Spam campaign targeting Brazil abuses Remote Monitoring and Management tools
A spam campaign targeting Brazilian users, particularly C-level executives and financial/HR accounts, has been identified since January 2025. The campaign exploits commercial remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools, specifically PDQ Connect and N-able remote access tools. Attackers use Brazilian electronic invoice system (NF-e) as bait, leading victims to malicious content on Dropbox. The threat actor, likely an initial access broker, abuses free trial periods of RMM tools to gain complete control of target machines. The campaign's objective is to create a network of compromised machines for potential sale to third parties, including ransomware operators and state-sponsored actors. The abuse of commercial RMM tools is increasing due to their digital signatures, full backdoor capabilities, and low cost.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
This threat involves a spam campaign primarily targeting Brazilian users, with a focus on high-value targets such as C-level executives and financial or HR personnel. The attackers exploit commercial Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools, specifically PDQ Connect and N-able remote access tools, to gain unauthorized access to victim machines. The campaign uses the Brazilian electronic invoice system (NF-e) as a lure, directing victims to malicious content hosted on Dropbox. The attackers leverage free trial periods of these RMM tools to establish persistent, fully backdoored access to compromised systems. These RMM tools are attractive to attackers because they are digitally signed, which helps evade detection, and provide comprehensive remote control capabilities. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to build a network of compromised machines that can be sold to third parties, including ransomware operators and state-sponsored threat actors. The campaign employs multiple tactics and techniques such as initial access brokering, social engineering via spam, and abuse of legitimate software to bypass security controls. Although the campaign is currently focused on Brazil, the abuse of RMM tools is a growing trend globally due to their stealth and effectiveness in establishing long-term access.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this threat represents a significant risk especially for entities with financial, HR, or executive personnel who may be targeted via phishing or spam campaigns. If attackers gain access through abused RMM tools, they can fully control affected systems, leading to data theft, espionage, disruption of business operations, or deployment of ransomware. The use of legitimate, digitally signed software complicates detection and response efforts, increasing dwell time and potential damage. Additionally, the creation of botnets or compromised networks could facilitate further attacks against European infrastructure or supply chains. The financial and reputational damage could be substantial, particularly for organizations handling sensitive personal or financial data under strict regulatory regimes such as GDPR. The campaign’s use of free trial periods to bypass licensing restrictions also indicates that attackers can rapidly scale their operations without significant upfront costs.
Mitigation Recommendations
European organizations should implement targeted defenses against abuse of RMM tools. This includes strict monitoring and control of RMM tool usage, ensuring only authorized personnel can install or operate such software. Organizations should enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all remote access tools and restrict RMM tool network access to trusted IP addresses or VPNs. Email filtering should be enhanced to detect and block phishing attempts leveraging local invoice systems or similar lures. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions should be tuned to detect unusual RMM tool activity, including unexpected installations or connections during free trial periods. Regular audits of installed software and licenses can help identify unauthorized RMM deployments. User awareness training should emphasize the risks of phishing campaigns that mimic legitimate business processes such as invoicing. Finally, organizations should collaborate with vendors to monitor for abuse of trial licenses and report suspicious activity promptly.
