All news in category “Threat and Trends Reports”

📱 Android adware can range from benign ad‑supported apps to intrusive PUAs that harvest data, perform click fraud, or hide to prevent removal. Detections rose by 160% in H1 2025, and sophisticated campaigns such as Kaleidoscope — which uses identical “evil twin” apps across official and third‑party stores — accounted for a substantial share of incidents. To reduce risk, only install apps from reputable developers and the Google Play Store, keep software updated, enable PUA detection in mobile security tools, and if infected disconnect, reboot to Safe Mode and remove suspicious apps or run a trusted scanner.

🔒 Unit 42 observed a new DarkCloud Stealer infection chain in early April 2025 that employs ConfuserEx-based obfuscation and a final Visual Basic 6 payload. Phishing TAR/RAR/7Z archives deliver obfuscated JavaScript or WSF downloaders which retrieve a PowerShell stage from open directories and drop a ConfuserEx-protected executable. The loaders are heavily protected with javascript-obfuscator and the variant follows prior AutoIt-based deliveries. Palo Alto Networks notes that Advanced WildFire, Advanced URL Filtering, Advanced DNS Security, Cortex XDR and XSIAM can help detect and mitigate these stages and recommends contacting Unit 42 for incident response.

🛡️Unit 42 explains why Muddled Libra receives outsized attention: the group uses a consistent playbook, industry-focused waves of attacks, and unusually convincing English-language vishing that makes attribution and impact more visible. In 2025 cases, about 50% led to DragonForce ransomware deployment and data exfiltration, heightening executive concern. The report highlights practical defenses such as Conditional Access Policies and analytic correlation with tools like Cortex XSIAM to detect and disrupt operations.

🔍 ESET's H1 2025 Threat Report highlights a sharp rise in manipulative social-engineering techniques, coordinated infostealer takedowns, and aggressive infighting among ransomware groups. Hosts Aryeh Goretsky and Ondrej Kubovič analyze the rapid emergence of ClickFix, including the FakeCaptcha variant that coaxes victims into executing commands. They also summarize law enforcement disruptions of RedLine/Meta Stealer and other services, and recount a brazen “deathmatch” in which the small actor Dragonforce defaced and dismantled rival data leak sites.

🔐 Talos, in collaboration with NetHope and Cisco Crisis Response, developed a customized Backdoors & Breaches expansion deck to help humanitarian aid NGOs improve incident response and proactive security within constrained budgets. The cards model real-world challenges—forced relocation, limited connectivity, and scarce resources—to make tabletop exercises practical and relevant for both technical and non-technical teams. Hundreds of physical decks have been distributed and a U.S.-focused edition was created with NGO-ISAC for domestic organizations. Resources and virtual play options are provided to lower barriers to adoption and scale training.

📌 This Unit 42 reference catalog enumerates selected threat actor groups tracked by Palo Alto Networks, organized by assigned constellation and primary motivation (nation-state, cybercrime, ransomware). It lists aliases, activity summaries, typical sectors impacted and observed TTPs, and highlights recent additions through Aug. 1, 2025. Use of Unit 42 telemetry and the Attribution Framework informs assessments and updates.

🔍 In this Unlocked 403 episode host Becks speaks with ESET malware researcher Lukas Stefanko to explain how modern spyware operates and why commonplace apps can become surveillance tools. They examine ESET’s discovery of BadBazaar, describe common infection vectors, persistence techniques and permissions abuse, and note that some tools can compromise devices without any user interaction. Lukas outlines practical detection signals and step‑by‑step removal advice. The conversation also points listeners to a prior episode for deeper Android threat analysis.

🔎 Unit 42's Attribution Framework defines a structured, repeatable process for linking observed cyber activity to clusters, temporary groups, or formally named threat actors. It pairs the Diamond Model with the Admiralty System to score source reliability and information credibility, guiding analysts through minimum standards, naming conventions, and promotion criteria to reduce premature attribution.

🛡️ In July 2025, ESET Chief Security Evangelist Tony Anscombe highlighted major cybersecurity incidents, including exploitation of ToolShell zero‑day vulnerabilities in on‑premises Microsoft SharePoint and the confirmed return of Lumma Stealer. Other critical stories included a ransomware attack that closed UK transport firm KNP, a massive data exposure in McDonald's hiring chatbot McHire, and the discovery of PerfektBlue Bluetooth flaws affecting vehicles. The UK also proposed banning ransom payments by public bodies.

