- Analyzing ELF/Sshdinjector.A!tr with a Human and Artificial Analyst
February 4, 2025
ELF/Sshdinjector.A!tr is a collection of malware that can be injected into the SSH daemon. Samples of this malware collection surfaced around mid-November 2024. While Fortinet researchers have a good amount of threat intelligence on them (e.g., they are attributed to the DaggerFly espionage group and were used during the Lunar Peek campaign against network appliances), nobody ...
- Coyote Banking Trojan: A Stealthy Attack via LNK Files
January 30, 2025
Over the past month, FortiGuard Labs has identified several similar LNK files containing PowerShell commands designed to execute malicious scripts and connect to remote servers. These files are part of multi-stage operations that ultimately deliver the Coyote Banking Trojan. This malware primarily targets users in Brazil, seeking to harvest sensitive information from over 70 financial applications ...
- Dangerous new botnet targets webcams, routers across the world
January 22, 2025
Cybersecurity researchers from the Qualys Threat Research Unit have observed a new large-scale operation exploiting vulnerabilities in IP cameras and routers to build out a botnet. In a technical analysis, Qualys said the attackers were mostly exploiting CVE-2017-17215 and CVE-2024-7029, seeking to compromise AVTECH IP cameras, and Huawei HG532 routers. The botnet is essentially Mirai, although ...
- PlugX malware deleted from thousands of systems by FBI
January 16, 2025
The FBI says it has removed PlugX malware from thousands of infected computers worldwide. The move came after suspicion that cybercriminals groups under control of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) used a version of PlugX malware to control, and steal information from victims’ computers. PlugX has been around since at least 2008 but is under ...
- Deep Dive Into a Linux Rootkit Malware
January 13, 2025
This is a follow-up analysis to a previous blog about a zero day exploit where the FortiGuard Incident Response (FGIR) team examined how remote attackers exploited multiple vulnerabilities in an appliance to gain control of a customer’s system. At the end of that blog, Fortinet researchers revealed that the remote attacker had deployed a rootkit (a ...
- Meet FunkSec: A New, Surprising Ransomware Group, Powered by AI
January 10, 2025
The FunkSec ransomware group emerged in late 2024 and published over 85 victims in December, surpassing every other ransomware group that month. FunkSec operators appear to use AI-assisted malware development, which can enable even inexperienced actors to quickly produce and refine advanced tools. The group’s activities straddle the line between hacktivism and cybercrime, complicating efforts to ...
- Cracking the Code: How Banshee Stealer Targets macOS Users
January 9, 2025
Since September, Check Point Research (CPR) has been monitoring a new version of the Banshee macOS Stealer, a malware that steals browser credentials, cryptocurrency wallets, and other sensitive data. Undetected for over two months, Banshee’s latest version introduced string encryption taken from Apple’s XProtect, likely causing antivirus detection systems to overlook the malware. Threat actors distributed ...
- Google Chrome AI extensions deliver info-stealing malware in broad attack
January 9, 2025
Small businesses and boutique organizations should use caution when leaning on browser-friendly artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate ideas, content, and marketing copy, as a set of Google Chrome extensions were recently compromised to deliver info-stealing malware disguised as legitimate updates. Analyzed by researchers at Extension Total, the cybercriminal campaign has managed to take over the ...
- Enhancing Botnet Detection with AI using LLMs and Similarity Search
January 8, 2025
As botnets continue to evolve, so do the techniques required to detect them. While Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption is widely adopted for secure communications, botnets leverage TLS to obscure command-and-control (C2) traffic. These malicious actors often have identifiable characteristics embedded within their TLS certificates, opening a potential pathway for advanced detection techniques. In first-of-its-kind research, ...
- EAGERBEE, with updated and novel components, targets the Middle East
January 6, 2025
In recent investigation into the EAGERBEE backdoor, kaspersky researchers found that it was being deployed at ISPs and governmental entities in the Middle East. The researchers analysis uncovered new components used in these attacks, including a novel service injector designed to inject the backdoor into a running service. Additionally, Kaspersky team discovered previously undocumented components (plugins) ...