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Nimbus Manticore Deploys New Malware Targeting Europe

Medium
Published: Mon Sep 22 2025 (09/22/2025, 21:38:52 UTC)
Source: AlienVault OTX General

Description

The Iranian threat actor Nimbus Manticore has expanded its operations, targeting defense, telecommunications, and aviation sectors in Western Europe. The group uses sophisticated spear-phishing techniques, impersonating HR recruiters to lure victims to fake career portals. Their toolset includes the MiniJunk backdoor and MiniBrowse stealer, which have evolved to employ advanced evasion techniques like multi-stage DLL sideloading, heavy obfuscation, and code signing. The malware infrastructure leverages Azure App Services for resilient command and control. Nimbus Manticore's recent activities demonstrate increased focus on stealth, operational security, and expanding their targeting to align with Iranian strategic priorities.

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 09/22/2025, 21:51:33 UTC

Technical Analysis

Nimbus Manticore, an Iranian state-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) group, has expanded its cyber-espionage operations targeting critical sectors in Western Europe, specifically defense, telecommunications, and aviation. The group employs sophisticated spear-phishing campaigns that impersonate HR recruiters, directing victims to counterfeit career portals designed to harvest credentials and deliver malware payloads. The primary malware tools used in this campaign are MiniJunk, a backdoor, and MiniBrowse, a credential stealer. These tools have been enhanced with advanced evasion techniques including multi-stage DLL sideloading, which allows the malware to load malicious DLLs under the guise of legitimate signed binaries, thereby bypassing many endpoint detection mechanisms. Heavy code obfuscation further complicates detection and analysis, while the use of code signing lends an additional layer of trustworthiness to the malware binaries, increasing the likelihood of successful execution. The command and control (C2) infrastructure leverages Azure App Services, a cloud platform, to ensure resilient and flexible communication channels that are harder to block or take down. This use of legitimate cloud services for C2 is a notable evolution in operational security, allowing Nimbus Manticore to blend malicious traffic with normal cloud service traffic. The campaign’s tactics align with Iranian strategic priorities, focusing on intelligence gathering and potential disruption capabilities within key European industries that are critical to national security and economic stability. The group’s emphasis on stealth and operational security indicates a long-term campaign designed to maintain persistent access while minimizing detection risks. The attack techniques map to multiple MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques, including spear-phishing (T1566), DLL sideloading (T1574.002), obfuscation (T1027), and use of signed binaries (T1553.002), among others, demonstrating a complex and multi-faceted approach to intrusion and persistence.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, particularly those in Western Europe’s defense, telecommunications, and aviation sectors, this threat poses significant risks. Successful compromise could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive intellectual property, strategic communications, and operational data, potentially undermining national security and critical infrastructure integrity. The use of advanced evasion techniques increases the likelihood that intrusions remain undetected for extended periods, enabling extensive data exfiltration or preparation for disruptive operations. The targeting of telecommunications could impact the confidentiality and availability of communication networks, while attacks on aviation could affect operational safety and logistics. The campaign’s use of cloud-based C2 infrastructure complicates incident response and mitigation efforts, as blocking malicious traffic without disrupting legitimate cloud services is challenging. Additionally, the impersonation of HR recruiters and use of fake career portals exploit human factors, increasing the risk of initial compromise through social engineering. The medium severity rating reflects the sophisticated nature of the threat and its potential to cause significant harm, although no known exploits in the wild have been reported yet. European organizations must consider the geopolitical context, as Iranian-aligned cyber operations may intensify in response to regional tensions, increasing the likelihood of targeted attacks.

Mitigation Recommendations

To mitigate this threat, European organizations should implement targeted defenses beyond generic cybersecurity hygiene. First, enhance email security by deploying advanced anti-phishing solutions capable of detecting and blocking spear-phishing attempts that impersonate HR recruiters, including URL rewriting and sandboxing of links leading to career portals. Conduct regular phishing awareness training focused on social engineering tactics used by APT groups. Employ application whitelisting and strict DLL loading policies to prevent unauthorized DLL sideloading, including monitoring for anomalous DLL loads and enforcing code integrity checks. Utilize endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools with behavioral analytics to identify obfuscated code execution and suspicious process injection activities. Monitor network traffic for unusual patterns consistent with cloud-based C2 communications, particularly anomalous use of Azure App Services, and implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all user accounts, especially those with access to sensitive systems, to reduce the risk of credential theft exploitation. Regularly audit and update code signing certificate policies to detect misuse or unauthorized signing. Finally, establish threat intelligence sharing with industry peers and national cybersecurity centers to stay informed about evolving tactics and indicators of compromise related to Nimbus Manticore.

