Sextortion, digital usury and SQL brute-force

ESET Analysis

Closing intrusion vectors pressure cybercriminals to revisit previous assault avenues, but in addition to search for new methods to assault their victims

12 Sep 2023

Sextortion emails and different text-based threats have been on an enormous improve in H1 2023 and the query stays why. Are criminals simply lazy? Are they making an attempt to earn simple cash throughout their days off? Or is that this part of one thing larger, doubtlessly involving generative AI?

And that’s simply scratching the floor of the traits noticed within the latest ESET Threat Report, the main target of this episode. One other intrusion vector that has seen elevated consideration from cybercriminals was MS SQL servers that needed to stand up to a renewed improve in brute pressure assaults.

Oh, and let’s not overlook the prison apply of usury, showing within the type of malicious Android apps. Looking for victims within the nations across the equator and within the southern hemisphere, cybercriminals attempt to strain and threaten victims into paying exorbitant rates of interest on short-term loans – which generally, they don’t even present.

But, it wasn’t all dangerous in H1 2023. One piece of excellent information was that infamous Emotet botnet confirmed little exercise, operating just a few minor and surprisingly ineffective spam campaigns in March. After these had been over, it went silent. What caught the eye of researchers was a brand new performance resembling a debugging output. This feeds into the rumors that Emotet has been – no less than partially – offered to a different menace group that’s uncertain of how issues work.

One other optimistic story got here concerning Redline stealer. This infamous malware-as-a-service (MaaS) utilized by criminals to steal sufferer’s info and ship different malware has been disrupted by ESET researchers and their associates at Flare programs. The disruption took down a sequence of GitHub repositories essential to run RedLine management panels for the associates. As there was no backup channel, operators behind the MaaS should discover a completely different path to run their “service”.

For all these subjects and extra from ESET Menace Report, take heed to the most recent episode of ESET Analysis podcast, hosted by Aryeh Goretsky. This time, he directed his inquiries to one of many authors of the report, Safety Consciousness Specialist Ondrej Kubovič.

For the total report from H1 2023, together with different subjects equivalent to adjustments in cryptocurrency threats, malicious OneNote information, the primary double supply-chain assault – courtesy of Lazarus group – or the most recent developments within the ransomware scene, click here.

Mentioned:

• Sextortion and text-based threats 1:46
• Brute pressure assaults on MS SQL servers 7:10
• Usury on Android apps 9:20
• Emotet exercise 13:25
• RedLine Stealer disruption 16:45