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The Week in Review from Stamus Labs

Welcome to the weekly threat detection update report from Stamus Networks. Each week, you will receive this email with a summary of the updates.

 

Current Stamus Threat Intelligence (STI) release version: 532

 

This week, in addition to daily ruleset and IOC updates, we provided Stamus Security Platform customers with the following improved defense(s):

  • New threat detection(s) added [1]: 5 (rshell, Betabot, CoinMinerESJ, Parrot TDS, UNC3890)
  • Major changes to detections(s) [2]: 185
  • Updated threat detection(s) [3]: 213

 

Note: a "method" as referenced below, is a discrete detection vector for a given threat.

 

New Threat(s) Detected

The following detections were added to your Stamus NDR this past week:

 

rshell (Backdoor)

During a review of the HyberBro Command and Control (C2) infrastructure linked to China-nexus LuckyMouse intrusion set, SEKOIA spotted an unusual connection with an application. Further investigation led to identify this application as “MìMì” (秘秘 – “secret”, aka Mi). Mimi is a Chinese-speaking Electron App developed by Xiamen Baiquan Information Technology Co. Ltd. SEKOIA established that “MìMì” Messenger’s MacOS version is trojanized since May 26, 2022 to download and execute a Mach-O binary dubbed “rshell”. Sekoia

rshell - microsoft |
  • Total number of detection methods: 5
  • Kill chain phase(s): command and control

 

Betabot (Data Theft)

Cybereason concludes that Betabot is a sophisticated infostealer malware that’s evolved significantly since it first appeared in late 2012. The malware began as a banking Trojan and is now packed with features that allow its operators to practically take over a victim’s machine and steal sensitive information. Malpedia

Betabot - microsoft |
  • Total number of detection methods: 7
  • Kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives

 

CoinMinerESJ (Trojan)

Trojan has the capabilities to remote access connection handling, perform Denial of Service (DoS) or Distributed DoS (DDoS), capture keyboard inputs, delete file or object, or terminate process. The Fortinet Anti-Virus Analyst Team is currently in the process of creating a detailed description for this virus. Fortinet

  • Total number of detection methods: 6
  • Kill chain phase(s): command and control

 

Parrot TDS (Trojan)

Parrot TDS acts as a gateway for further malicious campaigns to reach potential victims. In this particular case, the infected sites’ appearances are altered by a campaign called FakeUpdate (also known as SocGholish), which uses JavaScript to display fake notices for users to update their browser, offering an update file for download. The file observed being delivered to victims is a remote access tool. Avast

  • Total number of detection methods: 3
  • Kill chain phase(s): command and control

 

UNC3890 (APT)

Mandiant has been tracking UNC3890, a cluster of activity targeting Israeli shipping, government, energy and healthcare organizations via social engineering lures and a potential watering hole. Mandiant assesses with moderate confidence this actor is linked to Iran, which is notable given the strong focus on shipping and the ongoing naval conflict between Iran and Israel. While we believe this actor is focused on intelligence collection, the collected data may be leveraged to support various activities, from hack-and-leak, to enabling kinetic warfare attacks like those that have plagued the shipping industry in recent years. Mandiant

  • Total number of detection methods: 7
  • Kill chain phase(s): command and control

 

Major Detection Changes

The following detections were updated this past week with changes to kill chain phase(s) or MITRE ATT&CK tactic(s)/technique(s):

 

APT-C-35 (APT)

VICEROY TIGER is an adversary with a nexus to India that has historically targeted entities throughout multiple sectors. Older activity targeted multiple sectors and countries; however, since 2015 this adversary appears to focus on entities in Pakistan with a particular focus on government and security organizations. This adversary consistently leverages spear phishing emails containing malicious Microsoft Office documents, malware designed to target the Android mobile platform, and phishing activity designed to harvest user credentials. In March 2017, the 360 Chasing Team found a sample of targeted attacks that confirmed the previously unknown sample of APT's attack actions, which the organization can now trace back at least in April 2016. The chasing team named the attack organization APT-C-35. In June 2017, the 360 Threat Intelligence Center discovered the organization’s new attack activity, confirmed and exposed the gang’s targeted attacks against Pakistan, and analyzed in detail. The unique EHDevel malicious code framework used by the organization. Malpedia

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): delivery, command and control
  • Methods added: 9

 

APT35 (APT)

Magic Hound is an Iranian-sponsored threat group that conducts long term, resource-intensive cyber espionage operations, likely on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. They have targeted U.S. and Middle Eastern government and military personnel, academics, journalists, and organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), via complex social engineering campaigns since at least 2014. MITRE

