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OSINT ScanBox framework – who’s affected, and who’s using it? by PWC

Medium
Published: Mon Oct 27 2014 (10/27/2014, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: CIRCL
Vendor/Project: type
Product: osint

Description

OSINT ScanBox framework – who’s affected, and who’s using it? by PWC

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 07/02/2025, 22:11:06 UTC

Technical Analysis

The OSINT ScanBox framework is a reconnaissance and information-gathering tool used primarily for open-source intelligence (OSINT) collection. It is designed to scan and fingerprint web infrastructure, gather metadata, and collect information about targeted organizations or individuals. While not a vulnerability or exploit in itself, ScanBox is often leveraged by threat actors to perform preliminary reconnaissance activities that precede more targeted cyberattacks. The framework can identify technologies in use, collect user-agent strings, and gather other environmental data that can help attackers tailor subsequent attacks. The information provided does not indicate a specific vulnerability or exploit but highlights the use of ScanBox as a tool in threat actor toolkits. The threat level is medium, reflecting its role as an enabler of further attacks rather than a direct exploit. There are no known exploits in the wild directly associated with ScanBox, and no affected software versions or patches are listed. The technical details suggest a moderate threat and analysis level, consistent with reconnaissance activity.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the use of ScanBox as a reconnaissance tool can increase the risk of targeted cyberattacks by exposing details about their web infrastructure and security posture. This information can be used by attackers to identify weaknesses, plan phishing campaigns, or launch exploits against known vulnerabilities in the identified technologies. Although ScanBox itself does not cause direct harm, its deployment against European entities could lead to increased exposure to subsequent attacks that compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Organizations in sectors with high-value data or critical infrastructure are particularly at risk, as attackers may use ScanBox to gather intelligence before launching sophisticated attacks. The medium severity reflects the indirect but significant risk posed by reconnaissance activities.

Mitigation Recommendations

To mitigate risks associated with reconnaissance tools like ScanBox, European organizations should implement advanced web application firewalls (WAFs) capable of detecting and blocking scanning and fingerprinting activities. Regularly monitoring web server logs for unusual patterns, such as repeated requests with suspicious user-agent strings or metadata queries, can help identify ScanBox activity early. Organizations should also minimize information leakage by disabling unnecessary HTTP headers, metadata, and error messages that reveal system details. Employing rate limiting and IP reputation services can reduce the effectiveness of automated scanning tools. Additionally, conducting regular security assessments and penetration tests can help identify and remediate vulnerabilities that attackers might discover through reconnaissance. Finally, raising awareness among security teams about the use of OSINT tools in attack chains can improve detection and response capabilities.

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Technical Details

Threat Level
2
Analysis
2
Original Timestamp
1416347276

Threat ID: 682acdbcbbaf20d303f0b5ca

Added to database: 5/19/2025, 6:20:44 AM

Last enriched: 7/2/2025, 10:11:06 PM

Last updated: 7/30/2025, 11:06:47 PM

Views: 13

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