched portions of code associated with known China Chopper variants identified days after the Exchange Server vulnerabilities were publicized,\u201d they noted.\n\nOther interesting aspects of the latest campaign include the fact that Lemon Duck executes a PowerShell script that downloads and executes an additional malware payload, \u201csyspstem.dat,\u201d which includes a \u201ckiller\u201d module which contains a hardcoded list of competing cryptocurrency miners that Lemon Duck disables. The module is run every 50 minutes.\n\nAlso, the malware is now leveraging Certutil to download and execute two new malicious PowerShell scripts, researchers said. Certutil is a native Windows command-line program that is installed as part of Certificate Services. It is used to verify and dump Certificate Authority (CA) information, get and publish new certificate revocation lists, and so on.\n\nOne of the PowerShell scripts, named \u201cdn.ps1,\u201d attempts to uninstall multiple antivirus products, and also retrieves a Cobalt Strike payload.\n\n## **Cobalt Strike Added to the Mix**\n\n[Cobalt Strike is a penetration-testing tool](<https://threatpost.com/cobalt-ulster-strikes-again-with-new-forelord-malware/153418/>) that\u2019s commercially available. It sends out beacons to detect network vulnerabilities. When used for its intended purpose, it [simulates an attack](<https://www.cobaltstrike.com/features>). Threat actors have since figured out how to [turn it against networks](<https://threatpost.com/apt29-re-emerges-after-2-years-with-widespread-espionage-campaign/139246/>) to exfiltrate data, deliver malware and create fake C2 profiles that look legitimate and avoid detection.\n\nLemon Duck\u2019s Cobalt Strike payload is configured as a Windows DNS beacon and attempts to communicate with the C2 server using a DNS-based covert channel, researchers noted. The beacon then communicates with this specific subdomain to transmit encoded data via DNS A record query requests.\n\n\u201cThis represents a new TTP for Lemon Duck, and is another example of their reliance [on offensive security tools (OSTs)](<https://threatpost.com/malicious-software-infrastructure-easier-deploy/162913/>), including Powersploit\u2019s reflective loader and a modified Mimikatz, which are already included as additional modules and components of Lemon Duck and used throughout the typical attack lifecycle,\u201d according to Cisco Talos.\n\n## **Lemon Duck\u2019s Fresh Anti-Detection Tricks**\n\nWhile Lemon Duck casts a wide net in terms of victimology, it has been exclusively using websites within the TLDs for China (\u201c.cn\u201d), Japan (\u201c.jp\u201d) and South Korea (\u201c.kr\u201d) for its C2 activities since February, rather than the more familiar \u201c.com\u201d or \u201c.net.\u201d\n\n\u201cConsidering these [TLDs] are most commonly used for websites in their respective countries and languages\u2026this may allow the threat actor to more effectively hide C2 communications among other web traffic present in victim environments,\u201d according to Cisco Talos. \u201cDue to the prevalence of domains using these [TLDs], web traffic to the domains\u2026may be more easily attributed as noise to victims within these countries.\u201d\n\nDuring the Lemon Duck infection process, PowerShell is used to invoke the \u201cGetHostAddresses\u201d method from the .NET runtime class \u201cNet.Dns\u201d to obtain the current IP address for an attacker-controlled domain, researchers explained.\n\n\u201cThis IP address is combined with a fake hostname hardcoded into the PowerShell command and written as an entry to the Windows hosts file,\u201d they said. \u201cThis mechanism allows name resolution to continue even if DNS-based security controls are later deployed, as the translation is now recorded locally and future resolution requests no longer rely upon upstream infrastructure such as DNS servers. This may allow the adversary to achieve longer-term persistence once operational in victim environments.\u201d\n\n## **Cryptojackers Take Notice of ProxyLogon**\n\nLemon Duck is not the first cryptomining malware to add ProxyLogon to its arsenal. For instance, another cryptojacking group [was seen in mid-April](<https://threatpost.com/attackers-target-proxylogon-cryptojacker/165418/>) doing the same thing.\n\nThat bad code was fairly simple, but also in mid-April a heretofore little-seen Monero-mining botnet [dubbed Prometei](<https://threatpost.com/prometei-botnet-apt-attacks/165574/>) began exploiting two of the Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities in ProxyLogon. This malware is also highly complex and sophisticated, Cybereason researchers noted at the time. While cryptojacking is its current game, researchers warned that Prometei (the Russian word for Prometheus, the Titan god of fire from Greek mythology) gives attackers complete control over infected machines, which makes it capable of doing a wide range of damage.\n\nThe threat will likely continue to evolve, Cisco Talos researchers said. They also observed domains linked to Lemon Duck and another cryptocurrency miner, DLTMiner, used in relation to Microsoft Exchange attacks where ransomware was also deployed.\n\n\u201cAt this time, there doesn\u2019t appear to be a link between the Lemon Duck components observed there and the reported ransomware (TeslaRVNG2),\u201d according to the analysis. \u201cThis suggests that given the nature of the vulnerabilities targeted, we are likely to continue to observe a range of malicious activities in parallel, using similar exploitation techniques and infection vectors to compromise systems. In some cases, attackers may take advantage of artifacts left in place from prior compromises, making distinction more difficult.\u201d\n\nMeanwhile, it\u2019s clear that the threat actor behind Lemon Duck is continuously evolving its approach to maximize the ability to achieve its mission objectives, researchers noted.\n\n\u201cLemon Duck continues to launch campaigns against systems around the world, attempting to leverage infected systems to mine cryptocurrency and generate revenue for the adversary behind this botnet,\u201d they concluded. \u201cThe use of new tools like Cobalt Strike, as well as the implementation of additional obfuscation techniques throughout the attack lifecycle, may enable them to operate more effectively for longer periods within victim environments. \u2026 Organizations should remain vigilant against this threat, as it will likely continue to evolve.\u201d\n\n**Join Threatpost for \u201c**[**Fortifying Your Business Against Ransomware, DDoS & Cryptojacking Attacks**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>)**\u201d \u2013 a LIVE roundtable event on**[** Wed, May 12 at 2:00 PM EDT**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinarhttps://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>)**. Sponsored by Zoho ManageEngine, Threatpost host Becky Bracken moderates an expert panel discussing best defense strategies for these 2021 threats. Questions and LIVE audience participation encouraged. Join the lively discussion and [Register HERE](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/fortifying-your-business-against-attacks/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=May_Zoho_Webinar>) for free. **\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-05-10T17:37:44", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Lemon Duck Cryptojacking Botnet Changes Up Tactics", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2019-0708", "CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27065"], "modified": "2021-05-10T17:37:44", "id": "THREATPOST:1084DB580B431A6B8428C25B78E05C88", "href": "https://threatpost.com/lemon-duck-cryptojacking-botnet-tactics/165986/", "cvss": {"score": 10.0, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-10-01T12:44:45", "description": "A new APT group has emerged that\u2019s specifically targeting the fuel and energy complex and aviation industry in Russia, exploiting known vulnerabilities like Microsoft Exchange Server\u2019s [ProxyShell](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-barrage-proxyshell-attacks/168943/>) and leveraging both new and existing malware to compromise networks.\n\nResearchers at security firm [Positive Technologies](<https://www.ptsecurity.com/ww-en/>) have been tracking the group, dubbed ChamelGang for its chameleon-like capabilities, since March. Though attackers mainly have been seen targeting Russian organizations, they have attacked targets in 10 countries so far, researchers said in a [report](<https://www.ptsecurity.com/ww-en/analytics/pt-esc-threat-intelligence/new-apt-group-chamelgang/>) by company researchers Aleksandr Grigorian, Daniil Koloskov, Denis Kuvshinov and Stanislav Rakovsky published online Thursday.\n\nTo avoid detection, ChamelGang hides its malware and network infrastructure under legitimate services of established companies like Microsoft, TrendMicro, McAfee, IBM and Google in a couple of unique ways, researchers observed.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/infosec-insider-subscription-page/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=InfosecInsiders_Newsletter_Promo/>)\n\nOne is to acquire domains that imitate their legitimate counterparts \u2013 such as newtrendmicro.com, centralgoogle.com, microsoft-support.net, cdn-chrome.com and mcafee-upgrade.com. The other is to place SSL certificates that also imitate legitimate ones \u2013 such as github.com, www.ibm.com, jquery.com, update.microsoft-support.net \u2013 on its servers, researchers said.\n\nMoreover, ChamelGang \u2013 like [Nobelium](<https://threatpost.com/solarwinds-active-directory-servers-foggyweb-backdoor/175056/>) and [REvil](<https://threatpost.com/kaseya-patches-zero-days-revil-attacks/167670/>) before it \u2013 has hopped on the bandwagon of attacking the supply chain first to gain access to its ultimate target, they said. In one of the cases analyzed by Positive Technologies, \u201cthe group compromised a subsidiary and penetrated the target company\u2019s network through it,\u201d according to the writeup.\n\nThe attackers also appear malware-agnostic when it comes to tactics, using both known malicious programs such as [FRP](<https://howtofix.guide/frp-exe-virus/>), [Cobalt Strike Beacon](<https://threatpost.com/cobalt-strike-cybercrooks/167368/>), and Tiny Shell, as well as previously unknown malware ProxyT, BeaconLoader and the DoorMe backdoor, researchers said.\n\n## **Two Separate Attacks**\n\nResearchers analyzed two attacks by the novel APT: one in March and one in August. The first investigation was triggered after a Russia-based energy company\u2019s antivirus protection repeatedly reported the presence of the Cobalt Strike Beacon in RAM.\n\nAttackers gained access to the energy company\u2019s network through the supply chain, compromising a vulnerable version of a subsidiary company\u2019s web application on the JBoss Application Server. Upon investigation, researchers found that attackers exploited a critical vulnerability, [CVE-2017-12149](<https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-12149>), to remotely execute commands on the host.\n\nOnce on the energy company\u2019s network, ChamelGang moved laterally, deploying a number of tools along the way. They included Tiny Shell, with which a UNIX backdoor can receive a shell from an infected host, execute a command and transfer files; an old DLL hijacking technique associated with the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Control (MSDTC) Windows service to gain persistence and escalate privileges; and the Cobalt Strike Beacon for calling back to attackers for additional commands.\n\nResearchers were successful in accessing and exfiltrating data in the attack, researchers said. \u201cAfter collecting the data, they placed it on web servers on the compromised network for further downloading \u2026 using the Wget utility,\u201d they wrote.\n\n## **Cutting Short a ProxyShell Attack **\n\nThe second attack was on an organization from the Russian aviation production sector, researchers said. They notified the company four days after the server was compromised, working with employees to eliminate the threat shortly after.\n\n\u201cIn total, the attackers remained in the victim\u2019s network for eight days,\u201d researchers wrote. \u201cAccording to our data, the APT group did not expect that its backdoors would be detected so quickly, so it did not have time to develop the attack further.\u201d\n\nIn this instance, ChamelGang used a known chain of vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange called ProxyShell \u2013 CVE-2021-34473, CVE-2021-34523, CVE-2021-31207 \u2013 to compromise network nodes and gain a foothold. Indeed, a number of attackers took advantage of ProxyShell throughout August, [pummeling](<https://threatpost.com/proxyshell-attacks-unpatched-exchange-servers/168879/>) unpatched Exchange servers with attacks after a [researcher at BlackHat revealed](<https://threatpost.com/exchange-servers-attack-proxyshell/168661/>) the attack surface.\n\nOnce on the network, attackers then installed a modified version of the backdoor DoorMe v2 on two Microsoft Exchange mail servers on the victim\u2019s network. Attackers also used BeaconLoader to move inside the network and infect nodes, as well as the Cobalt Strike Beacon.\n\n## **Victims Across the Globe**\n\nFurther threat intelligence following the investigation into attacks on the Russian companies revealed that ChamelGang\u2019s activity has not been limited to that country.\n\nPositive Technologies eventually identified 13 more compromised organizations in nine other countries \u2013 the U.S., Japan, Turkey, Taiwan, Vietnam, India, Afghanistan, Lithuania and Nepal. In the last four countries mentioned, attackers targeted government servers, they added.\n\nAttackers often used ProxyLogon and ProxyShell vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server against victims, who were all notified by the appropriate national security authorities in their respective countries.\n\nChamelGang\u2019s tendency to reach its targets through the supply chain also is likely one that it \u2013 as well as other APTs \u2013 will continue, given the success attackers have had so far with this tactic, researchers added. \u201cNew APT groups using this method to achieve their goals will appear on stage,\u201d they said.\n\n_**Check out our free **_[_**upcoming live and on-demand webinar events**_](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>)_** \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community.**_\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 9.8, "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "userInteraction": "NONE", "version": "3.0"}, "impactScore": 5.9}, "published": "2021-10-01T12:36:25", "type": "threatpost", "title": "New APT ChamelGang Targets Russian Energy, Aviation Orgs", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "HIGH", "exploitabilityScore": 10.0, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": false, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "LOW", "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE", "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE", "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE", "baseScore": 10.0, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "acInsufInfo": false, "impactScore": 10.0, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2017-12149", "CVE-2021-31207", "CVE-2021-34473", "CVE-2021-34523"], "modified": "2021-10-01T12:36:25", "id": "THREATPOST:EDFBDF12942A6080DE3FAE980A53F496", "href": "https://threatpost.com/apt-chamelgang-targets-russian-energy-aviation/175272/", "cvss": {"score": 10.0, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-07-30T09:53:38", "description": "In a perfect world, CISA would laminate cards with the year\u2019s top 30 vulnerabilities: You could whip it out and ask a business if they\u2019ve bandaged these specific wounds before you hand over your cash.\n\nThis is not a perfect world. There are no laminated vulnerability cards.\n\nBut at least we have the list: In a joint advisory ([PDF](<https://us-cert.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/AA21-209A_Joint%20CSA_Top%20Routinely%20Exploited%20Vulnerabilities.pdf>)) published Wednesday, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Australian Cyber Security Center, and the UK\u2019s National Cyber Security Center listed the vulnerabilities that were \u201croutinely\u201d exploited in 2020, as well as those that are most often being picked apart so far this year.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nThe vulnerabilities \u2013 which lurk in devices or software from the likes of Citrix, Fortinet, Pulse Secure, Microsoft and Atlassian \u2013 include publicly known bugs, some of which are growing hair. One, in fact, dates to 2000.\n\n\u201cCyber actors continue to exploit publicly known \u2013 and often dated \u2013 software vulnerabilities against broad target sets, including public and private sector organizations worldwide,\u201d according to the advisory. \u201cHowever, entities worldwide can mitigate the vulnerabilities listed in this report by applying the available patches to their systems and implementing a centralized patch management system.\u201d\n\nSo far this year, cyberattackers are continuing to target vulnerabilities in perimeter-type devices, with particularly high amounts of unwanted attention being devoted to flaws in the perimeter devices sold by Microsoft, Pulse, Accellion, VMware and Fortinet.\n\nAll of the vulnerabilities have received patches from vendors. That doesn\u2019t mean those patches have been applied, of course.\n\n## Repent, O Ye Patch Sinners\n\nAccording to the advisory, attackers are unlikely to stop coming after geriatric vulnerabilities, including CVE-2017-11882: a Microsoft Office remote code execution (RCE) bug that was already near drinking age when it was [patched at the age of 17](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-patches-17-year-old-office-bug/128904/>) in 2017.\n\nWhy would they stop? As long as systems remain unpatched, it\u2019s a win-win for adversaries, the joint advisory pointed out, as it saves bad actors time and effort.\n\n> Adversaries\u2019 use of known vulnerabilities complicates attribution, reduces costs, and minimizes risk because they are not investing in developing a zero-day exploit for their exclusive use, which they risk losing if it becomes known. \u2014Advisory\n\nIn fact, the top four preyed-upon 2020 vulnerabilities were discovered between 2018 to 2020, showing how common it is for organizations using the devices or technology in question to sidestep patching or remediation.\n\nThe top four:\n\n * [CVE-2019-19781](<https://threatpost.com/critical-citrix-rce-flaw-corporate-lans/152677/>), a critical bug in the Citrix Application Delivery Controller (ADC) and Citrix Gateway that left unpatched outfits at risk from a trivial attack on their internal operations. As of December 2020, 17 percent \u2013 about one in five of the 80,000 companies affected \u2013 hadn\u2019t patched.\n * [CVE 2019-11510](<https://threatpost.com/dhs-urges-pulse-secure-vpn-users-to-update-passwords/154925/>): a critical Pulse Secure VPN flaw exploited in several cyberattacks that targeted companies that had previously patched a related flaw in the VPN. In April 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urged users to change their passwords for [Active Directory](<https://threatpost.com/podcast-securing-active-directory-nightmare/168203/>) accounts, given that the patches were deployed too late to stop bad actors from compromising those accounts.\n * [CVE 2018-13379](<https://threatpost.com/fbi-apts-actively-exploiting-fortinet-vpn-security-holes/165213/>): a path-traversal weakness in VPNs made by Fortinet that was discovered in 2018 and which was actively being exploited as of a few months ago, in April 2021.\n * [CVE 2020-5902](<https://threatpost.com/patch-critical-f5-flaw-active-attack/157164/>): a critical vulnerability in F5 Networks\u2019 BIG-IP advanced delivery controller networking devices that, as of July 2020, was being exploited by attackers to scrape credentials, launch malware and more.\n\nThe cybersecurity bodies urged organizations to remediate or mitigate vulnerabilities as soon as possible to reduce their risk of being ripped up. For those that can\u2019t do that, the advisory encouraged organizations to check for the presence of indicators of compromise (IOCs).\n\nIf IOCs are found, kick off incident response and recovery plans, and let CISA know: the advisory contains instructions on how to report incidents or request technical help.\n\n## 2020 Top 12 Exploited Vulnerabilities\n\nHere\u2019s the full list of the top dozen exploited bugs from last year:\n\n**Vendor** | **CVE** | **Type** \n---|---|--- \nCitrix | CVE-2019-19781 | arbitrary code execution \nPulse | CVE 2019-11510 | arbitrary file reading \nFortinet | CVE 2018-13379 | path traversal \nF5- Big IP | CVE 2020-5902 | remote code execution (RCE) \nMobileIron | CVE 2020-15505 | RCE \nMicrosoft | CVE-2017-11882 | RCE \nAtlassian | CVE-2019-11580 | RCE \nDrupal | CVE-2018-7600 | RCE \nTelerik | CVE 2019-18935 | RCE \nMicrosoft | CVE-2019-0604 | RCE \nMicrosoft | CVE-2020-0787 | elevation of privilege \nNetlogon | CVE-2020-1472 | elevation of privilege \n \n## Most Exploited So Far in 2021\n\nCISA et al. also listed these 13 flaws, all discovered this year, that are also being energetically exploited:\n\n * Microsoft Exchange: CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858, and CVE2021-27065: four flaws that can be chained together in the ProxyLogon group of security bugs that led to a [patching frenzy](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-proxylogon-patching/165001/>). The frenzy was warranted: as of March, Microsoft said that 92 percent of Exchange Servers were vulnerable to [ProxyLogon](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-exploits-ransomware/164719/>).\n * Pulse Secure: CVE-2021-22893, CVE-2021-22894, CVE-2021-22899, and CVE-2021-22900. As of May, CVE-2021-22893 was being used by at least two advanced persistent threat actors (APTs), likely linked to China, [to attack U.S. defense targets,](<https://threatpost.com/pulse-secure-vpns-fix-critical-zero-day-bugs/165850/>) among others.