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The threat actors behind the AndroxGh0st malware are now exploiting a broader set of security flaws impacting various internet-facing applications, while also deploying the Mozi botnet malware. "This botnet utilizes remote code execution and credential-stealing methods to maintain persistent access, leveraging unpatched vulnerabilities to infiltrate critical infrastructures," CloudSEK said in a new report. AndroxGh0st is the name given to a Python-based cloud attack tool that's known for its targeting of Laravel applications with the goal of sensitive data pertaining to services like Amazon Web Services (AWS), SendGrid, and Twilio. Active since at least 2022, it has previously leveraged flaws in the Apache web server ( CVE-2021-41773 ), Laravel Framework ( CVE-2018-15133 ), and PHPUnit ( CVE-2017-9841 ) to gain initial access, escalate privileges, and establish persistent control over compromised systems. Earlier this January, U.S. cybersecurity and intelligence a...

High-profile entities in India have become the target of malicious campaigns orchestrated by the Pakistan-based Transparent Tribe threat actor and a previously unknown China-nexus cyber espionage group dubbed IcePeony. The intrusions linked to Transparent Tribe involve the use of a malware called ElizaRAT and a new stealer payload dubbed ApoloStealer on specific victims of interest, Check Point said in a technical write-up published this week. "ElizaRAT samples indicate a systematic abuse of cloud-based services, including Telegram, Google Drive, and Slack, to facilitate command-and-control communications," the Israeli company said . ElizaRAT is a Windows remote access tool (RAT) that Transparent Tribe was first observed using in July 2023 as part of cyber attacks targeting Indian government sectors. Active since at least 2013, the adversary is also tracked under the names APT36, Datebug, Earth Karkaddan, Mythic Leopard, Operation C-Major, and PROJECTM. Its malware ar...

We've all heard a million times: growing demand for robust cybersecurity in the face of rising cyber threats is undeniable. Globally small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks but often lack the resources for full-time Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs). This gap is driving the rise of the virtual CISO (vCISO) model, offering a cost-effective solution, and giving SMBs access to strategic security leadership.  For MSPs and MSSPs this shift represents both a challenge and an opportunity. Over 94% of service providers recognize the increasing need for vCISO services, yet, over 25% of providers report lacking the cybersecurity and compliance expertise needed to offer vCISO services.  This gap is exactly why the vCISO Academy was created —to empower service providers with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in this evolving landscape.  The vCISO Academy is a free, professional learning platform designed to equip ...

A new campaign has targeted the npm package repository with malicious JavaScript libraries that are designed to infect Roblox users with open-source stealer malware such as Skuld and Blank-Grabber . "This incident highlights the alarming ease with which threat actors can launch supply chain attacks by exploiting trust and human error within the open source ecosystem, and using readily available commodity malware, public platforms like GitHub for hosting malicious executables, and communication channels like Discord and Telegram for C2 operations to bypass traditional security measures," Socket security researcher Kirill Boychenko said in a report shared with The Hacker News. The list of malicious packages is as follows - node-dlls (77 downloads) ro.dll (74 downloads) autoadv (66 downloads) rolimons-api (107 downloads) It's worth pointing out that "node-dlls" is an attempt on part of the threat actor to masquerade as the legitimate node-dll packa...

Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new malware campaign that infects Windows systems with a Linux virtual instance containing a backdoor capable of establishing remote access to the compromised hosts. The "intriguing" campaign, codenamed CRON#TRAP , starts with a malicious Windows shortcut (LNK) file likely distributed in the form of a ZIP archive via a phishing email. "What makes the CRON#TRAP campaign particularly concerning is that the emulated Linux instance comes pre-configured with a backdoor that automatically connects to an attacker-controlled command-and-control (C2) server," Securonix researchers Den Iuzvyk and Tim Peck said in an analysis. "This setup allows the attacker to maintain a stealthy presence on the victim's machine, staging further malicious activity within a concealed environment, making detection challenging for traditional antivirus solutions." The phishing messages purport to be an "OneAmerica survey" th...

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Thursday added a now-patched critical security flaw impacting Palo Alto Networks Expedition to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities ( KEV ) catalog, citing evidence of active exploitation. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-5910 (CVSS score: 9.3), concerns a case of missing authentication in the Expedition migration tool that could lead to an admin account takeover. "Palo Alto Expedition contains a missing authentication vulnerability that allows an attacker with network access to takeover an Expedition admin account and potentially access configuration secrets, credentials, and other data," CISA said in an alert. The shortcoming impacts all versions of Expedition prior to version 1.2.92, which was released in July 2024 to plug the problem. There are currently no reports on how the vulnerability is being weaponized in real-world attacks, but Palo Alto Networks has since revised its original adviso...

A threat actor with ties to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been observed targeting cryptocurrency-related businesses with a multi-stage malware capable of infecting Apple macOS devices . Cybersecurity company SentinelOne, which dubbed the campaign Hidden Risk , attributed it with high confidence to BlueNoroff, which has been previously linked to malware families such as RustBucket , KANDYKORN , ObjCShellz , RustDoor (aka Thiefbucket ), and TodoSwift . The activity "uses emails propagating fake news about cryptocurrency trends to infect targets via a malicious application disguised as a PDF file," researchers Raffaele Sabato, Phil Stokes, and Tom Hegel said in a report shared with The Hacker News. "The campaign likely began as early as July 2024 and uses email and PDF lures with fake news headlines or stories about crypto-related topics." As revealed by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a September 2024 advisory, the...

Defending your organization's security is like fortifying a castle—you need to understand where attackers will strike and how they'll try to breach your walls. And hackers are always searching for weaknesses, whether it's a lax password policy or a forgotten backdoor. To build a stronger defense, you must think like a hacker and anticipate their moves. Read on to learn more about hackers' strategies to crack passwords, the vulnerabilities they exploit, and how you can reinforce your defenses to keep them at bay. Analysis of the worst passwords Weak, commonly used passwords represent the easiest targets for hackers. Every year, experts provide  lists of the most frequently used passwords , with classics like " 123456 " and " password " appearing year after year. These passwords are the low-hanging fruit of a hacker's attack strategy. Despite years of security warnings, users still use simple, easy-to-remember passwords—often based on predictable patterns or personal details ...

Tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) form the foundation of modern defense strategies. Unlike indicators of compromise (IOCs), TTPs are more stable, making them a reliable way to identify specific cyber threats. Here are some of the most commonly used techniques, according to ANY.RUN's Q3 2024 report on malware trends, complete with real-world examples. Disabling of Windows Event Logging (T1562.002) Disrupting Windows Event Logging helps attackers prevent the system from recording crucial information about their malicious actions. Without event logs, important details such as login attempts, file modifications, and system changes go unrecorded, leaving security solutions and analysts with incomplete or missing data. Windows Event Logging can be manipulated in different ways, including by changing registry keys or using commands like "net stop eventlog". Altering group policies is another common method. Since many detection mechanisms rely on log analysis to identify s...