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Forge Report: First Half Threat Trends of 2024
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Bitter APT Targets Bangladesh
Cisco Talos reports that the Bitter APT group has been targeting the Bangladesh government since August 2021, marking a shift from their usual targets in China, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. The campaign uses spear-phishing emails containing malicious Word documents that exploit Microsoft vulnerabilities like CVE-2017-11882. The ZxxZ trojan, disguised as a Windows Security update, is deployed to conduct cyber espionage, with capabilities including remote code execution and system information discovery. The threat actor uses Zimbra and JavaMail to send the phishing emails.
Operation CuckooBees
Cybereason's Operation CuckooBees uncovered a Chinese state-sponsored cyber espionage campaign by the Winnti APT group, targeting intellectual property in industries such as Aerospace, Biotechnology, Defense, Energy, and Pharmaceuticals. The campaign has impacted companies globally since at least 2019, exploiting common vulnerabilities like unpatched systems and lack of multi-factor authentication.
IceApple Post-Exploitation Toolset
CrowdStrike Falcon OverWatch team discovered the IceApple post-exploitation toolset in late 2021. Mainly targeting Microsoft Exchange servers, IceApple can affect any IIS web application. With at least 18 in-memory modules, it is designed for long-term espionage and may be linked to Chinese state-sponsored actors. The toolset facilitates credential harvesting, reconnaissance, and data exfiltration, with attackers revisiting networks regularly to maintain access. Organizations are advised to keep web applications updated and patched to defend against IceApple.
Linux Backdoor, BPFDoor
BPFDoor is an evasive Linux backdoor utilized by Chinese Red Menshen threat actors, ideal for espionage and persistent attacks. Researched by Kevin Beaumont, PwC, and the Sandfly Security Team, BPFDoor uses a Berkeley Packet Filter sniffer for stealthy network monitoring and packet sending. It operates at the network layer, bypassing firewall rules without needing open ports. The malware, requiring root permissions for execution, is set up as an in-memory implant with persistence through scripts or scheduled tasks. Attackers control the implant by modifying firewall configurations and using a "magic" password. Targets include education, government, logistics, and telecommunication sectors in Asia and the Middle East.
Ransomware Forces Closure of Lincoln College
After 157 years, Lincoln College in Illinois will close on May 13th, 2022, due to financial losses from the COVID-19 pandemic and a ransomware attack in December 2021. The attack disrupted admissions and access to institutional data, making it impossible to sustain operations. No personal information was exposed.
Quantum Ransomware Analyzed by Cybereason
Cybereason analyzes Quantum ransomware, a rebrand of Mount Locker, Astro Locker, and Xing Locker. The ransomware group uses IcedID malware for initial infection, with rapid attacks leading to a Time-to-Ransom under 4 hours. Quantum follows a double extortion model, leaking data if victims don't respond within 72 hours.
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