All news with #powershell tag

Maverick Banking Malware Spreads via WhatsApp Web in Brazil

⚠️ Threat hunters report a .NET banking trojan dubbed Maverick propagating via WhatsApp Web, with analyses noting significant code overlaps with the Coyote family and attribution to the actor known as Water Saci. The campaign uses a self-propagating component named SORVEPOTEL to distribute a ZIP containing an LNK that launches PowerShell/cmd to fetch loaders from zapgrande[.]com. The loader installs modules only after geo/linguistic checks confirm the victim is in Brazil and then deploys banking-targeted credential-stealing and web-injection capabilities.

FileFix: New File Explorer Social-Engineering Threat

🔒 FileFix is a social‑engineering technique that tricks users into pasting a malicious command into the Windows File Explorer address bar instead of the Run dialog. Attackers hide a long payload before a benign-looking file path using leading spaces so only the harmless path is visible, then invoke a PowerShell script (for example via conhost.exe) to retrieve and run malware. Defenses emphasize robust endpoint protection and ongoing employee awareness training, since blocking shortcuts alone is insufficient.

Operation SkyCloak: Tor-Enabled Backdoor Targets Defense

🔒 Attackers are deploying a persistent backdoor using OpenSSH and a customized Tor hidden service to target defense-related organizations in Russia and Belarus. The Operation SkyCloak campaign uses weaponized ZIP attachments and LNK-triggered PowerShell stagers that perform sandbox evasion and write an .onion hostname into the user's roaming profile. Persistence is established via scheduled tasks that run a renamed sshd.exe and a bespoke Tor binary using obfs4, enabling SSH, SFTP, RDP and SMB access over Tor.

Cybersecurity on a Budget: Strategies for Downturn

🔒 During economic downturns, organizations must preserve cybersecurity with constrained budgets by prioritizing risk-based controls, hardening existing systems, and blending open- and closed-source tools. The blog recommends defense-in-depth, isolating legacy hardware, disabling unnecessary features, and tuning EDR/AV, logging, and network filters to reduce exposure. It also advises retaining skilled incident response partners and investing selectively in early-to-mid career talent to maintain long-term resilience.

Google: Three New COLDRIVER Malware Families Identified

🔍 Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) reports three new malware families — NOROBOT, YESROBOT, and MAYBEROBOT — linked to the Russia-attributed COLDRIVER group following public disclosure of LOSTKEYS. The attacks use ClickFix-style HTML lures and fake CAPTCHA prompts to trick users into running malicious PowerShell via the Windows Run dialog. NOROBOT functions as a loader invoked by rundll32.exe, while YESROBOT acted as a brief HTTPS-based Python backdoor and MAYBEROBOT is a more extensible PowerShell implant targeting high-value victims.

TikTok Videos Push Infostealers via ClickFix Activation Scams

🔒 Cybercriminals are using TikTok videos disguised as free activation guides for software such as Windows, Adobe, Spotify, and Discord to distribute info‑stealing malware via a ClickFix technique. The videos instruct users to run a short PowerShell command that fetches a script from slmgr.win, which then downloads a variant of Aura Stealer and an additional payload from Cloudflare Pages. Victims should assume credentials are compromised, reset passwords, and avoid running copied commands in shells or terminal windows.

IUAM ClickFix Generator: Commoditizing Click-to-Run Phishing

🛡️ Unit 42 describes the IUAM ClickFix Generator, a phishing kit that automates creation of ClickFix-style pages which coerce victims into pasting and executing attacker-supplied commands. The kit creates OS-aware, highly customizable pages with clipboard injection, obfuscation, and mobile blocking to deliver infostealers and RATs such as DeerStealer and Odyssey. Unit 42 observed real campaigns, shared developer artifacts, and recommends user education and technical controls to block domains, IPs, and malware indicators.

WhatsApp-Based Self-Spreading Malware Hits Brazil Nationwide

⚠️ Trend Micro has uncovered a self-propagating malware campaign named SORVEPOTEL that primarily targets Brazilian Windows users via WhatsApp. The attack is delivered through convincing phishing messages with malicious ZIP attachments that contain LNK shortcuts which trigger PowerShell to download a batch payload. The payload establishes persistence by copying itself to the Windows Startup folder and contacts a command-and-control server, and if WhatsApp Web is active the malware automatically forwards the infected ZIP to contacts and groups, causing rapid spread and frequent account bans. Researchers report no evidence of data exfiltration or file encryption so far.

Credential ZIP Lures Use Malicious LNKs to Deploy DLLs

📎 BlackPoint researchers tracked a campaign that distributes credential-themed ZIP archives containing malicious Windows shortcut (.lnk) files. When opened, the shortcuts launch minimized, obfuscated PowerShell that downloads DLL payloads disguised as .ppt files, saves them to the user profile and invokes them via rundll32.exe. The dropper assembles commands from byte arrays, probes for antivirus processes and uses quiet flags to minimize visible indicators. Recommended mitigations include blocking LNKs in archives, enforcing Mark of the Web, denying execution from user-writable locations, and enabling PowerShell script block logging and AMSI.

