An exposed attacker server has unveiled FortiBleed, a large-scale credential-compromise campaign targeting internet-facing Fortinet FortiGate firewalls and SSL VPN gateways globally. This operation involved credential harvesting through reuse, brute force, and hash cracking using a distributed GPU infrastructure with approximately 36 rented GPUs via Hashtopolis. The exposed directory contained 319 files revealing scanning tools, cracking infrastructure, credential databases, post-exploitation toolkits, and active VPN configurations. While initially reported as affecting 21,632 domains, analysis of the attacker's own tooling reveals only 918 organizations showed evidence of internal network compromise, with merely 148 confirmed cases where credentials were fully cracked. The operation ultimately aimed to sell initial access to compromised networks, with victims spanning 194 countries, predominantly India, United States, and Taiwan.
Cybercriminals orchestrated a sophisticated malvertising operation leveraging Google Ads to impersonate popular AI developer tools including Claude AI, ChatGPT Codex, Perplexity, Cursor IDE, and JetBrains. Over seven weeks spanning April to June 2026, attackers deployed 106 unique malicious hostnames across six distinct waves, initially hosting ClickFix social engineering pages on GitLab infrastructure before pivoting to weaponize claude.ai's legitimate shared chat feature. The campaign targeted technically proficient users searching for AI development tools, tricking them into executing terminal commands that deployed the MacSync infostealer. This credential-harvesting malware collected browser data, SSH keys, and cryptocurrency wallets. The Asia-Pacific region sustained the heaviest impact with 67.2% of over 2,000 victims, particularly concentrated in Taiwan. Anthropic responded by banning malicious accounts and implementing additional abuse mitigations.
TA4922 is a highly sophisticated Chinese-speaking threat actor demonstrating rapid operational tempo and continually evolving malware capabilities. Initially targeting East Asia, particularly Japan, the group has expanded globally to Europe and Africa. The actor deploys multiple malware families including Atlas RAT, RomulusLoader, SilentRunLoader, and ValleyRAT (Winos4.0), alongside legitimate remote management tools like AnyDesk and SyncFuture. Campaigns use localized lures themed around HR, payroll, tax, and invoicing, targeting hundreds to thousands of recipients per campaign. TA4922 conducts credential phishing, fraud operations including credit card theft, and attempts to shift communications to out-of-band channels like LINE, WhatsApp, and Microsoft Teams. The group leverages legitimate cloud hosting services and trusted software for delivery and persistence, combining advanced tradecraft with financially motivated objectives such as data theft, fraud, access resale, and persistent remote access.
A sophisticated cyber-espionage campaign attributed to China-linked actors targets officials and citizens in Czech Republic and Taiwan through spearphishing attacks. The operation deploys malicious ZIP archives containing dual infection paths that ultimately deliver AZUREVEIL, an Adaptix C2 agent. The campaign uniquely leverages Microsoft Azure Blob Storage as a dead-drop command-and-control channel, bypassing traditional C2 infrastructure. A multi-stage infection chain employs RUSTCLOAK, a Rust-based loader implementing triple-layer encryption using modified RC4, Base64, and SM4-CBC algorithms. The final payload supports 36 post-exploitation commands including Beacon Object File execution in memory, file system manipulation, process control, network pivoting, and data exfiltration. Lure documents impersonate official communications from Taiwanese research institutions and Czech Social Security Administration, demonstrating targeted social engineering tailored to each region.
Cisco Talos observed a spear-phishing attack delivering LucidRook, a newly identified stager that targeted a Taiwanese NGO in October 2025. The metadata in the email suggests that it was delivered via authorized mail infrastructure, which implies potential misuse of legitimate sending capabilities.
Silver Fox, a threat actor, is exploiting Japan's tax filing and organizational change season with a targeted spearphishing campaign against Japanese businesses. The group sends convincing phishing emails related to tax compliance, salary adjustments, and HR matters, tricking recipients into opening malicious links or attachments. The campaign capitalizes on the high volume of legitimate financial and HR communications during this period, increasing the risk of compromise. Silver Fox has expanded its targets from Chinese-speaking entities to Southeast Asia, Japan, and potentially North America. The group uses ValleyRAT, a remote access trojan, to gain control of compromised machines and steal sensitive information. To protect against this threat, organizations should increase vigilance, reinforce awareness about phishing attempts, and verify the authenticity of tax- and HR-themed requests.
EtherRAT, a Node.js-based backdoor linked to a North Korean APT group, was detected in a retail customer's environment. It allows arbitrary command execution, extensive system information gathering, and asset theft. The malware uses 'EtherHiding' to store C2 addresses in Ethereum smart contracts, making infrastructure resilient to takedowns. It communicates using CDN-like beaconing to blend with normal traffic. Initial access varied, including ClickFix and IT Support scams via Microsoft Teams. A SYS_INFO module performs comprehensive host fingerprinting for target selection. The malware checks for CIS languages and self-destructs if found. It collects detailed system information, including hardware, software, and network details.
