Weekly Recap June 24 2022

  • By Steven
  • Jun 27, 2022

We are nearly halfway through 2022. News stories detailing hacks and other digital breaches continue to roll in on a daily basis. The digital security statistics just keep getting worse with each passing year. According to ThoughtLab's digital security specialists, data breaches and online attacks have increased by 15% on a year-over-year basis. Below, we provide a quick look at the top news stories from the world of digital security in the week gone by.

BRATA Malware Targeting Android Devices

BRATA malware has advanced to the point that it can zero in on Android devices. Adding new features to BRATA malware makes web-based threats against financial apps more clandestine. BRATA was first pinpointed in the wild four years ago, then resurfaced this past spring in Europe. BRATA tricks targets into downloading antivirus software along with tools that allegedly boost efficiency.

BRATA now has rogue apps with features that make it easier to copy the login information entered into financial institution login pages, steal text messages and wreak other havoc. 

BRATA's updated attacks are targeting individuals in Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and likely several other nations.

Android Trojan Targets Banks and Customers

The "MaliBot" Android trojan is taking user login information along with crypto. MaliBot is advanced to the point that it can bypass multi-factor authentication codes. The hackers responsible for MaliBot are even capable of remotely using the malware following infection, causing significant problems and stealing information from afar.

Concealed as a crypto mining app, the malware functions in applications that have WebView, a tool that makes it easier for Android users to view web-based search results with active applications. The malware has a packer that later compresses or encrypts malware, ensuring the threat is difficult to identify. Cyber security researchers believe hackers in Russia are behind MaliBot.

APT Linked to China Identified

An APT linked to China has been identified after nearly a decade of being overlooked. The APT tied to China was unknown up until recently, partially because it is covertly designed yet also because it is comparably small. The APT, known as Aoqin Dragon, was pinpointed by cyber security specialists at SentinelLabs. The APT conducts web-based campaigns against Southeast Asian and Australian telecommunication businesses, governments, and education providers.

The digital attack used pornographic documents to sucker in targets, then accessed those documents through exploits and strategies that capitalize on insufficient patching. Aoqin was advanced to the point that it evolved to create executable files along with desktop icons that made it seem as though the operating system had sufficient protection. The program then functioned as nasty droppers that positioned backdoors properly and established connections with the cyber miscreants' command-and-control servers.

Facebook Messenger Scam Ensnares Millions

Millions of people have been tricked by a Facebook Messenger scam. The scam has fooled 10 million or more Facebook users to click the phishing message, turn over usernames and passwords, and then send the same invitation to the friends of the victimized party, expanding the scam to even more people. The online invitation is then transmitted to the friends of the individuals who were victimized in turn, creating a never-ending string of opportunities to manipulate unsuspecting social media users.

Clicking the link provided by Facebook Messenger spurs multiple redirects from app deployment services. The threat actors bypass the digital protections that stand in the way thanks to the use of digital security checks that the platform could not pinpoint. Digital security specialists believe the digital criminal responsible for the scam is based in Colombia.

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