Affected Countries
Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, United Kingdom
Indicators of Compromise
- hash: 0e270acc64710f72ad7112f418b4355b
- hash: 141abe9a53751cdb3d3bbb8ff26bd09c
- hash: 1d47bd1ac1279b6716c9aae9f861fc14
- hash: 28c47ef5c1c6bd8e28e2a6d74baa1bc4
- hash: 2970ebc29d2e212eac3ffd39dcbf4c69
- hash: 3f6f606d4c2727241028f26bec00298d
- hash: 412b3093cb163fd7c2ec304911c07f2f
- hash: 477425e2a2ca53a04b97c8c8cf7f56f7
- hash: 74afacced1586346a1bc5bc4ee93e7a7
- hash: 74ceec119642832763ceba2e37f116e8
- hash: 7b753cdfc17eaef1e255423e7d8067b7
- hash: 7c1ff5473513ab8eea03ae0340f1ef02
- hash: 8487fdf3cde0e4203698db63e26a1c79
- hash: 96c966218df01efe6417c8efd59f0f8d
- hash: 9c5de647bbaa388cba8b5f757d0320bf
- hash: a75a548e7c45673d9d274568cbe7e9de
- hash: b330b45a0c29944579f09ead23afc2f2
- hash: cc8d52c13303e9c6da3cbc5eada12c19
- hash: db147b8d39fb20d8979d32fa41838b2c
- hash: e8d74b520d20cf3cb2d88ec7350971bc
- hash: edcfc16b0f81cbde5e42fd07647076e4
- hash: f5796b519267a311371eb211d5dcef19
- hash: 0d27d85202a5cb5429875fadb45a081930bc1b9d
- hash: 106fd5f3140c2a8fc700e0d351201ec555e23cd4
- hash: 14ce4ffe0c5705058da351f993b8e6bbac160395
- hash: 17099432104f0a4ad3b691b4a7e3a950919ca89b
- hash: 1d973e0cc01bcb0efbd5b080e730660f8619052d
- hash: 1f0e7e4bc5ec9e15b5757e4d202ff35fd505c0f1
- hash: 239f0cea629cf00408e11be1712075b9f79d9610
- hash: 43387d26b516680ec0a719e5e434da54edc1ceb7
- hash: 519e16ee954edd653742e186b71a0264de736151
- hash: 52a89d3f744c90299bc0f5e77e28990b7bab676d
- hash: 53f5cc437bedab39c9b0a142c369b09a753492fd
- hash: 55bebe3df3ca7c67f35dc4906f8830fb49c23b3a
- hash: 56e44cee4132fc3fbc0cda9b7dc7e6b1c13593c8
- hash: 8a7f5d2e3a164a5cc1700e2c0d68f29bd89237bf
- hash: 93105948886161beedd58b27f710a43a0f9c7adc
- hash: 94273101e56640e4e83afeeb654852486f453055
- hash: a7dd8f9d64b984a605ee24b26ee3c4c34af6b5fa
- hash: bf69cfb1bc15fcfd0f65b1c8a9ad9dd469776ff3
- hash: c148228ca3bbd467214677684081b8c6c1cfec15
- hash: e0b0b012dd1001c20a698b2e0a1c7c48fce872d9
- hash: f202f84b422bd6175c413f482b62d73d780f7de2
- hash: fe595f79d60a63cbc4d6ac35e84c52cc122302d8
- hash: 03b5c76ad07987cfa3236eae5f8a5d42cef228dda22b392c40236872b512684e
- hash: 0759b628512b4eaabc6c3118012dd29f880e77d2af2feca01127a6fcf2fbbf10
- hash: 080e29e52a87d0e0e39eca5591d7185ff024367ddaded3e3fd26d3dbdb096a39
- hash: 0de612ea433676f12731da515cb16df0f98817b45b5ebc9bbf121d0b9e59c412
- hash: 1182b8e97daf59ad5abd1cb4b514436249dd4d36b4f3589b939d053f1de8fe23
- hash: 14c1cb13ffc67b222b42095a2e9ec9476f101e3a57246a1c33912d8fe3297878
- hash: 2850a346ecb7aebee3320ed7160f21a744e38f2d1a76c54f44c892ffc5c4ab77
- hash: 4787df4eea91d9ceb9e25d9eb7373d79a0df4a5320411d7435f9a6621da2fd6b
- hash: 51fa1d7b95831a6263bf260df8044f77812c68a9b720dad7379ae96200b065dd
- hash: 527a40f5f73aeb663c7186db6e8236eec6f61fa04923cde560ebcd107911c9ff
- hash: 57a90105ad2023b76e357cf42ba01c5ca696d80a82f87b54aea58c4e0db8d683
- hash: 63cde9758f9209f15ee4068b11419fead501731b12777169d89ebb34063467ea
- hash: 79b041cedef44253fdda8a66b54bdd450605f01bbb77ea87da31450a9b4d2b63
- hash: a2c17f5c7acb05af81d4554e5080f5ed40b10e3988e96b4d05c4ee3e6237c31a
- hash: a71e274fc3086de4c22e68ed1a58567ab63790cc47cd2e04367e843408b9a065
- hash: b53f9c2802a0846fc805c03798b36391c444ab5ea88dc2b36bffc908edc1f589
- hash: c484d3394b32e3c7544414774c717ebc0ce4d04ca75a00e93f4fb04b9b48ecef
- hash: ca11eb7b9341b88da855a536b0741ed3155e80fc1ab60d89600b58a4b80d63a5
- hash: d1efebcca578357ea7af582d3860fa6c357d203e483e6be3d6f9592265f3b41c
- hash: e2171735f02f212c90856e9259ff7abc699c3efb55eeb5b61e72e92bea96f99c
- hash: e34b8c9798b92f6a0e2ca9853adce299b1bf425dedb29f1266254ac3a15c87cd
