DeimosC2: What SOC Analysts and Incident Responders Need to Know About This C&C Framework

C&C systems are useful collaboration tools for penetration testers and red teamers. They provide a common place for all victim machines to reach out to, be controlled from, and allow multiple users to interact with the same victims. When performing Read More …

Defenders beware: A case for post-ransomware investigations

Ransomware is one of the most pervasive threats that Microsoft Detection and Response Team (DART) responds to today. The groups behind these attacks continue to add sophistication to their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) as most network security postures increase. Read More …

Black Basta Ransomware Gang Infiltrates networks via QAKBOT, Brute Ratel, and Cobalt Strike

QAKBOT’s malware distribution resumed on September 8, 2022 following a brief hiatus, when our researchers spotted several distribution mechanisms on this date. The distribution methods observed included SmokeLoader (using the ‘snow0x’ distributor ID), Emotet (using the ‘azd‘ distributor id), and Read More …

New campaign uses government, union-themed lures to deliver Cobalt Strike beacons

Cisco Talos recently discovered a malicious campaign with a modularised attack technique to deliver Cobalt Strike beacons on infected endpoints. The initial vector of this attack is a phishing email with a malicious Microsoft Word document attachment containing an exploit Read More …

Ransomware, hacking groups move from Cobalt Strike to Brute Ratel

Hacking groups and ransomware operations are moving away from Cobalt Strike to the newer Brute Ratel post-exploitation toolkit to evade detection by EDR and antivirus solutions. Corporate cybersecurity teams commonly consist of employees who attempt to breach corporate networks (red Read More …

Russian govt hackers hit Ukraine with Cobalt Strike, CredoMap malware

The Ukrainian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) is warning that Russian hacking groups are exploiting the Follina code execution vulnerability in new phishing campaigns to install the CredoMap malware and Cobalt Strike beacons. The APT28 hacking group is believed to Read More …

Fake Windows exploits target infosec community with Cobalt Strike

A threat actor targeted security researchers with fake Windows proof-of-concept exploits that infected devices with the Cobalt Strike backdoor. Whoever is behind these attacks took advantage of recently patched Windows remote code execution vulnerabilities tracked as CVE-2022-24500 and CVE-2022-26809. When Read More …

Emotet now drops Cobalt Strike, fast forwards ransomware attacks

In a concerning development, the notorious Emotet malware now installs Cobalt Strike beacons directly, giving immediate network access to threat actors and making ransomware attacks imminent. Emotet is a malware infection that spreads through spam emails containing malicious Word or Read More …