Hackers Weaponize Windows Flaw to Deploy Crypto-Siphoning Phemedrone Stealer
Jan 16, 2024
Cryptocurrency / Windows Security
Threat actors have been observed leveraging a now-patched security flaw in Microsoft Windows to deploy an open-source information stealer called Phemedrone Stealer . "Phemedrone targets web browsers and data from cryptocurrency wallets and messaging apps such as Telegram, Steam, and Discord," Trend Micro researchers Peter Girnus, Aliakbar Zahravi, and Simon Zuckerbraun said . "It also takes screenshots and gathers system information regarding hardware, location, and operating system details. The stolen data is then sent to the attackers via Telegram or their command-and-control (C&C) server." The attacks leverage CVE-2023-36025 (CVSS score: 8.8), a security bypass vulnerability in Windows SmartScreen, that could be exploited by tricking a user into clicking on a specially crafted Internet Shortcut (.URL) or a hyperlink pointing to an Internet Shortcut file. The actively-exploited shortcoming was addressed by Microsoft as part of its November...