In July 2026, IIJ discovered and analyzed an unknown .NET-based malicious tool hosted on a public directory. This tool, named PIVOTPIPE, exhibits functionality similar to Cobalt Strike Beacon, communicating with C2 servers using configurations close to default profiles and supporting numerous C2 commands. However, PIVOTPIPE differs from official Cobalt Strike Beacon through unique implementations including detection evasion code, custom loaders, and obfuscated strings. The tool consists of two components: a loader and RAT module. The loader implements AMSI bypass, indirect syscalls, and sleep masking for EDR evasion. PIVOTPIPE supports TCP Beacon and SMB Beacon functionality for peer-to-peer communication through compromised hosts. Debug artifacts suggest the tool was still under development at the time of discovery, indicating potential future enhancements.
Mythic is an open-source command-and-control (C2) framework used by red teams and threat actors. Analysis found 131 unique Mythic C2 hosts exposed on the public Internet, with most using default TLS certificates. These deployments span major cloud providers and are concentrated in the US, Hong Kong, and China. Default artifacts such as TLS certificates with O=Mythic and port 7443 responses enable detection. Some clusters appear to be training environments, while isolated deployments with custom domains and advanced transport methods like Discord and steganography indicate operational use.
A recent attack on a poorly managed MS-SQL server involved the use of XiebroC2, an open-source C2 framework similar to CobaltStrike. The attackers exploited vulnerable credentials, installed JuicyPotato for privilege escalation, and then deployed XiebroC2 using PowerShell. XiebroC2 supports various features including remote control, information collection, and defense evasion across multiple platforms. The malware collects system information and connects to a C&C server for command execution. To protect against such attacks, administrators are advised to use complex passwords, regularly update them, keep security software current, and implement firewalls to restrict external access to publicly accessible database servers.
AdaptixC2, an open-source post-exploitation and adversarial emulation framework, has been observed being used in real-world attacks. This versatile tool allows threat actors to execute commands, transfer files, and perform data exfiltration on compromised systems. Its open-source nature enables easy customization, making it highly flexible and dangerous. The framework supports sophisticated tunneling capabilities, modular design with extenders, and various beacon agent formats. Two infection scenarios were analyzed: one using social engineering via Microsoft Teams, and another likely involving AI-generated scripts. The increasing prevalence of AdaptixC2 in attacks, including its use alongside ransomware, highlights the growing trend of attackers leveraging customizable frameworks to evade detection.
