DNS abuse combined with redirection seems to be gaining popularity as a stealth mechanism. We've just seen Decoy Dog employ the same tactic. More recently, a still-unnamed JavaScript (JS) malware has been wreaking havoc among WordPress site owners by abusing Google Public DNS to redirect victims to tech support scam sites. more
Decoy Dog, a malware renowned for abusing the DNS, specifically by establishing command and control (C&C) via DNS queries, first reared its head most likely in early 2022. Given its sly nature, the DNS malware has been used to successfully steal data from organizations throughout Russia and other Eastern European nations. more
Each time organizations shore up their network defenses, cybercriminals devise new and innovative ways to up the cyber attack ante. That's actually the rationale behind malware crypting - the process of making malicious programs, apps, and files appear harmless to anti-malware and intrusion detection solutions. more
The more dangerous browsing the Internet becomes, the more tools to address cyber threats emerge in the market. Virtual private network (VPN) service usage, for instance, gained ubiquity due to the ever-increasing number of data privacy intrusions. more
As all initial-access threats go, SocGholish is among the trickiest. It often comes disguised as software updates, deceiving victims into downloading a malicious payload that could eventually lead to more lethal cyber attacks. In fact, researchers at ReliaQuest found evidence that an initial SocGholish malware distribution was intended to deploy ransomware. more
AutoIT-compiled malware and Dridex trace their roots to as far back as 2008 and 2014, respectively. As malware variants go, therefore, they've both had a long history and taken on various forms over time. But despite having been detected and consequently blocked with each new version, they're still alive and kicking -- a testament to their persistence. more
More sophisticated BazarCall campaigns have been circulating and delivering ransomware entry points to victims. While the bait still involves urgent notification emails about nonexistent purchases or subscriptions, the subsequent phase highlights the threat actors' manipulative skills. more
Eternity, also known as the "EternityTeam" or "Eternity Project," has been active since January 2022 and tied to the Jester Group. It gained infamy for using the as-a-service subscription model to distribute its own brand of malware modules via underground forums. more
BlackEnergy first appeared in 2007. Designed to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks or download customized spam or banking data-stealer plug-ins, it was again used to target the State Bar of Georgia last May more
Two cyber threats recently caught the attention of WhoisXML API researchers, primarily since parts of their infection chain hide behind legitimate services. This tactic is tricky for security teams because blocking the domains involved means blocking legitimate applications, too. more