Attackers typically try to pass off malware as legitimate applications or as potentially unwanted programs that users deliberately search for and download, such as cheats or cracks. They often rely on ad and affiliate networks to deliver their creations to victims’ devices. This post examines a less conventional case: a well-known backdoor distributed under the guise of adware. The attackers may have chosen this distribution method because the adware was signed by the developer. On top of that, users often manually add these apps to exclusions, so their useful features don’t get blocked.
Some time ago, a client asked us to analyze a file with the MD5 hash c24e99f9437feacaa63766a3cde3fe3d and add it to our detection database. We initially classified it as adware, but a cursory analysis turned up suspicious network activity, which prompted us to dig deeper. It turned out the sample did far more than serve ads. In fact, its advertising functionality doesn’t even work; instead, it triggers an infection chain that delivers the ValleyRAT backdoor.
Read more…
Source: Kaspersky
Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- UK: Woman arrested for ‘sharing inaccurate information about identity of Southport attacker’
August 8, 2024
A woman has been arrested in relation to a social media post containing ‘inaccurate information about the identity of the attacker’ in the Southport stabbings. The 55-year-old woman from near Chester, was arrested on Thursday (August 8). She was taken into custody on suspicion of publishing written material to stir up racial hatred and false communications. ...
- Russia: Massive DDoS attack on Kursk Region repelled
August 8, 2024
The Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation has reported that a massive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on the Kursk Region’s local services has been successfully thwarted. “A massive DDoS attack on the regional services of the Kursk Region has been repelled and specialists have already restored all online activity,” the ...
- Greece leaves spy services unchecked on Predator hacks
August 7, 2024
Greece’s 2022 espionage scandal dubbed “Predatorgate” had everything: eavesdropping on politicians, journalists and judges, exports of shady software to dictatorial regimes and high-profile resignations. Fast-forward two years and everyone in government is off the hook. In a 300-page report seen by POLITICO, deputy prosecutor of the Supreme Court Achilles Zisis argued that a series of controversial ...
- Cloud Cover: How Malicious Actors Are Leveraging Cloud Services
August 7, 2024
The number of threat actors leveraging legitimate cloud services in their attacks has grown this year as attackers have begun to realize their potential to provide low-key and low-cost infrastructure. Traffic to and from well known, trusted services such as Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive may be less likely to raise red flags than communications with ...
- SharpRhino malware targets IT admins
August 7, 2024
Fake Angry IP Scanner will make you furious – or maybe remind you of how the Hive gang went about its banal business The latest malware from upstart criminal gang Hunters International appears to be targeting network admins, using malicious code disguised as the popular networking tool Angry IP Scanner.… The software nasty, dubbed SharpRhino on ...
- UK: Port of Tyne website hit by cyber attack
August 7, 2024
A port has fallen victim to cyber attackers who targeted its website. The Port of Tyne confirmed its site was down for some time on Tuesday following a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack, which attempts to overload a website to make it hard to use or inaccessible. A spokesman for the port said operational systems, ...