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Technical Details

Author
AlienVault
Tlp
white
References
["https://research.checkpoint.com/2025/nimbus-manticore-deploys-new-malware-targeting-europe/"]
Adversary
null
Pulse Id
68d1c1ecdb0b4acf0cc29af1
Threat Score
null

Indicators of Compromise

Hash

ValueDescriptionCopy
hash0c76c41dfe6989ba042e27755e2b68f7
MD5 of edda7fb72a1302a5658ee279ddf90e0e32779310
hash14d8e865d3ca67b88c01f7e5d2b0862d
MD5 of 8b4d1cd340c95f7ddfe8e0813949d4ea34f969fc
hash1965a61d6f96b7bb221564ad52ba9719
MD5 of 0ffecfb8f6fe484b00ba3a185a3466841ecb9015
hash1baeff23794e47eb5c927c0303b7cd92
MD5 of 6b83c47142a49001e51123bfc6de8f9db32d5729
hash223196939e1e1ba9256f515b0a510d7a
MD5 of 9e0ffbefdc7dee2663eb648ecf4f5d0a1ad521ac
hash2dab429e52096fd9eb031fc666965a5e
MD5 of daa59b1a6e4ae62bfa91722fc0b2c26799864834
hash37197e5ed67443b01c8bc7f1249cba6a
MD5 of b467efb7c41b41beb5f0a4d0e06983d7c66be014
hash721ec011d75fea67ce9cb2796412651e
MD5 of 845ae4cd37f84dfcc052d6647115a7952d0f9702
hash83100a20cae2649fd8d0400c96b267fe
MD5 of 3a391427902c4b851e09aba4b5ea5d4036fcaeaf
hasha17b40b8133c1cc29c6146732086db69
MD5 of c81055c45d790fb59ed5e7d6e8bae73c2efb0e24
hashb40533e67e70b7ff7bb53d34a4b9170e
MD5 of e8520f70af1114d89e8e26e9acab603c84ead981
hashb7e4b752adff07ac1b7b67a9be30b366
MD5 of 8356a79dcd0b240dae13b90252313bde218f3acc
hashe23637423599434a6de45b9080b7c561
MD5 of 4ad8370951516dd311ebe7e024fdad3fd00e221e
hash0ffecfb8f6fe484b00ba3a185a3466841ecb9015
SHA1 of 3b4667af3a3e6ed905ae73683ee78d2c608a00e566ae446003da47947320097f
hash3a391427902c4b851e09aba4b5ea5d4036fcaeaf
SHA1 of 95d246e4956ad5e6b167a3d9d939542d6d80ec7301f337e00bb109cc220432cf
hash4ad8370951516dd311ebe7e024fdad3fd00e221e
SHA1 of 9ec7899729aac48481272d4b305cefffa7799dcdad88d02278ee14315a0a8cc1
hash6b83c47142a49001e51123bfc6de8f9db32d5729
SHA1 of 53ff76014f650b3180bc87a23d40dc861a005f47a6977cb2fba8907259c3cf7a
hash8356a79dcd0b240dae13b90252313bde218f3acc
SHA1 of b9b3ba39dbb6f4da3ed492140ffc167bde5dee005a35228ce156bed413af622d
hash845ae4cd37f84dfcc052d6647115a7952d0f9702
SHA1 of 3b58fd0c0ef8a42226be4d26a64235da059986ec7f5990d5c50d47b7a6cfadcd
hash8b4d1cd340c95f7ddfe8e0813949d4ea34f969fc
SHA1 of d2db5b9b554470f5e9ad26f37b6b3f4f3dae336b3deea3f189933d007c17e3d8
hash9e0ffbefdc7dee2663eb648ecf4f5d0a1ad521ac
SHA1 of f8a1c69c03002222980963a5d50ab9257bc4a1f2f486c3e7912d75558432be88
hashb467efb7c41b41beb5f0a4d0e06983d7c66be014
SHA1 of 9b186530f291f0e6ebc981399c956e1de3ba26b0315b945a263250c06831f281
hashc81055c45d790fb59ed5e7d6e8bae73c2efb0e24
SHA1 of a4f5251c81f080d80d1f75ad4cc8f5bc751e7c6df5addcfca268d59107737bd0
hashdaa59b1a6e4ae62bfa91722fc0b2c26799864834
SHA1 of bc9f2abce42141329b2ecd0bf5d63e329a657a0d7f33ccdf78b87cf4e172fbd1
hashe8520f70af1114d89e8e26e9acab603c84ead981
SHA1 of 0e4ff052250ade1edaab87de194e87a9afeff903695799bcbc3571918b131100
hashedda7fb72a1302a5658ee279ddf90e0e32779310
SHA1 of b405ae67c4ad4704c2ae33b2cf60f5b0ccdaff65c2ec44f5913664805d446c9b
hash054483046c9f593114bc3ddc3613f71af6b30d2e4b7e7faec1f26e72ae6d7669
