Hackers are increasingly targeting Amazon’s extensive services due to their immense computing power, storage capabilities, and global reach. This makes Amazon’s infrastructure attractive for launching attacks, hosting malicious content, and concealing their activities. Recent findings by ASEC cybersecurity analysts reveal that hackers are exploiting Amazon Services to deploy weaponized MSC files, a type of malware utilizing Microsoft Management Console (MMC) vulnerabilities.
The MSC malware exploits XML structures within MSC files, particularly targeting vulnerabilities in apds.dll, which affects AhnLab TIP users. A notable example is a file named “Attempts to strengthen Japan’s defense capabilities and revive its defense industry (for review).msc,” which downloads malicious files such as “msedge.dll” from AWS S3 to a public directory on the victim’s computer. This file then executes a legitimate PDF to disguise its true nature, while “Edge.exe” loads “msedge.dll” to decrypt and execute shellcode.
The malware’s attack chain includes injecting shellcode into a spawned dllhost.exe process, which connects to specific servers for additional payloads. Although some servers were inactive during the analysis, the attack demonstrates sophisticated tactics, including fetching and executing files from various sources, like AWS S3 and external URLs disguised as DLLs.
This type of MSC-based malware highlights the evolving nature of cyber threats, especially as they leverage large cloud services like Amazon for their operations. The malware is believed to spread via phishing emails, underscoring the importance of caution when handling such emails and maintaining robust security practices.
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