SMTP is the key: BPFDoor and AVERAT hitting the network edge


Rapid7 tracked a set of Linux samples that blend into the software and device conventions of the telecom environments they target. The set spans a newly observed BPFDoor variant, a BPF Rekoobe build seen against South Korean targets, a dropper, and six builds of a Linux implant Rapid7 researchers track as AVERAT, deployed against Taiwanese appliances. Additionally, researchers provide source code details of the Rapid7 BPFDoor controller introduced in our April 2026 blog, Stealthy BPFDoor Variants are a Needle That Looks Like Hay.

The chain uses two binaries. A dropper writes a shell script to the appliance’s storage mount and executes it. The script stages both payloads into /sbin under the names ntpdate and udevds, launches them, and deletes each file ten seconds later while the processes continue running. One of those payloads is the dropper itself, re-executing as a resident watchdog, leaving both processes running without an on-disk image.

Read more…
Source:  Rapid7 News


Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox


Related:

  • Another major Linux security issue uncovered – new Fragnesia flaw allows attackers to run malicious code as root

    May 14, 2026

    Security researchers have discovered a new vulnerability in the Linux kernel which could allow malicious actors to run code with elevated privileges, exposing systems to risk of data theft, malware deployment, and even full device takeover. The vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2026-46300, and was given a severity score of 7.8/10 (high). It’s nicknamed Fragnesia and is ...

  • Over a million WordPress sites hit in plugin flaw — so patch now or face the consequences

    May 14, 2026

    A popular WordPress plugin with roughly a million active installations contained two vulnerabilities that could have allowed malicious actors to exfiltrate sensitive data, such as password hashes and other valuable information. Security researchers at Wordfence said they were tipped off by a researcher Rafie Muhammad about the existence of an Arbitrary File Read and an SQL Injection vulnerability in Avada ...

  • Ransomware hackers claim breach at Foxconn, a major electronics manufacturer for Apple, Google, and Nvidia

    May 13, 2026

    Electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn, which makes devices and components for Apple, Google, Nvidia, and Sony, among other tech giants, confirmed on Monday that it was hit by a cyberattack that may have affected some of its factories. In a statement sent to media outlets, Foxconn said that the cyberattack affected facilities in North America and that ...

  • When IT Support Calls: Dissecting a ModeloRAT Campaign from Teams to Domain Compromise

    May 13, 2026

    Attackers do not need to break into the front door when they can convince employees to open it for them through the tools they already trust. In April 2026, Rapid7 investigated an enterprise intrusion that began with a Microsoft Teams message from a fake “IT Support” account and quickly escalated into a full compromise chain involving ...

  • Stolen Canvas data was “returned” after hacker agreement, Instructure says

    May 12, 2026

    The Instructure/Canvas data breach that has dominated cybersecurity coverage recently has reached a new stage. Millions of students had personal data stolen, with extortion group ShinyHunters claiming credit for the data breach and applying extra pressure for their ransom demands by bothering Canvas users directly. Which seems to have paid off. On the Instructure web page about the recent ...

  • Cache-poisoning caper turns TanStack npm packages toxic

    May 12, 2026

    An attacker has published 84 malicious versions of official TanStack npm packages, with the impact including credential theft, self-propagation, and complete disk wipe of an infected host. The attack is part of a wave of attacks across npm and PyPI, continuing the Mini Shai-Hulud campaign. Supply chain security company Socket reports that other compromised packages include the OpenSearch client, Mistral ...