The semiconductor company says hackers deployed file-encrypting ransomware on the network of a subsidiary in Singapore. The post Chip Services Firm Trio-Tech Says Subsidiary Hit by Ransomware appeared first on SecurityWeek .
The men violated U.S.export controls laws by scheming to divert massive quantities of the high-performance servers assembled in the United States to China. The post 3 Men Charged With Conspiring to Smuggle US Artificial Intelligence to China appeared first on SecurityWeek .
A novel and stealthy threat called Infostealer.Speagle has been discovered, hijacking the functionality of Cobra DocGuard, a legitimate security software. This malware collects sensitive information from infected computers and transmits it to a compromised Cobra DocGuard server, masking the data exfiltration as legitimate communications. Speagle specifically targets computers with Cobra DocGuard installed and has shown capabilities to search for documents related to Chinese ballistic missiles. The infection vector remains unknown, but there are indications of a possible supply chain attack. The malware collects system information, file listings, and browser data in multiple phases, using sophisticated techniques to evade detection and self-delete after completing its tasks.
The state-sponsored hackers deployed custom tools and stayed dormant in the compromised environments for months. The post China-Linked Hackers Hit Asian Militaries in Patient Espionage Operation appeared first on SecurityWeek .
Using Windows shortcut files, the APT deployed a new implant, a loader, a propagation tool, and two backdoors. The post North Korean APT Targets Air-Gapped Systems in Recent Campaign appeared first on SecurityWeek .
APT37, a DPRK-backed threat group, has launched a new campaign called Ruby Jumper, utilizing Windows shortcut files to initiate attacks with newly discovered tools. These tools include RESTLEAF, SNAKEDROPPER, THUMBSBD, and VIRUSTASK, which work together to deliver surveillance payloads like FOOTWINE and BLUELIGHT. The campaign leverages removable media to infect and communicate with air-gapped systems. Key features include the use of Ruby for shellcode-based payloads, abuse of cloud storage services for command and control, and sophisticated techniques for bypassing network isolation. The malware demonstrates advanced capabilities in system reconnaissance, data exfiltration, and persistent surveillance.
The vulnerability in TeamT5 ThreatSonar Anti-Ransomware was recently added to CISA’s KEV catalog. The post Taiwan Security Firm Confirms Flaw Flagged by CISA Likely Exploited by Chinese APTs appeared first on SecurityWeek .
A sophisticated campaign by the Silver Fox APT group has been discovered using a fake version of the popular Chinese antivirus Huorong Security to distribute ValleyRAT, a Remote Access Trojan. The attackers created a convincing lookalike website with a typosquatted domain to trick users into downloading a malicious installer. The malware uses DLL sideloading techniques to deploy a full-featured backdoor with advanced stealth capabilities. It establishes persistence through scheduled tasks, disables Windows Defender, and employs various evasion tactics. Once installed, ValleyRAT provides attackers with extensive control over the victim's system, including keylogging, process injection, and credential theft. The campaign primarily targets Chinese-language systems but may be spreading to other threat actors due to the public leak of the ValleyRAT builder.
A series of targeted phishing campaigns in Taiwan have been observed disseminating Winos 4.0 (ValleyRat) malware and associated plugins. The attacks exploit local business processes using themes like tax audits and e-invoices. The campaigns employ various techniques including malicious LNK files, DLL sideloading, and Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks. The malware utilizes UAC bypassing, driver loading, and process termination to evade detection and disable security software. The attacks are attributed to a subgroup of the Silver Fox APT, showing sophisticated localization and evolving evasion techniques. The campaigns have been active since at least January 2026, using consistent infrastructure and development identifiers.
The company is investigating whether any customer or employee data was stolen by hackers. The post Chip Testing Giant Advantest Hit by Ransomware appeared first on SecurityWeek .
This intelligence report details a hybrid cryptocurrency investment scam campaign targeting users in Asia, particularly Japan. The scam combines malvertising techniques to attract victims with pig butchering tactics using AI-powered chatbots for sustained engagement. Victims are lured through social media ads impersonating financial experts, directed to lure websites, and then to messaging apps where automated bots manipulate them into making increasingly large investments. The campaign uses over 23,000 domains, many generated algorithmically, and shows signs of expanding globally. This approach represents a scalable, automated evolution of traditional investment fraud methods, potentially transforming labor-intensive scams into more efficient operations.
A data breach attributed to a North Korean-affiliated actor known as "Kim" has provided new insights into Kimsuky (APT43) tactics and infrastructure. The actor's operations focus on credential-based intrusions targeting South Korean and Taiwanese networks, utilizing Chinese-language tools and infrastructure. The leaked data includes bash histories, phishing domains, OCR workflows, compiled stagers, and rootkit evidence, revealing a hybrid operation between DPRK attribution and Chinese resource utilization. The actor demonstrated sophisticated credential harvesting techniques, including targeting South Korea's Government Public Key Infrastructure (GPKI) and reconnaissance of Taiwanese government and academic institutions. The leak exposes the evolution of DPRK cyber capabilities and highlights the complex attribution challenges in modern nation-state cyber operations.