- hash: ebdefa6f88e459555844d3d9c13a4d7908c272128f65a12df4fb82f1aeab139f
- hash: f52b4d81c73520fd25a2cc9c6e0e364b57396e0bb782187caf7c1e49693bebbf
- hash: f5efd939372f869750e6f929026b7b5d046c5dad2f6bd703ff1b2089738b4d9c
- hash: f68ae2c1d42d1b95e3829f08a516fb1695f75679fcfe0046e3e14890460191cf
Spam campaign targeting Brazil abuses Remote Monitoring and Management tools
Description
A spam campaign targeting Brazilian users, particularly C-level executives and financial/HR accounts, has been identified since January 2025. The campaign exploits commercial remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools, specifically PDQ Connect and N-able remote access tools. Attackers use Brazilian electronic invoice system (NF-e) as bait, leading victims to malicious content on Dropbox. The threat actor, likely an initial access broker, abuses free trial periods of RMM tools to gain complete control of target machines. The campaign's objective is to create a network of compromised machines for potential sale to third parties, including ransomware operators and state-sponsored actors. The abuse of commercial RMM tools is increasing due to their digital signatures, full backdoor capabilities, and low cost.
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
This threat involves a spam campaign primarily targeting Brazilian users, with a focus on high-value targets such as C-level executives and financial or HR personnel. The attackers exploit commercial Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools, specifically PDQ Connect and N-able remote access tools, to gain unauthorized access to victim machines. The campaign uses the Brazilian electronic invoice system (NF-e) as a lure, directing victims to malicious content hosted on Dropbox. The attackers leverage free trial periods of these RMM tools to establish persistent, fully backdoored access to compromised systems. These RMM tools are attractive to attackers because they are digitally signed, which helps evade detection, and provide comprehensive remote control capabilities. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to build a network of compromised machines that can be sold to third parties, including ransomware operators and state-sponsored threat actors. The campaign employs multiple tactics and techniques such as initial access brokering, social engineering via spam, and abuse of legitimate software to bypass security controls. Although the campaign is currently focused on Brazil, the abuse of RMM tools is a growing trend globally due to their stealth and effectiveness in establishing long-term access.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this threat represents a significant risk especially for entities with financial, HR, or executive personnel who may be targeted via phishing or spam campaigns. If attackers gain access through abused RMM tools, they can fully control affected systems, leading to data theft, espionage, disruption of business operations, or deployment of ransomware. The use of legitimate, digitally signed software complicates detection and response efforts, increasing dwell time and potential damage. Additionally, the creation of botnets or compromised networks could facilitate further attacks against European infrastructure or supply chains. The financial and reputational damage could be substantial, particularly for organizations handling sensitive personal or financial data under strict regulatory regimes such as GDPR. The campaign’s use of free trial periods to bypass licensing restrictions also indicates that attackers can rapidly scale their operations without significant upfront costs.