\n * Accellion: CVE-2021-27101, CVE-2021-27102, CVE-2021-27103, CVE-2021-27104. These ones led to scads of attacks, including [on Shell](<https://threatpost.com/shell-victim-of-accellion-attacks/164973/>). Around 100 Accellion FTA customers, including the [Jones Day Law Firm](<https://threatpost.com/stolen-jones-day-law-firm-files-posted/164066/>), Kroger [and Singtel](<https://threatpost.com/singtel-zero-day-cyberattack/163938/>), were affected by attacks [tied to FIN11 and the Clop ransomware gang](<https://threatpost.com/accellion-zero-day-attacks-clop-ransomware-fin11/164150/>).\n * VMware: CVE-2021-21985: A [critical bug](<https://threatpost.com/vmware-ransomware-alarm-critical-bug/166501/>) in VMware\u2019s virtualization management platform, vCenter Server, that allows a remote attacker to exploit the product and take control of a company\u2019s affected system.\n\nThe advisory gave technical details for all these vulnerabilities along with guidance on mitigation and IOCs to help organizations figure out if they\u2019re vulnerable or have already been compromised. The advisory also offers guidance for locking down systems.\n\n## Can Security Teams Keep Up?\n\nRick Holland, Digital Shadows CISO and vice president of strategy, called CISA vulnerability alerts an \u201cinfluential tool to help teams stay above water and minimize their attack surface.\u201d\n\nThe CVEs highlighted in Wednesday\u2019s alert \u201ccontinue to demonstrate that attackers are going after known vulnerabilities and leverage zero-days only when necessary,\u201d he told Threatpost on Thursday.\n\nRecent research ([PDF](<https://l.vulcancyber.com/hubfs/Infographics/Pulse%20research%20project%20-%202021-07-23%20-%20How%20are%20Businesses%20Mitigating%20Cyber%20Risk.pdf>)) from Vulcan Cyber has found that more than three-quarters of cybersecurity leaders have been impacted by a security vulnerability over the past year. It begs the question: Is there a mismatch between enterprise vulnerability management programs and the ability of security teams to mitigate risk?\n\nYaniv Bar-Dayan, CEO and co-founder at Vulcan Cyber, a provider of SaaS for enterprise cyber risk remediation, suggested that it\u2019s become ever more vital for enterprise IT security stakeholders to make \u201cmeaningful changes to their cyber hygiene efforts.\u201d That means \u201cprioritizing risk-based cybersecurity efforts, increasing collaboration between security and IT teams, updating vulnerability management tooling, and enhancing enterprise risk analytics, especially in businesses with advanced cloud application programs.\u201d\n\nGranted, vulnerability management is \u201cone of the most difficult aspects of any security program,\u201d he continued. But if a given vulnerability is being exploited, that should kick it up the priority list, Var-Dayan said. \u201cTaking a risk-based approach to vulnerability management is the way forward; and teams should unquestionably be prioritizing vulnerabilities that are actively being exploited.\u201d\n\n072921 15:02 UPDATE: Corrected misattribution of quotes.\n\nWorried about where the next attack is coming from? We\u2019ve got your back. **[REGISTER NOW](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/how-to-think-like-a-threat-actor/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=August_Uptycs_Webinar>)** for our upcoming live webinar, How to **Think Like a Threat Actor**, in partnership with Uptycs on Aug. 17 at 11 AM EST and find out precisely where attackers are targeting you and how to get there first. Join host Becky Bracken and Uptycs researchers Amit Malik and Ashwin Vamshi on **[Aug. 17 at 11AM EST for this LIVE discussion](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/how-to-think-like-a-threat-actor/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=August_Uptycs_Webinar>)**.\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "CHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 10.0, "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H", "userInteraction": "NONE", "version": "3.1"}, "impactScore": 6.0}, "published": "2021-07-29T18:39:56", "type": "threatpost", "title": "CISA\u2019s Top 30 Bugs: One\u2019s Old Enough to Buy Beer", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "HIGH", "exploitabilityScore": 10.0, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": false, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "LOW", "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE", "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE", "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE", "baseScore": 10.0, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "acInsufInfo": false, "impactScore": 10.0, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2017-11882", "CVE-2018-7600", "CVE-2019-0604", "CVE-2019-11580", "CVE-2019-19781", "CVE-2020-0787", "CVE-2020-1472", "CVE-2021-21985", "CVE-2021-22893", "CVE-2021-22894", "CVE-2021-22899", "CVE-2021-22900", "CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27101", "CVE-2021-27102", "CVE-2021-27103", "CVE-2021-27104"], "modified": "2021-07-29T18:39:56", "id": "THREATPOST:8D6D4C10987CBF3434080EFF240D2E74", "href": "https://threatpost.com/cisa-top-bugs-old-enough-to-buy-beer/168247/", "cvss": {"score": 10.0, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-12-21T14:43:15", "description": "Another Zoho ManageEngine zero-day vulnerability is under active attack from an APT group, this time looking to override legitimate functions of servers running ManageEngine Desktop Central and elevate privileges \u2014 with an ultimate goal of dropping malware onto organizations\u2019 networks, the FBI has warned.\n\nAPT actors have been exploiting the bug, tracked as [CVE-2021-44515](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=2021-44515>), since at least late October, the feds revealed in an [FBI Flash alert](<https://www.ic3.gov/Media/News/2021/211220.pdf>) released last week. There is also evidence to support that it\u2019s being used in an attack chain with two other Zoho bugs that researchers have observed under attack since September, according to the alert.\n\nThe latest vulnerability is an authentication-bypass vulnerability in ManageEngine Desktop Central that can allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the Desktop Central server, according to a Zoho [advisory](<https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/cve-2021-44515-authentication-bypass-filter-configuration.html>) that addressed the issue, published earlier this month.\n\nIndeed, the feds said they observed APT actors doing exactly that. More specifically, researchers observed attackers \u201ccompromising Desktop Central servers, dropping a webshell that overrides a legitimate function of Desktop Central, downloading post-exploitation tools, enumerating domain users and groups, conducting network reconnaissance, attempting lateral movement and dumping credentials,\u201d according to the Flash Alert.\n\nZoho has addressed the vulnerability and is urging organizations to update to the appropriate latest builds of ManageEngine Desktop Central due to \u201cindications of exploitation,\u201d the company said in its advisory.\n\nSpecifically, the company is advising enterprise customers who have builds10.1.2127.17 and below deployed to upgrade to build [10.1.2127.18](<https://downloads.zohocorp.com/dnd/Desktop_Central/vSfr4V3f7NXjEJK/ManageEngine_Desktop_Central_10_1_0_SP-2127_18.ppm>); and those using builds 10.1.2128.0 to 10.1.2137.2 to upgrade to build [10.1.2137.3](<https://downloads.zohocorp.com/dnd/Desktop_Central/5fbkfifZFuh9mVx/ManageEngine_Desktop_Central_10_1_0_SP-2137_3.ppm>).\n\n## **Zoho Under Fire**\n\nThe bug is the third zero-day under active attack that researchers have discovered in the cloud platform company\u2019s ManageEngine suite since September, spurring dire warnings from the FBI and researchers alike.\n\nThough no one has yet conclusively identified the APT responsible, it\u2019s likely the attacks are linked and those responsible are from China, previous evidence has shown.\n\nEarlier this month, researchers at Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 [revealed](<https://threatpost.com/threat-group-takes-aim-again-at-cloud-platform-provider-zoho/176732/>) that state-backed adversaries were using vulnerable versions of ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus to target a number of U.S. organizations between late October and November.\n\nThe attacks were related to a bug revealed in a Nov. 22 [security advisory](<https://pitstop.manageengine.com/portal/en/community/topic/security-advisory-for-cve-2021-44077-unauthenticated-rce-vulnerability-in-servicedesk-plus-versions-up-to-11305-22-11-2021>) by Zoho alerting customers of active exploitation against newly registered [CVE-2021-44077](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-44077>) found in Manage Engine ServiceDesk Plus. The vulnerability, which allows for unauthenticated remote code execution, impacts ServiceDesk Plus versions 11305 and below.\n\nThat news came on the heels of [warnings](<https://threatpost.com/cisa-fbi-state-backed-apts-exploit-critical-zoho-bug/174768/>) in September by the FBI, CISA and the U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command (CGCYBER) that an unspecified APT was exploiting a then-zero-day vulnerability in Zoho ManageEngine\u2019s password management solution called ADSelfService Plus.\n\nZoho issued [a fix](<https://threatpost.com/zoho-password-manager-zero-day-attack/169303/>) for the vulnerability, tracked as [CVE-2021-40539](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-40539>), soon after; still, researchers observed attackers [exploiting it](<https://threatpost.com/zoho-password-manager-flaw-godzilla-webshell/176063/>) later in November in their continued assault on defense, energy and healthcare organizations.\n\nUnit 42 researchers combined the two previously known active attack fronts against Zoho\u2019s ManageEngine as the [\u201cTitledTemple\u201d](<https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tiltedtemple-manageengine-servicedesk-plus/>) campaign, and said earlier this month that there is evidence to link the APT responsible to China, although it is not conclusive.\n\nThe latest Flash Alert released by the FBI also shows a correlation between earlier APT attacks on ManageEngine and AdSelfService Plus, with malicious samples of code observed in the latest exploitation \u201cdownloaded from likely compromised ManageEngine \nADSelfService Plus servers,\u201d according to the alert.\n\n## **Inside the Exploitation **\n\nThose samples show initial exploitation of a Desktop Central API URL that allowed for an unauthenticated file upload of two different variants of webshells; the first variant was delivered using either the file name \u201cemsaler.zip\u201d or \u201ceco-inflect.jar\u201d in late October and mid-November, respectively; and a second variant using the file name \u201caaa.zip\u201d in late November.\n\nThe webshell overrides the legitimate Desktop Central API servlet endpoint, \u201c/fos/statuscheck,\u201d and either filters inbound GET in the case of the second variant, or POST requests in the case of the first variant, to that URL path, according to the FBI. It then allows attackers to execute commands as the SYSTEM user with elevated privileges if the inbound requests pass the filter check.\n\nThe webshell allows attackers to conduct initial reconnaissance and domain enumeration, after which the actors use BITSAdmin to download a likely ShadowPad variant dropper with filename mscoree.dll, and a legitimate Microsoft AppLaunch binary, iop.exe, according to the FBI. Attackers then sideload the dropper through AppLaunch execution, creating a persistent service to execute the AppLaunch binary moving forward.\n\n\u201cUpon execution, the dropper creates an instance of svchost and injects code with RAT-like functionality that initiates a connection to a command and control server,\u201d according to the FBI.\n\nThreat actors conduct follow-on intrusion activity through the RAT, including attempted lateral movement to domain controllers and credential dumping techniques using Mimikatz, comsvcs.dll LSASS process memory dumping, and a WDigest downgrade attack with subsequent LSASS dumping through pwdump, researchers observed.\n\nThe FBI Flash Alert includes a detailed list of indicators of compromise so organizations using Zoho\u2019s ManageEngine Desktop Central can check to see if they are at risk or have been a victim of attack.\n\n**_Check out our free _**[**_upcoming live and on-demand online town halls_**](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>) **_\u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community._**\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 9.8, "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "userInteraction": "NONE", "version": "3.1"}, "impactScore": 5.9}, "published": "2021-12-21T14:42:02", "type": "threatpost", "title": "FBI: Another Zoho ManageEngine Zero-Day Under Active Attack", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "HIGH", "exploitabilityScore": 10.0, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": false, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "LOW", "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE", "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE", "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE", "baseScore": 10.0, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 10.0, "acInsufInfo": false, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-40539", "CVE-2021-44077", "CVE-2021-44515"], "modified": "2021-12-21T14:42:02", "id": "THREATPOST:927CAECDA58E6BC3266D14FE340589BB", "href": "https://threatpost.com/zoho-zero-day-manageengine-active-attack/177178/", "cvss": {"score": 10.0, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-03-26T19:00:10", "description": "The patching level for Microsoft Exchange Servers that are vulnerable to the [ProxyLogon group of security bugs](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-exploits-ransomware/164719/>) has reached 92 percent, according to Microsoft.\n\nThe computing giant [tweeted out the stat](<https://twitter.com/msftsecresponse/status/1374075310195412992>) earlier this week \u2013 though of course patching won\u2019t fix already-compromised machines. Still, that\u2019s an improvement of 43 percent just since last week, Microsoft pointed out (using telemetry from RiskIQ).\n\n> Our work continues, but we are seeing strong momentum for on-premises Exchange Server updates: \n\u2022 92% of worldwide Exchange IPs are now patched or mitigated. \n\u2022 43% improvement worldwide in the last week. [pic.twitter.com/YhgpnMdlOX](<https://t.co/YhgpnMdlOX>)\n> \n> \u2014 Security Response (@msftsecresponse) [March 22, 2021](<https://twitter.com/msftsecresponse/status/1374075310195412992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>)\n\nProxyLogon consists of four flaws (CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858, CVE-2021-27065) that can be chained together to create a pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) exploit \u2013 meaning that attackers can take over servers without knowing any valid account credentials. This gives them access to email communications and the opportunity to install a web shell for further exploitation within the environment.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nThe good news on patching comes as a whirlwind of ProxyLogon cyberattacks has hit companies across the globe, with multiple advanced persistent threats (APT) and possibly other adversaries moving quickly to exploit the bug. A spate of public proof-of-concept exploits has added fuel to the fire \u2013 which is blazing so bright that F-Secure said on Sunday that hacks are occurring \u201cfaster than we can count,\u201d with tens of thousands of machines compromised.\n\n\u201cTo make matters worse, proof-of-concept automated attack scripts are being made publicly available, making it possible for even unskilled attackers to quickly gain remote control of a vulnerable Microsoft Exchange Server,\u201d according to [F-Secure\u2019s writeup](<https://blog.f-secure.com/microsoft-exchange-proxylogon/>). \u201cThere is even a fully functioning package for exploiting the vulnerability chain published to the Metasploit application, which is commonly used for both hacking- and security testing. This free-for-all attack opportunity is now being exploited by vast numbers of criminal gangs, state-backed threat actors and opportunistic script kiddies.\u201d\n\nThe attackers are using ProxyLogon to carry out a range of attacks, including data theft and the installation of malware, such as the recently discovered \u201cBlackKingdom\u201d strain. According to Sophos, the ransomware operators are asking for $10,000 in Bitcoin in exchange for an encryption key.\n\n## **Patching Remains Tough for Many**\n\nThe CyberNews investigation team [found](<https://cybernews.com/news/patched-microsoft-exchange-servers-give-a-false-sense-of-security-says-cisas-brandon-wales/>) 62,174 potentially vulnerable unpatched Microsoft Exchange Servers around the world, as of Wednesday.\n\n\n\nClick to enlarge. Source: CyberNews.\n\nVictor Wieczorek, practice director for Threat & Attack Simulation at GuidePoint Security, noted that some organizations are not structured or resourced to patch effectively against ProxyLogon.\n\n\u201cThis is because, 1) a lack of accurate asset inventory and ownership information; and 2) lag time to vet patching for negative impacts on the business and gain approval from asset/business owners to patch,\u201d he told Threatpost. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have an accurate inventory with a high level of confidence, it takes a long time to hunt down affected systems. You have to determine who owns them and if applying the patch would negatively impact the system\u2019s function. Responsible and timely patching takes lots of proactive planning and tracking.\u201d\n\nHe added that by regularly testing existing controls (red-teaming), searching for indicators of existing weakness and active threats (threat hunting), and investing/correcting confirmed vulnerabilities (vulnerability management), organizations are going to be in a much better spot to adjust to emerging vulnerabilities and invoke their incident-response capabilities when needed.\n\n## **APT Activity Continues**\n\nMicrosoft said in early March that it [had spotted multiple zero-day exploits](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-zero-day-attackers-spy/164438/>) in the wild being used to attack on-premises versions of Microsoft Exchange servers.\n\nAnd indeed, Microsoft noted that adversaries from a Chinese APT called Hafnium were able to access email accounts, steal a raft of data and drop malware on target machines for long-term remote access. It\u2019s also apparent that Hafnium isn\u2019t the only party of interest, according to multiple researchers; [ESET said earlier in March](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-apt-attack/164695/>) that at least 10 different APTs are using the exploit.\n\nThe sheer volume of APTs mounting attacks, most of them starting in the days before ProxyLogon became publicly known, has prompted questions as to the exploit\u2019s provenance \u2013 and ESET researchers mused whether it was shared around the Dark Web on a wide scale.\n\nThe APTs seem mainly bent on cyberespionage and data theft, researchers said.\n\n\u201cThese breaches could be occurring in the background, completely unnoticed. Only after months or years will it become clear what was stolen,\u201d according to F-Secure. \u201cIf an attacker knows what they are doing, the data has most likely already been stolen or is being stolen right now.\u201d\n\nSeveral versions of the on-premise flavor of Exchange are vulnerable to the four bugs, including Exchange 2013, 2016 and 2019. Cloud-based and hosted versions are not vulnerable to ProxyLogon.\n\n## **Patching is Not Enough; Assume Compromise**\n\nUnfortunately, installing the ProxyLogon security patches alone does not guarantee that a server is secure \u2013 an attacker may have breached it before the update was installed.\n\n\u201cPatching is like closing a door. Therefore, 92 percent of the doors have been closed. But the doors were open for a relatively long time and known to all the bad actors,\u201d Oliver Tavakoli, CTO at Vectra, told Threatpost. \u201cIdentifying and remediating already compromised systems will be a lot harder.\u201d\n\nBrandon Wales, the acting director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said during a webinar this week that \u201cpatching is not sufficient.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe know that multiple adversaries have compromised networks prior to patches being applied Wales said during a [Cipher Brief webinar](<https://cybernews.com/news/patched-microsoft-exchange-servers-give-a-false-sense-of-security-says-cisas-brandon-wales/>). He added, \u201cYou should not have a false sense of security. You should fully understand the risk. In this case, how to identify whether your system is already compromised, how to remediate it, and whether you should bring in a third party if you are not capable of doing that.\u201d\n\n## **How Businesses Can Protect Against ProxyLogon**\n\nYonatan Amitay, Security Researcher at Vulcan Cyber, told Threatpost that a successful response to mitigate Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities should consist of the following steps:\n\n * Deploy updates to affected Exchange Servers.\n * Investigate for exploitation or indicators of persistence.\n * Remediate any identified exploitation or persistence and investigate your environment for indicators of lateral movement or further compromise.\n\n\u201cIf for some reason you cannot update your Exchange servers immediately, Microsoft has released instructions for how to mitigate these vulnerabilities through reconfiguration \u2014 here, as they recognize that applying the latest patches to Exchange servers may take time and planning, especially if organizations are not on recent versions and/or associated cumulative and security patches,\u201d he said. \u201cNote that the mitigations suggested are not substitutes for installing the updates.\u201d\n\nMicrosoft also has issued a one-click mitigation and remediation tool for small- and medium-sized businesses in light of the ongoing swells of attacks.\n\nVectra\u2019s Tavakoli noted that the mitigation guides and tools Microsoft has supplied don\u2019t necessarily help post-compromise \u2013 they are intended to provide mitigation in advance of fully patching the Exchange server.\n\n\u201cThe end result of a compromise is reflective of the M.O. of each attack group, and that will be far more variable and less amenable to automated cleanup,\u201d he said.