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:
- Israeli companies targeted with new Pay2Key ransomware
November 16, 2020
Several companies and large corporations from Israel have been breached and had their systems encrypted using a new strain of ransomware named Pay2Key, in what appears to be a targeted attack against Israeli networks. The first attacks were seen in late October but have now grown in numbers while also remaining contained to Israel. “As days go ...
- What Is SCM (Security Configuration Management)?
November 16, 2020
The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic shifted the cybersecurity landscape. According to a PR Newswire release, the FBI tracked as many as 4,000 digital attack attempts a day during the pandemic. That’s 400% more than what it was prior to the pandemic. In response to these attacks, 70% of CISOs told McKinsey that they believed their ...
- Lazarus malware strikes South Korean supply chains
November 16, 2020
Lazarus malware has been tracked in new campaigns against South Korean supply chains, made possible through stolen security certificates. On Monday, cybersecurity researchers from ESET revealed the abuse of the certificates, stolen from two separate, legitimate South Korean companies. Lazarus, also known as Hidden Cobra, is an umbrella term for select threat groups — including offshoot entities ...
- Malicious Actors Target Comm Apps such as Zoom, Slack, Discord
November 16, 2020
In our 2020 midyear report, we discussed how the Covid-19 pandemic had forced many organizations to shift from physical offices to virtual ones — a change that also led to the rise of messaging and video conferencing apps as indispensable tools for communication. While these apps have provided businesses a way of maintaining communication between ...
- DarkSide ransomware’s Iranian hosting raises U.S. sanction concerns
November 15, 2020
Ransomware negotiation firm Coveware has placed the DarkSide operation on an internal restricted list after the threat actors announced plans to host infrastructure in Iran. When the DarkSide ransomware operation encrypts a network, their affiliates steal unencrypted files, which they threaten to release if a ransom is not paid. This double-extortion strategy is always under attack by ...
- New TroubleGrabber Discord malware steals passwords, system info
November 13, 2020
TroubleGrabber, a new credential stealer discovered by Netskope security researchers, spreads via Discord attachments and uses Discord webhooks to deliver stolen information to its operators. Several threat actors use the new info stealer to target gamers on Discord servers and to steal their passwords and other sensitive information. Its capabilities are similar to another malware strain dubbed ...