hash061c28a9cf06c9f338655a520d13d9b0373ba9826a2759f989985713b5a4ba2b
hash0b2c137ef9087cb4635e110f8e12bb0ed43b6d6e30c62d1f880db20778b73c9a
hash0e4ff052250ade1edaab87de194e87a9afeff903695799bcbc3571918b131100
SHA256 of e8520f70af1114d89e8e26e9acab603c84ead981
hash1b629042b5f08b7460975b5ecabc5b195fcbdf76ea50416f512a3ae7a677614a
hash23c0b4f1733284934c071df2bf953a1a894bb77c84cff71d9bfcf80ce3dc4c16
hash3b4667af3a3e6ed905ae73683ee78d2c608a00e566ae446003da47947320097f
SHA256 of 0ffecfb8f6fe484b00ba3a185a3466841ecb9015
hash3b58fd0c0ef8a42226be4d26a64235da059986ec7f5990d5c50d47b7a6cfadcd
SHA256 of 845ae4cd37f84dfcc052d6647115a7952d0f9702
hash41d60b7090607e0d4048a3317b45ec7af637d27e5c3e6e89ea8bdcad62c15bf9
hash4260328c81e13a65a081be30958d94b945fea6f2a483d051c52537798b100c69
hash4da158293f93db27906e364a33e5adf8de07a97edaba052d4a9c1c3c3a7f234d
hash53ff76014f650b3180bc87a23d40dc861a005f47a6977cb2fba8907259c3cf7a
SHA256 of 6b83c47142a49001e51123bfc6de8f9db32d5729
hash5985bf904c546c2474cbf94d6d6b2a18a4c82a1407c23a5a5eca3cd828f03826
hash5d832f1da0c7e07927dcf72d6a6f011bfc7737dc34f39c561d1457af83e04e70
hash6780116ec3eb7d26cf721607e14f352957a495d97d74234aade67adbdc3ed339
hash7c77865f27b8f749b7df805ee76cf6e4575cbe0c4d9c29b75f8260210a802fce
hash8e7771ed1126b79c9a6a1093b2598282221cad8524c061943185272fbe58142d
hash954de96c7fcc84fb062ca1e68831ae5745cf091ef5fb2cb2622edf2358e749e0
hash95d246e4956ad5e6b167a3d9d939542d6d80ec7301f337e00bb109cc220432cf
SHA256 of 3a391427902c4b851e09aba4b5ea5d4036fcaeaf
hash9b186530f291f0e6ebc981399c956e1de3ba26b0315b945a263250c06831f281
SHA256 of b467efb7c41b41beb5f0a4d0e06983d7c66be014
hash9ec7899729aac48481272d4b305cefffa7799dcdad88d02278ee14315a0a8cc1
SHA256 of 4ad8370951516dd311ebe7e024fdad3fd00e221e
hasha37d36ade863966fb8520ea819b1fd580bc13314fac6e73cb62f74192021dab9
hasha4f5251c81f080d80d1f75ad4cc8f5bc751e7c6df5addcfca268d59107737bd0
SHA256 of c81055c45d790fb59ed5e7d6e8bae73c2efb0e24
hashafe679de1a84301048ce1313a057af456e7ee055519b3693654bbb7312083876
hashb405ae67c4ad4704c2ae33b2cf60f5b0ccdaff65c2ec44f5913664805d446c9b
SHA256 of edda7fb72a1302a5658ee279ddf90e0e32779310
hashb43487153219d960b585c5e3ea5bb38f6ea04ec9830cca183eb39ccc95d15793
hashb9b3ba39dbb6f4da3ed492140ffc167bde5dee005a35228ce156bed413af622d
SHA256 of 8356a79dcd0b240dae13b90252313bde218f3acc
hashbc9f2abce42141329b2ecd0bf5d63e329a657a0d7f33ccdf78b87cf4e172fbd1
SHA256 of daa59b1a6e4ae62bfa91722fc0b2c26799864834
hashc22b12d8b1e21468ed5d163efbf7fee306e357053d454e1683ddc3fe14d25db5
hashcf0c50670102e7fc6499e8d912ce1f5bd389fad5358d5cae53884593c337ac2e
hashd2db5b9b554470f5e9ad26f37b6b3f4f3dae336b3deea3f189933d007c17e3d8
SHA256 of 8b4d1cd340c95f7ddfe8e0813949d4ea34f969fc
hashe69c7ea1301e8d723f775ee911900fbf7caf8dcd9c85728f178f0703c4e6c5c0
hashe77b7ec4ace252d37956d6a68663692e6bde90cdbbb07c1b8990bfaa311ecfb2
hashf54fccb26a6f65de0d0e09324c84e8d85e7549d4d04e0aa81e4c7b1ae2f3c0f8
hashf8a1c69c03002222980963a5d50ab9257bc4a1f2f486c3e7912d75558432be88
SHA256 of 9e0ffbefdc7dee2663eb648ecf4f5d0a1ad521ac
hashffeacef025ef32ad092eea4761e4eec3c96d4ac46682a0ae15c9303b5c654e3e