\n\nMilan Patel, global head of MSS for BlueVoyant, said that identifying follow-on malicious activity after the bad guys have gotten access to a network requires a good inventory of where data is housed.\n\n\u201cIncident response is a critical reactive tool that will help address what data could have been touched or stolen by the bad guys after they gained access to the critical systems,\u201d he told Threatpost. \u201cThis is critical, this could mean the difference between a small cleanup effort vs. potential litigation because sensitive data was stolen from the network.\u201d\n\n**_Check out our free _**[**_upcoming live webinar events_**](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>)**_ \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community:_**\n\n * April 21: **Underground Markets: A Tour of the Dark Economy** ([Learn more and register!](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/underground-markets-a-tour-of-the-dark-economy/>))\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-03-24T18:39:26", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Microsoft Exchange Servers See ProxyLogon Patching Frenzy", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27065"], "modified": "2021-03-24T18:39:26", "id": "THREATPOST:BADA213290027D414693E838771F8645", "href": "https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-proxylogon-patching/165001/", "cvss": {"score": 7.5, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-03-04T21:57:55", "description": "Hot on the heels of Microsoft\u2019s announcement about active cyber-espionage campaigns that are [exploiting four serious security vulnerabilities](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-zero-day-attackers-spy/164438/>) in Microsoft Exchange Server, the U.S. government is mandating patching for the issues.\n\nThe news comes as security firms report escalating numbers of related campaigns led by sophisticated adversaries against a range of high-value targets, especially in the U.S.\n\nThe Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an emergency directive, warning that its partners have observed active exploitation of the bugs in Microsoft Exchange on-premises products, which allow attackers to have \u201cpersistent system access and control of an enterprise network.\u201d\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\n\u201cCISA has determined that this exploitation of Microsoft Exchange on-premises products poses an unacceptable risk to Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies and requires emergency action,\u201d reads the [March 3 alert](<https://cyber.dhs.gov/ed/21-02/>). \u201cThis determination is based on the current exploitation of these vulnerabilities in the wild, the likelihood of the vulnerabilities being exploited, the prevalence of the affected software in the federal enterprise, the high potential for a compromise of agency information systems and the potential impact of a successful compromise.\u201d\n\n## **Rapidly Spreading Exchange Server Attacks**\n\nEarlier this week Microsoft said that it had spotted multiple zero-day exploits in the wild being used to attack on-premises versions of Microsoft Exchange Server, spurring it to release [out-of-band patches](<https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2021/03/02/multiple-security-updates-released-for-exchange-server/>).\n\nThe exploited bugs are being tracked as CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858 and CVE-2021-27065. When chained together, they allow remote authentication bypass and remote code execution. Adversaries have been able to access email accounts, steal a raft of data and drop malware on target machines for long-term remote access, according to the computing giant.\n\nThe attacks are being carried out in part by a China-linked advanced persistent threat (APT) called Hafnium, Microsoft said \u2013 but multiple other security firms have observed attacks from other groups and against a widespread swathe of targets.\n\nResearchers at Huntress Labs for instance told Threatpost that its researchers have discovered more than 200 web shells deployed across thousands of vulnerable servers (with antivirus and endpoint detection/recovery installed), and it expects this number to keep rising.\n\n\u201cThe team is seeing organizations of all shapes and sizes affected, including electricity companies, local/county governments, healthcare providers and banks/financial institutions, as well as small hotels, multiple senior citizen communities and other mid-market businesses,\u201d a spokesperson at Huntress told Threatpost.\n\nMeanwhile, researchers at ESET tweeted that CVE-2021-26855 was being actively exploited in the wild by at least three APTS besides Hafnium.\n\n\u201cAmong them, we identified #LuckyMouse, #Tick, #Calypso and a few additional yet-unclassified clusters,\u201d it tweeted, adding that while most attacks are against targets in the U.S., \u201cwe\u2019ve seen attacks against servers in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.\u201d\n\n> Most targets are located in the US but we\u2019ve seen attacks against servers in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Targeted verticals include governments, law firms, private companies and medical facilities. 3/5 [pic.twitter.com/kwxjYPeMlm](<https://t.co/kwxjYPeMlm>)\n> \n> \u2014 ESET research (@ESETresearch) [March 2, 2021](<https://twitter.com/ESETresearch/status/1366862951156695047?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>)\n\nThe vulnerabilities only exist in on-premise versions of Exchange Server, and don\u2019t affect Office 365 and virtual instances. Yet despite the move to the cloud, there are plenty of physical servers still in service, leaving a wide pool of targets.\n\n\u201cWith organizations migrating to Microsoft Office 365 en masse over the last few years, it\u2019s easy to forget that on-premises Exchange servers are still in service,\u201d Saryu Nayyar, CEO, Gurucul, said via email. \u201cSome organizations, notably in government, can\u2019t migrate their applications to the cloud due to policy or regulation, which means we will see on-premises servers for some time to come.\u201d\n\n## **CISA Mandates Patching Exchange Servers**\n\nCISA is requiring federal agencies to take several steps in light of the spreading attacks.\n\nFirst, they should take a thorough inventory of all on-premises Microsoft Exchange Servers in their environments, and then perform forensics to identify any existing compromises. Any compromises must be reported to CISA for remediation.\n\nThe forensics step would include collecting \u201csystem memory, system web logs, windows event logs and all registry hives. Agencies shall then examine the artifacts for indications of compromise or anomalous behavior, such as credential dumping and other activities.\u201d\n\nIf no indicators of compromise have been found, agencies must immediately patch, CISA added. And if agencies can\u2019t immediately patch, then they must take their Microsoft Exchange Servers offline.\n\nAll agencies have also been told to submit an initial report by Friday on their current situation.\n\n\u201c[This] highlights the increasing frequency of attacks orchestrated by nation states,\u201d said Steve Forbes, government cybersecurity expert at Nominet, via email. \u201cThe increasing role of government agencies in leading a coordinated response against attacks. CISA\u2019s directive for agencies to report back on their level of exposure, apply security fixes or disconnect the program is the latest in a series of increasingly regular emergency directives that the agency has issued since it was established two years ago. Vulnerabilities like these demonstrate the necessity for these coordinated national protective measures to efficiently and effectively mitigate the effects of attacks that could have major national security implications.\u201d\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-03-04T17:08:36", "type": "threatpost", "title": "CISA Orders Fed Agencies to Patch Exchange Servers", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27065"], "modified": "2021-03-04T17:08:36", "id": "THREATPOST:54430D004FBAE464FB7480BC724DBCC8", "href": "https://threatpost.com/cisa-federal-agencies-patch-exchange-servers/164499/", "cvss": {"score": 0.0, "vector": "NONE"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-04-15T12:28:24", "description": "Cryptojacking can be added to the list of threats that face any [unpatched Exchange servers](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-proxylogon-patching/165001/>) that remain vulnerable to the now-infamous ProxyLogon exploit, new research has found.\n\nResearchers discovered the threat actors using Exchange servers compromised using the highly publicized exploit chain\u2014which suffered a [barrage of attacks](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-apt-attack/164695/>) from advanced persistent threat (APT) groups to infect systems with everything from [ransomware](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-exploits-ransomware/164719/>) to webshells\u2014to host Monero cryptomining malware, according to [a report](<https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2021/04/13/compromised-exchange-server-hosting-cryptojacker-targeting-other-exchange-servers/>) posted online this week by SophosLabs.\n\n\u201cAn unknown attacker has been attempting to leverage what\u2019s now known as the ProxyLogon exploit to foist a malicious Monero cryptominer onto Exchange servers, with the payload being hosted on a compromised Exchange server,\u201d Sophos principal researcher Andrew Brandt wrote in the report. \n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nResearchers were inspecting telemetry when they discovered what they deemed an \u201cunusual attack\u201d targeting the customer\u2019s Exchange server. Sophos researchers Fraser Howard and Simon Porter were instrumental in the discovery and analysis of the novel threat, Brandt acknowledged.\n\nResearchers said they detected the executables associated with this attack as Mal/Inject-GV and XMR-Stak Miner (PUA), according to the report. Researchers published a list of [indicators of compromise](<https://github.com/sophoslabs/IoCs/blob/master/PUA-QuickCPU_xmr-stak.csv>) on the SophosLabs GitHub page to help organizations recognize if they\u2019ve been attacked in this way.\n\n## **How It Works**\n\nThe attack as observed by researchers began with a PowerShell command to retrieve a file named win_r.zip from another compromised server\u2019s Outlook Web Access logon path (/owa/auth), according to the report. Under closer inspection, the .zip file was not a compressed archive at all but a batch script that then invoked the built-into-Windows certutil.exe program to download two additional files, win_s.zip and win_d.zip, which also were not compressed.\n\nThe first file is written out to the filesystem as QuickCPU.b64, an executable payload in base64 that can be decoded by the certutil application, which by design can decode base64-encoded security certificates, researchers observed.\n\nThe batch script then runs another command that outputs the decoded executable into the same directory. Once decoded, the batch script runs the executable, which extracts the miner and configuration data from the QuickCPU.dat file, injects it into a system process, and then deletes any evidence that it was there, according to the report.\n\nThe executable in the attack appears to contain a modified version of a tool publicly available on Github called PEx64-Injector, which is [described](<https://github.com/0xyg3n/PEx64-Injector>) on its Github page as having the ability to \u201cmigrate any x64 exe to any x64 process\u201d with \u201cno administrator privileges required,\u201d according to the report.\n\nOnce the file runs on an infected system, it extracts the contents of the QuickCPU.dat file, which includes an installer for the cryptominer and its configuration temporarily to the filesystem. It then configures the miner, injects it into a running process, then quits, according to the report. \u201cThe batch file then deletes the evidence and the miner remains running in memory, injected into a process already running on the system,\u201d Brandt wrote.\n\nResearchers observed the cryptominer receiving funds on March 9, which is when Microsoft also released updates to Exchange to patch the flaws. Though the attacker lost several servers after this date and the output from the miner decreased, other servers that were gained thereafter more than made up for the early losses, according to the report.\n\n## **Exploit-Chain History**\n\nThe ProxyLogon problem started for Microsoft in early March when the company said it [had spotted multiple zero-day exploits](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-zero-day-attackers-spy/164438/>) in the wild being used to attack on-premises versions of Microsoft Exchange Server. The exploit chain is comprised of four flaws (CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858, CVE-2021-27065).\n\nTogether the flaws created a pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) exploit, meaning attackers can take over servers without knowing any valid account credentials. This gave them access to email communications and the opportunity to install a web shell for further exploitation within the environment.\n\nAs previously mentioned, Microsoft released an out-of-band update [soon after](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-zero-day-attackers-spy/164438/>) in its scramble to patch the flaws in the ProxyLogon chain; however, while the company boasted later that month that 92 percent of affected machines already had been patched, much damage had already been done, and unpatched systems likely exist that remain vulnerable.\n\n**_Ever wonder what goes on in underground cybercrime forums? Find out on April 21 at 2 p.m. ET during a _**[**_FREE Threatpost event_**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/underground-markets-a-tour-of-the-dark-economy/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=April_webinar>)**_, \u201cUnderground Markets: A Tour of the Dark Economy.\u201d Experts from Digital Shadows (Austin Merritt) and Sift (Kevin Lee) will take you on a guided tour of the Dark Web, including what\u2019s for sale, how much it costs, how hackers work together and the latest tools available for hackers. _**[**_Register here_**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/underground-markets-a-tour-of-the-dark-economy/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=April_webinar>)**_ for the Wed., April 21 LIVE event. _**\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-04-15T12:19:13", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Attackers Target ProxyLogon Exploit to Install Cryptojacker", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27065"], "modified": "2021-04-15T12:19:13", "id": "THREATPOST:B787E57D67AB2F76B899BCC525FF6870", "href": "https://threatpost.com/attackers-target-proxylogon-cryptojacker/165418/", "cvss": {"score": 7.5, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-03-11T21:58:44", "description": "Recently patched Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities are under fire from at least 10 different advanced persistent threat (APT) groups, all bent on compromising email servers around the world. Overall exploitation activity is snowballing, according to researchers.\n\nMicrosoft said in early March that it [had spotted multiple zero-day exploits](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-zero-day-attackers-spy/164438/>) in the wild being used to attack on-premises versions of Microsoft Exchange Server. Four flaws can be chained together to create a pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) exploit \u2013 meaning that attackers can take over servers without knowing any valid account credentials. This gives them access to email communications and the opportunity to install a webshell for further exploitation within the environment.\n\nAnd indeed, adversaries from the Chinese APT known as Hafnium were able to access email accounts, steal a raft of data and drop malware on target machines for long-term remote access, according to the computing giant.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nMicrosoft was spurred to release [out-of-band patches](<https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2021/03/02/multiple-security-updates-released-for-exchange-server/>) for the exploited bugs, known collectively as ProxyLogon, which are being tracked as CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858 and CVE-2021-27065.\n\n## **Rapidly Spreading Email Server Attacks**\n\nMicrosoft said last week that the attacks were \u201climited and targeted.\u201d But that\u2019s certainly no longer the case. Other security companies have [continued to say](<https://twitter.com/0xDUDE/status/1369302347617349642>) they have seen much broader, escalating activity with mass numbers of servers being scanned and attacked.\n\nESET researchers [had confirmed this](<https://threatpost.com/cisa-federal-agencies-patch-exchange-servers/164499/>) as well, and on Wednesday announced that it had pinpointed at least 10 APTs going after the bugs, including Calypso, LuckyMouse, Tick and Winnti Group.\n\n\u201cOn Feb. 28, we noticed that the vulnerabilities were used by other threat actors, starting with Tick and quickly joined by LuckyMouse, Calypso and the Winnti Group,\u201d according to [the writeup](<https://www.welivesecurity.com/2021/03/10/exchange-servers-under-siege-10-apt-groups/>). \u201cThis suggests that multiple threat actors gained access to the details of the vulnerabilities before the release of the patch, which means we can discard the possibility that they built an exploit by reverse-engineering Microsoft updates.\u201d\n\n> The [@DIVDnl](<https://twitter.com/DIVDnl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>) scanned over 250K Exchange servers. Sent over 46k emails to the owners. The amount of vulnerable servers is going down. The number of compromised systems is going up. More organizations start investigating their systems for [#Hafnium](<https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hafnium?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>) exploits.<https://t.co/XmQhHd7OA9>\n> \n> \u2014 Victor Gevers (@0xDUDE) [March 9, 2021](<https://twitter.com/0xDUDE/status/1369302347617349642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>)\n\nThis activity was quickly followed by a raft of other groups, including CactusPete and Mikroceen \u201cscanning and compromising Exchange servers en masse,\u201d according to ESET.\n\n\u201cWe have already detected webshells on more than 5,000 email servers [in more than 115 countries] as of the time of writing, and according to public sources, [several important organizations](<https://twitter.com/sundhaug92/status/1369669037924483087>), such as the European Banking Authority, suffered from this attack,\u201d according to the ESET report.\n\nIt also appears that threat groups are piggybacking on each other\u2019s work. For instance, in some cases the webshells were dropped into Offline Address Book (OAB) configuration files, and they appeared to be accessed by more than one group.\n\n\u201cWe cannot discount the possibility that some threat actors might have hijacked the webshells dropped by other groups rather than directly using the exploit,\u201d said ESET researchers. \u201cOnce the vulnerability had been exploited and the webshell was in place, we observed attempts to install additional malware through it. We also noticed in some cases that several threat actors were targeting the same organization.\u201d\n\n## **Zero-Day Activity Targeting Microsoft Exchange Bugs**\n\nESET has documented a raft of activity targeting the four vulnerabilities, including multiple zero-day compromises before Microsoft rolled patches out.\n\nFor instance, Tick, which has been infiltrating organizations primarily in Japan and South Korea since 2008, was seen compromising the webserver of an IT company based in East Asia two days before Microsoft released its patches for the Exchange flaws.\n\n\u201cWe then observed a Delphi backdoor, highly similar to previous Delphi implants used by the group,\u201d ESET researchers said. \u201cIts main objective seems to be intellectual property and classified information theft.\u201d\n\n\n\nA timeline of ProxyLogon activity. Source: ESET.\n\nOne day before the patches were released, LuckyMouse (a.k.a. APT27 or Emissary Panda) compromised the email server of a governmental entity in the Middle East, ESET observed. The group is cyberespionage-focused and is known for breaching multiple government networks in Central Asia and the Middle East, along with transnational organizations like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2016.\n\n\u201cLuckyMouse operators started by dropping the Nbtscan tool in C:\\programdata\\, then installed a variant of the ReGeorg webshell and issued a GET request to http://34.90.207[.]23/ip using curl,\u201d according to ESET\u2019s report. \u201cFinally, they attempted to install their SysUpdate (a.k.a. Soldier) modular backdoor.\u201d\n\nThat same day, still in the zero-day period, the Calypso spy group compromised the email servers of governmental entities in the Middle East and in South America. And in the following days, it targeted additional servers at governmental entities and private companies in Africa, Asia and Europe using the exploit.\n\n\u201cAs part of these attacks, two different backdoors were observed: a variant of PlugX specific to the group (Win32/Korplug.ED) and a custom backdoor that we detect as Win32/Agent.UFX (known as Whitebird in a Dr.Web report),\u201d according to ESET. \u201cThese tools are loaded using DLL search-order hijacking against legitimate executables (also dropped by the attackers).\u201d\n\nESET also observed the Winnti Group exploiting the bugs, a few hours before Microsoft released the patches. Winnti (a.k.a. APT41 or Barium, known for [high-profile supply-chain attacks against the video game and software industries](<https://threatpost.com/ransomware-major-gaming-companies-apt27/162735/>)) compromised the email servers of an oil company and a construction equipment company, both based in East Asia.\n\n\u201cThe attackers started by dropping webshells,\u201d according to ESET. \u201cAt one of the compromised victims we observed a [PlugX RAT](<https://threatpost.com/ta416-apt-plugx-malware-variant/161505/>) sample (also known as Korplug)\u2026at the second victim, we observed a loader that is highly similar to previous Winnti v.4 malware loaders\u2026used to decrypt an encrypted payload from disk and execute it. Additionally, we observed various Mimikatz and password dumping tools.