New “CleverSoar” Installer Targets Chinese and Vietnamese Users

CleverSoar Installer Used to Deploy Nidhogg Rootkit and Winos4.0 Framework Against Targeted Users In early November, Rapid7 Labs identified a new, highly evasive malware installer, 'CleverSoar,' targeting Chinese and Vietnamese-speaking victims. CleverSoar is designed to deploy and protect multip...

APT-C-60 Hackers Exploit StatCounter and Bitbucket in SpyGlace Malware Campaign

The threat actor known as APT-C-60 has been linked to a cyber attack targeting an unnamed organization in Japan that used a job application-themed lure to deliver the SpyGlace backdoor. That's according to findings from JPCERT/CC, which said the intrusion leveraged legitimate services like Google...

Chinese Hackers Use GHOSTSPIDER Malware to Hack Telecoms Across 12+ Countries

The China-linked threat actor known as Earth Estries has been observed using a previously undocumented backdoor called GHOSTSPIDER as part of its attacks targeting Southeast Asian telecommunications companies. Trend Micro, which described the hacking group as an aggressive advanced persistent...

THN Recap: Top Cybersecurity Threats, Tools, and Practices (Nov 18 - Nov 24)

We hear terms like "state-sponsored attacks" and "critical vulnerabilities" all the time, but what's really going on behind those words? This week's cybersecurity news isn't just about hackers and headlines—it's about how digital risks shape our lives in ways we might not even realize. For...

Game of Emperor: Unveiling Long Term Earth Estries Cyber Intrusions

Since 2023, APT group Earth Estries has aggressively targeted key industries globally with sophisticated techniques and new backdoors, like GHOSTSPIDER and MASOL RAT, for prolonged espionage operations...

Russian Hackers Deploy HATVIBE and CHERRYSPY Malware Across Europe and Asia

Threat actors with ties to Russia have been linked to a cyber espionage campaign aimed at organizations in Central Asia, East Asia, and Europe. Recorded Future's Insikt Group, which has assigned the activity cluster the name TAG-110, said it overlaps with a threat group tracked by the Computer...

China-Linked TAG-112 Targets Tibetan Media with Cobalt Strike Espionage Campaign

A China-linked nation-state group called TAG-112 compromised Tibetan media and university websites in a new cyber espionage campaign designed to facilitate the delivery of the Cobalt Strike post-exploitation toolkit for follow-on information collection. "The attackers embedded malicious JavaScrip...

Russian Spies Jumped From One Network to Another Via Wi-Fi in an Unprecedented Hack

In a first, Russia's APT28 hacking group appears to have remotely breached the Wi-Fi of an espionage target by hijacking a laptop in another building across the street...

A Bag of RATs: VenomRAT vs. AsyncRAT

Introduction Remote access tools RATs have long been a favorite tool for cyber attackers, since they enable remote control over compromised systems and facilitate data theft, espionage, and continuous monitoring of victims. Among the well-known RATs are VenomRAT and AsyncRAT. These are open-sourc...

Chinese APT Gelsemium Targets Linux Systems with New WolfsBane Backdoor

The China-aligned advanced persistent threat APT actor known as Gelsemium has been observed using a new Linux backdoor dubbed WolfsBane as part of cyber attacks likely targeting East and Southeast Asia. That's according to findings from cybersecurity firm ESET based on multiple Linux samples...

China-Backed Hackers Leverage SIGTRAN, GSM Protocols to Infiltrate Telecom Networks

A new China-linked cyber espionage group has been attributed as behind a series of targeted cyber attacks targeting telecommunications entities in South Asia and Africa since at least 2020 with the goal of enabling intelligence collection. Cybersecurity company CrowdStrike is tracking the adversa...

Chinese Hackers Exploit T-Mobile and Other U.S. Telecoms in Broader Espionage Campaign

U.S. telecoms giant T-Mobile has confirmed that it was also among the companies that were targeted by Chinese threat actors to gain access to valuable information. The adversaries, tracked as Salt Typhoon, breached the company as part of a "monthslong campaign" designed to harvest cellphone...

Hamas-Affiliated WIRTE Employs SameCoin Wiper in Disruptive Attacks Against Israel

A threat actor affiliated with Hamas has expanded its malicious cyber operations beyond espionage to carry out disruptive attacks that exclusively target Israeli entities. The activity, linked to a group called WIRTE , has also targeted the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and...

LodaRAT: Established Malware, New Victim Patterns

Executive Summary Rapid7 has observed an ongoing malware campaign involving a new version of LodaRAT. This version possesses the ability to steal cookies and passwords from Microsoft Edge and Brave. LodaRAT, first observed in 2016, is a remote access tool RAT written in AutoIt. Development of...

IcePeony and Transparent Tribe Target Indian Entities with Cloud-Based Tools

High-profile entities in India have become the target of malicious campaigns orchestrated by the Pakistan-based Transparent Tribe threat actor and a previously unknown China-nexus cyber espionage group dubbed IcePeony. The intrusions linked to Transparent Tribe involve the use of a malware called...

FBI Seeks Public Help to Identify Chinese Hackers Behind Global Cyber Intrusions

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI has sought assistance from the public in connection with an investigation involving the breach of edge devices and computer networks belonging to companies and government entities. "An Advanced Persistent Threat group allegedly created and deployed...

New FakeCall Malware Variant Hijacks Android Devices for Fraudulent Banking Calls

Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a new version of a well-known Android malware family dubbed FakeCall that employs voice phishing aka vishing techniques to trick users into parting with their personal information. "FakeCall is an extremely sophisticated Vishing attack that leverages...

North Korean Hackers Team Up with Play Ransomware in Global Attack

State-Sponsored Espionage Meets Ransomware!...

Chinese Hackers Use CloudScout Toolset to Steal Session Cookies from Cloud Services

A government entity and a religious organization in Taiwan were the target of a China-linked threat actor known as Evasive Panda that infected them with a previously undocumented post-compromise toolset codenamed CloudScout. "The CloudScout toolset is capable of retrieving data from various cloud...

Russian Espionage Group Targets Ukrainian Military with Malware via Telegram

A suspected Russian hybrid espionage and influence operation has been observed delivering a mix of Windows and Android malware to target the Ukrainian military under the Telegram persona Civil Defense. Google's Threat Analysis Group TAG and Mandiant are tracking the activity under the name UNC581...