Domain

ValueDescriptionCopy
domainacupuncturebentonville.com
domainairtravellog.com
domainarabiccountriestalent.com
domainboeing-careers.com
domaincareers-hub.org
domaincareers-portal.org
domaincareersworld.org
domaincloudaskquestionanswers.com
domaincollaboromarketing.com
domaincreateformquestionshelper.com
domainehealthpsuluth.com
domainexchtestcheckingapihealth.com
domaingermanywork.org
domainglobal-careers.com
domaingocareers.org
domainhealthcarefluent.com
domainmojavemassageandwellness.com
domainrheinmetallcareer.com
domainrheinmetallcareer.org
domainsulumorbusinessservices.com
domaintalenthumanresourcestalent.com
domainthetacticstore.com
domaintheworldcareers.com
domaintraveltipspage.com
domainusa-careers.com
domainvirgomarketingsolutions.com
domainairbus.careers-portal.org
domainairbus.careersworld.org
domainairbus.germanywork.org
domainairbus.global-careers.com
domainairbus.usa-careers.com
domaincloudaskingquestioning.azurewebsites.net.net
domaincloudaskingquestions.azurewebsites.net.net
domaincloudaskingquestions.eastus.cloudapp.azure.com.net
domaincloudaskquestionanswers.azurewebsites.net.net
domaincloudaskquestionanswers.com.net
domaincloudaskquestioning.eastus.cloudapp.azure.com.net
domaincreateformquestionshelper.com.net
domainrheinmetall.careers-hub.org
domainrheinmetall.careersworld.org
domainrheinmetall.gocareers.org
domainrheinmetall.theworldcareers.com
domainvirgomarketingsolutions.comtions.com
domaintelespazio-careers.com
domainzurewebsites.net

Threat ID: 68d1c40bb929db36a9e2ef69

Added to database: 9/22/2025, 9:47:55 PM

Last enriched: 9/22/2025, 9:51:33 PM

Last updated: 9/25/2025, 8:00:10 AM

Views: 37

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