\u201d\n\nAfter the patches rolled out and the vulnerabilities were publicly disclosed, [CactusPete (a.k.a. Tonto Team)](<https://threatpost.com/cactuspete-apt-toolset-respionage-targets/158350/>) compromised the email servers of an Eastern Europe-based procurement company and a cybersecurity consulting company, ESET noted. The attacks resulted in the ShadowPad loader being implanted, along with a variant of the Bisonal remote-access trojan (RAT).\n\nAnd, the Mikroceen APT group (a.k.a. Vicious Panda) compromised the Exchange server of a utility company in Central Asia, which is the region it mainly targets, a day after the patches were released.\n\n## **Unattributed Exploitation Activity**\n\nA cluster of pre-patch activity that ESET dubbed Websiic was also seen targeting seven email servers belonging to private companies (in the domains of IT, telecommunications and engineering) in Asia and a governmental body in Eastern Europe.\n\nESET also said it has seen a spate of unattributed [ShadowPad activity](<https://threatpost.com/ccleaner-attackers-intended-to-deploy-keylogger-in-third-stage/130358/>) resulting in the compromise of email servers at a software development company based in East Asia and a real estate company based in the Middle East. ShadowPad is a cyber-attack platform that criminals deploy in networks to gain remote control capabilities, keylogging functionality and data exfiltration.\n\nAnd, it saw another cluster of activity targeting around 650 servers, mostly in the Germany and other European countries, the U.K. and the United States. All of the latter attacks featured a first-stage webshell called RedirSuiteServerProxy, researchers said.\n\nAnd finally, on four email servers located in Asia and South America, webshells were used to install IIS backdoors after the patches came out, researchers said.\n\nThe groundswell of activity, particularly on the zero-day front, brings up the question of how knowledge of the vulnerabilities was spread between threat groups.\n\n\u201cOur ongoing research shows that not only Hafnium has been using the recent RCE vulnerability in Exchange, but that multiple APTs have access to the exploit, and some even did so prior to the patch release,\u201d ESET concluded. \u201cIt is still unclear how the distribution of the exploit happened, but it is inevitable that more and more threat actors, including ransomware operators, will have access to it sooner or later.\u201d\n\nOrganizations with on-premise Microsoft Exchange servers should patch as soon as possible, researchers noted \u2013 if it\u2019s not already too late.\n\n\u201cThe best mitigation advice for network defenders is to apply the relevant patches,\u201d said Joe Slowick, senior security researcher with DomainTools, in a [Wednesday post](<https://www.domaintools.com/resources/blog/examining-exchange-exploitation-and-its-lessons-for-defenders>). \u201cHowever, given the speed in which adversaries weaponized these vulnerabilities and the extensive period of time pre-disclosure when these were actively exploited, many organizations will likely need to shift into response and remediation activities \u2014 including attack surface reduction and active threat hunting \u2014 to counter existing intrusions.\u201d\n\n**_Check out our free [upcoming live webinar events](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>) \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community:_**\n\n * March 24: **Economics of 0-Day Disclosures: The Good, Bad and Ugly **([Learn more and register!](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/economics-of-0-day-disclosures-the-good-bad-and-ugly/>))\n * April 21: **Underground Markets: A Tour of the Dark Economy **([Learn more and register!](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/underground-markets-a-tour-of-the-dark-economy/>))\n\n** **\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-03-11T18:01:16", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Microsoft Exchange Servers Face APT Attack Tsunami", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27065"], "modified": "2021-03-11T18:01:16", "id": "THREATPOST:CAA77BB0CF0093962ECDD09004546CA3", "href": "https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-apt-attack/164695/", "cvss": {"score": 7.5, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-03-16T14:17:03", "description": "Cybercriminals are now using compromised Microsoft Exchange servers as a foothold to deploy a new ransomware family called DearCry, Microsoft has warned.\n\nThe ransomware is the latest threat to beleaguer vulnerable Exchange servers, emerging shortly after Microsoft [issued emergency patches in early March](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-zero-day-attackers-spy/164438/>) for four Microsoft Exchange flaws. The flaws [can be chained together](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-patch-tuesday-updates-critical-bugs/164621/>) to create a pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) exploit \u2013 meaning that attackers can take over servers without knowing any valid account credentials.\n\nThe flaws give attackers the opportunity to install a webshell for further exploitation within the environment \u2014 and now, researchers say attackers are downloading the new ransomware strain (a.k.a. Ransom:Win32/DoejoCrypt.A) as part of their post-exploitation activity on unpatched servers.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\n\u201cWe have detected and are now blocking a new family of ransomware being used after an initial compromise of unpatched on-premises Exchange Servers,\u201d Microsoft said [on Twitter](<https://twitter.com/MsftSecIntel/status/1370236539427459076>), Thursday.\n\n## **DearCry Ransomware**\n\nDearCry first came onto the infosec space\u2019s radar after ransomware expert Michael Gillespie [on Thursday said he observed](<https://twitter.com/demonslay335/status/1370125343571509250>) a \u201csudden swarm\u201d of submissions to his ransomware identification website, ID-Ransomware.\n\nThe ransomware uses the extension \u201c.CRYPT\u201d when encrypting files, as well as a filemarker \u201cDEARCRY!\u201d in the string for each encrypted file.\n\n[Microsoft later confirmed](<https://twitter.com/phillip_misner/status/1370197696280027136>) that the ransomware was being launched by attackers using the four Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities, known collectively as ProxyLogon, which are being tracked as CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858 and CVE-2021-27065.\n\nhttps://twitter.com/demonslay335/status/1370125343571509250\n\nAccording to a [report by BleepingComputer](<https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ransomware-now-attacks-microsoft-exchange-servers-with-proxylogon-exploits/amp/>), the ransomware drops a ransom note (called \u2018readme.txt\u2019) after initially infecting the victim \u2013 which contains two email addresses for the threat actors and demands a ransom payment of $16,000.\n\nMeanwhile, [MalwareHunterTeam](<https://twitter.com/malwrhunterteam/status/1370130753586102272>) on Twitter said that victim companies of DearCry have been spotted in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark and the U.S. On Twitter, MalwareHunterTeam said the ransomware is \u201cnot that very widespread (yet?).\u201d Thus far, three samples of the DearCry ransomware were uploaded to VirusTotal on March 9 (the hashes for which [can be found here)](<https://twitter.com/malwrhunterteam/status/1370271414855593986>).\n\n## **Microsoft Exchange Attacks Doubling Every Hour**\n\nExploitation activity for the recently patched Exchange flaws continue to skyrocket, [with researchers this week warning](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-apt-attack/164695/>) the flaws are under fire from at least 10 different advanced persistent threat (APT) groups, all bent on compromising email servers around the world.\n\n[New research by Check Point Software](<https://blog.checkpoint.com/2021/03/11/exploits-on-organizations-worldwide/>) said in the past 24 hours alone, the number of exploitation attempts on organizations have doubled every two to three hours.\n\nResearchers said they saw hundreds of exploit attempts against organizations worldwide \u2013 with the most-targeted industry sectors being government and military (making up 17 percent of all exploit attempts), manufacturing (14 percent) and banking (11 percent).\n\nResearchers warned that exploitation activity will continue \u2014 and urged companies that have not already done so to patch.\n\n\u201cSince the recently disclosed vulnerabilities on Microsoft Exchange Servers, a full race has started amongst hackers and security professionals,\u201d according to Check Point researchers. \u201cGlobal experts are using massive preventative efforts to combat hackers who are working day-in and day-out to produce an exploit that can successfully leverage the remote code-execution vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange.\u201d\n\n**_Check out our free [upcoming live webinar events](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>) \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community:_**\n\n * March 24: **Economics of 0-Day Disclosures: The Good, Bad and Ugly **([Learn more and register!](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/economics-of-0-day-disclosures-the-good-bad-and-ugly/>))\n * April 21: **Underground Markets: A Tour of the Dark Economy **([Learn more and register!](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/underground-markets-a-tour-of-the-dark-economy/>))\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-03-12T16:26:07", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Microsoft Exchange Exploits Pave a Ransomware Path", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27065"], "modified": "2021-03-12T16:26:07", "id": "THREATPOST:DC270F423257A4E0C44191BE365F25CB", "href": "https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-exploits-ransomware/164719/", "cvss": {"score": 7.5, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-03-16T17:23:15", "description": "As dangerous attacks accelerate against Microsoft Exchange Servers in the wake of the disclosure around the [ProxyLogon group of security bugs](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-exploits-ransomware/164719/>), a public proof-of-concept (PoC) whirlwind has started up. It\u2019s all leading to a feeding frenzy of cyber-activity.\n\nThe good news, however, is that Microsoft has issued a one-click mitigation and remediation tool in light of the ongoing swells of attacks.\n\nResearchers said that while advanced persistent threats (APTs) were the first to the game when it comes to hacking vulnerable Exchange servers, the public PoCs mean that the cat is officially out of the bag, meaning that less sophisticated cybercriminals can start to leverage the opportunity.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\n\u201cAPTs\u2026can reverse engineer the patches and make their own PoCs,\u201d Roger Grimes, data-driven defense evangelist at KnowBe4, told Threatpost. \u201cBut publicly posted PoCs mean that the thousands of other hacker groups that don\u2019t have that level of sophistication can do it, and even those groups that do have that sophistication can do it faster.\u201d\n\nAfter confirming the efficacy of one of the new public PoCs, security researcher Will Dorman of CERT/CC [tweeted](<https://twitter.com/wdormann/status/1370800181143351296>), \u201cHow did I find this exploit? Hanging out in the dark web? A hacker forum? No. Google search.\u201d\n\n## **What is the ProxyLogon Exploit Against Microsoft Exchange?**\n\nMicrosoft said in early March that it [had spotted multiple zero-day exploits](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-zero-day-attackers-spy/164438/>) in the wild being used to attack on-premises versions of Microsoft Exchange servers.\n\nFour flaws (CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858, CVE-2021-27065) can be chained together to create a pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) exploit \u2013 meaning that attackers can take over servers without knowing any valid account credentials. This gives them access to email communications and the opportunity to install a web shell for further exploitation within the environment.\n\nAnd indeed, Microsoft noted that adversaries from a Chinese APT called Hafnium were able to access email accounts, steal a raft of data and drop malware on target machines for long-term remote access.\n\nMicrosoft quickly pushed out out-of-band patches for ProxyLogon, but even so, tens of thousands of organizations have so far been compromised using the exploit chain.\n\nIt\u2019s also apparent that Hafnium isn\u2019t the only party of interest, according to multiple researchers; [ESET said last week](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-apt-attack/164695/>) that at least 10 different APTs are using the exploit.\n\nThe sheer volume of APTs mounting attacks, most of them starting in the days before ProxyLogon became publicly known, has prompted questions as to the exploit\u2019s provenance \u2013 and ESET researchers mused whether it was shared around the Dark Web on a wide scale.\n\nSeveral versions of the on-premise flavor of Exchange are vulnerable to the four bugs, including Exchange 2013, 2016 and 2019. Cloud-based and hosted versions are not vulnerable to ProxyLogon.\n\n## **How Many Organizations and Which Ones Remain at Risk?**\n\nMicrosoft originally identified more than 400,000 on-premise Exchange servers that were at-risk when the patches were first released on March 2. Data collected by RiskIQ [indicated that](<https://www.riskiq.com/blog/external-threat-management/microsoft-exchange-server-landscape/?utm_campaign=exchange_landscape_blog>) as of March 14, there were 69,548 Exchange servers that were still vulnerable. And in a separate analysis from Kryptos Logic, 62,018 servers are still vulnerable to CVE-2021-26855, the server-side request forgery flaw that allows initial access to Exchange servers.\n\n\u201cWe released one additional set of updates on March 11, and with this, we have released updates covering more than 95 percent of all versions exposed on the internet,\u201d according to [post](<https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/03/12/protecting-on-premises-exchange-servers-against-recent-attacks/>) published by Microsoft last week.\n\nHowever, Check Point Research (CPR) [said this week](<https://blog.checkpoint.com/2021/03/11/exploits-on-organizations-worldwide/>) that in its latest observations on exploitation attempts, the number of attempted attacks has increased tenfold, from 700 on March 11 to more than 7,200 on March 15.\n\nAccording to CPR\u2019s telemetry, the most-attacked country has been the United States (accounting for 17 percent of all exploit attempts), followed by Germany (6 percent), the United Kingdom (5 percent), the Netherlands (5 percent) and Russia (4 percent).\n\nThe most-targeted industry sector meanwhile has been government/military (23 percent of all exploit attempts), followed by manufacturing (15 percent), banking and financial services (14 percent), software vendors (7 percent) and healthcare (6 percent).\n\n\u201cWhile the numbers are falling, they\u2019re not falling fast enough,\u201d RiskIQ said in its [post](<https://www.riskiq.com/blog/external-threat-management/microsoft-exchange-server-landscape/?utm_campaign=exchange_landscape_blog&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=exchange_landscape_blog_twitter>). \u201cIf you have an Exchange server unpatched and exposed to the internet, your organization is likely already breached. One reason the response may be so slow is many organizations may not realize they have exchange servers exposed to the Internet\u2014this is a common issue we see with new customers.\u201d\n\nIt added, \u201cAnother is that while new patches are coming out every day, many of these servers are not patchable and require upgrades, which is a complicated fix and will likely spur many organizations to migrate to cloud email.\u201d\n\n## **Will the ProxyLogon Attacks Get Worse?**\n\nUnfortunately, it\u2019s likely that attacks on Exchange servers will become more voluminous. Last week, independent security researcher Nguyen Jang [published a PoC on GitHub, ](<https://twitter.com/taviso/status/1370068702817783810>)which chained two of the [ProxyLogon](<https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/115428/security/microsoft-exchange-emergency-update.html>) vulnerabilities together.\n\nGitHub quickly took it down in light of the hundreds of thousands of still-vulnerable machines in use, but it was still available for several hours.\n\nThen over the weekend, another PoC appeared, flagged and confirmed by CERT/CC\u2019s Dormann:\n\n> Well, I'll say that the ProxyLogon Exchange CVE-2021-26855 Exploit is completely out of the bag by now.<https://t.co/ubsysTeFOj> \nI'm not so sure about the \"Failed to write to shell\" error message. But I can confirm that it did indeed drop a shell on my test Exchange 2016 box. [pic.twitter.com/ijOGx3BIif](<https://t.co/ijOGx3BIif>)\n> \n> \u2014 Will Dormann (@wdormann) [March 13, 2021](<https://twitter.com/wdormann/status/1370800181143351296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>)\n\nEarlier, Praetorian researchers on March 8 published a [detailed technical analysis](<https://www.praetorian.com/blog/reproducing-proxylogon-exploit/>) of CVE-2021-26855 (the one used for initial access), which it used to create an exploit. The technical details offer a public roadmap for reverse-engineering the patch.\n\nThe original exploit used by APTs meanwhile could have been leaked or lifted from Microsoft\u2019s information-sharing program, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal. [In light of evidence](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-apt-attack/164695/>) that multiple APTs were mounting zero-day attacks in the days before Microsoft released patches for the bugs, the computing giant is reportedly questioning whether an exploit was leaked from one of its security partners.\n\nMAPP delivers relevant bug information to security vendors ahead of disclosure, so they can get a jump on adding signatures and indicators of compromise to their products and services. This can include, yes, exploit code.\n\n\u201cSome of the tools used in the second wave of the attack, which is believed to have begun Feb. 28, bear similarities to proof-of-concept attack code that Microsoft distributed to antivirus companies and other security partners Feb. 23, investigators at security companies say,\u201d according to [the report](<https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-probing-whether-leak-played-role-in-suspected-chinese-hack-11615575793>). \u201cMicrosoft had planned to release its security fixes two weeks later, on March 9, but after the second wave began it pushed out the patches a week early, on March 2, according to researchers.\u201d\n\n## **Microsoft Mitigation Tool**\n\nMicrosoft has released an Exchange On-premises Mitigation Tool (EOMT) tool to help smaller businesses without dedicated security teams to protect themselves.\n\n\u201cMicrosoft has released a new, [one-click mitigation tool](<https://aka.ms/eomt>), Microsoft Exchange On-Premises Mitigation Tool to help customers who do not have dedicated security or IT teams to apply these security updates. We have tested this tool across Exchange Server 2013, 2016, and 2019 deployments,\u201d according to a [post](<https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2021/03/15/one-click-microsoft-exchange-on-premises-mitigation-tool-march-2021/>) published by Microsoft. \u201cThis new tool is designed as an interim mitigation for customers who are unfamiliar with the patch/update process or who have not yet applied the on-premises Exchange security update.\u201d\n\nMicrosoft said that the tool will mitigate against exploits for the initial-access bug CVE-2021-26855 via a URL rewrite configuration, and will also scan the server using the [Microsoft Safety Scanner](<https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/intelligence/safety-scanner-download>) to identify any existing compromises. Then, it will remediate those.\n\n## **China Chopper Back on the Workbench**\n\nAmid this flurry of activity, more is becoming known about how the attacks work. For instance, the APT Hafnium first flagged by Hafnium is uploading the well-known China Chopper web shell to victim machines.\n\nThat\u2019s according to [an analysis](<https://www.trustwave.com/en-us/resources/blogs/spiderlabs-blog/hafnium-china-chopper-and-aspnet-runtime/>) from Trustwave SpiderLabs, which found that China Chopper is specifically being uploaded to compromised Microsoft Exchange servers with a publicly facing Internet Information Services (IIS) web server.\n\nChina Chopper is an Active Server Page Extended (ASPX) web shell that is typically planted on an IIS or Apache server through an exploit. Once established, the backdoor \u2014 which [hasn\u2019t been altered much](<https://threatpost.com/china-chopper-tool-multiple-campaigns/147813/>) since its inception nearly a decade ago \u2014 allows adversaries to execute various commands on the server, drop malware and more.\n\n\u201cWhile the China Chopper web shell has been around for years, we decided to dig even deeper into how the China Chopper web shell works as well as how the ASP.NET runtime serves these web shells,\u201d according to Trustwave. \u201cThe China Chopper server-side ASPX web shell is [extremely small](<https://threatpost.com/fin7-active-exploits-sharepoint/144628/>) and typically, the entire thing is just one line.\u201d\n\nHafnium is using the JScript version of the web shell, researchers added.\n\n\u201cThe script is essentially a page where when an HTTP POST request is made to the page, and the script will call the JScript \u2018eval\u2019 function to execute the string inside a given POST request variable,\u201d researchers explained. \u201cIn the\u2026script, the POST request variable is named \u2018secret,\u2019 meaning any JScript contained in the \u2018secret\u2019 variable will be executed on the server.\u201d\n\nResearchers added that typically, a China Chopper client component in the form of a C binary file is used on the attacker\u2019s systems.