Fileless AsyncRAT infection leverages in-memory loaders

🔍 Security researchers at LevelBlue Labs identified an open-source Remote Access Trojan, AsyncRAT, being deployed via a multi-stage, fileless in-memory loader that avoids writing executables to disk. Attackers gained initial access through a compromised ConnectWise ScreenConnect client, executing a VBScript which invoked PowerShell to fetch two staged .NET assemblies. The first-stage assembly decodes payloads into byte arrays and uses reflection to run the secondary assembly directly in memory, while operators disabled AMSI and tampered with ETW to evade runtime detection. Persistence was achieved with a scheduled task disguised as "Skype Update," and the RAT used an AES-256 encrypted configuration to connect to a DuckDNS-based C2.

AsyncRAT Delivery via ConnectWise ScreenConnect Abuse

⚠️ Cybersecurity researchers disclosed a campaign that abuses ConnectWise ScreenConnect remote sessions to deliver a fileless loader which ultimately executes the AsyncRAT remote-access trojan. Attackers use hands-on-keyboard activity to run a layered VBScript and PowerShell chain that loads obfuscated .NET assemblies and spawns AsyncClient.exe. Persistence is maintained via a scheduled task disguised as "Skype Updater," and stolen credentials, keystrokes, and wallet artifacts are exfiltrated to a DuckDNS command-and-control host.

APT28 Deploys NotDoor: Outlook VBA Backdoor in NATO

🔒 NotDoor is a newly reported Outlook VBA backdoor attributed to the Russian state-sponsored actor APT28 that monitors incoming mail for a trigger phrase and enables data exfiltration, file drops, and remote command execution. S2 Grupo's LAB52 describes deployment via DLL side-loading of onedrive.exe, which loads a malicious SSPICLI.dll, disables macro protections, and runs Base64-encoded PowerShell to establish persistence. The implant watches for a trigger such as "Daily Report" and supports four commands — cmd, cmdno, dwn and upl — sending stolen files via Proton Mail.

ClickFix Campaign Delivers CORNFLAKE.V3 Backdoor via Web

🛡️ Mandiant observed a campaign using the ClickFix social‑engineering lure to trick victims into copying and running PowerShell commands via the Windows Run dialog, yielding initial access tracked as UNC5518. That access is monetized and used by other groups to deploy a versatile backdoor, CORNFLAKE.V3, in PHP and JavaScript forms. CORNFLAKE.V3 supports HTTP-based payload execution, Cloudflare-tunneled proxying and registry persistence; researchers recommend disabling Run where possible, tightening PowerShell policies and increasing logging and user training to mitigate the risk.

PS1Bot Malvertising and Black Hat Takeaways from Talos

🔍 Cisco Talos describes a widespread malvertising campaign delivering a modular malware framework called PS1Bot. The multi-stage operation uses in-memory PowerShell and C# components to steal browser credentials, target cryptocurrency wallets, capture screenshots and keylogs, and maintain persistent access through modular updates. Active and evolving through 2025, PS1Bot minimizes its footprint to evade detection. Talos urges caution when downloading files, keeping security software current, and using dedicated password managers instead of browser-stored credentials.

Malvertising Campaign Delivers PS1Bot Multi-Stage Malware

🔍 Cisco Talos reports an active malvertising campaign delivering a multi-stage PowerShell/C# malware framework dubbed PS1Bot. The modular framework executes modules in-memory to minimize artifacts and supports information theft, keylogging, screenshot capture and cryptocurrency wallet exfiltration. Delivery begins with SEO-poisoning archives containing a downloader that writes a polling PowerShell script to C:\ProgramData and executes received code with Invoke-Expression.

Full PowerShell RAT Campaign Targets Israeli Organizations

🔒 The FortiMail Workspace Security team uncovered a targeted intrusion campaign that abused compromised internal email to deliver a multi-stage, fully PowerShell-based Remote Access Trojan targeting Israeli organizations. Phishing links redirected users to a spoofed Microsoft Teams page that instructed victims to press Windows+R, paste an obfuscated Base64 loader, and execute a PowerShell IEX fetch from a hard-coded C2 (hxxps[:]//pharmacynod[.]com), which in turn staged scripts and a compressed, in-memory RAT. The operation uses layered obfuscation, native Windows APIs, and living-off-the-land techniques to enable remote access, surveillance, persistence, lateral movement, and data exfiltration; Fortinet protections detect and block this activity.

New DarkCloud Stealer Infection Chain Uses ConfuserEx

🔒 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.

BadSuccessor: dMSA Privilege Escalation in Windows Server

🔒 Unit 42 details BadSuccessor, a critical post-Windows Server 2025 attack vector that abuses delegated Managed Service Accounts (dMSAs) to escalate privileges in Active Directory. The write-up explains how attackers who can create or modify dMSAs may set msDS-ManagedAccountPrecededByLink and msDS-DelegatedMSAState to impersonate superseded accounts and obtain elevated rights. It provides practical detection guidance using Windows Security auditing and offers hunting queries and mitigation recommendations. Palo Alto Networks solutions such as Cortex XDR and XSIAM are highlighted as able to detect this activity when auditing is enabled.