Hackers linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted the Trump and Biden presidential campaigns amid increased phishing attacks against U.S. and Israeli officials and institutions, according to a new report from Google’s Threat Analysis Group.
Google TAG researchers saw “small but steady” attempts by IRGC this election cycle to steal credential information from people associated with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. The report also noted an increase in phishing attacks against Israeli military, defense, academic institutions and civil society organizations starting in April.
“This spring and summer, they have shown the ability to run numerous simultaneous phishing campaigns, particularly focused on Israel and the U.S. As hostilities between Iran and Israel intensify, we can expect to see increased campaigns there from APT42,” Google’s report noted, using Mandiant’s threat actor naming convention.
Last week, the Trump campaign alleged that Iran was the source of an attempted hack-and-leak operation by a persona dubbed “Robert” that claimed to multiple media outlets that they had inside access to campaign materials for the Trump campaign.
Former National Security Agency cybersecurity head Rob Joyce said Sunday at the DEF CON conference in Las Vegas that hack-and-leak operations of that kind — which harken back to the 2016 presidential election and efforts by Russia to sway the election using stolen emails — will likely ramp up as election day draws closer.
From May to June, researchers saw the IRGC attempt to steal logins of “roughly a dozen” former and current U.S. government officials, as well as individuals connected to the presidential campaigns of both Trump and Biden months before he dropped out and was replaced at the top of the Democratic ticket by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Google also confirmed Microsoft’s report last week that the IRGC successfully infiltrated the email of a “high-profile political consultant.”
Iran has been described as a “chaos agent” by intelligence officials and Google’s report noted that the U.S. and Israel combined to make up more than half of the IRGC’s geographic targeting.
The IRGC has been steadily targeting high-profile individuals with connections to Israeli defense, diplomatic and civil society organizations. Hackers used a combination of social engineering and fake Google services masquerading as Gmail, Google Sites or Drive, or other fake sites impersonating Dropbox and OneDrive, the report noted.
In one case, the IRGC attempted to social engineer former senior Israeli military and aerospace officials by acting as a journalist looking for comment on air strikes. The emails would not have malicious links or malware attached, but hackers would try to use the engagement to further trick the target down the line by using a fake landing page where they would be prompted to enter their credentials.
The state-backed hackers also imitated organizations like the Institute for the Study of War and the Brookings Institution using similar website or email domains, the report found.
The post Iran increases phishing attempts on U.S., Israeli targets appeared first on CyberScoop.
In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity, emerging threats pose significant challenges to organizations worldwide. These threats, characterized by their novelty and complexity, often exploit new vulnerabilities and technologies, making them difficult to predict and defend against.
As cybercriminals continually refine their methods, businesses must stay informed and proactive to protect their assets. One powerful tool in this effort is the Threat Intelligence (TI) Lookup service from ANY.RUN, which provides valuable insights into these emerging threats.
Emerging threats differ from persistent threats in several ways:
Novel Techniques: They involve new methods and tools that have not been widely seen before.
Continuous Evolution: Attackers constantly refine their strategies to evade detection.
Unpredictability: Their unpredictable nature makes them particularly challenging to defend against.
Potential Impact: They can have severe implications for victims, including financial losses and reputational damage.
Why Monitoring Emerging Threats is Crucial
Many organizations struggle to handle emerging threats due to a lack of awareness, resources, or expertise. These threats can disrupt operations, lead to data breaches, and erode customer trust. Staying informed about emerging threats and taking proactive measures is essential for safeguarding organizational assets.
How Threat Intelligence Lookup Assists
ANY.RUN’s Threat Intelligence Lookup is a valuable resource for organizations looking to stay ahead of emerging threats. Powered by a global community of 400,000 security experts, the service provides access to a vast database of indicators of compromise (IOCs) and other threat data. Users can search through this data using various parameters to gather information on malware and phishing threats.