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery
  • Methods added: 3

 

AhMyth (RAT)

Remote Access Trojans are programs that provide the capability to allow covert surveillance or the ability to gain unauthorized access to a victim PC. Remote Access Trojans often mimic similar behaviors of keylogger applications by allowing the automated collection of keystrokes, usernames, passwords, screenshots, browser history, emails, chat lots, etc. Remote Access Trojans differ from keyloggers in that they provide the capability for an attacker to gain unauthorized remote access to the victim machine via specially configured communication protocols which are set up upon initial infection of the victim computer. This backdoor into the victim machine can allow an attacker unfettered access, including the ability to monitor user behavior, change computer settings, browse and copy files, utilize the bandwidth (Internet connection) for possible criminal activity, access connected systems, and more. Malwarebytes

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Methods added: 1

 

Android Trojan Agent (Trojan)

Malware of this family uses advertising as its main monetization method. The malware uses different methods to display as many ads as possible to the user, including by installing new adware.

These Trojans can get root privileges in order to hide in the system folder, which makes the Trojans very difficult to remove. Kaspersky

  • Added kill chain phase(s): delivery, command and control, actions on objectives
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives
  • MITRE ATT&CK added: T1041
  • Previously existing MITRE ATT&CK: T1041
  • Methods added: 84

 

Backdoor (Trojan)

Backdoors are designed to give malicious users remote control over an infected computer. In terms of functionality, Backdoors are similar to many administration systems designed and distributed by software developers.

These types of malicious programs make it possible to do anything the author wants on the infected computer: send and receive files, launch files or delete them, display messages, delete data, reboot the computer, etc.

The programs in this category are often used in order to unite a group of victim computers and form a botnet or zombie network. This gives malicious users centralized control over an army of infected computers which can then be used for criminal purposes.

There is also a group of Backdoors which are capable of spreading via networks and infecting other computers as Net-Worms do. The difference is that such Backdoors do not spread automatically (as Net-Worms do), but only upon a special “command” from the malicious user that controls them. Kaspersky

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives, installation, delivery
  • Methods added: 2

 

Banker Stealer (Data Theft)

The term info stealer is self-explanatory. This type of malware resides in an infected computer and gathers data in order to send it to the attacker. Typical targets are credentials used in online banking services, social media sites, emails, or FTP accounts.

Info stealers may use many methods of data acquisition. The most common are:

hooking browsers (and sometimes other applications) and stealing credentials that are typed by the user using web injection scripts that are adding extra fields to web forms and submitting information from them to a server owned by the attacker form grabbing (finding specific opened windows and stealing their content) keylogging stealing passwords saved in the system and cookies Modern info stealers are usually parts of botnets. Sometimes the target of attack and related events are configured remotely by the command sent from the Command and Control server (C&C). Malwarebytes

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 7

 

Cerberus (Data Theft)

Cerberus is a trojan horse targeting mobile banking credentials. It is capable of logging all keystrokes (including passwords) and stealing 2FA tokens from Google Authenticator and SMS messages. It also allows remote control over the device using TeamViewer. It is sold as Malware as a service on underground forums. Wikipedia

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 1

 

Filecoder (Ransomware)

Filecoders/Ransomware are infections that encrypt personal and data files. Typically a workstation is infected, and then the filecoder/ransomware will attempt to encrypt any mapped shared drives. This can make this infection seem as though it is spreading through your network when it is not. Eset

  • Added kill chain phase(s): actions on objectives
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 1

 

Gamaredon (APT)

Gamaredon Group is a threat group that has been active since at least 2013 and has targeted individuals likely involved in the Ukrainian government. The name Gamaredon Group comes from a misspelling of the word "Armageddon", which was detected in the adversary's early campaigns. MITRE

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): actions on objectives, command and control, delivery
  • Methods added: 1

 

Hqwar (Data Theft)

Trojan-Banker programs are designed to steal user account data relating to online banking systems, e-payment systems and plastic card systems. The data is then transmitted to the malicious user controlling the Trojan. Email, FTP, the web (including data in a request), or other methods may be used to transit the stolen data. Kaspersky

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 14

 

Matanbuchus (Trojan)

In February 2021, BelialDemon advertised a new malware-as-a-service (MaaS) called Matanbuchus Loader and charged an initial rental price of $2,500. Malware loaders are malicious software that typically drop or pull down second-stage malware from command and control (C2) infrastructures. Unit42

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery
  • Methods added: 1

 

Monitor (Data Theft)

Apps in the category Android/Monitor are typically installed by someone else than the user of the device to keep track of certain activities. The apps are sometimes advertised as parental control apps but they all do some kind of tracking. Malwarebytes

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 2

 

Obfus (Trojan)

In computing, a Trojan horse (or simply trojan) is any malware which misleads users of its true intent. The term is derived from the Ancient Greek story of the deceptive Trojan Horse that led to the fall of the city of Troy.

