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Forge Report: First Half Threat Trends of 2024
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Rhysida Ransomware Caused Outages to 16 Hospitals?
In the aftermath of the ransomware attack on August 3rd, 2023, that impacted Prospect Medical hospitals, it has been confirmed that 16 hospitals across four states were affected. This major incident, attributed to the relatively new Rhysida ransomware group, has led to hospital closures, the rescheduling of patient appointments, and the rerouting of patients to other facilities. Both the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have remained silent on the details of the attack, while an HC3 advisory suggests a potential link between Rhysida and the Vice Society ransomware gang.
eSentire Unveils Operation PhantomControl
In July 2023, eSentire researchers uncovered a malicious campaign dubbed Operation PhantomControl, identified through suspicious PowerShell commands. The attackers utilized the ScreenConnect remote access tool, delivered through compromised websites, including a domain associated with 'Teachflix', a classroom learning and video-sharing site. After gaining access, the attackers deployed various files and scripts, including a notable PowerShell script disguised as an SVG file, to deploy AsyncRAT, harvest user data and credentials, and establish persistence on infected systems.
TargetCompany Ransomware Layers Intrusions with Remcos
The TargetCompany ransomware operators are enhancing their intrusion strategies by employing Fully Undetectable (FUD) packers and the Remcos Remote Access Trojan (RAT), aiming to conduct evasive infections. According to Trend Micro analysts Don Ovid Ladores and Nathaniel Morales, the attackers initially gain access through vulnerable SQL servers. They then execute a PowerShell script to download executable files into the TEMP directory, eventually leading to the successful download and installation of the Remcos RAT. The FUD packer style used resembles that used by BatCloak, involving batch files and PowerShell for Living-Off-The-Land Binaries (LOLBins) execution. Metasploit is also utilized in the attack chain. Trend Micro emphasizes TargetCompany's adoption since February 2022 of a 'cmd x PowerShell' loader technique, likely inspired by OneNote campaigns using PowerLoad. Unlike other malware, the loaders for Remcos and TargetCompany focus on integrating decompression into their binaries, likely altering the payload to evade detection.
Pyarmor Pro Shields Batloader for Stealthier Intrusions
The Water Minyades threat actors have refined the Batloader initial access malware, incorporating Pyarmor Pro for stealth, as reported by Trend Micro. Since December 2022, Pyarmor, particularly its professional variant, has been utilized to obfuscate Batloader, complicating detection due to most antivirus engines lacking an unpacker for Pyarmor. Batloader’s attack chain uses Windows Installer package files, the Windows command-line interface, and batch files. Once executed, it leverages native Windows tools for host enumeration and sends the data to a command and control server. It can then facilitate the installation of further malware payloads, such as Ursnif, Vidar, or Redline Stealer, with potential escalation to dangerous ransomware deployments, including those associated with the Royal and BlackSuit ransomware gangs.
Dragos Measures a 2x Increase in Ransomware Attacks Against Industrial Orgs in Q2 2023
In Q2 2023, ransomware attacks on industrial sectors doubled, as revealed by Dragos. North America was the primary target, with manufacturing facing the majority of threats. Prominent gangs like Lockbit 3.0 spearheaded these attacks, and given the current geopolitical climate, a further surge in Q3 is anticipated.
APT29: Actively Running Phishing Attacks Centered on Microsoft Teams
Russian threat group APT29 has been actively running phishing campaigns on Microsoft Teams to steal user credentials since May 2023. Posing as technical support, they target entities in government, manufacturing, media, NGOs, and tech sectors, furthering Russia's espionage objectives.
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