We identified a cluster of activity that we track as CL-STA-0048. This cluster targeted high-value targets in South Asia, including a telecommunications organization.
This activity cluster used rare tools and techniques including the technique we call Hex Staging, in which the attackers deliver payloads in chunks. Their activity also includes exfiltration over DNS using ping, and abusing the SQLcmd utility for data theft. Based on an analysis of the tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), as well as the tools used, the infrastructure and the victimology, Unit 42 assess with moderate-high confidence that this activity originates in China.
Read more…
Source: Palo Alto Unit 42
Related:
- Meltdown-Spectre: Malware is already being tested by attackers
February 1, 2018
German antivirus testing firm AV-Test has identified 139 samples of malware that seem to be early attempts at exploiting the Meltdown and Spectre CPU bugs. “So far, the AV-Test Institute discovered 139 samples that appear to be related to recently reported CPU vulnerabilities. CVE-2017-5715, CVE-2017-5753, CVE-2017-5754,” the company wrote on Twitter. The company has posted SHA-256 hashes of several ...
- Ransomware: Is time running out for the biggest menace on the web?
January 26, 2018
Ransomware attacks like WannaCry and Petya caused major chaos last year, while the likes of Locky and Cerber were less high-profile, but still managed to generate large amounts of income for their criminal creators. 2017 was the year of ransomware, but it could be that the file-encrypting malware has already reached its peak, as an analysis of cybercriminal campaigns appears to show that malicious ...
- Satori Author Linked to New Mirai Variant Masuta
January 23, 2018
Researchers at NewSky Security say the hacker behind a Mirai malware variant called Satori, also known as Mirai Okiru, is the same hacker behind two new Mirai variants called Masuta and PureMasuta. Based on source code for Masuta malware recently found on the dark web, researchers at NewSky Security said they were able to connect the ...
- Triple Meltdown: How So Many Researchers Found A 20-Year-Old Chip Flaw At The Same Time.
January 7, 2018
On a cold Sunday early last month in the small Austrian city of Graz, three young researchers sat down in front of the computers in their homes and tried to break their most fundamental security protections. Two days earlier, in their lab at Graz’s University of Technology, Moritz Lipp, Daniel Gruss, and Michael Schwarz had determined to ...
- Kernel-memory-leaking Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign
January 2, 2018
A fundamental design flaw in Intel’s processor chips has forced a significant redesign of the Linux and Windows kernels to defang the chip-level security bug. Programmers are scrambling to overhaul the open-source Linux kernel’s virtual memory system. Meanwhile, Microsoft is expected to publicly introduce the necessary changes to its Windows operating system in an upcoming Patch ...
- MacOS LPE Exploit Gives Attackers Root Access
January 2, 2018
A researcher that goes by the handle “Siguza” released details of a local privilege escalation attack against macOS that dates back to 2002. A successful attack could give adversaries complete root access to targeted systems. Siguza released details of the attack on Dec. 31 via Twitter, wishing followers a “Happy New Year” and linked to a ...