Trojans are generally spread by some form of social engineering, for example where a user is duped into executing an email attachment disguised to appear not suspicious, (e.g., a routine form to be filled in), or by clicking on some fake advertisement on social media or anywhere else. Although their payload can be anything, many modern forms act as a backdoor, contacting a controller which can then have unauthorized access to the affected computer. Trojans may allow an attacker to access users' personal information such as banking information, passwords, or personal identity. It can also delete a user's files or infect other devices connected to the network. Ransomware attacks are often carried out using a trojan. Wikipedia

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Methods added: 1

 

Piom (Trojan)

A Trojan horse or Trojan is a type of malware that is often disguised as legitimate software. Trojans can be employed by cyber-thieves and hackers trying to gain access to users' systems. Users are typically tricked by some form of social engineering into loading and executing Trojans on their systems. Once activated, Trojans can enable cyber-criminals to spy on you, steal your sensitive data, and gain backdoor access to your system. Kaspersky

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Methods added: 1

 

Raccoon Stealer (Data Theft)

Raccoon is a stealer and collects "passwords, cookies and autofill from all popular browsers (including FireFox x64), CC data, system information, almost all existing desktop wallets of cryptocurrencies". Malpedia

  • Added kill chain phase(s): actions on objectives
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives, delivery
  • Methods added: 1

 

Realrat (RAT)

Remote Access Trojans are programs that provide the capability to allow covert surveillance or the ability to gain unauthorized access to a victim PC. Remote Access Trojans often mimic similar behaviors of keylogger applications by allowing the automated collection of keystrokes, usernames, passwords, screenshots, browser history, emails, chat lots, etc. Remote Access Trojans differ from keyloggers in that they provide the capability for an attacker to gain unauthorized remote access to the victim machine via specially configured communication protocols which are set up upon initial infection of the victim computer. This backdoor into the victim machine can allow an attacker unfettered access, including the ability to monitor user behavior, change computer settings, browse and copy files, utilize the bandwidth (Internet connection) for possible criminal activity, access connected systems, and more. Malwarebytes

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Methods added: 2

 

Remcos (RAT)

Remcos is a closed-source tool that is marketed as a remote control and surveillance software by a company called Breaking Security.

Remcos has been observed being used in malware campaigns.

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery
  • Methods added: 3

 

Shlayer (Data Theft)

OSX/Shlayer is a Trojan designed to install adware on macOS. It was first discovered in 2018. MITRE

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery
  • Methods added: 1

 

SideWinder (APT)

An actor mainly targeting Pakistan military targets, active since at least 2012. We have low confidence that this malware might be authored by an Indian company. To spread the malware, they use unique implementations to leverage the exploits of known vulnerabilities (such as CVE-2017-11882) and later deploy a Powershell payload in the final stages. Malpedia

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 1

 

Smforw (Data Theft)

Trojan-Spy:Android/Smforw variants silently forward incoming SMS messages on an infected device to a remote server. F-secure

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 5

 

SocGholish (Social Engineering)

It leverages compromised websites and performs some of the most creative fingerprinting checks we’ve seen, before delivering its payload (NetSupport RAT). Malwarebytes

  • Added kill chain phase(s): delivery, command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery, reconnaissance
  • Methods added: 8

 

Trojan Downloader (Downloader)

A Trojan downloader is a type of Trojan horse that downloads and installs files, often malicious programs. A Trojan horse is a type of software that looks legitimate but can be malicious in nature. Sometimes these programs can be downloaded onto a device without the user’s knowledge or consent. A Trojan’s purpose is to damage, disrupt, steal, or generally inflict some other harm on your computer and devices. Norton

  • Added kill chain phase(s): actions on objectives, delivery
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): delivery, command and control, installation, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 2

 

Trojan Dropper (Trojan)

A dropper is a kind of Trojan that has been designed to "install" some sort of malware (virus, backdoor, etc.) to a target system. The malware code can be contained within the dropper (single-stage) in such a way as to avoid detection by virus scanners or the dropper may download the malware to the target machine once activated (two stage). Wikipedia

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery, actions on objectives
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery, installation, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 17

 

Trojan-Ransom-Android (Ransomware)

This type of Trojan modifies data on the victim computer so that the victim can no longer use the data, or it prevents the computer from running correctly. Once the data has been “taken hostage” (blocked or encrypted), the user will receive a ransom demand.

