A Chinese-speaking cybercrime group, UAT-8099, is targeting high-value Internet Information Services (IIS) servers for search engine optimization fraud and data theft. The group focuses on reputable servers in India, Thailand, Vietnam, Canada, and Brazil, affecting universities, tech firms, and telecom providers. UAT-8099 uses web shells, hacking tools, Cobalt Strike, and BadIIS malware to manipulate search rankings and maintain persistence. They exploit weak file upload settings, enable guest accounts, and use RDP for access. The group also steals valuable credentials, configuration files, and certificates. New BadIIS variants with low detection rates and Chinese debug strings have been identified. The attackers employ SEO techniques like backlinking and inject malicious JavaScript to redirect users to fraudulent websites.
A Chinese-speaking threat actor group, tracked as CL-UNK-1037, has been conducting a large-scale SEO poisoning campaign called Operation Rewrite. The attackers use a malicious IIS module named BadIIS to intercept and alter web traffic on compromised servers, manipulating search engine results to redirect users to malicious sites. The campaign primarily targets East and Southeast Asia, with a focus on Vietnam. The attackers employ various tools including native IIS modules, ASP.NET handlers, and PHP scripts. The operation shows links to previously known threat groups like Group 9 and possibly DragonRank. The campaign demonstrates sophisticated techniques for search result manipulation and traffic redirection, posing significant risks to unsuspecting internet users.
A malware campaign targeting Chinese-speaking users has been identified, delivering three types of malware: ValleyRAT, FatalRAT, and kkRAT. The campaign uses fake installer pages to distribute the malware.kkRAT, a new Remote Access Trojan, shares similarities with Ghost RAT and Big Bad Wolf. It employs advanced evasion techniques, including sandbox detection and anti-analysis methods. The malware uses the BYOVD technique to disable antivirus and EDR systems.kkRAT's features include clipboard manipulation for cryptocurrency address replacement and deployment of remote monitoring tools. The malware's network communication protocol is similar to Ghost RAT's but with added encryption.kkRAT supports multiple plugins and commands for various malicious activities.
