An MDR investigation successfully mapped the complete operational infrastructure of Banana RAT, a Brazilian banking trojan operated by threat cluster SHADOW-WATER-063. The investigation uncovered both server-side and client-side components, revealing a sophisticated FastAPI-based polymorphic payload generation system that produces hash-unique builds to evade detection. The malware employs layered obfuscation, AES-wrapped payloads, and fileless PowerShell execution. Once deployed, it enables operator-driven fraud through remote input control, keylogging, screen streaming, bank-branded overlays, and Pix QR code interception specifically targeting Brazilian financial institutions. The tooling exclusively targets 16 Brazilian banks and crypto exchanges, with all operator artifacts written in Brazilian Portuguese, indicating a financially motivated actor operating within the Tetrade banking trojan ecosystem.
The Boto Cor-de-Rosa campaign reveals Astaroth's new strategy of exploiting WhatsApp Web for propagation. This Brazilian banking malware now uses a Python-based worm module to retrieve victims' WhatsApp contact lists and automatically send malicious messages, expanding its infection reach. The attack begins with a malicious ZIP file sent via WhatsApp, containing a Visual Basic script that downloads additional components. The malware then operates two parallel modules: a propagation module for spreading through WhatsApp contacts, and a banking module for credential stealing. This campaign demonstrates Astaroth's evolution, combining traditional malware techniques with sophisticated social engineering and multi-platform propagation, primarily targeting Brazilian users.
A new Astaroth banking trojan campaign has been discovered abusing GitHub to host malware configurations. The infection begins with a phishing email containing a link to download a zipped Windows shortcut file, which installs the Astaroth malware. The trojan detects when users access banking or cryptocurrency websites and steals credentials through keylogging. It sends stolen information to attackers using Ngrok reverse proxy and uses GitHub to update its configuration when command and control servers become inaccessible. The malware primarily targets South American countries, with a focus on Brazil. Astaroth employs various anti-analysis techniques and targets specific banking and cryptocurrency-related sites. The GitHub repositories hosting the malicious configurations have been reported and taken down.