\n\n\u201cThis client allows the attacker to perform many nefarious tasks such as downloading and uploading files, running a virtual terminal to execute anything you normally could using cmd.exe, modifying file times, executing custom JScript, file browsing and more,\u201d explained Trustwave researchers. \u201cAll this is made available just from the one line of code running on the server.\u201d\n\n**_Check out our free _**[**_upcoming live webinar events_**](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>)**_ \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community:_**\n\n * March 24: **Economics of 0-Day Disclosures: The Good, Bad and Ugly** ([Learn more and register!](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/economics-of-0-day-disclosures-the-good-bad-and-ugly/>))\n * April 21: **Underground Markets: A Tour of the Dark Economy** ([Learn more and register!](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/underground-markets-a-tour-of-the-dark-economy/>))\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-03-16T16:56:26", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Exchange Cyberattacks Escalate as Microsoft Rolls One-Click Fix", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27065"], "modified": "2021-03-16T16:56:26", "id": "THREATPOST:A4C1190B664DAE144A62459611AC5F4A", "href": "https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-cyberattacks-one-click-fix/164817/", "cvss": {"score": 7.5, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-03-03T22:09:32", "description": "Microsoft has spotted multiple zero-day exploits in the wild being used to attack on-premises versions of Microsoft Exchange Server. Adversaries have been able to access email accounts, steal a raft of data and drop malware on target machines for long-term remote access, according to the computing giant.\n\nThe attacks are \u201climited and targeted,\u201d according to Microsoft, spurring it to release [out-of-band patches](<https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2021/03/02/multiple-security-updates-released-for-exchange-server/>) this week. The exploited bugs are being tracked as CVE-2021-26855, CVE-2021-26857, CVE-2021-26858 and CVE-2021-27065.\n\nHowever, other researchers [have reported](<https://www.reddit.com/r/msp/comments/lwmo5c/mass_exploitation_of_onprem_exchange_servers/>) seeing the activity compromising mass swathes of victim organizations.\n\n\u201cThe team is seeing organizations of all shapes and sizes affected, including electricity companies, local/county governments, healthcare providers and banks/financial institutions, as well as small hotels, multiple senior citizen communities and other mid-market businesses,\u201d a spokesperson at Huntress told Threatpost.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nThe culprit is believed to be an advanced persistent threat (APT) group known as Hafnium (also the name of a chemical element), which has a history of targeting assets in the United States with cyber-espionage campaigns. Targets in the past have included defense contractors, infectious disease researchers, law firms, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), policy think tanks and universities.\n\n\u201cMicrosoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) attributes this campaign with high confidence to Hafnium, a group assessed to be state-sponsored and operating out of China, based on observed victimology, tactics and procedures,\u201d according to [an announcement](<https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/03/02/hafnium-targeting-exchange-servers/>) this week from Microsoft on the attacks.\n\n## **Zero-Day Security Bugs in Exchange Server**\n\n\u201cThe fact that Microsoft chose to patch these flaws out-of-band rather than include them as part of next week\u2019s [Patch Tuesday](<https://threatpost.com/exploited-windows-kernel-bug-takeover/163800/>) release leads us to believe the flaws are quite severe even if we don\u2019t know the full scope of those attacks,\u201d Satnam Narang, staff research engineer at Tenable, said via email.\n\nMicrosoft patched following bugs this week, and admins should update accordingly:\n\n * **CVE-2021-26855** is a server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability that allows authentication bypass: A remote attacker can simply send arbitrary HTTP requests to the Exchange server and be able to authenticate to it. From there, an attacker can steal the full contents of multiple user mailboxes.\n * **CVE-2021-26857** is an insecure-deserialization vulnerability in the Unified Messaging service, where untrusted user-controllable data is deserialized by a program. An exploit allows remote attackers with administrator permissions to run code as SYSTEM on the Exchange server.\n * **CVE-2021-26858** and **CVE-2021-27065** are both post-authentication arbitrary file-write vulnerabilities in Exchange. Once authenticated with an Exchange server (using CVE-2021-26855 or with compromised admin credentials), an attacker could write a file to any path on the server \u2013 thus achieving remote code execution (RCE).\n\nResearchers at Volexity originally uncovered the SSRF bug as part of an incident response and noted, \u201cThis vulnerability is remotely exploitable and does not require authentication of any kind, nor does it require any special knowledge or access to a target environment. The attacker only needs to know the server running Exchange and the account from which they want to extract email.\u201d\n\nThey also observed the SSRF bug being chained with CVE-2021-27065 to accomplish RCE in multiple attacks.\n\nIn addition to Volexity, Microsoft credited security researchers at Dubex with uncovering the recent activity, which was first observed in January.\n\n\u201cBased on what we know so far, exploitation of one of the four vulnerabilities requires no authentication whatsoever and can be used to potentially download messages from a targeted user\u2019s mailbox,\u201d said Tenable\u2019s Narang. \u201cThe other vulnerabilities can be chained together by a determined threat actor to facilitate a further compromise of the targeted organization\u2019s network.\u201d\n\n## **What Happened in the Hafnium Attacks?**\n\nIn the observed campaigns, the four zero-day bugs were used to gain initial access to targeted Exchange servers and achieve RCE. Hafnium operators then deployed web shells on the compromised servers, which were used to steal data and expand the attack, according to researchers.\n\n\u201cIn all cases of RCE, Volexity has observed the attacker writing webshells (ASPX files) to disk and conducting further operations to dump credentials, add user accounts, steal copies of the Active Directory database (NTDS.DIT) and move laterally to other systems and environments,\u201d according to [Volexity\u2019s writeup](<https://www.volexity.com/blog/2021/03/02/active-exploitation-of-microsoft-exchange-zero-day-vulnerabilities/>).\n\nFollowing web shell deployment, Microsoft found that Hafnium operators performed a range of post-exploitation activity:\n\n * Using Procdump to dump the LSASS process memory;\n * Using 7-Zip to compress stolen data into ZIP files for exfiltration;\n * Adding and using Exchange PowerShell snap-ins to export mailbox data;\n * Using the Nishang Invoke-PowerShellTcpOneLine reverse shell;\n * And downloading PowerCat from GitHub, then using it to open a connection to a remote server.\n\nThe attackers were also able to download the Exchange offline address book from compromised systems, which contains information about an organization and its users, according to the analysis.\n\n\u201cThe good news for defenders is that the post-exploitation activity is very detectable,\u201d said Katie Nickels, director of intelligence at Red Canary, via email, adding her firm has detected numerous attacks as well. \u201cSome of the activity we observed uses [the China Chopper web shell](<https://threatpost.com/china-chopper-tool-multiple-campaigns/147813/>), which has been around for more than eight years, giving defenders ample time to develop detection logic for it.\u201d\n\n## **Who is the Hafnium APT?**\n\nHafnium has been tracked by Microsoft before, but the company has [only just released a few details](<https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2021/03/02/new-nation-state-cyberattacks/>) on the APT.\n\nIn terms of its tactics, \u201cHafnium has previously compromised victims by exploiting vulnerabilities in internet-facing servers, and has used legitimate open-source frameworks, like Covenant, for command and control,\u201d according to Microsoft. \u201cOnce they\u2019ve gained access to a victim network, HAFNIUM typically exfiltrates data to file sharing sites like MEGA.\u201d\n\nHafnium operates primarily from leased virtual private servers in the United States, and primarily goes after U.S. targets, but is linked to the Chinese government, according to Microsoft. It characterizes the APT as \u201ca highly skilled and sophisticated actor.\u201d\n\n## **Time to Patch: Expect More Attacks Soon**\n\nIt should be noted that other researchers say they have seen these vulnerabilities being exploited by different threat actors targeting other regions, according to Narang.\n\n\u201cWe expect other threat actors to begin leveraging these vulnerabilities in the coming days and weeks, which is why it is critically important for organizations that use Exchange Server to apply these patches immediately,\u201d he added.\n\nAnd indeed, researchers at Huntress said they have discovered more than 100 web shells deployed across roughly 1,500 vulnerable servers (with antivirus and endpoint detection/recovery installed) and expect this number to keep rising.\n\nThey\u2019re not alone.\n\n\u201cFireEye has observed these vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild and we are actively working with several impacted organizations,\u201d Charles Carmakal, senior vice president and CTO at FireEye Mandiant, said via email. \u201cIn addition to patching as soon as possible, we recommend organizations also review their systems for evidence of exploitation that may have occurred prior to the deployment of the patches.\u201d\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-03-03T15:30:52", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Microsoft Exchange 0-Day Attackers Spy on U.S. Targets", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-26857", "CVE-2021-26858", "CVE-2021-27065"], "modified": "2021-03-03T15:30:52", "id": "THREATPOST:247CA39D4B32438A13F266F3A1DED10E", "href": "https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-zero-day-attackers-spy/164438/", "cvss": {"score": 0.0, "vector": "NONE"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-09-14T15:21:25", "description": "Google has addressed two zero-day security bugs that are being actively exploited in the wild.\n\nAs part of the internet giant\u2019s latest stable channel release (version 93.0.4577.82 for Windows, Mac and Linux), it fixed 11 total vulnerabilities, all of them rated high-severity. The two zero days are tracked as CVE-2021-30632 and CVE-2021-30633.\n\n\u201cGoogle is aware that exploits for [these] exist in the wild,\u201d the company said in its short website notice on the update, [issued Monday](<https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2021/09/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html>).\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/infosec-insider-subscription-page/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=InfosecInsiders_Newsletter_Promo/>)\n\nGoogle is restricting any technical details \u201cuntil a majority of users are updated with a fix,\u201d it said. The vulnerabilities were reported anonymously, precluding any gleaning of details from the researcher who found them. Here\u2019s what we know:\n\n * CVE-2021-30632: Out of bounds write in V8 JavaScript Engine; and\n * CVE-2021-30633: Use after free in the IndexedDB API.\n\nOut-of-bounds write flaws [can result in](<https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/787.html>) corruption of data, a crash or code execution. Use-after-free issues [can result in](<https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/416.html>) any number of attack types, ranging from the corruption of valid data to the execution of arbitrary code. Both bugs have TBD bug-bounty awards attached to them and were reported on Sept. 8.\n\nV8 is Google\u2019s open-source, high-performance JavaScript and WebAssembly engine for Chrome and Chromium-based browsers. It translates JavaScript code into a more efficient machine code instead of using an interpreter, which speeds up the web browser. Since this vulnerable components is not specific to Google Chrome, it\u2019s a good bet that other browsers are affected by the bug as well.\n\nIndexedDB, meanwhile, allows users to persistently store large amounts of structured data client-side, inside their browsers. The API is a JavaScript application programming interface provided by web browsers for managing these NoSQL databases. It\u2019s a standard maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium.\n\n\u201cBrowser bugs discovered from exploitation in the wild are among the most significant security threats,\u201d John Bambenek, principal threat hunter at Netenrich, said via email. \u201cNow that they are patched, exploitation will ramp up. That said, almost 20 years on and we haven\u2019t made web browsing safe shows that the rapid embrace of technology continues to leave users exposed to criminals and nation-state actors. Everyone wants to learn how to hack, too few people are working on defense.\u201d\n\nThe other nine bugs addressed by Google are as follows:\n\n * CVE-2021-30625: Use after free in Selection API. _Reported by Marcin Towalski of Cisco Talos on 2021-08-06_\n * CVE-2021-30626: Out of bounds memory access in ANGLE. _Reported by Jeonghoon Shin of Theori on 2021-08-18_\n * CVE-2021-30627: Type Confusion in Blink layout. _Reported by Aki Helin of OUSPG on 2021-09-01_\n * CVE-2021-30628: Stack buffer overflow in ANGLE. _Reported by Jaehun Jeong(@n3sk) of Theori on 2021-08-18_\n * CVE-2021-30629: Use after free in Permissions. _Reported by Weipeng Jiang (@Krace) from Codesafe Team of Legendsec at Qi\u2019anxin Group on 2021-08-26_\n * CVE-2021-30630: Inappropriate implementation in Blink. _Reported by SorryMybad (@S0rryMybad) of Kunlun Lab on 2021-08-30_\n * CVE-2021-30631: Type Confusion in Blink layout. _Reported by Atte Kettunen of OUSPG on 2021-09-06_\n\nKevin Dunne, president at Pathlock, pointed out that Google has patched plenty of zero-days already this year \u2013 eight prior to the latest two, to be exact \u2013 and he said to expect more.\n\n## **10th Zero-Day in 2021 for Google**\n\n\u201cToday, Google released a patch for its tenth [and ninth] zero-day exploit of the year,\u201d Dunne said in an email to media. \u201cThis milestone highlights the emphasis that bad actors are putting on browser exploits, with Chrome becoming a clear favorite, allowing a streamlined way to gain access to millions of devices regardless of OS.\n\n\u201cWe expect to see continued zero-day exploits in the wild,\u201d he added.\n\nThe other zero days discovered so far in 2021 are as follows, many of them in the V8 engine:\n\n * [CVE-2021-21148](<https://threatpost.com/google-chrome-zero-day-windows-mac/163688/>) \u2013 (February)\n * [CVE-2021-21166](<https://threatpost.com/google-patches-actively-exploited-flaw-in-chrome-browser/164468/>) \u2013 (March)\n * [CVE-2021-21193](<https://threatpost.com/google-mac-windows-chrome-zero-day/164759/>) \u2013 (March)\n * [CVE-2021-21220](<https://threatpost.com/chrome-zero-day-exploit-twitter/165363/>) \u2013 (April)\n * [CVE-2021-21224](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-21224>) \u2013 (April, later [used in Windows attacks](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-patch-tuesday-in-the-wild-exploits/166724/>))\n * [CVE-2021-30551](<https://threatpost.com/chrome-browser-bug-under-attack/166804/>) \u2013 (June)\n * [CVE-2021-30554](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-30554>) \u2013 (June)\n * [CVE-2021-30563](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-30563>) \u2013 (July)\n\n\u201cGoogle\u2019s commitment to patching these exploits quickly is commendable, as they operate Google Chrome as freeware and therefore are the sole entity who can provide these updates,\u201d Dunne wrote. \u201cGoogle is committed to providing Chrome as a free browser, as it is a critical entry point for other businesses such as Google Search and Google Workspace.\u201d\n\nThe news comes as Apple [rushed a fix](<https://threatpost.com/apple-emergency-fix-nso-zero-click-zero-day/169416/>) for a zero-click zero-day exploit targeting iMessaging. It\u2019s allegedly been used to illegally spy on Bahraini activists with NSO Group\u2019s Pegasus spyware, according to researchers.\n\nMicrosoft is also expected to release its monthly Patch Tuesday set of updates today, so we\u2019ll see if there are yet more zero-day exploits to worry about.\n\n**It\u2019s time to evolve threat hunting into a pursuit of adversaries. **[**JOIN**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/threat-hunting-catch-adversaries/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=September_Cybersixgill_Webinar>)** Threatpost and Cybersixgill for **[**Threat Hunting to Catch Adversaries, Not Just Stop Attacks**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/threat-hunting-catch-adversaries/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=September_Cybersixgill_Webinar>)** and get a guided tour of the dark web and learn how to track threat actors before their next attack. **[**REGISTER NOW**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/threat-hunting-catch-adversaries/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=September_Cybersixgill_Webinar>)** for the LIVE discussion on Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. EST with Cybersixgill\u2019s Sumukh Tendulkar and Edan Cohen, along with independent researcher and vCISO Chris Roberts and Threatpost host Becky Bracken.**\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 2.8, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "HIGH", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 8.8, "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "version": "3.1"}, "impactScore": 5.9}, "published": "2021-09-14T15:03:41", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Pair of Google Chrome Zero-Day Bugs Actively Exploited", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "MEDIUM", "exploitabilityScore": 8.6, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": true, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL", "availabilityImpact": "PARTIAL", "integrityImpact": "PARTIAL", "baseScore": 6.8, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "acInsufInfo": false, "impactScore": 6.4, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-21148", "CVE-2021-21166", "CVE-2021-21193", "CVE-2021-21220", "CVE-2021-21224", "CVE-2021-30551", "CVE-2021-30554", "CVE-2021-30563", "CVE-2021-30625", "CVE-2021-30626", "CVE-2021-30627", "CVE-2021-30628", "CVE-2021-30629", "CVE-2021-30630", "CVE-2021-30631", "CVE-2021-30632", "CVE-2021-30633"], "modified": "2021-09-14T15:03:41", "id": "THREATPOST:88DD5812D3C8652E304F32507E4F68DD", "href": "https://threatpost.com/google-chrome-zero-day-exploited/169442/", "cvss": {"score": 6.8, "vector": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2020-11-12T19:29:43", "description": "Google is asking Chrome desktop users to prepare to update their browsers once again as two more zero-day vulnerabilities have been identified in the software. Both allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to compromise an affected system via the web. And both are being actively exploited in the wild, according to Google.\n\nThe disclosure brings to five the total number of actively exploited flaws found in Chrome within the last three weeks.\n\nA stable channel update, 86.0.4240.198 for Windows, Mac and Linux, was released this week and will be rolled out \u201cover the next days and weeks,\u201d Google Chrome\u2019s Prudhvikumar Bommana said in [a blog post](<https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2020/11/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_11.html>) on Wednesday. The update will patch the two zero-day flaws, being tracked as CVE-2020-16013 and CVE-2020-16017.\n\nBoth have a severity rating of \u201chigh,\u201d ranking 8.4 out of 10 on the CVSS bug-severity scale, and were reported by an anonymous source.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nCVE-2020-16017 is described by Google as a \u201cuse-after-free in site isolation,\u201d which is the Chrome component that isolates the data of different sites from each other.\n\nTo exploit it, a remote attacker can create a specially crafted web page, trick the victim into visiting it, trigger use-after-free error and execute arbitrary code on the target system, [according to researchers](<https://www.cybersecurity-help.cz/vdb/SB2020111124>) at Czech firm Cybersecurity Help.\n\nCVE-2020-16013 meanwhile is an \u201cimproperly implemented security check for standard\u201d bug, which is a type of flaw where the software does not implement or incorrectly implements one or more security-relevant checks. In this particular case, Google described the bug as an \u201cinappropriate implementation in V8,\u201d which is an open-source component of Chrome that handles JavaScript and WebAssembly.\n\nTo exploit it, a remote attacker can also create a specially crafted web page, trick the victim into visiting it and then be able to compromise the system, Cybersecurity Help noted.\n\nAnother zero-day that Google [patched earlier](<https://threatpost.com/chrome-holes-actively-targeted/160890/>) this month, CVE-2020-16009, also was due to an inappropriate implementation of V8, but it\u2019s unknown whether the two flaws are related. Google typically refrains from providing specific details about vulnerabilities until well after they are patched.\n\nThe latest spate of Chrome zero-day discoveries and patches started on Oct. 19, when security researcher Sergei Glazunov of [Google Project Zero](<https://googleprojectzero.blogspot.com/>) discovered a type of memory-corruption flaw called a heap-buffer overflow in FreeType that was being actively exploited. Google patched the vulnerability two days later.