The ransom demand tells the victim to send the malicious user money; on receipt of this, the cyber criminal will send a program to the victim to restore the data or restore the computer’s performance. Kaspersky

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives
  • Methods added: 2

 

TrojanSpy-Android (Data Theft)

Malicious programs of this family secretly send information to the criminal from the user’s infected Android mobile device. Kaspersky

  • Added kill chain phase(s): command and control
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, actions on objectives, delivery
  • Methods added: 14

 

Wroba (Data Theft)

This trojan was first developed as an Android-specific mobile banking trojan, capable of stealing files related to financial transactions. Once it has infected a device, Wroba uses SMS to send messages containing malicious links to the host’s stolen contact list. Avira

  • Added kill chain phase(s): delivery
  • Previously supported kill chain phase(s): command and control, delivery
  • Methods added: 1

 

Other Threat Detection Update(s)

The following threat detection(s) were improved this past week with new or updated threat methods.

Name of threat New coverage Total coverage Last updated
  New Detection methods Kill chain phases Protocols involved Detection methods Kill chain phases Protocols involved  
APT-C-35 9 command and control dns 151 command and control, delivery dns, http, tcp, tls 2022-08-23
APT35 3 command and control http 174 command and control, delivery dns, ftp, http, tcp, tls 2022-08-24
AhMyth 1 command and control dns 13 command and control dns, http, tcp, tls 2022-08-27
Android Trojan Agent 84 delivery, command and control, actions on objectives http, dns, tcp 177 actions on objectives, command and control, delivery dns, http, tcp 2022-08-26
Backdoor 2 command and control dns 364 actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation dns, ftp, http, icmp, smtp, tcp, tls, udp 2022-08-27
Banker Stealer 7 command and control http, dns 192 actions on objectives, command and control, delivery dns, http, smtp, tcp, tls 2022-08-27
Betabot 7 command and control, actions on objectives http 7 command and control, actions on objectives http 2022-08-23
Cerberus 1 command and control http 14 actions on objectives, command and control http, tcp 2022-08-24
CoinMinerESJ 6 command and control dns 6 command and control dns 2022-08-23
Filecoder 1 actions on objectives http 32 actions on objectives, command and control dns, http 2022-08-26
Gamaredon 1 command and control http 103 actions on objectives, command and control, delivery dns, http 2022-08-23
Hqwar 14 command and control dns, http 40 actions on objectives, command and control dns, http, tls 2022-08-25
Matanbuchus 1 command and control http 11 command and control, delivery dns, http 2022-08-26
Monitor 2 command and control dns 84 actions on objectives, command and control dns, http, tcp, tls 2022-08-27
Obfus 1 command and control dns 115 command and control dns, http, tls 2022-08-23
Parrot TDS 3 command and control http 3 command and control http 2022-08-23
Piom 1 command and control dns 17 command and control dns, http 2022-08-27
Raccoon Stealer 1 actions on objectives http 131 actions on objectives, command and control, delivery http, tls 2022-08-25
Realrat 2 command and control dns 32 command and control dns, tls 2022-08-26
Remcos 3 command and control tcp 849 command and control, delivery dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt 2022-08-26
Shlayer 1 command and control http 7 command and control, delivery http 2022-08-26
SideWinder 1 command and control dns 85 actions on objectives, command and control, delivery dns, http, tls 2022-08-27
Smforw 5 command and control dns 167 actions on objectives, command and control dns, http, tcp 2022-08-27
SocGholish 8 delivery, command and control http, dns, tls 88 command and control, delivery, reconnaissance dns, http, tcp, tls 2022-08-27
Trojan Downloader 2 actions on objectives, delivery http 201 actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation dns, http, tcp, tls, udp 2022-08-26
Trojan Dropper 17 command and control, delivery, actions on objectives http, dns 268 actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation dns, http, tcp, tls, udp 2022-08-27
Trojan-Ransom-Android 2 command and control dns 13 actions on objectives, command and control dns, http, tcp, tls 2022-08-23
TrojanSpy-Android 14 command and control dns, tcp, http 371 actions on objectives, command and control, delivery dns, http, tcp, tls 2022-08-27
UNC3890 7 command and control dns 7 command and control dns 2022-08-23
Wroba 1 delivery http 18 command and control, delivery http, tcp 2022-08-24
rshell 5 command and control tcp-pkt, dns, tcp 5 command and control tcp-pkt, dns, tcp 2022-08-23

 

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