Actors, Threats and Vulnerabilities 12 June to 18 June 2023

For a detailed threat digest, download the pdf file here Summary HiveForce Labs recently made several significant discoveries related to cybersecurity threats. Over the past week, the fact that there were a total of seven attacks executed, taking advantage of twenty different vulnerabilities in...

Unveiling Cadet Blizzard APT’s Wiper Attacks Targeting Ukraine

Threat Level Attack Report For a detailed threat advisory, download the pdf file here Summary Cadet Blizzard, a Russian GRU-sponsored threat group, conducted major cyber operations using WhisperGate, a customized wiper malware, to demonstrate their destructive capabilities through targeted attack...

CERT-UA Warns of SmokeLoader and RoarBAT Malware Attacks Against Ukraine

An ongoing phishing campaign with invoice-themed lures is being used to distribute the SmokeLoader malware in the form of a polyglot file, according to the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine CERT-UA. The emails, per the agency, are sent using compromised accounts and come with a ZIP...

CERT-UA Warns of SmokeLoader and RoarBAT Malware Attacks Against Ukraine

An ongoing phishing campaign with invoice-themed lures is being used to distribute the SmokeLoader malware in the form of a polyglot file, according to the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine CERT-UA. The emails, per the agency, are sent using compromised accounts and come with a ZIP...

Google Reveals Alarming Surge in Russian Cyber Attacks Against Ukraine

Russia's cyber attacks against Ukraine surged by 250% in 2022 when compared to two years ago, Google's Threat Analysis Group TAG and Mandiant disclosed in a new joint report. The targeting, which coincided and has since persisted following the country's military invasion of Ukraine in February...

Google Reveals Alarming Surge in Russian Cyber Attacks Against Ukraine

Russia's cyber attacks against Ukraine surged by 250% in 2022 when compared to two years ago, Google's Threat Analysis Group TAG and Mandiant disclosed in a new joint report. The targeting, which coincided and has since persisted following the country's military invasion of Ukraine in February...

Russian Hackers Using Graphiron Malware to Steal Data from Ukraine

A Russia-linked threat actor has been observed deploying a new information-stealing malware in cyber attacks targeting Ukraine. Dubbed Graphiron by Broadcom-owned Symantec, the malware is the handiwork of an espionage group known as Nodaria , which is tracked by the Computer Emergency Response Te...

New Report Reveals NikoWiper Malware That Targeted Ukraine Energy Sector

The Russia-affiliated Sandworm used yet another wiper malware strain dubbed NikoWiper as part of an attack that took place in October 2022 targeting an energy sector company in Ukraine. "The NikoWiper is based on SDelete, a command line utility from Microsoft that is used for securely deleting...

Ukraine Hit with New Golang-based 'SwiftSlicer' Wiper Malware in Latest Cyber Attack

Ukraine has come under a fresh cyber onslaught from Russia that involved the deployment of a previously undocumented Golang-based data wiper dubbed SwiftSlicer. ESET attributed the attack to Sandworm, a nation-state group linked to Military Unit 74455 of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the...

Ukraine Hit with New Golang-based 'SwiftSlicer' Wiper Malware in Latest Cyber Attack

Ukraine has come under a fresh cyber onslaught from Russia that involved the deployment of a previously undocumented Golang-based data wiper dubbed SwiftSlicer. ESET attributed the attack to Sandworm, a nation-state group linked to Military Unit 74455 of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the...

Ransomware and wiper signed with stolen certificates

Introduction On July 17, 2022, Albanian news outlets reported a massive cyberattack that affected Albanian government e-services. A few weeks later, it was revealed that the cyberattacks were part of a coordinated effort likely intended to cripple the countrys computer systems. On September 10,...

Ukraine's DELTA Military System Users Under Attack from Info Stealing Malware

The Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine CERT-UA this week disclosed that users of the Delta situational awareness program received phishing emails from a compromised email account belonging to the Ministry of Defense. The attacks, which have been attributed to a threat cluster dubbed...

Cybersecurity Experts Uncover Inner Workings of Destructive Azov Ransomware

Cybersecurity researchers have published the inner workings of a new wiper called Azov Ransomware that's deliberately designed to corrupt data and "inflict impeccable damage" to compromised systems. Distributed through another malware loader known as SmokeLoader, the malware has been described as...

Researchers Demonstrate How EDR and Antivirus Can Be Weaponized Against Users

High-severity security vulnerabilities have been disclosed in different endpoint detection and response EDR and antivirus AV products that could be exploited to turn them into data wipers. "This wiper runs with the permissions of an unprivileged user yet has the ability to wipe almost any file on...

Iran-based Agrius deploys Fantasy wiper to attack IT firms in Israel

Threat Level Attack Report For a detailed threat advisory, download the pdf file here Summary Iran-based Agrius group has targeted Israel and the United Arab Emirates since 2020. In the beginning, the group deployed a wiper called Apostle, disguised as ransomware, which was later modified into...

Iranian Hackers Strike Diamond Industry with Data-Wiping Malware in Supply-Chain Attack

An Iranian advanced persistent threat APT actor known as Agrius has been attributed as behind a set of data wiper attacks aimed at diamond industries in South Africa, Israel, and Hong Kong. The wiper, referred to as Fantasy by ESET, is believed to have been delivered via a supply-chain attack...

CryWiper Data Wiper Targeting Russian Sites

Kaspersky is reporting on a data wiper masquerading as ransomware that is targeting local Russian government networks. The Trojan corrupts any data thats not vital for the functioning of the operating system. It doesnt affect files with extensions .exe, .dll, .lnk, .sys or .msi, and ignores sever...

Open Source Ransomware Toolkit Cryptonite Turns Into Accidental Wiper Malware

A version of an open source ransomware toolkit called Cryptonite has been observed in the wild with wiper capabilities due to its "weak architecture and programming." Cryptonite, unlike other ransomware strains, is not available for sale on the cybercriminal underground, and was instead offered f...

Russian Courts Targeted by New CryWiper Data Wiper Malware Posing as Ransomware

A new data wiper malware called CryWiper has been found targeting Russian government agencies, including mayor's offices and courts. "Although it disguises itself as a ransomware and extorts money from the victim for 'decrypting' data, it does not actually encrypt, but purposefully destroys data ...

Trellix Global Defenders: Analysis and Protections for Destructive Wipers

Trellix Global Defenders: Analysis and Protections for Destructive Wipers By Ayed Al Qartah · November 17, 2022 Modern cyber warfare involves the actions of a nation-state or their proxies organized crime and hacker groups to attack and attempt to damage other nations’ computers or information...