Looking for the ‘Sliver’ lining: Hunting for emerging command-and-control frameworks
Threat actors evade detection by adopting the Sliver command-and-control (C2) framework in intrusion campaigns.
Disrupting SEABORGIUM’s ongoing phishing operations
The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) has observed and taken actions to disrupt campaigns launched by SEABORGIUM in campaigns involve persistent phishing and credential theft campaigns leading to intrusions and data theft.
Untangling KNOTWEED: European private-sector offensive actor using 0-day exploits
MSTIC and MSRC disclose technical details of a private-sector offensive actor (PSOA) tracked as KNOTWEED using multiple Windows and Adobe 0-day exploits, including one for the recently patched CVE-2022-22047, in limited and targeted attacks against European and Central American customers.
North Korean threat actor targets small and midsize businesses with H0lyGh0st ransomware
A group of actors originating from North Korea that MSTIC tracks as DEV-0530 has been developing and using ransomware in attacks since June 2021. This group, which calls itself H0lyGh0st, utilizes a ransomware payload with the same name.
Exposing POLONIUM activity and infrastructure targeting Israeli organizations
Microsoft successfully detected and disabled attack activity abusing OneDrive by a previously undocumented Lebanon-based activity group Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) tracks as POLONIUM.
In hot pursuit of ‘cryware’: Defending hot wallets from attacks
The rise in cryptocurrency market capitalization paved the way to the emergence of threats Microsoft security researchers are referring to as “cryware”—information stealers focused on gathering and exfiltrating data from non-custodial cryptocurrency wallets.
Dismantling ZLoader: How malicious ads led to disabled security tools and ransomware
Microsoft took action against the ZLoader trojan by working with telecommunications providers around the world to disrupt key ZLoader infrastructure. In this blog, we detail the various characteristics for identifying ZLoader activity, including its associated tactics, recent campaigns, and affiliated payloads, such as ransomware.
Tarrask malware uses scheduled tasks for defense evasion
Microsoft Detection and Response Team (DART) researchers have uncovered malware that creates “hidden” scheduled tasks as a defense evasion technique. In this post, we will demonstrate how threat actors create scheduled tasks, how they cover their tracks, and how the malware’s evasion techniques are used to maintain and ensure persistence on systems.
DEV-0537 criminal actor targeting organizations for data exfiltration and destruction
The activity we have observed has been attributed to a threat group that Microsoft tracks as DEV-0537, also known as LAPSUS$. DEV-0537 is known for using a pure extortion and destruction model without deploying ransomware payloads.
Uncovering Trickbot’s use of IoT devices in command-and-control infrastructure
The Microsoft Defender for IoT research team has recently discovered the exact method through which MikroTik devices are used in Trickbot’s C2 infrastructure. In this blog, we share the analysis of this method and provide insights on how attackers gain access and how they use compromised IoT devices in Trickbot attacks.