Cybercriminals continue adapting to the exponential penetration of mobile devices through the systematic release of DIY (do-it-yourself) mobile number harvesting tools, successfully setting up the foundations for commercial managed/on demand mobile phone number harvesting services, ultimately leading to an influx of mobile  malware/spam campaigns. In addition to boutique based DIY operations, sophisticated, ‘innovation’ and market development-oriented cybercriminals are actively working on the development of commercially available Android-based botnet generating tools, further fueling growth into the market segment.

In a series of blog posts, we’ve been profiling multiple cybercrime-friendly services/malicious Android-based underground market releases, further highlighting the professionalization of the market segment in terms of sophistication and QA (Quality Assurance).

We’ve recently spotted a service offering 5M+ harvested and segmented Russian mobile phone numbers on a per business status/gender/driving license basis. What’s particularly interesting about this service is the fact that it exposes a long-run fraudulent Win32:SMSSend serving infrastructure (SEVAHOST-AS Seva-Host Ltd (AS49313), segmented harvested mobile phone numbers of Sochi citizens, a fake (paid) medical leave/absence service targeting Sochi citizens, and a portfolio of rogue mobile apps leading to the exposure of a mobile botnet, surprisingly relying on an identical hardware/bot ID.

More details:

Sample screenshot of the 5M+ harvested mobile phone numbers service:

Mobile_Malware_SMS_Spam_Fraud_Cybercrime_Harvested_Mobile_Phone_Numbers

The service’s main URL responds to 91.228.155.210.

Parked on the same IP (91.228.155.210) are also the following fraudulent/cybercrime-friendly domains:
hxxp://instagramm-registration.ru

Related rogue game MD5s known to have been (historically) hosted at the same IP (91.228.155.210):
MD5: 68c1c11d86bc272e9a975400e2991e41
MD5: 3ccf8cfc88d7228e8e4345d389ce56ef
MD5: 6bf0482a0bd8fcf19a88e7a03abd69ef
MD5: 232c501fec973e8923143e41b520f698
MD5: 5601f871f3f1873c1da971358799f088
MD5: 94abca6d4ec24fdbe1ec74f40b4a77cd
MD5: 126bc6cb8e58c7859768d9390c726774
MD5: 966e3bbd0f77463403bb200454544cd4

The following malicious MD5s are also known to have phoned back to the same IP (91.228.155.210):
MD5: 6e6a09ec8235705f314ed2fae8fab01a
MD5: 676dc0a061886bf537e01ddceb6c9230

Mobile_Malware_SMS_Spam_Fraud_Cybercrime_Harvested_Mobile_Phone_Numbers__

The existence of the secondary services (segmented mobile phone numbers belonging to Sochi citizens/paid medical leave services), parked on the same IP as the original 5M+ harvested mobile phone numbers offering service, is a decent example of market segmentation in the context of an event-based type of underground market offering targeting the Sochi Olympics. Not surprisingly, cybercriminals have already taken advantage of this segment, and in a true fraudulent/malicious nature, have launched social engineering driven Android-based malware serving SMS spam campaigns (MD5: 361e92c344294d8b4fce0c302f61716a).

Mobile_Malware_SMS_Spam_Fraud_Cybercrime_Harvested_Mobile_Phone_Numbers__01

Sample screenshot of the fraudulent Instagram site parked on the same IP (91.228.155.210):

Mobile_Malware_SMS_Spam_Fraud_Cybercrime_Harvested_Mobile_Phone_Numbers_01

Redirection chain for the rogue Instagram app site:
hxxp://instagramm-registration.ru/ -> hxxp://domainusers.biz/?page=lending&type=soft&size=1&ext=rar&link=http://tds-link-asg.biz/?tds=1275&page=search&parent=similar&key=Instagram_registration_(soft).zip&key=programma_instagram_register_PC ->
hxxps://www.tcsbank.ru/credit/form/cash/?utm_source=troywell_apr_cc&utm_medium=aft.apr&utm_content=network&utm_campaign=creditcard&wm=1otx&sid=701411425&prx=701411425

Redirectors domain name reconnaissance:
domainusers.biz – 91.202.63.117
tds-link-asg.biz – 91.202.63.119

Mobile_Malware_SMS_Spam_Fraud_Cybercrime_Harvested_Mobile_Phone_Numbers_02

Name server reconnaissance for the redirectors:
NS11.LIMONBUCKS.COM – 91.217.85.34 – Email: sevacash@gmail.com – SEVAHOST-AS Seva-Host Ltd (AS49313)
NS12.LIMONBUCKS.COM – 91.217.85.37 – Email: sevacash@gmail.com

Name servers resonnaissance of the rogue/fraudulent mobile apps serving rogue affiliate network operating the redirectors:
ns1.sevadns.com – 91.217.85.35 – hxxp://sevadns.com -> hxxp://seva-hosting.com (91.217.85.35)
ns1.sevadns.com – 91.217.85.36

A peek inside sample statistics from the rogue mobile apps serving affiliate network:

Mobile_Malware_SMS_Spam_Fraud_Cybercrime_Harvested_Mobile_Phone_Numbers_04

Known to have phoned back to (91.202.63.119; tds-link-asg.biz) is also the following malicious MD5: bf0074d6e2745925ec8ef3225a2052e1Known C&C – hxxp://91.202.63.119/showthread.php?j6m=452416&nmhn=401c4ab9717ac07af8449176f3b07cfb&o=8,f4aacf34b635ccbe03dcc87bc52e7c49. Responding to the same IP, is also the Web site of the mobile traffic/rogue apps serving affiliate network.