Mitigation Recommendations
European organizations should implement targeted defenses against abuse of RMM tools. This includes strict monitoring and control of RMM tool usage, ensuring only authorized personnel can install or operate such software. Organizations should enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all remote access tools and restrict RMM tool network access to trusted IP addresses or VPNs. Email filtering should be enhanced to detect and block phishing attempts leveraging local invoice systems or similar lures. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions should be tuned to detect unusual RMM tool activity, including unexpected installations or connections during free trial periods. Regular audits of installed software and licenses can help identify unauthorized RMM deployments. User awareness training should emphasize the risks of phishing campaigns that mimic legitimate business processes such as invoicing. Finally, organizations should collaborate with vendors to monitor for abuse of trial licenses and report suspicious activity promptly.
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Technical Details
- Author
- AlienVault
- Tlp
- white
- References
- ["https://blog.talosintelligence.com/spam-campaign-targeting-brazil-abuses-rmm-tools"]
- Adversary
- null
- Pulse Id
- 681cca01d5614df4fe6476e9
- Threat Score
- null
Indicators of Compromise
Hash
| Value | Description | Copy |
|---|---|---|
hash0e270acc64710f72ad7112f418b4355b | — | |
hash141abe9a53751cdb3d3bbb8ff26bd09c | — | |
hash1d47bd1ac1279b6716c9aae9f861fc14 | — | |
hash28c47ef5c1c6bd8e28e2a6d74baa1bc4 | — | |
hash2970ebc29d2e212eac3ffd39dcbf4c69 | — | |
hash3f6f606d4c2727241028f26bec00298d | — | |
hash412b3093cb163fd7c2ec304911c07f2f | — | |
hash477425e2a2ca53a04b97c8c8cf7f56f7 | — | |
hash74afacced1586346a1bc5bc4ee93e7a7 | — | |
hash74ceec119642832763ceba2e37f116e8 | — | |
hash7b753cdfc17eaef1e255423e7d8067b7 | — | |
hash7c1ff5473513ab8eea03ae0340f1ef02 | — | |
hash8487fdf3cde0e4203698db63e26a1c79 | — | |
hash96c966218df01efe6417c8efd59f0f8d | — | |
hash9c5de647bbaa388cba8b5f757d0320bf | — | |
hasha75a548e7c45673d9d274568cbe7e9de | — | |
hashb330b45a0c29944579f09ead23afc2f2 | — | |
hashcc8d52c13303e9c6da3cbc5eada12c19 | — | |
hashdb147b8d39fb20d8979d32fa41838b2c | — | |
hashe8d74b520d20cf3cb2d88ec7350971bc | — | |
hashedcfc16b0f81cbde5e42fd07647076e4 | — | |
hashf5796b519267a311371eb211d5dcef19 | — | |
hash0d27d85202a5cb5429875fadb45a081930bc1b9d | — | |
hash106fd5f3140c2a8fc700e0d351201ec555e23cd4 | — | |
hash14ce4ffe0c5705058da351f993b8e6bbac160395 | — | |
hash17099432104f0a4ad3b691b4a7e3a950919ca89b | — | |
hash1d973e0cc01bcb0efbd5b080e730660f8619052d | — | |
hash1f0e7e4bc5ec9e15b5757e4d202ff35fd505c0f1 | — | |
hash239f0cea629cf00408e11be1712075b9f79d9610 | — | |
hash43387d26b516680ec0a719e5e434da54edc1ceb7 | — | |
