New commercially available mass FTP-based proxy-supporting doorway/malicious script uploading application spotted in the wild
For many years now, cybercriminals have been efficiency abusing both legitimate compromised and automatically registered FTP accounts (using CAPTCHA outsourcing) in an attempt to monetize the process by uploading cybercrime-friendly ‘doorways’ or plain simple malicious scripts to be used later on in their campaigns.
This practice led to the emergence of DIY (do-it-yourself) tools and managed service platforms that allow virtually anyone to start monetizing these fraudulently or automatically registered accounting data, signaling a trend towards an efficiency-driven cybercrime ecosystem – a concept that’s been materializing on a daily basis for a couple of years.
In this post, I’ll profile a desktop-based tool that allows cybercriminals to automatically syndicate lists of free/paid proxies — think malware-infected hosts — adding an additional layer of anonymity in the process of uploading their doorways/malicious scripts on any given FTP server whose accounting data they’ve managed to compromise or automatically register.
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Cybercriminals spamvertise tens of thousands of fake ‘Your Booking Reservation at Westminster Hotel’ themed emails, serve malware
By Dancho Danchev
Cybercriminals are currently mass mailing tens of thousands of fake emails impersonating the Westminster Hotel, in an attempt to trick users into thinking that they’ve received a legitimate booking confirmation. In reality through, once the socially engineered users execute the malicious attachments, their PCs automatically join the botnet operated by the cybercriminals behind the campaign.
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Spamvertised ‘Export License/Invoice Copy’ themed emails lead to malware
By Dancho Danchev
We’ve just intercepted a currently circulating malicious spam campaign consisting of tens of thousands of fake ‘Export License/Invoice Copy’ themed emails, enticing users into executing the malicious attachment. Once the socially engineered users do so, their PCs automatically become part of the botnet operated by the cybercriminals behind the campaign.
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Novel ransomware tactic locks users’ PCs, demands that they participate in a survey to get the unlock code
By Dancho Danchev
From managed ransomware as a service ‘solutions‘ to DIY ransomware generating tools, this malicious market segment is as hot as ever with cybercriminals continuing to push new variants, and sometimes, literally introducing novel approaches to monetize locked PCs.
In this case, by forcing their users to complete a survey before they receive the unlock code.
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Newly launched underground market service harvests mobile phone numbers on demand
In May of 2012, we highlighted the increasing public availability of managed SMS spam services that can send hundreds of thousands of SMS messages across multiple verticals. These services are assisted through the use of proprietary or publicly obtainable phone number harvesting and verifying DIY applications.
In this post, I’ll profile one of the most recently advertised managed mobile phone number harvesting service which allows full customization of the harvesting criteria based on the specific requirements of the customer.
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Deceptive ads targeting German users lead to the ‘W32/SomotoBetterInstaller’ Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA)
We’ve just intercepted yet another campaign serving deceptive ads, this time targeting German-speaking users into downloading and installing the privacy-invading ‘FLV Player’ Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA), part of Somoto’s pay-per-install network.
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Android.Bankun: Bank Information Stealing Application On Your Android Device
By Nathan Collier
There’s one variant of Android.Bankun that is particularly interesting to me. When you look at the manifest it doesn’t have even one permission. Even wallpaper apps have internet permissions. Having no permissions isn’t a red flag for being malicious though. In fact, it may even make you lean towards it being legitimate.
There is one thing that thing that gives Android.Bankun a red flag though. The package name of com.google.bankun instantly makes me think something is fishy. To the average user the word ‘Google’ is seen as a word to be trusted. This is especially true when it comes to the Android operating system which is of course created by the search engine giant. read more…
Cybercriminals experiment with Tor-based C&C, ring-3-rootkit empowered, SPDY form grabbing malware bot
By Dancho Danchev
Keeping in pace with the latest and most widely integrated technologies, with the idea to abuse them in a fraudulent/malicious way, is an everyday reality in today’s cybercrime ecosystem that continues to be over-supplied with modified and commoditized malicious software. This is achieved primarily through either leaked source code or a slightly different set of ‘common’ malware ‘features’ branded under a different name.
What are cybercriminals up to in terms of experimenting with command and control infrastructure? How are they responding to the introduction of new protocols such as, for instance, SPDY, embedded deep into the most popular Internet browsers? Let’s find out.
In this post, I’ll profile a recently advertised malware bot with ring-3-rootkit capabilities, DDoS features, Tor-based command and control servers, and ‘upcoming’ support for SPDY form grabbing – all with an emphasis on how what once use to be advanced antivirus evasion tactics applied only by sophisticated coders turned into today’s commoditized malware bot features, implemented, released and sold by virtually everyone within the underground marketplace.
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How cybercriminals create and operate Android-based botnets
On their way to acquire the latest and coolest Android game or application, end users with outdated situational awareness on the latest threats facing them often not only undermine the confidentiality and integrity of their devices, but also, can unknowingly expose critical business data to the cybercriminals who managed to infect their devices.
How are cybercriminals achieving this in times when Google is automatically scanning all submissions to the Google Play store, and is also verifying the applications to prevent the abuse of potential installations from untrusted third-party stores/application download locations?
Easier than you to think, especially with the recent commercial availability of a DIY Android application decompiler/injector developed to work exclusively with a publicly obtainable Android-based trojan horse.
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Self-propagating ZeuS-based source code/binaries offered for sale
Like every ecosystem, the cybercrime ecosystem has its own set of market disrupting forces whose applicability and relevance truly shape the big picture at the end of the day. For years, cybercriminals have been porting, localizing (MPack/IcePack, FirePack) and further contributing to the the development of malware/crimeware/Web malware exploitation kits, either through direct cooperation with the original author of a particular release, or on the basis of leaked or commercially available source code.
With more high profile malware source code leaks continuing to take place, more cybercrime-friendly coders now have access to sophisticated antivirus detection bypassing techniques. Access to these techniques will definitely spark the introduction of “new” features within the coders’ own set of underground market releases in an attempt to catch up with the market leading competition.
Two weeks ago, we began monitoring a cybercrime ecosystem advertisement offering access to self-propagating ZeuS-based source code. It sparked several important questions in the overall context of today’s underground market – is coding custom malware for hire still a relevant monetization tactic? Do low/high profile leaks of malware source code actually allow virtually anyone with less sophisticated coding capabilities to re-purpose, brand and start selling their own malware? Or is the underground system still largely dominated by vendors ‘pushing’ their product/service strategies to meet the demand for these kinds of assets?
Let’s find out.
Top 5 Fake Security Rogues of 2013
By Tyler Moffitt
We see users on the internet getting infected with Rogue Security Malware all the time. In fact, it’s one of the most common and obvious type of infections we see. The Rogues lock-down your computer and prevent you from opening any applications so you’re forced to read their scam. Although they use various tactics and convincing GUIs to get onto your computer, they all share a common goal: To get your money. read more…
Rogue ‘Free Codec Pack’ ads lead to Win32/InstallCore Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA)
Following last week’s profile of yet another InstallCore Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) campaign, we detected another rogue ad campaign this week. This time enticing E.U based users into downloading and installing a fake “Free Codec Pack”, with the users sacrificing their privacy in the process due to the additional toolbars that will be installed on their PCs.
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