Key Features of TI Lookup:
Comprehensive Search: Users can search through 2TB of the latest threat data using over 40 different search parameters.
Quick Results: Each search provides quick results with corresponding sandbox sessions.
YARA Search: A built-in rule editor allows users to use custom YARA rules for more precise searches.
API Integration: TI Lookup can be integrated with existing security systems for seamless operation.
Examples of Emerging Threats and Investigation Methods
1. New Phishing Threats
Cybercriminals continually devise new phishing tactics, often abusing legitimate services to deceive users. For example, a recent campaign exploited Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) accounts to distribute phishing emails.
Example: Abuse of SES Accounts by Tycoon 2FA Phish-kit
Recently, ANY.RUN researchers spotted a phishing campaign exploiting compromised Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) accounts to distribute phishing emails.
By using TI Lookup, security teams can identify and analyze such campaigns, gathering data on domains, IPs, and files involved.
2. New and Evolving Malware Families
New malware strains, like the recently discovered DeerStealer, pose significant threats. These malware types often employ advanced evasion techniques. TI Lookup allows users to gather information on these threats using YARA Search, providing detailed sandbox reports for further analysis.
Example: DeerStealer Malware
In July 2024, ANY.RUN discovered a new malware family called DeerStealer. This malware was distributed through a phishing campaign that mimicked the Google Authenticator website.
Using Threat Intelligence Lookup, we can efficiently gather information on the latest DeerStealer samples by utilizing YARA Search. This tool allows us to apply custom YARA rules to identify samples based on their content.
According to ANY.RUN analysis, The service provides four samples with their corresponding sandbox sessions, allowing us to take a closer look at how the threat operates and collect valuable intelligence.
3. Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs)
Attackers frequently update their tactics to exploit vulnerabilities and avoid detection. For instance, the new version of HijackLoader includes a User Account Control (UAC) bypass. TI Lookup can identify such updates using queries based on the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
Example: Samples of New HijackLoader Version
Earlier in 2024, HijackLoader received an update featuring a User Account Control (UAC) bypass (TT1548.002), allowing the malware to execute by bypassing Windows security controls. To find samples of this updated HijackLoader version, we can use the following query in TI Lookup.
To find samples of the new HijackLoader version, you can use the following query in TI Lookup: MITRE:”T1548.002″ AND threatName:”hijackloader”.
4. Exploitation of World Events
Cybercriminals often exploit global events to launch attacks. During the CrowdStrike outage, attackers launched phishing campaigns to exploit the confusion. TI Lookup helped identify malicious domains mimicking official sites, aiding in the investigation.
Example: CrowdStrike Incident
ANY.RUN analysts were quick to identify threats exploiting a recent security incident, with TI Lookup playing a key role. One of their search queries (domainName:”crowdstrike” AND threatLevel:”malicious”) successfully detected domains mimicking the official CrowdStrike domain, which surfaced shortly after the event.
Additional Investigation Techniques with TI Lookup
Check Suspicious Connections: Quickly determine the threat level of suspicious IPs.
Enrich Intelligence on C2 Infrastructure: Stay updated on changes in command and control infrastructure used by attackers.
Discover Malicious Network Activity: Use Suricata IDS rules to detect and analyze network threats.
Learn about the Current Threat Landscape: Explore threats specific to certain regions based on local submissions.
Effective investigation of emerging threats relies on comprehensive threat intelligence. ANY.RUN’s TI Lookup provides a wealth of data, enabling organizations to better understand and mitigate these threats. By leveraging this tool, businesses can enhance their cybersecurity posture and ensure the safety and integrity of their systems.
About ANY.RUN
ANY.RUN supports over 400,000 cybersecurity professionals worldwide with its interactive sandbox and threat intelligence products, including TI Lookup, YARA Search, and Feeds. These tools help organizations quickly respond to incidents and learn more about emerging threats.
The post How to Investigate Emerging Cyber Threats in 2024 – SOC/DFIR Team Guide appeared first on Cyber Security News.
