Analyzing Forest Blizzard’s custom post-compromise tool for exploiting CVE-2022-38028 to obtain credentials

Microsoft Threat Intelligence is publishing results of our longstanding investigation into activity by the Russian-based threat actor Forest Blizzard (STRONTIUM) using a custom tool to elevate privileges and steal credentials in compromised networks. Since at least June 2020 and possibly Read More …

ToddyCat is making holes in your infrastructure

Kapersky researchers continue covering the activities of the APT group ToddyCat. In their previous article, they described tools for collecting and exfiltrating files (LoFiSe and PcExter). This time, the researchers have investigated how attackers obtain constant access to compromised infrastructure, what Read More …

DuneQuixote campaign targets Middle Eastern entities with “CR4T” malware

In February 2024, Kaspersky researchers discovered a new malware campaign targeting government entities in the Middle East. They dubbed it “DuneQuixote”; and their investigation uncovered over 30 DuneQuixote dropper samples actively employed in the campaign. These droppers, which exist in Read More …

Apple alerts users in 92 nations to mercenary spyware attacks

Apple sent threat notifications to iPhone users in 92 countries on Wednesday, warning them that may have been targeted by mercenary spyware attacks. The company sent the alerts to individuals in 92 nations at 12pm Pacific Time Wednesday. It did Read More …

LazyStealer: Sophisticated does not mean better

In the first quarter of 2024, researchers from Positive Technologies Expert Security Center (PT ESC) detected a series of attacks targeting government organizations in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Armenia. The research team could not find any links Read More …

Why the threat of a ‘nightmare’ Chinese supercomputer just got a step closer

A cyber security official at the US State Department had noticed something unusual. An internal IT security system, nicknamed “Big Yellow Taxi”, had flagged unusual activity on its corporate Microsoft account. The tech team quickly raised its concerns to Microsoft, Read More …

Cloud Werewolf spearphishes Russian and Belarus government employees with fake spa vouchers and federal decrees

The BI.ZONE Threat Intelligence team has revealed another campaign by Cloud Werewolf aiming at Russian and Belarusian government organizations. According to the researchers, the group ran at least five attacks in February and March. The adversaries continue to rely on Read More …

Chinese hackers targeted UK’s Electoral Commission and politicians, say security services

Chinese state-backed hackers were responsible for two “malicious” digital campaigns targeting the UK’s democratic institutions and politicians, the security services have found. The UK holds China responsible for a prolonged cyber-attack on the Electoral Commission during which Beijing allegedly accessed Read More …

APT29 Uses WINELOADER to Target German Political Parties

In late February 2024, Mandiant identified APT29 — a Russian Federation backed threat group linked by multiple governments to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) — conducting a phishing campaign targeting German political parties. Consistent with APT29 operations extending back to Read More …

Bringing Access Back — Initial Access Brokers Exploit F5 BIG-IP (CVE-2023-46747) and ScreenConnect

During the course of an intrusion investigation in late October 2023, Mandiant observed novel N-day exploitation of CVE-2023-46747 affecting F5 BIG-IP Traffic Management User Interface. Additionally, in February 2024, Mandiant researchers observed exploitation of Connectwise ScreenConnect CVE-2024-1709 by the same Read More …