Dec 13 2023
Welcome to Gone Phishing, your daily cybersecurity newsletter that shows cybercriminals all the respect that Elon Musk shows the CEO of Disney ???? “Walt Disney is turning in his grave.” ???????????? #RIPBobIger
Today’s hottest cybersecurity news stories:
???? Researchers discover potential ‘PoolParty’ in Windows systems ????
???? Android users beware! Malicious ‘SpyLoan’ apps defraud millions ????
⌛ Link between ‘Sandman’ APT and China’s KEYPLUG uncovered ????️
A revelation at Black Hat Europe 2023 introduces PoolParty—a collection of eight dynamic process injection techniques, boasting flexibility and evading endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems.
????️ PoolParty's Arsenal
SafeBreach researcher Alon Leviev underscores the versatility of PoolParty, working seamlessly across all processes. These techniques prove more adaptable than current injection methods, making them a potent threat.
???? How PoolParty Works
Rooted in the Windows user-mode thread pool, PoolParty targets worker factories to insert various work items into a target process. Leviev explains the exploitation of start routines with malicious shellcode.
???? PoolParty vs. Top EDR Solutions
PoolParty demonstrates its prowess by achieving a 100% success rate against popular EDR solutions, including those from CrowdStrike, Cybereason, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, and SentinelOne.
???? Evolving Threats in Cybersecurity
Leviev warns about the ongoing challenge of undetectable techniques like PoolParty, emphasising the need for constant innovation in cybersecurity defence strategies.
???? Stay Vigilant: Update Your Defences!
In light of PoolParty's threat, it's crucial to stay vigilant and update your defences against evolving cyber threats. Leviev concludes with a call for proactive measures in the ever-changing security landscape. ????
Cybersecurity researchers unveil 18 malicious loan apps on Google Play, collectively downloaded over 12 million times. Disguised as helpful loan services, these apps aim to defraud users by offering high-interest-rate loans while collecting personal and financial information for blackmail.
???? Targeted Regions
Tracked by Slovak cybersecurity company ESET under the name SpyLoan, these apps specifically target users in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
???? Google Takes Action
The list of now-removed apps includes familiar names like AA Kredit, Amor Cash, and Oro Préstamo, all taken down by Google.
???? Phishing Rods of choice
Infection pathways include SMS messages, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Users are urged to avoid downloading from third-party stores and scam websites.
???? Risks and Tactics
SpyLoan operators resort to blackmail and harassment tactics, pressuring victims into payments by threatening to release sensitive photos and videos on social media.
????️ Mitigating Risks
To protect against spyware threats, stick to official app sources, validate app authenticity, and scrutinise reviews and permissions before installation.
???? Android Banking Trojan Resurgence
The SpyLoan discovery follows the resurgence of TrickMo, an Android banking trojan masquerading as a streaming app. It steals screen content, downloads runtime modules, and utilises overlay injection for credential extraction.
???? Stay Informed, Stay Safe!
Stay vigilant against deceptive apps and evolving threats. SpyLoan serves as a stark reminder of the risks users face when seeking financial services online. ????️????
???? The Motley Fool: “Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.” Good ol’ George Dubya ???? Let us tell who’s not fooling around though; that’s the Crüe ???? at Motley Fool. You’d be a fool (alright, enough already! ????) not to check out their Share Tips from time to time so your savings can one day emerge from their cocoon as a beautiful butterfly! ???? Kidding aside, if you check out their website they’ve actually got a ton of great content with a wide variety of different investment ideas to suit most budgets ???? (LINK)
???? Wander: Find your happy place. Cue Happy Gilmore flashback ????️⛳????????️ Mmmm Happy Place… ???? So, we’ve noticed a lot of you guys are interested in travel. As are we! We stumbled upon this cool company that offers a range of breath-taking spots around the United States and, honestly, the website alone is worth a gander. When all you see about the Land of the free and the home of the brave is news of rioting, looting and school shootings, it’s easy to forget how beautiful some parts of it are. The awe-inspiring locations along with the innovative architecture of the hotels sets Wander apart from your run of the mill American getaway ????️???? (LINK)
???? Digital Ocean: If you build it they will come. Nope, we’re not talking about a baseball field for ghosts ⚾???????? (Great movie, to be fair ????). This is the Digital Ocean who’ve got a really cool platform for building and hosting pretty much anything you can think of. If you check out their website you’ll find yourself catching the buzz even if you can’t code (guilty ????). But if you can and you’re looking for somewhere to test things out or launch something new or simply enhance what you’ve got, we’d recommend checking out their services fo’ sho ???? And how can you not love their slogan: Dream it. Build it. Grow it. Right on, brother! ???? (LINK)
Joint research reveals tactical overlaps between the enigmatic APT Sandman and the China-based threat cluster using the KEYPLUG backdoor. Microsoft and PwC track this activity as Storm-0866 (Red Dev 40).
???? Shared Infrastructure
Sandman and Storm-0866/Red Dev 40 exhibit commonalities in infrastructure control, domain naming, and management practices. LuaDream and KEYPLUG coexist in the same victim networks, indicating shared development practices.
???? Timeline
SentinelOne exposed Sandman in September 2023, detailing attacks on telecom providers in the Middle East, Western Europe, and South Asia. Storm-0866 targets entities in the Middle East and South Asian subcontinent.
????️ Commonalities
Both LuaDream and KEYPLUG share development indicators, infrastructure, and functionalities. Notable overlaps include C2 domains and support for QUIC and WebSocket protocols, suggesting coordinated operations.
???? Uncommon Tactics
Threat actors, including nation-state aligned groups, are increasingly using uncommon programming languages like Lua, DLang, and Nim to evade detection. Lua-based malware, rare in the wild, indicates sophisticated and persistent threats.
???? Complex Chinese Threat Landscape
The research highlights the complexity of the Chinese threat landscape, emphasising strong overlaps in operational infrastructure, targeting, and tactics.
???? Stay Informed, Stay Secure!
Vigilance is key in navigating the evolving landscape of advanced persistent threats. Understanding shared tactics aids in proactive cybersecurity measures. ????️????
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So long and thanks for reading all the phish!
