Employees seeking free versions of paid software may unknowingly install malware-laced “cracked” apps that can steal credentials, deploy cryptominers, or open the door to ransomware. The post How Pirated Software Turns Helpful Employees Into Malware Delivery Agents appeared first on SecurityWeek .
A significant joint offensive by the US and Israel has triggered a multi-vector retaliatory campaign from Iran, leading to an escalation in cyberattacks. Iran's limited internet connectivity is likely hindering state-aligned threat actors' ability to coordinate sophisticated attacks. Hacktivist groups are targeting perceived adversaries, while other nation-state actors may exploit the situation. Observed activities include phishing campaigns, DDoS attacks, data exfiltration, and wiper attacks. Multiple Iranian state-aligned personas and collectives have claimed responsibility for various disruptive operations. Pro-Russian hacktivist groups have also been active, targeting Israeli systems and infrastructure. The situation remains fluid, and organizations are advised to implement multi-layered defenses and focus on foundational security hygiene.
The report details the resurgence of the Funnull cybercriminal group, now utilizing a new arsenal called RingH23. It exposes their tactics, including compromising GoEdge CDN nodes, poisoning the MacCMS supply chain, and deploying sophisticated malware components like Badredis2s, Badnginx2s, and Badhide2s. The group has expanded its operations to inject malicious JavaScript, hijack cryptocurrency transactions, and redirect traffic to fraudulent sites. The campaign's impact is estimated to affect millions of users daily. The report also highlights Funnull's use of a suspicious new CDN infrastructure, CDN1.AI, likely created to evade detection.
Aeternum operates on smart contracts, making its command-and-control (C&C) infrastructure difficult to disrupt. The post Aeternum Botnet Loader Employs Polygon Blockchain C&C to Boost Resilience appeared first on SecurityWeek .
A sophisticated phishing campaign impersonating Tesseract OCR was discovered, utilizing typosquatting and ClickFix techniques. The attack chain, named OCRFix, employed multi-stage malware deployments with heavy obfuscation and defense evasion techniques, including EtherHiding. The campaign used BNB Smart Chain TestNet to hide C2 domains through smart contracts. The malware delivery process involved three stages: a loader, a secondary loader for persistence, and a bot listener. The final payload connected to a bot control panel, allowing attackers to manage infected hosts and deploy additional malware. The campaign demonstrated a combination of simple initial access methods with complex delivery chains, highlighting the ongoing effectiveness of techniques like ClickFix and the importance of robust phishing defenses.
A global espionage campaign targeting telecommunications and government organizations across four continents has been disrupted. The threat actor, UNC2814, is suspected to be linked to China and has been active since 2017. The campaign utilized a sophisticated backdoor called GRIDTIDE, which leveraged Google Sheets API for command and control. The attackers compromised 53 victims in 42 countries, with suspected infections in 20 more. GRIDTIDE's capabilities include executing shell commands, file transfers, and evading detection by disguising traffic as legitimate cloud API requests. The disruption involved terminating attacker-controlled cloud projects, disabling infrastructure, and revoking API access.
Operation Zero is a Russian exploit broker operation sanctioned by the US government after acquiring eight zero-day exploits from a jailed US defense contractor executive. These zero-days represent previously unknown vulnerabilities that could be weaponized for cyberattacks. Although no known exploits are currently observed in the wild, the potential for future exploitation remains significant. The broker's access to multiple zero-days increases the risk of targeted attacks against critical infrastructure and government entities. This threat highlights insider risks and the illicit trade of advanced cyber capabilities. Organizations should be vigilant for suspicious activity and prioritize threat intelligence sharing. The medium severity reflects the current absence of active exploitation but acknowledges the high potential impact if weaponized. Countries with strategic interests in US-Russia relations and high technology adoption are most at risk. Immediate mitigation involves enhancing monitoring, patch management, and insider threat detection. Defenders must prepare for possible future exploitation campaigns leveraging these zero-days.
