03-October-2023
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: 861
This week, in addition to daily ruleset and IOC updates, we provided Stamus Security Platform customers with the following improved defense(s):
Note: a "method" as referenced below, is a discrete detection vector for a given threat.
The following detections were added to your Stamus Security Platform (SSP) this past week:
An advanced persistent threat (APT) is a stealthy computer network threat actor, typically a nation state or state-sponsored group, which gains unauthorized access to a computer network and remains undetected for an extended period. In recent times, the term may also refer to non-state sponsored groups conducting large-scale targeted intrusions for specific goals.
Such threat actors' motivations are typically political or economic. To date, every major business sector has recorded instances of attacks by advanced actors with specific goals seeking to steal, spy or disrupt. These include government, defense, financial services, legal services, industrial, telecoms, consumer goods, and many more. Some groups utilize traditional espionage vectors, including social engineering, human intelligence and infiltration to gain access to a physical location to enable network attacks. The purpose of these attacks is to place custom malicious code on one or multiple computers for specific tasks.
Source: Wikipedia
A TOAD attack is a relatively new form of phishing attack that combines voice and email phishing techniques. Attackers aim to trick users into disclosing sensitive information over the phone, such as login credentials or financial data, by impersonating a trusted authority figure. They will get on a call with the victim, claiming to be a representative from a reputable company or organization. Then, they will follow up with an email that contains a phishing link or attachment. Proofpoint
Sandman has been primarily targeting telecommunication providers in the Middle East, Western Europe, and the South Asian subcontinent. The activities are characterized by strategic lateral movements and minimal engagements, likely to minimize the risk of detection. Sandman has deployed a novel modular backdoor utilizing the LuaJIT platform, a relatively rare occurrence in the threat landscape. We refer to this malware as LuaDream. Sentinelone
Socksbot is a backdoor that abuses Socket Secure (SOCKS) proxies. MITRE
SOCKSBOT - Malpedia |
SentinelLabs has been tracking a campaign over the first quarter of 2023 targeting users of Portuguese financial institutions, including government, government-backed, and private institutions. Based on similarities in TTPs as well as overlaps in malware implementation and functionalities reported in previous work, we assess with high confidence that the campaign has been conducted by a Brazilian threat group. This conclusion is further supported by the presence of Brazilian-Portuguese language usage within the infrastructure configurations and malware implementations. We refer to the campaign conducted by this threat group as Operation Magalenha. Sentinelone
The following detections were updated this past week with changes to kill chain phase(s) or MITRE ATT&CK tactic(s)/technique(s):
Cobalt Strike is a commercial, full-featured, penetration testing tool which bills itself as “adversary simulation software designed to execute targeted attacks and emulate the post-exploitation actions of advanced threat actors”. Cobalt Strike’s interactive post-exploit capabilities cover the full range of ATT&CK tactics, all executed within a single, integrated system.
In addition to its own capabilities, Cobalt Strike leverages the capabilities of other well-known tools such as Metasploit and Mimikatz. MITRE
Since late 2021, samples associated with the DUCKTAIL operation were exclusively written in .NET Core and were compiled using its single file feature. This feature bundles all dependent libraries and files into a single executable, including the main assembly2. The usage of .NET Core and its single-file feature is not commonly seen in malware. WithSecure
Discovered by Cyble Research Labs, Eternity is the name of a malware family. Actively sold on the Web, Eternity's developers use the Telegram IM (Instant Messaging) service to sell their malicious wares, as well as provide support and customization to buyers. Telegram can also be employed by the attackers using Eternity programs as their C&C (Command and Control) server and proliferation tool.
Currently, this malware family consists of a stealer, worm, miner, clipper, ransomware, and DDoS bot. Pcrisk
Attackers are utilizing hacked web sites that promote fake browser updates to infect targets with banking trojans. In some cases, post exploitation toolkits are later executed to encrypt the compromised network with ransomware.
Between May and September 2019, FireEye has conducted multiple incident response cases where enterprise customers were infected with malware through fake browser updates.
Hacked sites would display these "fakeupdates" through JavaScript alerts that state the user is using an old version of a web browser and that they should download an offered "update" to keep the browser running "smoothly and securely".
GALLIUM is a group that has been active since at least 2012, primarily targeting high-profile telecommunications networks. GALLIUM has been identified in some reporting as likely a Chinese state-sponsored group, based in part on tools used and TTPs commonly associated with Chinese threat actors. MITRE
Phishing is the fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.Typically carried out by email spoofing or instant messaging, it often directs users to enter personal information at a fake website which matches the look and feel of the legitimate site.
Phishing is an example of social engineering techniques being used to deceive users. Users are often lured by communications purporting to be from trusted parties such as social web sites, auction sites, banks, online payment processors or IT administrators.
