Earth Lusca's New SprySOCKS Linux Backdoor Targets Government Entities

The China-linked threat actor known as Earth Lusca has been observed targeting government entities using a never-before-seen Linux backdoor called SprySOCKS. Earth Lusca was first documented by Trend Micro in January 2022, detailing the adversary's attacks against public and private sector entiti...

Earth Lusca Employs New Linux Backdoor, Uses Cobalt Strike for Lateral Movement

While monitoring Earth Lusca, we discovered an intriguing, encrypted file on the threat actor's server — a Linux-based malware, which appears to originate from the open-source Windows backdoor Trochilus, which we've dubbed SprySOCKS due to its swift behavior and SOCKS implementation...

Rust-Written 3AM Ransomware: A Sneak Peek into a New Malware Family

A new ransomware family called 3AM has emerged in the wild after it was detected in a single incident in which an unidentified affiliate deployed the strain following an unsuccessful attempt to deliver LockBit attributed to Bitwise Spider or Syrphid in the target network. "3AM is written in Rust...

FreeWorld Ransomware Targets MSSQL Servers Facing Siege

Threat Level Attack Report For a detailed threat advisory, download the pdf file here Summary Adversaries are capitalizing on inadequately protected Microsoft SQL MS SQL servers in an operation known as DBJAMMER, deploying both Cobalt Strike and a ransomware strain named FreeWorld, which appears ...

Improper precision of strike price calculation can result in broken protocol

Lines of code Vulnerability details Impact Due to a lack of adequate precision, the calculated strike price for a PUT option for rDPX is not guaranteed to be 25% OTM, which breaks core assumptions around 1 protecting downside price movement of the rDPX which makes up part of the collateral for...

New BLISTER Malware Update Fuelling Stealthy Network Infiltration

An updated version of a malware loader known as BLISTER is being used as part of SocGholish infection chains to distribute an open-source command-and-control C2 framework called Mythic. "New BLISTER update includes keying feature that allows for precise targeting of victim networks and lowers...

Threat Actors Targeting Microsoft SQL Servers to Deploy FreeWorld Ransomware

Threat actors are exploiting poorly secured Microsoft SQL MS SQL servers to deliver Cobalt Strike and a ransomware strain called FreeWorld. Cybersecurity firm Securonix, which has dubbed the campaign DBJAMMER, said it stands out for the way the toolset and infrastructure is employed. "Some of the...

Earth Estries' Espionage Campaign Targets Governments and Tech Titans Across Continents

A hacking outfit nicknamed Earth Estries has been attributed to a new, ongoing cyber espionage campaign targeting government and technology industries based in the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa, Germany, and the U.S. "The threat actors behind Earth Estries are working with high-leve...

Attacks, Vulnerabilities and Actors 14 August to 20 August 2023

For a detailed threat digest, download the pdf file here Summary HiveForce Labs has recently made several significant discoveries related to cybersecurity threats. Over the past week, we identified a total of eight executed attacks, one instance of adversary activity, and four zero-day...

Decoding Bronze Starlight’s Strategy in the Gambling Sector

Threat Level Attack Report For a detailed threat advisory, download the pdf file here Summary A cyberattack campaign stemming from China is currently focusing its efforts on the Southeast Asian gambling industry, with the objective of deploying Cobalt Strike beacons on compromised systems. To...

China-Linked Bronze Starlight Group Targeting Gambling Sector with Cobalt Strike Beacons

An ongoing cyber attack campaign originating from China is targeting the Southeast Asian gambling sector to deploy Cobalt Strike beacons on compromised systems. Cybersecurity firm SentinelOne said the tactics, techniques, and procedures point to the involvement of a threat actor tracked as Bronze...

DroxiDat Targets Southern African Power Utility

Threat Level Attack Report For a detailed threat advisory, download the pdf file here Summary In a targeted operation, an unidentified actor strategically deployed the advanced DroxiDat proxy-capable backdoor alongside Cobalt Strike beacons. The operation was aimed at a critical power utility...

Several hospitals still counting the cost of widespread ransomware attack

The 16 hospitals struck down by ransomware last week are still dealing with the fallout from the attack. The healthcare facilities located in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Rhode island, and California had the ransomware attack confirmed by the FBI. Issues started to emerge last Thursday with patient...

New SystemBC Malware Variant Targets Southern African Power Company

An unknown threat actor has been linked to a cyber attack on a power generation company in southern Africa with a new variant of the SystemBC malware called DroxiDat as a precursor to a suspected ransomware attack. "The proxy-capable backdoor was deployed alongside Cobalt Strike Beacons in a sout...

Focus on DroxiDat/SystemBC

Recently we pushed a report to our customers about an interesting and common component of the cybercrime malware set - SystemBC. And, in much the same vein as the 2021 Darkside Colonial Pipeline incident, we found a new SystemBC variant deployed to a critical infrastructure target. This time, the...

China-Linked Hackers Strike Worldwide: 17 Nations Hit in 3-Year Cyber Campaign

Hackers associated with China's Ministry of State Security MSS have been linked to attacks in 17 different countries in Asia, Europe, and North America from 2021 to 2023. Cybersecurity firm Recorded Future attributed the intrusion set to a nation-state group it tracks under the name RedHotel...

New Report Exposes Vice Society's Collaboration with Rhysida Ransomware

Tactical similarities have been unearthed between the double extortion ransomware group known as Rhysida and Vice Society, including in their targeting of education and healthcare sectors. "As Vice Society was observed deploying a variety of commodity ransomware payloads, this link does not sugge...

New Malvertising Campaign Distributing Trojanized IT Tools via Google and Bing Search Ads

A new malvertising campaign has been observed leveraging ads on Google Search and Bing to target users seeking IT tools like AnyDesk, Cisco AnyConnect VPN, and WinSCP, and trick them into downloading trojanized installers with an aim to breach enterprise networks and likely carry out future...

PicassoLoader Malware Used in Ongoing Attacks on Ukraine and Poland

Government entities, military organizations, and civilian users in Ukraine and Poland have been targeted as part of a series of campaigns designed to steal sensitive data and gain persistent remote access to the infected systems. The intrusion set, which stretches from April 2022 to July 2023,...

Malicious campaigns target government, military and civilian entities in Ukraine, Poland

Cisco Talos has discovered a threat actor conducting several campaigns against government entities, military organizations and civilian users in Ukraine and Poland. We judge that these operations are very likely aimed at stealing information and gaining persistent remote access. The activity we...