\n\nThen last week, Google patched two separate zero-day flaws in Google\u2019s Chrome desktop and Android-based browsers. The desktop bug is the aforementioned V8 vulnerability, which could be used for remote code-execution discovered by researchers at Google\u2019s Threat Analysis Group and Google Project Zero. The Android bug, also with an active exploit, is a sandbox-escape bug that opened up a possible attack based on a heap-buffer overflow in the user interface for Android, the company said.\n\nThe Google issues join several other recently patched zero-days, in [Apple](<https://threatpost.com/apple-patches-bugs-zero-days/161010/>) and [Windows](<https://threatpost.com/unpatched-windows-zero-day-exploited-sandbox-escape/160828/>).\n\nIndeed, threat actors have been on the offensive lately to target unpatched flaws in the ubiquitous software created by the three tech giants, keeping security researchers on their toes and the companies releasing updates on the fly to stay current with patches.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/2020-healthcare-cybersecurity-priorities-data-security-ransomware-and-patching/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART-Bottom-Image&utm_campaign=Nov_webinar>)\n\n**Hackers Put Bullseye on Healthcare: **[**On Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. EDT**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/2020-healthcare-cybersecurity-priorities-data-security-ransomware-and-patching/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=Nov_webinar>)** find out why hospitals are getting hammered by ransomware attacks in 2020. **[**Save your spot for this FREE webinar**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/2020-healthcare-cybersecurity-priorities-data-security-ransomware-and-patching/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=Nov_webinar>)** on healthcare cybersecurity priorities and hear from leading security voices on how data security, ransomware and patching need to be a priority for every sector, and why. Join us Wed., Nov. 18, 2-3 p.m. EDT for this **[**LIVE**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/2020-healthcare-cybersecurity-priorities-data-security-ransomware-and-patching/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=Nov_webinar>)**, limited-engagement webinar.**\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2020-11-12T14:10:57", "type": "threatpost", "title": "2 More Google Chrome Zero-Days Under Active Exploitation", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2020-16009", "CVE-2020-16013", "CVE-2020-16017"], "modified": "2020-11-12T14:10:57", "id": "THREATPOST:67BFCF521C762895A107ADC4CE661654", "href": "https://threatpost.com/2-zero-day-bugs-google-chrome/161160/", "cvss": {"score": 6.8, "vector": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-07-17T07:28:30", "description": "Criminal small talk in underground forums offer critical clues about which known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) threat actors are most focused on. This, in turn, offers defenders clues on what to watch out for.\n\nAn analysis of such chatter, by Cognyte, examined 15 [cybercrime forums](<https://threatpost.com/cobalt-strike-cybercrooks/167368/>) between Jan. 2020 and March 2021. In its report, researchers highlight what CVEs are the most frequently mentioned and try to determine where attackers might strike next.\n\n\u201cOur findings revealed that there is no 100 percent correlation between the two parameters, since the top five CVEs that received the highest number of posts are not exactly the ones that were mentioned on the highest number of Dark Web forums examined,\u201d the report said. \u201cHowever, it is still enough to understand which CVEs were popular among threat actors on the Dark Web during the time examined.\u201d[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)The researchers found [ZeroLogon](<https://threatpost.com/zerologon-attacks-microsoft-dcs-snowball/159656/>), [SMBGhost](<https://threatpost.com/smbghost-rce-exploit-corporate-networks/156391/>) and [BlueKeep](<https://threatpost.com/bluekeep-attacks-have-arrived-are-initially-underwhelming/149829/>) were among the most buzzed about vulnerabilities among attackers between Jan. 2020 and March 2021.\n\n## **Six CVEs Popular with Criminals**\n\n[CVE-2020-1472](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1472>) (aka ZeroLogon)\n\n[CVE-2020-0796](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-0796>) (aka SMBGhost)\n\n[CVE-2019-19781](<https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-19781>)\n\n[CVE-2019-0708](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2019-0708>) (aka BlueKeep)\n\n[CVE-2017-11882](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2017-11882>)\n\n[CVE-2017-0199](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2017-0199>)\n\n\u201cMost of the CVEs in this list were abused by nation-state groups and cybercriminals, such as ransomware gangs, during worldwide campaigns against different sectors,\u201d the report said.\n\nNotably, all the CVEs threat actors are still focused on are old, meaning that basic patching and mitigation could have stopped many attacks before they even got started.\n\nThe report added, the 9-year-old [CVE-2012-0158](<https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-0158>) was exploited by threat actors during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which, \u201cindicates that organizations are not patching their systems and are not maintaining a resilient security posture.\u201d\n\nMicrosoft has the dubious distinction of being behind five of the six most popular vulns on the Dark Web, Cognyte found. Microsoft has also had a tough time getting users to patch them.\n\nZeroLogon is a prime example. The [flaw in Microsoft\u2019s software](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-implements-windows-zerologon-flaw-enforcement-mode/163104/>) allows threat actors to access domain controllers and breach all Active Directory identity services. Patching ZeroLogon was so slow, Microsoft announced in January it would start blocking Active Directory domain access to unpatched systems with an \u201cenforcement mode.\u201d\n\nIn March 2020, Microsoft patched the number two vulnerability on the list, CVE-2020-0796, but as of October, 100,000 [Windows systems were still vulnerable](<https://threatpost.com/microsofts-smbghost-flaw-108k-windows-systems/160682/>).\n\nThe analysts explained varying CVEs were more talked about depending on the forum language. The CVE favored by Russian-language forums was CVE-2019-19781. Chinese forums were buzzing most about CVE-2020-0796. There was a tie between CVE-2020-0688 and CVE-2019-19781 in English-speaking threat actor circles. And Turkish forums were focused on CVE-2019-6340.\n\nThe researchers add, for context, that about half of the monitored forums were Russian-speaking and that Spanish forums aren\u2019t mentioned because there wasn\u2019t a clear frontrunning CVE discussed.\n\n**_Check out our free _**[**_upcoming live and on-demand webinar events_**](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>)**_ \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community._**\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-07-16T21:07:15", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Top CVEs Trending with Cybercriminals", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2012-0158", "CVE-2017-0199", "CVE-2017-11882", "CVE-2019-0708", "CVE-2019-19781", "CVE-2019-6340", "CVE-2020-0688", "CVE-2020-0796", "CVE-2020-1472"], "modified": "2021-07-16T21:07:15", "id": "THREATPOST:AD8A075328874910E8DCBC149A6CA284", "href": "https://threatpost.com/top-cves-trending-with-cybercriminals/167889/", "cvss": {"score": 10.0, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-11-30T15:47:49", "description": "As of Friday \u2013 as in, shopping-on-steroids Black Friday \u2013 retail titan IKEA was wrestling with a then-ongoing reply-chain email phishing attack in which attackers were malspamming replies to stolen email threads.\n\n[BleepingComputer](<https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ikea-email-systems-hit-by-ongoing-cyberattack/>) got a look at internal emails \u2013 one of which is replicated below \u2013 that warned employees of the attack, which was targeting the company\u2019s internal email inboxes. The phishing emails were coming from internal IKEA email addresses, as well as from the systems compromised at the company\u2019s suppliers and partners.\n\n> \u201cThere is an ongoing cyberattack that is targeting Inter IKEA mailboxes. Other IKEA organisations, suppliers, and business partners are compromised by the same attack and are further spreading malicious emails to persons in Inter IKEA.\n> \n> \u201cThis means that the attack can come via email from someone that you work with, from any external organisation, and as reply to an already ongoing conversation. It is therefore difficult to detect, for which we ask you to be extra cautious.\u201d \u2013IKEA internal email to employees.\n\nAs of Tuesday morning, the company hadn\u2019t seen any evidence of its customers\u2019 data, or business partners\u2019 data, having been compromised. \u201cWe continue to monitor to ensure that our internal defence mechanisms are sufficient,\u201d the spokesperson said, adding that \u201cActions have been taken to prevent damages\u201d and that \u201ca full-scale investigation is ongoing.\u201d____\n\nThe spokesperson said that the company\u2019s \u201chighest priority\u201d is that \u201cIKEA customers, co-workers and business partners feel certain that their data is secured and handled correctly.\u201d\n\nIKEA didn\u2019t respond to Threatpost\u2019s queries about whether the attack has been contained or if it\u2019s still ongoing.\n\n## Example Phishing Email\n\nIKEA sent its employees an example phishing email, shown below, that was received in Microsoft Outlook. The company\u2019s IT teams reportedly pointed out that the reply-chain emails contain links ending with seven digits. Employees were warned against opening the emails, regardless of who sent them, and were asked to immediately report the phishing emails to the IT department if they receive them.\n\n[](<https://media.threatpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/103/2021/11/29144159/phishing-email-e1638214934826.jpeg>)\n\nExample phishing email sent to IKEA employees. Source: BleepingComputer.\n\n## Exchange Server Attacks D\u00e9j\u00e0 Vu?\n\nThe attack sounds familiar: Earlier this month, Trend Micro published a [report](<https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/21/k/Squirrelwaffle-Exploits-ProxyShell-and-ProxyLogon-to-Hijack-Email-Chains.html>) about attackers who were doing the same thing with replies to hijacked email threads. The attackers were gnawing on the ProxyLogon and ProxyShell vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server to hijack email chains, by malspamming replies to ongoing email threads and hence boosting the chance that their targets would click on malicious links that lead to malware infection.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/infosec-insider-subscription-page/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=InfosecInsiders_Newsletter_Promo/>)\n\nAs security experts have noted, hijacking email replies for malspam campaigns is a good way to slip past people\u2019s spam suspicions and to avoid getting flagged or quarantined by email gateways.\n\nWhat was still under discussion at the time of the Trend Micro report: Whether the offensive was delivering SquirrelWaffle, the new email loader that [showed up](<https://threatpost.com/squirrelwaffle-loader-malspams-packing-qakbot-cobalt-strike/175775/>) in September, or whether SquirrelWaffle was just one piece of malware among several that the campaigns were dropping.\n\n[](<https://media.threatpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/103/2021/11/22122626/Malicious-Microsoft-Excel-document--e1637602000585.png>)\n\nMalicious Microsoft Excel document. Source: Trend Micro.\n\nCisco Talos researchers first [got wind](<https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2021/10/squirrelwaffle-emerges.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+feedburner%2FTalos+%28Talos%E2%84%A2+Blog%29>) of the SquirrelWaffle malspam campaigns beginning in mid-September, when they saw boobytrapped Microsoft Office documents delivering [Qakbot malware](<https://threatpost.com/prolock-ransomware-qakbot-trojan/155828/>) and the penetration-testing tool [Cobalt Strike](<https://threatpost.com/cobalt-strike-cybercrooks/167368/>) \u2013 two of the most common threats regularly observed targeting organizations around the world. The Office documents infected systems with SquirrelWaffle in the initial stage of the infection chain.\n\nSquirrelWaffle campaigns are known for using stolen email threads to increase the chances that a victim will click on malicious links. Those rigged links are tucked into an email reply, similar to how the virulent [Emotet](<https://threatpost.com/emotet-takedown-infrastructure-netwalker-offline/163389/>) malware \u2013 typically spread via malicious emails or text messages \u2013 has been known to work.\n\nTrend Micro\u2019s incident-response team had decided to look into what its researchers believed were SquirrelWaffle-related intrusions in the Middle East, to figure out whether the attacks involved the notorious, [oft-picked-apart](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-exchange-servers-proxylogon-patching/165001/>) [ProxyLogon](<https://threatpost.com/deadringer-targeted-exchange-servers-before-discovery/168300/>) and [ProxyShell](<https://threatpost.com/exchange-servers-attack-proxyshell/168661/>) Exchange server vulnerabilities.\n\nTheir conclusion: Yes, the intrusions were linked to ProxyLogon and ProxyShell attacks on unpatched Exchange servers, as evidenced by the IIS logs of three compromised servers, each compromised in a separate intrusion, all having been exploited via the ProxyShell and ProxyLogon vulnerabilities [CVE-2021-26855](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-26855>), [CVE-2021-34473](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-34473>) and [CVE-2021-34523](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-34523>).\n\nIn the Middle East campaign that Trend Micro analyzed, the phishing emails contained a malicious Microsoft Excel doc that did [what malicious Excel documents do](<https://threatpost.com/hackers-update-age-old-excel-4-0-macro-attack/154898/>): It prompted targets to choose \u201cEnable Content\u201d to view a protected file, thus launching the infection chain.\n\nSince IKEA hasn\u2019t responded to media inquiries, it\u2019s impossible to say for sure whether or not it has suffered a similar attack. However, there are yet more similarities between the IKEA attack and the Middle East attack analyzed by Trend Micro earlier this month. Specifically, as BleepingComputer reported, the IKEA reply-email attack is likewise deploying a malicious Excel document that similarly instructs recipients to \u201cEnable Content\u201d or \u201cEnable Editing\u201d to view it.\n\nTrend Micro shared a screen capture, shown below, of how the malicious Excel document looked in the Middle East campaign:\n\n[](<https://media.threatpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/103/2021/11/22122626/Malicious-Microsoft-Excel-document--e1637602000585.png>)\n\nMalicious Microsoft Excel document. Source: Trend Micro.\n\n## You Can\u2019t Trust Email from \u2018Someone You Know\u2019\n\nIt\u2019s easy to mistake the malicious replies as coming from legitimate senders, given that they pop up in ongoing email threads. Saryu Nayyar, CEO of Gurucul, noted that IKEA employees are learning the hard way that replies in threads aren\u2019t necessarily legitimate and can be downright malicious.\n\n\u201cIf you get an email from someone you know, or that seems to continue an ongoing conversation, you are probably inclined to treat it as legitimate,\u201d she told Threatpost via email on Monday. \u201cHowever, IKEA employees are finding out otherwise. They are being attacked by phishing emails that are often purportedly from known sources, and may be carrying the Emotet or Qbot trojans to further infect the system and network.\u201d\n\nThis attack is \u201cparticularly insidious,\u201d she commented, in that it \u201cseemingly continues a pattern of normal use.\u201d\n\n## No More Ignoring Quarantine\n\nWith such \u201cnormal use\u201d patterns lulling would-be victims into letting down their guards, it raises the possibility that employees might assume that email filters were mistaken if they quarantined the messages.\n\nThus, IKEA\u2019s internal email advised employees that its IT department was disabling the ability to release emails from quarantine. As it is, its email filters were identifying at least some of the malicious emails:\n\n> \u201cOur email filters can identify some of the malicious emails and quarantine them. Due to that the email could be a reply to an ongoing conversation, it\u2019s easy to think that the email filter made a mistake and release the email from quarantine. We are therefore until further notice disabling the possibility for everyone to release emails from quarantine.\u201d \u2013IKEA internal email to employees.\n\n## Is Training a Waste of Time?\n\nWith such sneaky attacks as these, is training pointless? Some say yes, some say no.\n\nErich Kron, security awareness advocate at [KnowBe4](<https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUavSzE-2FiwjSkZ-2BMZMLjTD68bBzltWsjOj4iPYBhQEjDkwmuP_q07lK5GAAVvAnbc-2Fr-2FBDhAPhoMvwzp-2Bdh4wgfTcF0AUhu01ZMXdKNJrsN0iCyDU7ehW0N22Ype9yCK1TM6XYzZcULka2hXrkxot-2FYcsNMOW-2Fi7ZSbc4BW4Y4w5w74JadqFiCZdgYU0Y0aYb-2FD61SsSN5WSYToKPBxI2VArzhMwftrf78GbiRjwM9LzhmNBFfpMuXBsqYiKB-2B-2F-2BBM3106r2sgW-2Be451MnVYlMzEVQ43u-2Fx2JCoSpeITOcIPo6Gi3VBNSVcUaapZzArkSDh5SZ2Cih-2F-2FVdRBgHXCsqyWXs7po0-2FS83TsiYRB3U8HOgtt0HT6BGdSMjxi-2FVc6P1ZgVny6ZGKAKxbHvydLCfU5zrtFQ-3D>), is pro-training, particularly given how damaging these attacks can be.\n\n\u201cCompromised email accounts, especially those from internal email systems with access to an organization\u2019s contact lists, can be very damaging, as internal emails are considered trusted and lack the obvious signs of phishing that we are used to looking for,\u201d he told Threatpost via email on Monday. \u201cBecause it is from a legitimate account, and because cybercriminals often inject themselves into previous legitimate conversations, these can be very difficult to spot, making them very effective.\n\n\u201cThese sorts of attacks, especially if the attackers can gain access to an executive\u2019s email account, can be used to spread ransomware and other malware or to request wire transfers to cybercriminal-owned bank accounts, among other things,\u201d Kron said.\n\nHe suggested training employees not to blindly trust emails from an internal source, but to hover over links and to consider the context of the message. \u201cIf it does not make sense or seems unusual at all, it is much better to pick up the phone and quickly confirm the message with the sender, rather than to risk a malware infection or falling victim to a scam,\u201d he said.\u201d\n\nIn contrast, Christian Espinosa, managing director of [Cerberus Sentinel](<https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUc1h7F6EeKyqQHDAzxY6FeBG4AZ1lNaZ-2Fme9HKLAKT7PeL3x_q07lK5GAAVvAnbc-2Fr-2FBDhAPhoMvwzp-2Bdh4wgfTcF0AUhu01ZMXdKNJrsN0iCyDU7ehW0N22Ype9yCK1TM6XYzZcULka2hXrkxot-2FYcsNMOW-2Fi7ZSbc4BW4Y4w5w74JadqFiCZdgYU0Y0aYb-2FD61SsSN5WSYToKPBxI2VArzhMwftrf78GbiRjwM9LzhmNBFfpMuXBsqYiKB-2B-2F-2BBM3106r8Wex0T7OFTT8vFIbMA9T-2BlDgGhDFXEelC-2FWPjZXKe9NWtbBbYafHTvkVre5k1vKi3GgofOJKSR-2F2xlpyW7kQklpPEA59unEm4rAKnCodaK-2FrXGwLA5yk9gY1MBMzuyaJeG4mVY1yL-2F3YI1d-2BMmcWiY-3D>), is a firm vote for the \u201ctraining is pointless\u201d approach.\n\n\u201cIt should be evident by now that awareness and phishing training is ineffective,\u201d he told Threatpost via email on Monday. \u201cIt\u2019s time we accept \u2018users\u2019 will continuously fall for phishing scams, despite how much \u2018awareness training\u2019 we put them through.\u201d\n\nBut what options do we have? Espinosa suggested that cybersecurity defense playbooks \u201cshould focus on items that reduce risk, such as application whitelisting, which would have stopped this attack, as the \u2018malware\u2019 would not be whitelisted.\u201d\n\nHe pointed to other industries that have compensated for human factors, such as transportation. \u201cDespite awareness campaigns, the transportation industry realized that many people did not \u2018look\u2019 before turning across traffic at a green light,\u201d Espinosa said. \u201cInstead of blaming the drivers, the industry changed the traffic lights. The newer lights prevent drivers from turning across traffic unless there is a green arrow.\u201d\n\nThis change saved thousands of lives, he said, and it\u2019s high time that the cybersecurity industry similarly \u201ctakes ownership.\u201d\n\n**_There\u2019s a sea of unstructured data on the internet relating to the latest security threats._**[ **_REGISTER TODAY_**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/security-threats-natural-language-processing/?utm_source=In+Article&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=Decoding+the+Data+Ocean:+Security+Threats+%26+Natural+Language+Processing&utm_id=In+Article>)**_ to learn key concepts of natural language processing (NLP) and how to use it to navigate the data ocean and add context to cybersecurity threats (without being an expert!). This_**[ **_LIVE, interactive Threatpost Town Hall_**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/security-threats-natural-language-processing/?utm_source=In+Article&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=Decoding+the+Data+Ocean:+Security+Threats+%26+Natural+Language+Processing&utm_id=In+Article>)**_, sponsored by Rapid 7, will feature security researchers Erick Galinkin of Rapid7 and Izzy Lazerson of IntSights (a Rapid7 company), plus Threatpost journalist and webinar host, Becky Bracken._**\n\n[**_Register NOW_**](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/security-threats-natural-language-processing/?utm_source=In+Article&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=Decoding+the+Data+Ocean:+Security+Threats+%26+Natural+Language+Processing&utm_id=In+Article>)_** for the LIVE event!