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Executive SummaryThis blog describes an attack that Unit 42 observed utilizing malicious compiled HTML help files for the initial delivery. We will show how to analyze the malicious compiled HTML help file. We will then follow the chain of attack through JavaScript and multiple stages of PowerShell and show how to analyze them up to the final payload.…
The Quantum Locker is a ransomware strain that was first discovered in July 2021. Since then, the ransomware was observed used in fast ransomware attacks, in some cases even Time-to-Ransom (TTR) of less than 4 hours, leaving defenders little time to react.…
This post is also available in: 日本語 (Japanese)
Executive SummaryCobalt Strike is commercial threat emulation software that emulates a quiet, long-term embedded actor in a network. This actor, known as Beacon, communicates with an external team server to emulate command and control (C2) traffic. Due to its versatility, Cobalt Strike is commonly used as a legitimate tool by red teams – but is also widely used by threat actors for real-world attacks.…
This post is also available in: 日本語 (Japanese)
Executive SummaryRecently, we’ve identified a new version of SolarMarker, a malware family known for its infostealing and backdoor capabilities, mainly delivered through search engine optimization (SEO) manipulation to convince users to download malicious documents.
Some of SolarMarker’s capabilities include the exfiltration of auto-fill data, saved passwords and saved credit card information from victims’ web browsers.…
Over the last several years, the Cybereason Nocturnus Team has been tracking different APT groups operating in the Middle East region, including two main sub-groups of the Hamas cyberwarfare division: Molerats and APT-C-23. Both groups are Arabic-speaking and politically-motivated that operate on behalf of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic-fundamentalist movement and a terrorist organization that has controlled the Gaza strip since 2006.…
Both BLISTER and SocGholish are loaders known for their evasion tactics. Our report details what these loaders are capable of and our investigation into a campaign that uses both to deliver the LockBit ransomware.
The Trend MicroTM Managed XDR team has made a series of discoveries involving the BLISTER loader and SocGholish.…
A Cobalt Strike Cybercrime Syndicate and the Ransomware Hackers’ Favorite Weapon
On March 9, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the U.S. Secret Service issued an updated alert about the Conti ransomware group, encouraging organizations to review their advisory and apply the recommended mitigations.…
This post is also available in: 日本語 (Japanese)
Executive SummaryCobalt Strike is commercial threat emulation software that emulates a quiet, long-term embedded actor in a network. This actor, known as Beacon, communicates with an external team server to emulate command and control (C2) traffic. Due to its versatility, Cobalt Strike is commonly used as a legitimate tool by red teams – but is also widely used by threat actors for real-world attacks.…
In March 2022, we came across evidence that another, relatively unknown, ransomware known as Nokoyawa is likely connected with Hive, as the two families share some striking similarities in their attack chain, from the tools used to the order in which they execute various steps.
Hive, which is one of the more notable ransomware families of 2021, made waves in the latter half of the year after breaching over 300 organizations in just four months — allowing the group to earn what could potentially be millions of US dollars in profit.…
In the past few months, a new wave of cyberattacks has been flooding Iran. These attacks are far from minor website defacements – the recent wave is hitting national infrastructure and causing major disruptions to public services.
This article provides an in-depth technical analysis of one of the attacks against the Iranian national media corporation, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) which occurred in late January 2022.…
This post is also available in: 日本語 (Japanese)
Executive SummaryAs early as Dec. 21, 2021, Unit 42 observed a new infection method for the highly prevalent malware family Emotet. Emotet is high-volume malware that often changes and modifies its attack patterns. This latest modification of the Emotet attack follows suit.…
Lorenz is a ransomware strain observed first in February of 2021, and is believed to be a rebranding of the “.sZ40” ransomware that was discovered in October 2020. Lorenz targets organizations worldwide with customized attacks demanding hundreds of thousands of dollars, and even millions in ransom fee. …
Over the past months, the Cybereason Nocturnus Team has been tracking the Iranian hacker group known as Moses Staff. The group was first spotted in October 2021 and claims their motivation is to harm Israeli companies by leaking sensitive, stolen data. …
Over the past months, the Cybereason Nocturnus Team observed an uptick in the activity of the Iranian attributed group dubbed Phosphorus (AKA Charming Kitten, APT35), known for previously attacking medical research organizations in the US and Israel in late 2020, and for targeting academic researchers from the US, France, and the Middle East region back in 2019.…