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OSINT - Significant FormBook Distribution Campaigns Impacting the U.S. and South Korea

Low
Campaigntlp:white
Published: Fri Oct 06 2017 (10/06/2017, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: CIRCL
Vendor/Project: tlp
Product: white

Description

OSINT - Significant FormBook Distribution Campaigns Impacting the U.S. and South Korea

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 07/02/2025, 14:26:12 UTC

Technical Analysis

The provided information describes an OSINT report on significant distribution campaigns of the FormBook malware, primarily impacting the U.S. and South Korea. FormBook is a well-known information-stealing malware that targets Windows systems. It is typically distributed via phishing campaigns, malicious email attachments, or exploit kits. Once executed, FormBook can harvest sensitive information such as credentials, keystrokes, screenshots, and system information, which attackers can use for further intrusion or financial gain. The campaign mentioned dates back to 2017 and is characterized by a low severity rating in the source, with no known exploits in the wild at the time of reporting. The technical details indicate a moderate threat level (3) and analysis score (2), suggesting some observed activity but limited impact or sophistication. The lack of affected versions or patch links implies this is not a vulnerability in software but rather a malware distribution campaign. The absence of indicators in the report limits the ability to attribute or detect specific campaign artifacts. Overall, this threat represents a typical malware campaign leveraging social engineering to compromise endpoints and steal data.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of FormBook campaigns can be significant if the malware reaches their networks. Although the original report focuses on the U.S. and South Korea, European entities are often targeted by similar malware campaigns due to their extensive use of Windows environments and valuable data assets. Successful infections can lead to credential theft, unauthorized access to corporate systems, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within networks. This can result in financial loss, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties under GDPR if personal data is compromised. The low severity rating and lack of known exploits suggest that the campaign may not have been widespread or highly effective at the time, but the persistent nature of FormBook means that European organizations should remain vigilant. The threat is particularly relevant to sectors with high-value data such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.

Mitigation Recommendations

To mitigate the risk posed by FormBook and similar malware campaigns, European organizations should implement targeted measures beyond generic advice: 1) Enhance email security by deploying advanced phishing detection solutions that analyze attachments and links for malicious content. 2) Conduct regular user awareness training focused on recognizing phishing attempts and suspicious email behavior. 3) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of identifying and blocking FormBook behaviors such as credential dumping and keylogging. 4) Implement strict application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized execution of unknown binaries. 5) Regularly update and patch all software and operating systems to reduce the attack surface for malware delivery. 6) Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound connections that may indicate data exfiltration attempts. 7) Maintain robust incident response plans that include procedures for malware containment and forensic analysis. These steps, combined with threat intelligence sharing within European cybersecurity communities, can significantly reduce the risk and impact of FormBook infections.

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Technical Details

Threat Level
3
Analysis
2
Original Timestamp
1507317807

Threat ID: 682acdbdbbaf20d303f0bc2b

Added to database: 5/19/2025, 6:20:45 AM

Last enriched: 7/2/2025, 2:26:12 PM

Last updated: 7/27/2025, 3:55:11 AM

Views: 9

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