Known C&C domain responding to the same IP: majdong.ru (91.202.63.119)

Related DNS requests performed by the sample (MD5: bf0074d6e2745925ec8ef3225a2052e1):
edreke.ru
edreke.ru.ovh.net

Name servers reconnaissance:
Name server: ns1.zippro.ru – 37.221.164.2
Name server: ns2.zippro.ru – 37.221.164.3

Mobile_Malware_SMS_Spam_Fraud_Cybercrime_Harvested_Mobile_Phone_Numbers_03

Known to have phoned back to the same C&C server majdong.ru (91.202.63.119) are also the following malicious MD5s:
MD5: 9a05f7572ff50115fb22a4b3841ab137
MD5: 00adadb8e8a1d73c444134f2d1c1fba0
MD5: 651397e89d4b5687d1c8ce4834dc4234
MD5: bf0074d6e2745925ec8ef3225a2052e1

Known to have been downloaded from the same IP (ns1.zippro.ru – 37.221.164.2) are also the following malicious MD5s:
MD5: b58b0539818762becd4f5051a3c81b46
MD5: a385f6362f5ceb69db4c03ed324dfc34

Known to have phoned back to (ns1.zippro.ru – 37.221.164.2) are also the following malicious MD5s:
MD5: c6e5c1508ace1dfed450f8f69b11f1e6
MD5: f5399127b908f5a3ad994ca0e681cb26
MD5: aad3f6de5ae8c595797c55716a83adde

Known to have been downloaded from the same IP (ns2.zippro.ru – 37.221.164.3) are also the following malicious MD5s:
MD5: 522c729109ba4a51b5f361d33b5b3edb
MD5: 243934ec2546c54c1cb6d9309896a035
MD5: 578d5a1f5b968d01e553f7c94e12b235
MD5: b7baa6ccf6d9242b7e5d599830fa12b1

Known to have phoned back to (ns2.zippro.ru – 37.221.164.3) are also the following malicious MD5s:
MD5: ac3477ad87db7cfe4373cb2135eb1387
MD5: be49f224212ac9e05ae6b67b299350f2
MD5: a6f82de33bf03e8cb197cbc426942dca
MD5: 3204e633b6892171830004aedc5b6907
MD5: e31e8f4805768c326e28c68a6f406acc
MD5: d9920001704950e4f4c18d6e2ec30aae
MD5: 132cec7617f656db385d7acf31cd3393
MD5: be49f224212ac9e05ae6b67b299350f2
MD5: a6f82de33bf03e8cb197cbc426942dca
MD5: 93dfb678ecd06d27e59f96f2f30a52d5

Based on our analysis, we were able to successfully identify an identical pseudo-random hardware ID/bot ID, that we were also able to connect to related W32.SMSSend campaigns, further confirming that cybercriminals continue to actively multi-task in 2014.

Related W32.SMSSend hardware ID/bot ID campaigns using the same pseudo-random ID: 401c4ab9717ac07af8449176f3b07cfb

Sample fraudulent W32.SMSSend MD5s relying on the same pseudo-random ID known to have phoned back to 64.120.227.154/185.15.209.17:
MD5: ac3477ad87db7cfe4373cb2135eb1387
MD5: be49f224212ac9e05ae6b67b299350f2
MD5: a6f82de33bf03e8cb197cbc426942dca
MD5: 93dfb678ecd06d27e59f96f2f30a52d5
MD5: 3204e633b6892171830004aedc5b6907
MD5: e31e8f4805768c326e28c68a6f406acc
MD5: d6e06c98db7a0d38440d300accf8c730
MD5: d74528f426054fdcaca65a7e25b0d8dd
MD5: d1aa5e38fabe1811dfa113c6185c665e
MD5: 97141a85483998dff7e4aa04ce39b4f3
MD5: c6f2f67ddb2da9cebd9a669d964df6a7
MD5: 405b25f0834ad6c50ddfa203ac3112b4

Webroot SecureAnywhere users are proactively protected from these threats.

Blog Staff

About the Author

Blog Staff

The Webroot blog offers expert insights and analysis into the latest cybersecurity trends. Whether you’re a home or business user, we’re dedicated to giving you the awareness and knowledge needed to stay ahead of today’s cyber threats.

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