Android Droppers Now Deliver SMS Stealers and Spyware, Not Just Banking Trojans
Source: https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/android-droppers-now-deliver-sms.html
When Browsers Become the Attack Surface: Rethinking Security for Scattered Spider
Source: https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/when-browsers-become-attack-surface.html
Fraudster stole over $1.5 million from city of Baltimore
Source: https://securityaffairs.com/181772/cyber-crime/fraudster-stole-over-1-5-million-from-city-of-baltimore.html
So apparently agents are good enough nowadays that they can run a whole ransomware project on their own, getting in, lateral movement and then figuring out the appropriate ransom amount based on the information they got access to ...
APT-C-53, also known as Gamaredon, is a Russian state-sponsored threat group active since 2013, targeting Ukrainian government and military entities. The group has upgraded its attack techniques, focusing on dynamic cloud-based C2 infrastructure and targeted delivery of cloud storage tools. In 2025, they conducted high-density intelligence theft activities against Ukrainian government agencies. The attack chain involves dynamic changes in infrastructure, abuse of Microsoft Dev Tunnels, and sophisticated data exfiltration techniques. The group employs white-listed domain camouflage, domain shadowing, and weaponization of cloud tunnel services to evade detection. Their data theft process includes registry-based persistence, multi-stage payload delivery via Cloudflare Workers, and exfiltration through legitimate cloud tools like Dropbox.
Amazon's threat intelligence team has uncovered and disrupted a watering hole campaign conducted by APT29, a Russian threat actor. The campaign involved compromising legitimate websites to redirect visitors to malicious infrastructure, tricking users into authorizing attacker-controlled devices through Microsoft's device code authentication flow. This opportunistic approach demonstrates APT29's evolving tactics in scaling their operations for intelligence collection. The group employed techniques such as injecting obfuscated JavaScript, rapidly adapting infrastructure when faced with disruption, and using server-side redirects. Amazon's response included isolating affected EC2 instances, partnering with providers to disrupt domains, and sharing information with Microsoft. The article provides recommendations for user and organizational protection against such attacks.
TinkyWinkey is a sophisticated Windows-based keylogger that combines persistent service execution, low-level keyboard hooks, and comprehensive system profiling. It captures all keystrokes, including special keys and multi-language input, alongside detailed system metrics such as CPU, memory, OS version, and network identifiers. The malware uses DLL injection into trusted processes and service-based persistence for stealth. It creates a log file in the user's temp directory, recording system reconnaissance details and user activity data. First observed in June 2025, TinkyWinkey exemplifies the evolving threat landscape, leveraging advanced programming techniques to maintain stealth and maximize data capture. Organizations should monitor for unusual service activity, unexpected DLL injections, and persistent logging patterns to mitigate this threat.
Attackers Abuse Velociraptor Forensic Tool to Deploy Visual Studio Code for C2 Tunneling
Source: https://thehackernews.com/2025/08/attackers-abuse-velociraptor-forensic.html
A recent attack mimicking ClickFix tactics used a fake AnyDesk installer to deploy MetaStealer. The infection chain involved a fake Cloudflare Turnstile lure, Windows search protocol, and an MSI package disguised as a PDF. Unlike traditional ClickFix attacks, this variant redirected users to Windows File Explorer instead of the Run dialog box. The attack cleverly grabbed the victim's hostname and ultimately aimed to drop MetaStealer, a commodity infostealer known for harvesting credentials and stealing files. This incident highlights the evolving nature of social engineering attacks and the need for updated security measures and user education.
The Interlock ransomware group has been actively targeting businesses and critical infrastructures in North America and Europe since September 2024. Their ransomware employs AES-256-GCM encryption with RSA-4096 key protection, leveraging the OpenSSL library for efficient file encryption. The malware includes code obfuscation techniques and specific arguments for various behaviors. It excludes certain folders, file extensions, and files from encryption to avoid system damage. The ransomware changes file extensions to '.!NT3RLOCK' and may terminate processes during encryption. Interlock's operations involve data theft and public disclosure threats for ransom leverage. The group utilizes a Tor-based negotiation site and references legal regulations to pressure victims. To counter this threat, offsite data backups and regular recovery drills are recommended.
NightSpire, a ransomware group active since February 2025, employs aggressive tactics and a specialized infrastructure similar to Ransomware-as-a-Service models. They operate a Dedicated Leak Site, posting victim information and countdown timers for data release. The group uses threatening language and offers various communication channels for negotiations. NightSpire targets diverse industries across multiple countries, utilizing a double-extortion strategy. Their ransomware encrypts files using block or full encryption methods, with specific extensions encrypted in 1MB blocks for efficiency. Encrypted files receive a .nspire extension, and a ransom note is created in each affected folder. The ransomware's structure includes an AES symmetric key encrypted with an RSA public key at the end of each infected file.