🔒 Browser extensions can provide useful features but also expose users and organizations to significant risk. Malicious or compromised add-ons may steal credentials, session cookies, and browsing data, inject ads or malware, redirect users, or run background tasks like cryptomining. Scrutinize developer credentials and permissions, prefer official web stores, keep browsers updated, and enable security software and MFA.

🔒 Phony CAPTCHA pages are being used to trick users into running commands that invoke legitimate Windows tools like PowerShell or mshta.exe, which then download and install malware. Threat actors—including those using the social engineering method ClickFix—deploy infostealers, remote access trojans, ransomware and cryptominers through deceptive verification prompts that appear legitimate. Users should avoid executing pasted commands, keep systems and security software updated, and consider ad blockers to reduce exposure.

🔒 In this episode of Unlocked 403, host Becks and ESET Global Security Advisor Jake Moore examine how everyday online activity becomes a marketable commodity. They explain how social media, apps and websites harvest, analyze and monetize both first- and third-party data, and why metadata often reveals more than expected. The conversation highlights risks for children and the long-term consequences of pervasive collection. Jake shares practical tips for tightening app privacy settings, limiting permissions and embracing data minimization to better protect personal information.

🛡️ ESET Research reviews the sprawling ecosystem of AsyncRAT, an open-source C# remote access trojan first published in 2019, and the many forks that have proliferated since. The post maps major families—most notably DcRat and VenomRAT—and outlines rapid identification techniques based on client configuration, embedded certificates, and behavior. It highlights uncommon plugins (USB spreaders, screamers, clipboard clippers, distributed brute modules) and stresses evolving obfuscation and evasion tactics.

🔐 In this Cybersecurity Podcast episode, ESET Principal Threat Intelligence Researcher Robert Lipovsky outlines the practical skills and personality traits useful for newcomers to the field. He addresses common questions about coding ability, college degrees, and whether formal qualifications are required. Lipovsky emphasizes curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to learn alongside foundational technical skills. The discussion frames these recommendations within an evolving threat landscape and ESET’s broader career guidance.

⚠️ Task scams are rising employment frauds that lure jobseekers with easy micro-tasks and visible “earnings,” then pressure victims to pay to unlock funds. The schemes use gamification, spoofed sites and messaging apps, often asking for cryptocurrency deposits or “level-up” fees. Victims see initial fake gains, then lose payments with no recourse. Always verify recruiters and never pay upfront.

🔍 ESET Research describes Gamaredon’s 2024 shift to exclusively target Ukrainian government institutions, significantly increasing spearphishing scale and frequency while adopting new delivery techniques such as malicious hyperlinks and LNK files served from Cloudflare domains. The group introduced six new PowerShell and VBScript-based tools and upgraded existing implants with improved obfuscation, registry-based persistence, and stealth features. Operators have largely hidden C2 infrastructure behind Cloudflare tunnels and increasingly rely on third-party platforms and DoH for resilience.

🛡️ The ESET research team has released the H1 2025 Threat Report, summarizing cyberthreat activity from December 2024 through May 2025. The report highlights a rapid rise in a new social engineering technique, ClickFix, with detections increasing more than fivefold, and a 160% surge in Android adware linked to evil twin fraud and PUAs. It also notes growing numbers of ransomware attacks and gangs even as overall payment values trended downward. Watch ESET Chief Security Evangelist Tony Anscombe's video overview and consult the full report for details and mitigation guidance.

🔍 The latest ESET APT Activity report and podcast episode summarize intrusion activity observed across Q4 2024–Q1 2025, highlighting persistent and evolving adversary techniques. ESET researchers spotlight China-aligned actors such as UnsolicitedBooker, which repeatedly targeted the same organization with the MarsSnake backdoor, and tool-sharing trends centered on groups like Worok. The report also covers Russia-aligned operations — Sednit’s expanded Operation RoundPress against webmail platforms, ongoing Gamaredon obfuscation in Ukraine, and Sandworm’s use of the ZEROLOT wiper — plus activity from other regional actors that complicate attribution and detection.