hash519e16ee954edd653742e186b71a0264de736151 | — | |
hash52a89d3f744c90299bc0f5e77e28990b7bab676d | — | |
hash53f5cc437bedab39c9b0a142c369b09a753492fd | — | |
hash55bebe3df3ca7c67f35dc4906f8830fb49c23b3a | — | |
hash56e44cee4132fc3fbc0cda9b7dc7e6b1c13593c8 | — | |
hash8a7f5d2e3a164a5cc1700e2c0d68f29bd89237bf | — | |
hash93105948886161beedd58b27f710a43a0f9c7adc | — | |
hash94273101e56640e4e83afeeb654852486f453055 | — | |
hasha7dd8f9d64b984a605ee24b26ee3c4c34af6b5fa | — | |
hashbf69cfb1bc15fcfd0f65b1c8a9ad9dd469776ff3 | — | |
hashc148228ca3bbd467214677684081b8c6c1cfec15 | — | |
hashe0b0b012dd1001c20a698b2e0a1c7c48fce872d9 | — | |
hashf202f84b422bd6175c413f482b62d73d780f7de2 | — | |
hashfe595f79d60a63cbc4d6ac35e84c52cc122302d8 | — | |
hash03b5c76ad07987cfa3236eae5f8a5d42cef228dda22b392c40236872b512684e | — | |
hash0759b628512b4eaabc6c3118012dd29f880e77d2af2feca01127a6fcf2fbbf10 | — | |
hash080e29e52a87d0e0e39eca5591d7185ff024367ddaded3e3fd26d3dbdb096a39 | — | |
hash0de612ea433676f12731da515cb16df0f98817b45b5ebc9bbf121d0b9e59c412 | — | |
hash1182b8e97daf59ad5abd1cb4b514436249dd4d36b4f3589b939d053f1de8fe23 | — | |
hash14c1cb13ffc67b222b42095a2e9ec9476f101e3a57246a1c33912d8fe3297878 | — | |
hash2850a346ecb7aebee3320ed7160f21a744e38f2d1a76c54f44c892ffc5c4ab77 | — | |
hash4787df4eea91d9ceb9e25d9eb7373d79a0df4a5320411d7435f9a6621da2fd6b | — | |
hash51fa1d7b95831a6263bf260df8044f77812c68a9b720dad7379ae96200b065dd | — | |
hash527a40f5f73aeb663c7186db6e8236eec6f61fa04923cde560ebcd107911c9ff | — | |
hash57a90105ad2023b76e357cf42ba01c5ca696d80a82f87b54aea58c4e0db8d683 | — | |
hash63cde9758f9209f15ee4068b11419fead501731b12777169d89ebb34063467ea | — | |
hash79b041cedef44253fdda8a66b54bdd450605f01bbb77ea87da31450a9b4d2b63 | — | |
hasha2c17f5c7acb05af81d4554e5080f5ed40b10e3988e96b4d05c4ee3e6237c31a | — | |
hasha71e274fc3086de4c22e68ed1a58567ab63790cc47cd2e04367e843408b9a065 | — | |
hashb53f9c2802a0846fc805c03798b36391c444ab5ea88dc2b36bffc908edc1f589 | — | |
hashc484d3394b32e3c7544414774c717ebc0ce4d04ca75a00e93f4fb04b9b48ecef | — | |
hashca11eb7b9341b88da855a536b0741ed3155e80fc1ab60d89600b58a4b80d63a5 | — | |
hashd1efebcca578357ea7af582d3860fa6c357d203e483e6be3d6f9592265f3b41c | — | |
hashe2171735f02f212c90856e9259ff7abc699c3efb55eeb5b61e72e92bea96f99c | — | |
hashe34b8c9798b92f6a0e2ca9853adce299b1bf425dedb29f1266254ac3a15c87cd | — | |
hashebdefa6f88e459555844d3d9c13a4d7908c272128f65a12df4fb82f1aeab139f | — | |
hashf52b4d81c73520fd25a2cc9c6e0e364b57396e0bb782187caf7c1e49693bebbf | — | |
hashf5efd939372f869750e6f929026b7b5d046c5dad2f6bd703ff1b2089738b4d9c | — | |
hashf68ae2c1d42d1b95e3829f08a516fb1695f75679fcfe0046e3e14890460191cf | — |
Threat ID: 6844546471f4d251b51245cd
Added to database: 6/7/2025, 3:01:56 PM
Last enriched: 7/8/2025, 7:57:13 PM
Last updated: 8/11/2025, 7:09:27 AM
Views: 13
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