Intelligence

Pierluigi Paganini July 03, 2023
SmugX: Chinese APT uses HTML smuggling to target European Ministries and embassies

China-linked APT group was spotted using HTML smuggling in attacks aimed at Foreign Affairs ministries and embassies in Europe. A China-linked APT group was observed using HTML smuggling in attacks against Foreign Affairs ministries and embassies in Europe, reports the cybersecurity firm Check Point. The researchers tracked the campaign as SmugX and reported that it […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 30, 2023
Iran-linked Charming Kitten APT enhanced its POWERSTAR Backdoor

Iran-linked Charming Kitten group used an updated version of the PowerShell backdoor called POWERSTAR in a spear-phishing campaign. Security firm Volexity observed the Iran-linked Charming Kitten (aka APT35, Phosphorus, Newscaster, and Ajax Security Team) group using an updated version of the PowerShell backdoor POWERSTAR in a spear-phishing campaign. Iran-linked Charming Kitten group, (aka APT35, Phosphorus, Newscaster, and Ajax Security Team) made the headlines in 2014 when experts at iSight issued […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 30, 2023
North Korea-linked Andariel APT used a new malware named EarlyRat last year

North Korea-linked cyberespionage group Andariel used a previously undocumented malware called EarlyRat. Kaspersky researchers reported that the North Korea-linked APT group Andariel used a previously undocumented malware dubbed EarlyRat in attacks exploiting the Log4j Log4Shell vulnerability last year. The Andariel APT (aka Stonefly) has been active since at least 2015, it was involved in several attacks attributed to the North Korean government. The […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 26, 2023
China-linked APT group VANGUARD PANDA uses a new tradecraft in recent attacks

China-linked APT group VANGUARD PANDA, aka Volt Typhoon, was spotted observing a novel tradecraft to gain initial access to target networks. CrowdStrike researchers observed the China-linked APT group VANGUARD PANDA, aka Volt Typhoon, using a novel tradecraft to gain initial access to target networks. The Volt Typhoon group has been active since at least mid-2021 […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 24, 2023
Someone is sending mysterious smartwatches to the US Military personnel

U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division warns that US military personnel have reported receiving unsolicited smartwatches in the mail. The U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division reported that service members across the military received smartwatches unsolicited in the mail. Upon using these smartwatches, the devices automatically connected to Wi-Fi and began connecting to cell phones unprompted, gaining access to a huge quantity of […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 22, 2023
Analyzing the TriangleDB implant used in Operation Triangulation

Kaspersky provided more details about Operation Triangulation, including the exploitation chain and the implant used by the threat actors. Kaspersky researchers dug into Operation Triangulation and discovered more details about the exploit chain employed to deliver the spyware to iOS devices. In early June, the researchers from the Russian firm Kaspersky uncovered a previously unknown […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 21, 2023
Russia-linked APT28 hacked Roundcube email servers of Ukrainian entities

Russia-linked APT28 group hacked into Roundcube email servers belonging to multiple Ukrainian organizations. A joint investigation conducted by Ukraine’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA) and Recorded Future revealed that the Russia-linked APT28 group hacked into Roundcube email servers belonging to multiple Ukrainian organizations. The APT28 group (aka Fancy Bear, Pawn Storm, Sofacy Group, Sednit, BlueDelta, and STRONTIUM) has been active since at least 2007 […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 15, 2023
Russia-linked APT Gamaredon update TTPs in recent attacks against Ukraine

Russia-linked APT group Gamaredon is using a new toolset in attacks aimed at critical organizations in Ukraine. The Gamaredon APT group (aka Shuckworm, Actinium, Armageddon, Primitive Bear, UAC-0010, and Trident Ursa) continues to carry out attacks against entities in Ukraine, including security services, military, and government organizations. Symantec researchers reported that in some cases, the cyberespionage group remained undetected in the […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 14, 2023
Microsoft links Cadet Blizzard APT to Russia’s military intelligence GRU

Microsoft linked a series of wiping attacks to a Russia-linked APT group, tracked as Cadet Blizzard, that is under the control of the GRU. Microsoft attributes the operations carried out by the Russia-linked APT group tracked as Cadet Blizzard to the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). The IT giant pointed out that Cadet Blizzard is […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 14, 2023
China-linked APT UNC3886 used VMware ESXi Zero-Day

A China-linked APT group tracked as UNC3886 has been spotted exploiting a VMware ESXi zero-day vulnerability. Mandiant researchers observed a China-linked cyberespionage group, tracked as UNC3886, exploiting a VMware ESXi zero-day vulnerability tracked as CVE-2023-20867. “VMware Tools contains an Authentication Bypass vulnerability in the vgauth module.” reads the advisory published by VMware. “A fully compromised […]