SteganoAmor campaign: TA558 mass-attacking companies and public institutions all around the world

Researchers from the Positive Technologies Expert Security Center discovered more than three hundred attacks worldwide, which they confidently attributed to the well-known TA558 group. As originally described by researchers at ProofPoint, TA558 is a relatively small financially motivated cybercrime group Read More …

WASP malware stings Python developers

Malware dubbed WASP is using steganography and polymorphism to evade detection, with its malicious Python packages designed to steal credentials, personal information, and cryptocurrency. Researchers from Phylum and Check Point earlier this month reported seeing new malicious packages on PyPI, Read More …

Witchetty: Group Uses Updated Toolset in Attacks on Governments in Middle East

The Witchetty espionage group (aka LookingFrog) has been progressively updating its toolset, using new malware in attacks on targets in the Middle East and Africa. Among the new tools being used by the group is a backdoor Trojan (Backdoor.Stegmap) that Read More …

Compromised Website Images Camouflage ObliqueRAT Malware

The ObliqueRAT malware is now cloaking its payloads as seemingly-innocent image files that are hidden on compromised websites. The remote access trojan (RAT), which has been operating since 2019, spreads via emails, which have malicious Microsoft Office documents attached. Previously, Read More …

MontysThree: Industrial espionage with steganography and a Russian accent on both sides

In summer 2020 we uncovered a previously unknown multi-module C++ toolset used in highly targeted industrial espionage attacks dating back to 2018. Initially the reason for our interest in this malware was its rarity, the obviously targeted nature of the Read More …

OilRig Targets Middle Eastern Telecom Organization and Adds Novel C2 Channel with Steganography to Its Inventory

While analyzing an attack against a Middle Eastern telecommunications organization, Unit 42 has discovered a variant of an OilRig-associated tool we call RDAT using a novel email-based command and control (C2) channel that relied on a technique known as steganography Read More …

IcedID Banker is Back, Adding Steganography, COVID-19 Theme

A new version of the IcedID banking trojan has debuted that notably embraces steganography – the practice of hiding code within images – in order to stealthily infect victims. It has also changed up its process for eavesdropping on victims’ Read More …

Steganography in attacks on industrial enterprises (updated)

Kaspersky ICS CERT experts have identified a series of attacks on organizations located in different countries. As of early May 2020, there are known cases of attacks on systems in Japan, Italy, Germany and the UK. Up to 50% of Read More …