Internet threat news

In March 2023, two vulnerabilities were patched in the PaperCut Application Server, both of which would allow a threat actor, if exploited, to perform unauthenticated remote code execution and information disclosure.

Following several reports from security firms, it appears that ransomware operators are abusing the remote monitoring and management (RMM) product Action1 RMM which is used by Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to manage endpoints on customer networks remotely.

In a recently published report by security firm Check Point, a newly discovered ransomware is breaking new records for the fastest encryptor. That might be the headlining grabbing feature of Rorschach, but the malware’s developers have looked to use the best features from several other variants to create a frightening foe for those tasked to defend IT infrastructure.

Security researchers for the major telecommunications company AT&T have discovered a new variant of BlackGuard, a new info stealer that is gaining popularity with threat actors using underground hacking forums.

This new variant is actively being distributed in the wild and boosts several new features, including targeting crypto wallets and related cryptocurrency extensions.

On March 7, 2022, Bleeping Computer broke the news that Emotet activity had surged back to life and the malware was once again facilitating the sending of malicious spam emails.

After a three-month break, the malware’s operators deemed it was time to ramp up operations once more from an all too brief hiatus. Emotet’s operators have been known to take extended periods away from time to time only to resurface a few months later.

Recent news articles have shone a light on LockBit’s current operations which seem to be yielding results in encrypting data and putting a halt to several organizations' operations. The most recent of which is Essendant, a wholesale distributor of stationery and office supplies owned by Staples. The company generates over 5.4 billion USD in annual revenue and employs more than 6,400 people.

Security firm Sentinel One just published a report detailing how a phishing campaign used to target victims in Eastern Europe is being used to deliver the Remcos RAT and DBateLoader malware strains. As with so many malware distribution campaigns, things kick off with a phishing email campaign, in this instance a fake invoice sent from already compromised email accounts.

Chinese advanced persistent threat group, APT27, also known as Bronze Union, Emissary Panda, Iron Tiger, Lucky Mouse, or TG-3390, is now developing Linux version of their custom malware payloads. The group is best known for its cyber espionage abilities by leveraging custom malware packages. With the move to developing Linux versions, security researchers believe they will be able to better target enterprise network solutions built on the operating system.

For many of the readers of this publication they will be aware of the heyday of exploit kits, effective toolsets to take advantage of vulnerable software packages. When Adobe’s Flash and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer had significant market dominance these toolkits were far more common and used to gain access to victims’ machines.

On February 21, 2023, South African publication MyBroadband published an article noting that Porshe South Africa’s headquarters in Johannesburg had possibly suffered a ransomware attack.

Following several reports from security firms and cyber security publications it is apparent several ransomware gangs are actively exploiting a two-year-old vulnerability that allows for remote code execution on VMWare ESXi servers. One of the initial warnings was issued by the French Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-FR) wh warned users of the above-mentioned servers that threat actors were abusing CVE-2021-21972.

On January 26, 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with the US Department of Justice and Europol, announced that a successful campaign to infiltrate Hive ransomwares infrastructure and disrupt operations had been carried out. Hive ransomware had developed a reputation for targeting hospitals, school districts, financial firms, and critical infrastructure and targeted more than 1,500 victims in over 80 countries around the world.

Riot Games, the video game developer behind the ever-popular League of Legends, announced on January 20 that it had been hacked. Following the hack, the company has received a ransom demand to return source code stolen during the hack and has the allegedly stolen source placed on auction by the threat actors.

In several previous articles we have covered how the work done by the firm Chainalysis has provided great insight into how ransomware developers and affiliates operate. We have seen how their work has contributed to arrests of ransomware operators. We have also seen how the information generated by the firm can lead to law enforcement placing pressure on ransomware gangs.