**_\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 9.8, "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "userInteraction": "NONE", "version": "3.1"}, "impactScore": 5.9}, "published": "2021-11-29T21:22:12", "type": "threatpost", "title": "IKEA Hit by Email Reply-Chain Cyberattack", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "HIGH", "exploitabilityScore": 10.0, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": false, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "LOW", "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE", "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE", "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE", "baseScore": 10.0, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "acInsufInfo": false, "impactScore": 10.0, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-26855", "CVE-2021-34473", "CVE-2021-34523"], "modified": "2021-11-29T21:22:12", "id": "THREATPOST:736F24485446EFF3B3797B31CE9DAF1D", "href": "https://threatpost.com/ikea-email-reply-chain-attack/176625/", "cvss": {"score": 10.0, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-07-15T11:25:30", "description": "Threat actors used a Safari zero-day flaw to send malicious links to government officials in Western Europe via LinkedIn before researchers from Google discovered and reported the vulnerability.\n\nThat\u2019s the word from researchers from Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG) and Google Project Zero, who Wednesday [posted a blog](<https://blog.google/threat-analysis-group/how-we-protect-users-0-day-attacks/>) shedding more light on several zero-day flaws that they discovered so far this year. Researchers in particular detailed how attackers exploited the vulnerabilities\u2014the prevalence of which are on the rise\u2013before they were addressed by their respective vendors.\n\nTAG researchers discovered the Safari WebKit flaw, tracked as [CVE-\u200b2021-1879](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-1879>), on March 19. The vulnerability allowed for the processing of maliciously crafted web content for universal cross site scripting and was addressed by Apple in [an update](<https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212256>) later that month.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nBefore the fix, researchers assert Russian-language threat actors were exploiting the vulnerability in the wild by using LinkedIn Messaging to send government officials from Western European countries malicious links that could collect website-authentication cookies, according to the post by Maddie Stone and Clement Lecigne from Google TAG.\n\n\u201cIf the target visited the link from an iOS device, they would be redirected to an attacker-controlled domain that served the next-stage payloads,\u201d they wrote.\n\nThe exploit, which targeted iOS versions 12.4 through 13.7, would turn off [Same-Origin-Policy](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-origin_policy>) protections on an infected device to collect authentication cookies from several popular websites\u2013including Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Facebook and Yahoo\u2013and then send them via WebSocket to an attacker-controlled IP, researchers wrote. The victim would need to have a session open on these websites from Safari for cookies to be successfully exfiltrated.\n\nMoreover, the campaign targeting iOS devices coincided with others from the same threat actor\u2014which Microsoft has identified as Nobelium\u2013targeting users on Windows devices to deliver Cobalt Strike, researchers wrote. Security firm Volexity described one of these attacks [in a report](<https://www.volexity.com/blog/2021/05/27/suspected-apt29-operation-launches-election-fraud-themed-phishing-campaigns/>) posted online in May, the researchers added.\n\nNobellium is believed to be a Russia-based threat group responsible for the [expansive cyber-espionage SolarWinds](<https://threatpost.com/feds-russia-culprit-solarwinds/162785/>) campaign, which affected numerous U.S. government agencies and tech companies, including Microsoft.\n\n## **Other Zero-Day Attacks**\n\nGoogle researchers also linked three additional zero-day flaws they identified this year to a commercial surveillance vendor, according to [Google TAG\u2019s Shane Huntley](<https://twitter.com/ShaneHuntley/status/1415340345500463113>). Two of those vulnerabilities\u2013[CVE-2021-21166](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-21166>) and [CVE-2021-30551](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-30551>)\u2014were found in Chrome, and one, tracked as [CVE-2021-33742](<https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-33742>), in Internet Explorer.\n\nCVE-2021-21166 and CVE-2021-30551, two Chrome rendered remote-code execution (RCE) flaws, were identified separately but later believed to be used by the same actor, researchers wrote in the blog. Google researchers discovered the former in February and the latter in June.\n\n\u201cBoth of these 0-days were delivered as one-time links sent by email to the targets, all of whom we believe were in Armenia,\u201d Stone and Lecigne wrote. \u201cThe links led to attacker-controlled domains that mimicked legitimate websites related to the targeted users.\u201d\n\nWhen prospective victims clicked the link, they were redirected to a webpage that would fingerprint their device, collect system information about the client, and generate ECDH keys to encrypt the exploits, researchers wrote. This info\u2014which included screen resolution, timezone, languages, browser plugins, and available MIME types\u2014would then be sent back to the exploit server and used by attackers to decide whether or not an exploit should be delivered to the target, they said.\n\nResearchers also identified a separate campaigned in April that also targeted Armenian users by leveraging CVE-2021-26411, an RCE bug found in Internet Explorer (IE). The campaign loaded web content within IE that contained malicious Office documents, researchers wrote.\n\n\u201cThis happened by either embedding a remote ActiveX object using a Shell.Explorer.1 OLE object or by spawning an Internet Explorer process via VBA macros to navigate to a web page,\u201d Stone and Lecigne explained.\n\nAt the time, researchers said they were unable to recover the next-stage payload, but successfully recovered the exploit after discovering an early June campaign from the same actors. Microsoft patched the flaw later that month, they said.\n\n\n\nClick to Zoom CREDIT: TAG\n\n## **Why There is an Increase in Zero-Days?**\n\nAll in all, security researchers have identified 33 [zero-day flaws](<https://threatpost.com/kaseya-patches-zero-days-revil-attacks/167670/>) so far in 2021, which is 11 more than the total number from 2020, according to the post.\n\nWhile that trend reflects an increase in the number of these types of vulnerabilities that exist, Google researchers \u201cbelieve greater detection and disclosure efforts are also contributing to the upward trend,\u201d they wrote.\n\nStill, it\u2019s highly possible that attackers are indeed using more [zero-day exploits](<https://threatpost.com/zero-day-wipe-my-book-live/167422/>) for a few reasons, researchers noted. One is that the increase and maturation of security technologies and features means attackers also have to level up, which in turn requires more [zero-day vulnerabilities](<https://threatpost.com/solarwinds-hotfix-zero-day-active-attack/167704/>) for functional attack chains, they said.\n\nThe growth of mobile platforms also has resulted in an increase in the number of products that threat actors want to target\u2014hence more reason to use zero-day exploits, researchers observed. Perhaps inspired by this increase in demand, commercial vendors also are selling more access to zero-days than in the early 2010s, they said.\n\nFinally, the maturation of security protections and strategies also inspires sophistication on the part of attackers as well, boosting the need for them to use zero-day flaws to convince victims to install malware, researchers noted.\n\n\u201cDue to advancements in security, these actors now more often have to use 0-day exploits to accomplish their goals,\u201d Stone and Lecigne wrote.\n\n_**Check out our free **_[_**upcoming live and on-demand webinar events**_](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>)_** \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community.**_\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-07-15T11:04:49", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Safari Zero-Day Used in Malicious LinkedIn Campaign", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-1879", "CVE-2021-21166", "CVE-2021-26411", "CVE-2021-30551", "CVE-2021-33742"], "modified": "2021-07-15T11:04:49", "id": "THREATPOST:EA23582BD77C428ACE9B9DB7D5741EB6", "href": "https://threatpost.com/safari-zero-day-linkedin/167814/", "cvss": {"score": 6.8, "vector": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-09-30T22:53:49", "description": "Google has pushed out an emergency Chrome update to fix yet another pair of zero days \u2013 the second pair this month \u2013 that are being exploited in the wild.\n\nThis hoists this year\u2019s total number of zero days found in the browser up to a dozen.\n\nOn Thursday evening, the web Goliath released the [Chrome 94.0.4606.71](<https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2021/09/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_30.html>) stable channel release for Windows, Mac and Linux to fix the two zero-days, which were included in an update with a total of four security fixes. \n[](<https://threatpost.com/infosec-insider-subscription-page/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=InfosecInsiders_Newsletter_Promo/>)\n\n\u201cGoogle is aware the exploits for CVE-2021-37975 and CVE-2021-37976 exist in the wild,\u201d Google disclosed with the release of the browser fixes.\n\n## No Details for the Zero Days\n\nJust as it did with the pair of zero days that were being exploited in the wild [earlier this month](<https://threatpost.com/google-chrome-zero-day-exploited/169442/>), Google is keeping technical details close to the vest, at least until most users have had a chance to plug in the update. The company started pushing out Chrome 94.0.4606.71 to users worldwide in the Stable Desktop channel, and it should be available to all users within coming days.\n\n\u201cAccess to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix,\u201d the company said in Thursday\u2019s security update. \u201cWe will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third party library that other projects similarly depend on, but haven\u2019t yet fixed.\u201d\n\nHere are details on the two zero-days:\n\n * **CVE-2021-37976** is described as an \u201cinformation leak in core\u201d and was assigned a Medium severity level. It was discovered by Cl\u00e9ment Lecigne from Google\u2019s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) and reported on Tuesday of last week, Sept. 21. Credit for technical assistance also goes out to Sergei Glazunov and Mark Brand from Google Project Zero.\n * **CVE-2021-37975** is a [user-after-free](<http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/416.html>) bug in the [V8 JavaScript engine](<https://v8.dev/>). Reported on Sunday, Sept. 26, by an anonymous contributor, it\u2019s one of two flaws in Thursday\u2019s update that were rated as high severity. V8 is Google\u2019s open-source, high-performance JavaScript and WebAssembly engine for Chrome and Chromium-based browsers. It translates JavaScript code into a more efficient machine code instead of using an interpreter, which speeds up the web browser. Since this vulnerable component isn\u2019t specific to Google Chrome, it\u2019s a good bet that other browsers are affected by the bug as well.\n\nThe second high-severity bug Google addressed on Thursday, **CVE-2021-37974**, is another use-after-free vulnerability: this time, in safe browsing.\n\nThe earlier pair of zero days Google addressed this month in a Sept. 13 update, CVE-2021-30632 and CVE-2021-30633, were likewise being actively exploited in the wild. The first was an out-of-bounds write in V8 JavaScript Engine, and the second was a use-after-free vulnerability in the IndexedDB API.\n\n## Use After Free\n\nUse-after-free issues [can result in](<https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/416.html>) any number of attack types, ranging from the corruption of valid data to the execution of arbitrary code. Writing for Threatpost\u2019s [InfoSec Insider](<https://threatpost.com/microsite/infosec-insiders-community/>) series, Gurucul CEO Saryu Nayyar has described these flaws as among the year\u2019s [most dangerous software weaknesses](<https://threatpost.com/2021-angerous-software-weaknesses/169458/>).\n\nAs Nayyar tells it, use-after-free vulnerabilities entail memory manipulation: \u201cWhen an application needs memory for a variable, it either programmatically allocates that memory, or the underlying platform (JVM or .NET Runtime),\u201d she wrote earlier this month. \u201cWhen the application is done with that memory, either it or the platform returns it to the free memory list.\u201d\n\nBut if an attacker has managed to get the memory address, the actor \u201ccan gain access to the free memory list, and insert malicious software into free memory,\u201d Nayyar continued. \u201cThe next time that memory is allocated, it is allocated with a payload that can cause harm. Further, the memory isn\u2019t wiped clean when it is returned to the free memory list, enabling attackers to read the contents of that memory.\u201d\n\nShe noted that some commercial debuggers can look into a running process and let programmers \u2013 or attackers \u2013 obtain information using memory locations. \u201cWhile these types of debuggers are needed, any tool that lets attackers look into specific memory addresses to determine their contents has the potential to be used as a hacking tool,\u201d Nayyar advised.\n\n_**Check out our free **_[_**upcoming live and on-demand webinar events**_](<https://threatpost.com/category/webinars/>)_** \u2013 unique, dynamic discussions with cybersecurity experts and the Threatpost community.**_\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2021-09-30T22:38:50", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Google Emergency Update Fixes Two Chrome Zero Days", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-30632", "CVE-2021-30633", "CVE-2021-37974", "CVE-2021-37975", "CVE-2021-37976"], "modified": "2021-09-30T22:38:50", "id": "THREATPOST:C6B47B678F2F0E21955D4053DE13FA64", "href": "https://threatpost.com/google-emergency-update-chrome-zero-days/175266/", "cvss": {"score": 0.0, "vector": "NONE"}}, {"lastseen": "2020-11-03T21:50:59", "description": "A previously known threat group, called UNC1945, has been compromising telecommunications companies and targeting financial and professional consulting industries, by exploiting a security flaw in Oracle\u2019s Solaris operating system.\n\nResearchers said that the group was exploiting the bug when it was a zero-day, long before a patch arrived.\n\nThe bug, [CVE-2020-14871](<https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-14871>), was recently addressed in Oracle\u2019s [October 2020 Critical Patch Update](<https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2020.html>). The vulnerability exists in the Oracle Solaris Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) and allows an unauthenticated attacker with network access via multiple protocols to exploit and compromise the operating system. Threat actors utilized a remote exploitation tool, which researchers call \u201cEVILSUN,\u201d to exploit the flaw.\n\n\u201cIn mid-2020, we observed UNC1945 deploy EVILSUN\u2014a remote-exploitation tool containing a zero-day exploit for CVE-2020-14871 \u2014 on a Solaris 9 server,\u201d said researchers with FireEye, [in a Monday analysis](<https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/11/live-off-the-land-an-overview-of-unc1945.html>). \u201cAt the time, connections from the server to the threat actor\u2019s IP address were observed over port 8080.\u201d\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nResearchers first observed threat actors gaining access to a Solaris server and installing a backdoor (tracked as SLAPSTICK) in late 2018. A day later, the threat actor executed a custom Linux backdoor (called LEMONSTICK by researchers) on the workstation. This backdoor\u2019s capabilities include command execution, file transfer and execution, and the ability to establish tunnel connections \u2013 allowing attackers to capture connection details and credentials to facilitate further compromise.\n\nAfter a 519-day dwell time, during which researchers say there was \u201cinsufficient available evidence\u201d to track the group, the next indication of activity was in mid-2020. At this time, a different Solaris server was observed connecting to the threat actor\u2019s infrastructure, said researchers.\n\nResearchers also observed an April post on a black-market website, marketing an \u201cOracle Solaris SSHD Remote Root Exploit\u201d that cost approximately $3,000, which they say may be identifiable as EVILSUN.\n\n## **Attack Details**\n\nAfter the initial infection, UNC1945 was observed dropping a custom QEMU virtual machine (VM) on multiple hosts. This was executed in Linux systems by launching a \u2018start.sh\u2019 script, which contained TCP forwarding settings. These settings \u201ccould be used by the threat actor in conjunction with the SSH tunnels to give direct access from the threat actor VM to the command-and-control server to obfuscate interaction with customer infrastructure,\u201d said researchers.\n\nThe VM also contained various tools, such as network scanners, exploits and reconnaissance tools. Tiny Core Linux pre-loaded tools included Mimikatz, Powersploit, Responder, Procdump, CrackMapExec, PoshC2, Medusa, JBoss Vulnerability Scanner and more.\n\nThe threat actor also deployed various anti-detection tools and anti-forensics techniques.\n\nFor instance, it placed its tool and output files in temporary file-system mount points that were stored in volatile memory, used built-in utilities and public tools \u2014 like Linux commands \u2014 to modify timestamps and used LOGBLEACH to clean logs to thwart forensic analysis. LOGBLEACH is an ELF utility with a functionality of deleting log entries from a specified log file based on a filter provided via command line.\n\n\u201cTo further obfuscate activity, a Linux ELF packer named STEELCORGI was executed in memory on the Solaris system,\u201d said researchers. \u201cThe malware contains various anti-analysis techniques, including anti-debugging, anti-tracing, and string obfuscation. It uses environment variables as a key to unpack the final payload.\u201d\n\nOnce it established a foothold, UNC1945 collected credentials via SLAPSTICK and open source tools such as Mimikatz. It then escalated privileges, and successfully moved laterally through multiple networks.\n\nUNC1945 also downloaded various post-exploitation tools, such as PUPYRAT, an open source, cross-platform multi-functional remote administration and post-exploitation tool mainly written in Python; as well as a BlueKeep scanning tool. BlueKeep (CVE-2019-0708) [is a security vulnerability](<https://threatpost.com/bluekeep-attacks-have-arrived-are-initially-underwhelming/149829/>) that was discovered in Microsoft\u2019s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) implementation, which allows for the possibility of remote code execution.\n\nDespite the multi-staged operation, researchers said they did not observe evidence of data exfiltration and were unable to determine UNC1945\u2019s mission for most of the intrusions investigated.\n\n\u201cUNC1945 targeted Oracle Solaris operating systems, utilized several tools and utilities against Windows and Linux operating systems, loaded and operated custom virtual machines, and employed techniques to evade detection,\u201d said researchers. \u201cUNC1945 demonstrated access to exploits, tools and malware for multiple operating systems, a disciplined interest in covering or manipulating their activity, and displayed advanced technical abilities during interactive operations.\u201d\n\n**Hackers Put Bullseye on Healthcare: [On Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. EDT](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/2020-healthcare-cybersecurity-priorities-data-security-ransomware-and-patching/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=Nov_webinar>) find out why hospitals are getting hammered by ransomware attacks in 2020. [Save your spot for this FREE webinar ](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/2020-healthcare-cybersecurity-priorities-data-security-ransomware-and-patching/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=Nov_webinar>)on healthcare cybersecurity priorities and hear from leading security voices on how data security, ransomware and patching need to be a priority for every sector, and why. Join us Wed., Nov. 18, 2-3 p.m. EDT for this [LIVE](<https://threatpost.com/webinars/2020-healthcare-cybersecurity-priorities-data-security-ransomware-and-patching/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=Nov_webinar>), limited-engagement webinar.**\n\nWrite a comment\n\n**Share this article:**\n\n * [Hacks](<https://threatpost.com/category/hacks/>)\n * [Malware](<https://threatpost.com/category/malware-2/>)\n * [Vulnerabilities](<https://threatpost.com/category/vulnerabilities/>)\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2020-11-03T21:39:58", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Oracle Solaris Zero-Day Attack Revealed", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2019-0708", "CVE-2020-14750", "CVE-2020-14871"], "modified": "2020-11-03T21:39:58", "id": "THREATPOST:3D0ED9A884FBC4412C79F4B5FF005376", "href": "https://threatpost.com/oracle-solaris-zero-day-attack/160929/", "cvss": {"score": 10.0, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2020-04-09T11:22:56", "description": "Google has registered a significant drop in government-backed cyberattacks against its properties and the people who use its products.\n\nGoogle sends out warnings if it detects that an account is a target of government-backed phishing or malware attempts. For 2019, the internet giant sent almost 40,000 warnings \u2013 which, while a large number, is still a nearly 25 percent drop from the year before.\n\n**Nation-State Trends**\n\nIn terms of trends amongst the warnings, the analysis showed that main targets included, perhaps unsurprisingly, geopolitical rivals, government officials, journalists, dissidents and activists.\n\nIn 2019, about 20 percent of accounts that received a warning were targeted multiple times by attackers. Google also uncovered that phishing and zero-day exploits continue to be APT weapons of choice.