The IcedID banking Trojan was discovered by IBM X-Force researchers in 2017. At that time, it targeted banks, payment card providers, mobile services providers, payroll, webmail and e-commerce sites, mainly in the U.S. IcedID has since continued to evolve, and while one of its more recent versions became active in late-2019, X-Force researchers have identified a new major version release that emerged in 2020 with some substantial changes. securityintelligence.com
An adversary may rely upon a user opening a malicious file in order to gain execution. Users may be subjected to social engineering to get them to open a file that will lead to code execution. This user action will typically be observed as follow-on behavior from Spearphishing Attachment. Adversaries may use several types of files that require a user to execute them, including .doc, .pdf, .xls, .rtf, .scr, .exe, .lnk, .pif, and .cpl.
Adversaries may employ various forms of Masquerading on the file to increase the likelihood that a user will open it.
While Malicious File frequently occurs shortly after Initial Access it may occur at other phases of an intrusion, such as when an adversary places a file in a shared directory or on a user's desktop hoping that a user will click on it. This activity may also be seen shortly after Internal Spearphishing. MITRE
Mustang Panda is a China-based cyber espionage threat actor that was first observed in 2017 but may have been conducting operations since at least 2014. Mustang Panda has targeted government entities, nonprofits, religious, and other non-governmental organizations in the U.S., Germany, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Vietnam, among others. MITRE
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
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
DPRK APT actor tracked by Proofpoint as TA444 Malpedia
During a routine threat-hunting exercise, Cyble research labs discovered a dark web post where a malware developer was advertising a powerful Windows RAT. Cyble
In February/March 2021, A curious lightweight payload has been observed from a well-known load seller platform. At the opposite of classic info-stealers being pushed at an industrial level, this one is widely different in the current landscape/trends. Feeling being in front of a grey box is somewhat a stressful problem, where you have no idea about what it could be behind and how it works, but in another way, it also means that you will learn way more than a usual standard investigation. Fumik0
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 | ||
| Cobalt Strike | 1 | command and control | tls | 563 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, exploitation | dns, http, smb, tcp, tls, udp | 2023-09-28 |
| Ducktail Stealer | 3 | command and control | dns, tls, http | 9 | actions on objectives, command and control | dns, http, tls | 2023-09-27 |
| Eternity | 2 | installation, command and control | http | 16 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, installation | dns, http, tcp, tls | 2023-09-29 |
| Fake Browser | 9 | exploitation | dns, tls, http | 70 | delivery, exploitation | dns, http, tls | 2023-09-30 |
| GALLIUM | 1 | command and control | http | 16 | command and control | dns, http, tls | 2023-09-27 |
| Generic Phishing | 48 | delivery | dns, http, tls | 49 | delivery | dns, http, tls | 2023-09-29 |
| IcedID | 15 | command and control | dns, http, tls | 785 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tls | 2023-09-28 |
| MalDoc | 2 | delivery | http | 536 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-09-29 |
| Mustang Panda | 6 | command and control | dns, http, tls | 29 | command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tls | 2023-09-29 |
| PeepingTitle APT | 1 | command and control | http | 1 | command and control | http | 2023-09-29 |
| RAT Generic | 1 | command and control | tcp-pkt | 79 | actions on objectives, command and control, installation | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-09-29 |
| SANDMAN APT | 6 | command and control | dns, tls, http | 6 | command and control | dns, tls, http | 2023-09-29 |
| SOCKSBOT | 2 | command and control | http | 2 | command and control | http | 2023-09-29 |
| Stealer and Exfiltration | 2 | actions on objectives | http | 370 | actions on objectives, command and control, delivery, exploitation, installation | dns, ftp, http, smtp, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-09-26 |
| TA444 | 2 | command and control | http, dns | 1264 | command and control | dns, http, tls | 2023-09-28 |
| TA4903 | 105 | delivery | dns, tls, http | 105 | delivery | dns, tls, http | 2023-09-29 |
| TOAD Phishing | 111 | delivery | dns, tls, http | 111 | delivery | dns, tls, http | 2023-09-29 |
| XWorm | 21 | command and control | tcp-pkt | 856 | command and control, delivery | dns, http, tcp, tcp-pkt, tls | 2023-09-28 |
| lu0bot | 12 | command and control | dns, http, tls | 29 | command and control, delivery | dns, http, tls | 2023-09-29 |
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Stamus Networks believes in a world where defenders are heroes, and a future where those they protect remain safe. As organizations face threats from well-funded adversaries, we relentlessly pursue solutions that make the defender’s job easier and more impactful. The global leader in Suricata-based network security solutions, Stamus Networks helps enterprise security teams know more, respond sooner and mitigate their risk with insights gathered from cloud and on-premise network activity. Our Stamus Security Platform combines the best of intrusion detection (IDS), network security monitoring (NSM), and network detection and response (NDR) systems into a single solution that exposes serious and imminent threats to critical assets and empowers rapid response.
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