The UNC2814 threat actor, active since at least 2017, has been conducting a Chinese cyberespionage campaign targeting telecommunications companies and government organizations across 42 countries. Google recently disrupted this campaign, which focused on espionage activities rather than destructive attacks. The threat actor's operations involve sophisticated techniques to infiltrate and maintain persistence within targeted networks. Although no specific vulnerabilities or exploits have been publicly disclosed, the campaign's longevity and broad geographic scope highlight its strategic nature. The medium severity rating reflects the espionage focus, limited public exploit details, and absence of widespread destructive impact. Organizations in telecommunications and government sectors worldwide should remain vigilant against such advanced persistent threats. Mitigation requires enhanced threat detection, network segmentation, and intelligence sharing. Countries with significant telecom infrastructure and geopolitical interest in China are at higher risk. Overall, this campaign underscores the ongoing cyberespionage risks posed by state-sponsored actors targeting critical sectors globally.
A former US defense contractor executive, Peter Williams, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for selling cyber exploits to a Russian broker. These exploits represent vulnerabilities or attack techniques that could be used to compromise targeted systems. Although no specific affected software versions or exploits in the wild are identified, the unauthorized transfer of such capabilities to a foreign adversary poses a significant national security risk. The threat involves the potential use of advanced cyber tools by hostile actors to conduct espionage or sabotage. Organizations with sensitive defense or critical infrastructure assets could be indirectly impacted if these exploits are weaponized. Mitigation focuses on strengthening insider threat programs, securing exploit development environments, and enhancing international cooperation to prevent similar incidents. Countries with advanced defense sectors and geopolitical tensions involving Russia are most at risk. Given the medium severity rating and lack of direct exploitation evidence, the threat is assessed as medium severity overall.
An active supply chain worm campaign, dubbed SANDWORM_MODE, is spreading through typosquatting and AI toolchain poisoning across at least 19 malicious npm packages. The worm exhibits Shai-Hulud characteristics, incorporating GitHub API exfiltration with DNS fallback, hook-based persistence, SSH propagation, and MCP server injection targeting AI coding assistants. It harvests credentials from developer and CI environments, exfiltrates data via multiple channels, and uses stolen identities to propagate. The campaign also includes a weaponized GitHub Action for CI secret harvesting. The worm employs a multi-stage design with obfuscated loaders, time-gated execution, and extensive configuration options. It targets high-traffic developer utilities, crypto tooling, and AI coding tools, posing a significant threat to the software supply chain.
For the latest discoveries in cyber research for the week of 23rd February, please download our Threat Intelligence Bulletin. TOP ATTACKS AND BREACHES France’s Ministry of Economy has disclosed a data breach resulted from an unauthorized access to the national bank account registry FICOBA, impacting information tied to 1.2 million accounts. Exposed data includes names, […] The post 23rd February – Threat Intelligence Report appeared first on Check Point Research .
The FBI has confirmed that the Ploutus malware, which has been around for over a decade, is still being used in the wild. The post FBI: $20 Million Losses Caused by 700 ATM Jackpotting Attacks in 2025 appeared first on SecurityWeek .
The malware leverages Gemini to analyze on-screen elements and ensure that it remains on the device even after a reboot. The post PromptSpy Android Malware Abuses Gemini AI at Runtime for Persistence appeared first on SecurityWeek .
Savvy Seahorse, a DNS threat actor, employs sophisticated techniques to lure victims into fake investment platforms through Facebook ads. They use DNS CNAME records to create a traffic distribution system, enabling dynamic IP address updates and evasion of detection. The campaigns target multiple languages and involve fake ChatGPT and WhatsApp bots. Victims are convinced to create accounts, make deposits, and unknowingly transfer funds to Russian banks. The actor has been operating since August 2021, using dedicated hosting and frequently changing IP addresses. Their infrastructure includes approximately 4,200 base domains with CNAME records linked to subdomains of b36cname[.]site. The campaigns are short-lived, typically lasting 5-10 days per subdomain.