\n\n[](<https://threatpost.com/newsletter-sign/>)\n\nOn the former front, Google researchers saw a growing trend emerge towards impersonating news outlets and journalists, especially when it comes to attackers from Iran and North Korea.\n\n\u201cFor example, attackers impersonate a journalist to seed false stories with other reporters to spread disinformation,\u201d explained Toni Gidwani, security engineering manager at the company\u2019s Threat Analysis Group (TAG), writing [in an overview](<https://blog.google/technology/safety-security/threat-analysis-group/identifying-vulnerabilities-and-protecting-you-phishing/amp/>) of nation-state trends, published last week. \u201cIn other cases, attackers will send several benign emails to build a rapport with a journalist or foreign-policy expert before sending a malicious attachment in a follow up email.\u201d\n\nOn the zero-day front, TAG discovered bugs affecting Android, Chrome, iOS, Internet Explorer and Windows over the course of last year, including CVE-2020-0674. This is a [memory-corruption vulnerability disclosed in late January](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-zero-day-actively-exploited-patch/152018/>), a critical flaw for most Internet Explorer versions, allowing remote code-execution and complete takeover.\n\nOther notable bugs included [CVE-2018-8653](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-ie-zero-day-gets-emergency-patch/140185/>), [CVE-2019-0676](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-patches-zero-day-browser-bug-under-active-attack/141755/>), [CVE-2019-1367](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-internet-explorer-zero-day-flaw-addressed-in-out-of-band-security-update/148584/>) and [CVE-2019-1429](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-patches-rce-bug/150136/>) in Internet Explorer; [CVE-2019-5786](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-patches-two-win32k-bugs-under-active-attack/142742/>) in Chrome; and [CVE-2019-0808](<https://threatpost.com/microsoft-patches-two-win32k-bugs-under-active-attack/142742/>) in Windows Kernel.\n\n**Zero-Day Details**\n\nThree bugs (CVE-2018-8653, CVE-2019-1367 and CVE-2020-0674) are vulnerabilities inside jscript.dll, Gidwani said. \u201cTherefore all exploits enabled IE8 rendering and used JScript.Compact as JS engine. In most Internet Explorer exploits, attackers abused the Enumerator object in order to gain remote code execution.\u201d\n\nMeanwhile, CVE-2019-0676 \u201cenables attackers to reveal presence or non-presence of files on the victim\u2019s computer; this information was later used to decide whether or not a second stage exploit should be delivered,\u201d according to the writeup.\n\nAnd, \u201cthe attack vector for CVE-2019-1367 was rather atypical as the exploit was delivered from an Office document abusing the online video embedding feature to load an external URL conducting the exploitation.\u201d\n\nIn one campaign, a single APT was seen using five zero-day exploits, delivered using watering-hole attacks, links to malicious websites and inemail attachments in targeted spear-phishing campaigns.\n\n\u201cFinding this many zero-day exploits from the same actor in a relatively short time frame is rare,\u201d said Gidwani. \u201cThe majority of targets we observed were from North Korea or individuals who worked on North Korea-related issues.\u201d\n\nNonetheless, he said that it\u2019s encouraging to see the decline in attacks.\n\n\u201cOne reason for this decline is that our new protections are working,\u201d said Gidwani. \u201cAttackers\u2019 efforts have been slowed down and they\u2019re more deliberate in their attempts, meaning attempts are happening less frequently as attackers adapt.\u201d\n\n[](<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7732731543372035596?source=art>)\n\n_**Do you suffer from Password Fatigue? On [Wednesday April 8 at 2 p.m. ET](<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7732731543372035596?source=art>) join **_**_Duo Security and Threatpost as we explore a [passwordless](<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7732731543372035596?source=art>) future. This [FREE](<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7732731543372035596?source=art>) webinar maps out a future where modern authentication standards like WebAuthn significantly reduce a dependency on passwords. We\u2019ll also explore how teaming with Microsoft can reduced reliance on passwords. [Please register here](<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7732731543372035596?source=art>) and dare to ask, \u201c[Are passwords overrated?](<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7732731543372035596?source=art>)\u201d in this sponsored webinar. _**\n", "cvss3": {}, "published": "2020-03-30T20:53:22", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Nation-State Attacks Drop in Latest Google Analysis", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2018-8653", "CVE-2019-0676", "CVE-2019-0808", "CVE-2019-1367", "CVE-2019-1429", "CVE-2019-5786", "CVE-2020-0674"], "modified": "2020-03-30T20:53:22", "id": "THREATPOST:C63BDB5BFB4AECB9F2F95F69E238122B", "href": "https://threatpost.com/nation-state-attacks-google-analysis/154295/", "cvss": {"score": 7.6, "vector": "AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}, {"lastseen": "2021-08-26T23:21:31", "description": "Microsoft has broken its silence on the [recent barrage of attacks](<https://threatpost.com/proxyshell-attacks-unpatched-exchange-servers/168879/>) on several ProxyShell vulnerabilities in that were [highlighted](<https://threatpost.com/exchange-servers-attack-proxyshell/168661/>) by a researcher at Black Hat earlier this month.\n\nThe company [released an advisory](<https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/proxyshell-vulnerabilities-and-your-exchange-server/ba-p/2684705>) late Wednesday letting customers know that threat actors may use unpatched Exchange servers \u201cto deploy ransomware or conduct other post-exploitation activities\u201d and urging them to update immediately.\n\n\u201cOur recommendation, as always, is to install the latest CU and SU on all your Exchange servers to ensure that you are protected against the latest threats,\u201d the company said. \u201cPlease update now!\u201d \n[](<https://threatpost.com/infosec-insider-subscription-page/?utm_source=ART&utm_medium=ART&utm_campaign=InfosecInsiders_Newsletter_Promo/>)Customers that have installed the [May 2021 security updates](<https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/released-may-2021-exchange-server-security-updates/ba-p/2335209>) or the [July 2021 security updates](<https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/released-july-2021-exchange-server-security-updates/ba-p/2523421>) on their Exchange servers are protected from these vulnerabilities, as are Exchange Online customers so long as they ensure that all hybrid Exchange servers are updated, the company wrote.\n\n\u201cBut if you have not installed either of these security updates, then your servers and data are vulnerable,\u201d according to the advisory.\n\nThe ProxyShell bugs that Devcore principal security researcher [Orange Tsai](<https://twitter.com/orange_8361>) outlined in a presentation at Black Hat. The three vulnerabilities (CVE-2021-34473, CVE-2021-34523, CVE-2021-31207) enable an adversary to trigger remote code execution on Microsoft Exchange servers. Microsoft said the bugs can be exploited in the following cases:\n\n\u2013The server is running an older, unsupported CU;\n\n\u2013The server is running security updates for older, unsupported versions of Exchange that were [released](<https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/march-2021-exchange-server-security-updates-for-older-cumulative/ba-p/2192020>) in March 2021; or\n\n\u2013The server is running an older, unsupported CU, with the [March 2021 EOMT](<https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2021/03/15/one-click-microsoft-exchange-on-premises-mitigation-tool-march-2021/>) mitigations applied.\n\n\u201cIn all of the above scenarios, you _must_ install one of latest supported CUs and all applicable SUs to be protected,\u201d according to Microsoft. \u201cAny Exchange servers that are not on a supported CU _and_ the latest available SU are vulnerable to ProxyShell and other attacks that leverage older vulnerabilities.\u201d\n\n**Sounding the Alarm**\n\nFollowing Tsai\u2019s presentation on the bugs, the SANS Internet Storm Center\u2019s Jan Kopriva [reported](<https://isc.sans.edu/forums/diary/ProxyShell+how+many+Exchange+servers+are+affected+and+where+are+they/27732/>) that [he found more](<https://threatpost.com/exchange-servers-attack-proxyshell/168661/>) than 30,000 vulnerable Exchange servers via a Shodan scan and that any threat actor worthy of that title would find exploiting then easy to execute, given how much information is available.\n\nSecurity researchers at Huntress also reported seeing [ProxyShell vulnerabilities](<https://www.huntress.com/blog/rapid-response-microsoft-exchange-servers-still-vulnerable-to-proxyshell-exploit>) being actively exploited throughout the month of August to install backdoor access once the [ProxyShell exploit code](<https://peterjson.medium.com/reproducing-the-proxyshell-pwn2own-exploit-49743a4ea9a1>) was published on Aug. 6. But starting last Friday, Huntress reported a \u201csurge\u201d in attacks after finding 140 webshells launched against 1,900 unpatched Exchange servers.\n\nThe Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) joined those sounding the alarm over the weekend, issuing [an urgent alert](<https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/current-activity/2021/08/21/urgent-protect-against-active-exploitation-proxyshell>). They, too, urged organizations to immediately install the latest Microsoft Security Update.\n\nAt the time, researcher Kevin Beaumont expressed [criticism over Microsoft\u2019s messaging efforts](<https://doublepulsar.com/multiple-threat-actors-including-a-ransomware-gang-exploiting-exchange-proxyshell-vulnerabilities-c457b1655e9c>) surrounding the vulnerability and the urgent need for its customers to update their Exchange Server security.\n\n\u201cMicrosoft decided to downplay the importance of the patches and treat them as a standard monthly Exchange patch, which [has] been going on for \u2013 obviously \u2013 decades,\u201d Beaumont explained.\n\nBut Beaumont said these remote code execution (RCE) vulnerabilities are \u201c\u2026as serious as they come.\u201d He noted that the company did not help matters by failing to allocate CVEs for them until July \u2014 four months after the patches were issued.\n\nIn order of patching priority, according to Beaumont, the vulnerabilities are: [CVE-2021\u201334473](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-34473>), [CVE-2021\u201334523](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-34523>) and [CVE-2021\u201331207](<https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-US/vulnerability/CVE-2021-31207>).\n\nCVE-2021-34473, a vulnerability in which a pre-auth path confusion leads to ACL Bypass, was patched in April. CVE-2021-34523, also patched in April, is an elevation of privilege on Exchange PowerShell backend. CVE-2021-31207, a bug in which a post-auth Arbitrary-File-Write leads to remote code execution, was patched in May.\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 9.8, "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "userInteraction": "NONE", "version": "3.1"}, "impactScore": 5.9}, "published": "2021-08-26T12:39:54", "type": "threatpost", "title": "Microsoft Breaks Silence on Barrage of ProxyShell Attacks", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "HIGH", "exploitabilityScore": 10.0, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": false, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "LOW", "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE", "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE", "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE", "baseScore": 10.0, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "acInsufInfo": false, "impactScore": 10.0, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-31207", "CVE-2021-34473", "CVE-2021-34523"], "modified": "2021-08-26T12:39:54", "id": "THREATPOST:83C349A256695022C2417F465CEB3BB2", "href": "https://threatpost.com/microsoft-barrage-proxyshell-attacks/168943/", "cvss": {"score": 10.0, "vector": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}}], "thn": [{"lastseen": "2022-05-09T12:37:48", "description": "[](<https://thehackernews.com/new-images/img/a/AVvXsEibt_uA0VwMgumOtohRzrBSD-Inv5dv71ZMU1Hu4XYJFQxp8FVjEZzeLUuvttUyYx1xMxQJ16Nfw5Jdc7mPLfwoGoTeZqrLRMZ005Eu673XGL_uJrq7LDUpWojmmmN1YHSwVQcJQzL28acTco05Z7auS001HlgSR96GjvrE5gDr2M123luTRVFTFcAT>)\n\nGoogle has rolled out fixes for five security vulnerabilities in its Chrome web browser, including one which it says is being exploited in the wild, making it the [17th such weakness](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/10/google-releases-urgent-chrome-update-to.html>) to be disclosed since the start of the year.\n\nTracked as [CVE-2021-4102](<https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2021/12/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_13.html>), the flaw relates to a [use-after-free bug](<https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/416.html>) in the V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine, which could have severe consequences ranging from corruption of valid data to the execution of arbitrary code. An anonymous researcher has been credited with discovering and reporting the flaw.\n\nAs it stands, it's not known how the weakness is being abused in real-world attacks, but the internet giant issued a terse statement that said, \"it's aware of reports that an exploit for CVE-2021-4102 exists in the wild.\" This is done so in an attempt to ensure that a majority of users are updated with a fix and prevent further exploitation by other threat actors.\n\nCVE-2021-4102 is the second use-after-free vulnerability in V8 the company has remediated in less than three months following reports of active exploitation, with the previous vulnerability [CVE-2021-37975](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/09/update-google-chrome-asap-to-patch-2.html>), also reported by an anonymous researcher, plugged in an update it shipped on September 30. It's not immediately clear if the two flaws bear any relation to one another.\n\nWith this latest update, Google has addressed a record 17 zero-days in Chrome this year alone \u2014\n\n * [CVE-2021-21148](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/02/new-chrome-browser-0-day-under-active.html>) \\- Heap buffer overflow in V8\n * [CVE-2021-21166](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/03/new-chrome-0-day-bug-under-active.html>) \\- Object recycle issue in audio\n * [CVE-2021-21193](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/03/another-google-chrome-0-day-bug-found.html>) \\- Use-after-free in Blink\n * [CVE-2021-21206](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/04/2-new-chrome-0-days-under-attack-update.html>) \\- Use-after-free in Blink\n * [CVE-2021-21220](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/04/2-new-chrome-0-days-under-attack-update.html>) \\- Insufficient validation of untrusted input in V8 for x86_64\n * [CVE-2021-21224](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/04/update-your-chrome-browser-immediately.html>) \\- Type confusion in V8\n * [CVE-2021-30551](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/06/new-chrome-0-day-bug-under-active.html>) \\- Type confusion in V8\n * [CVE-2021-30554](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/06/update-your-chrome-browser-to-patch-yet.html>) \\- Use-after-free in WebGL\n * [CVE-2021-30563](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/07/update-your-chrome-browser-to-patch-new.html>) \\- Type confusion in V8\n * [CVE-2021-30632](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/09/update-google-chrome-to-patch-2-new.html>) \\- Out of bounds write in V8\n * [CVE-2021-30633](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/09/update-google-chrome-to-patch-2-new.html>) \\- Use-after-free in Indexed DB API\n * [CVE-2021-37973](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/09/urgent-chrome-update-released-to-patch.html>) \\- Use-after-free in Portals \n * [CVE-2021-37975](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/09/update-google-chrome-asap-to-patch-2.html>) \\- Use-after-free in V8\n * [CVE-2021-37976](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/09/update-google-chrome-asap-to-patch-2.html>) \\- Information leak in core\n * [CVE-2021-38000](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/10/google-releases-urgent-chrome-update-to.html>) \\- Insufficient validation of untrusted input in Intents\n * [CVE-2021-38003](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/10/google-releases-urgent-chrome-update-to.html>) \\- Inappropriate implementation in V8\n\nChrome users are recommended to update to the latest version (96.0.4664.110) for Windows, Mac, and Linux by heading to Settings > Help > 'About Google Chrome' to mitigate any potential risk of active exploitation.\n\n \n\n\nFound this article interesting? Follow THN on [Facebook](<https://www.facebook.com/thehackernews>), [Twitter _\uf099_](<https://twitter.com/thehackersnews>) and [LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehackernews/>) to read more exclusive content we post.\n", "cvss3": {"exploitabilityScore": 2.8, "cvssV3": {"baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "scope": "CHANGED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "baseScore": 9.6, "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H", "version": "3.1", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED"}, "impactScore": 6.0}, "published": "2021-12-14T04:13:00", "type": "thn", "title": "Update Google Chrome to Patch New Zero-Day Exploit Detected in the Wild", "bulletinFamily": "info", "cvss2": {"severity": "MEDIUM", "exploitabilityScore": 8.6, "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": true, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "cvssV2": {"accessComplexity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL", "availabilityImpact": "PARTIAL", "integrityImpact": "PARTIAL", "baseScore": 6.8, "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P", "version": "2.0", "accessVector": "NETWORK", "authentication": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 6.4, "acInsufInfo": false, "obtainUserPrivilege": false}, "cvelist": ["CVE-2021-21148", "CVE-2021-21166", "CVE-2021-21193", "CVE-2021-21206", "CVE-2021-21220", "CVE-2021-21224", "CVE-2021-30551", "CVE-2021-30554", "CVE-2021-30563", "CVE-2021-30632", "CVE-2021-30633", "CVE-2021-37973", "CVE-2021-37975", "CVE-2021-37976", "CVE-2021-38000", "CVE-2021-38003", "CVE-2021-4102"], "modified": "2021-12-14T04:30:59", "id": "THN:4CC79A3CEFEDEB0DC9CF87C5B9035209", "href": "https://thehackernews.com/2021/12/update-google-chrome-to-patch-new-zero.html", "cvss": {"score": 6.8, "vector": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P"}}, {"lastseen": "2022-05-09T12:37:14", "description": "[](<https://thehackernews.com/new-images/img/a/AVvXsEggQTDQ-V9WbcSJKwsXKGeYWFxP3jSKikqYhYG8xpFa_NiB7aFJV8tcR11eRFpoq9nIOMlHfbefT2pZC9vdUHCul3SAafHr4t5T-oIIj-H61WEAlv8x9Mfzo1cqzuxor4bqF090P_C7w7fQqzoSFEmUVm1PvbmzU9YENMC2O_ZAEkOC_qbBbzYZdzhA>)\n\nGoogle on Thursday pushed urgent security fixes for its Chrome browser, including a pair of new security weaknesses that the company said are being exploited in the wild, making them the fourth and fifth actively zero-days plugged this month alone.\n\nThe issues, designated as [CVE-2021-37975 and CVE-2021-37976](<https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2021/09/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_30.html>), are part of a total of four patches, and concern a [use-after-free flaw](<https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/416.html>) in V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine as well as an information leak in core.\n\nAs is usually the case, the tech giant has refrained from sharing any additional details regarding how these zero-day vulnerabilities were used in attacks so as to allow a majority of users to be updated with the patches, but noted that it's aware that \"exploits for CVE-2021-37975 and CVE-2021-37976 exist in the wild.\"\n\nAn anonymous researcher has been credited with reporting CVE-2021-37975. The discovery of CVE-2021-37976, on the other hand, involves Cl\u00e9ment Lecigne from Google Threat Analysis Group, who was also credited with [CVE-2021-37973](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/09/urgent-chrome-update-released-to-patch.html>), another actively exploited use-after-free vulnerability in Chrome's Portals API that was reported last week, raising the possibility that the two flaws may have been stringed together as part of an exploit chain to execute arbitrary code.\n\nWith the latest update, Google has addressed a record 14 zero-days in the web browser since the start of the year.\n\n * [CVE-2021-21148](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/02/new-chrome-browser-0-day-under-active.html>) \\- Heap buffer overflow in V8\n * [CVE-2021-21166](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/03/new-chrome-0-day-bug-under-active.html>) \\- Object recycle issue in audio\n * [CVE-2021-21193](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/03/another-google-chrome-0-day-bug-found.html>) \\- Use-after-free in Blink\n * [CVE-2021-21206](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/04/2-new-chrome-0-days-under-attack-update.html>) \\- Use-after-free in Blink\n * [CVE-2021-21220](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/04/2-new-chrome-0-days-under-attack-update.html>) \\- Insufficient validation of untrusted input in V8 for x86_64\n * [CVE-2021-21224](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/04/update-your-chrome-browser-immediately.html>) \\- Type confusion in V8\n * [CVE-2021-30551](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/06/new-chrome-0-day-bug-under-active.html>) \\- Type confusion in V8\n * [CVE-2021-30554](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/06/update-your-chrome-browser-to-patch-yet.html>) \\- Use-after-free in WebGL\n * [CVE-2021-30563](<https://thehackernews.com/2021/07/update-yo
Managing CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities with Qualys VMDR
