Blind Eagle (APT-C-36), a notorious advanced persistent threat group based in Latin America, has been targeting Colombian institutions and government entities since at least 2018. The group has demonstrated remarkable adaptability and sophistication in its cyberattacks, specifically focusing on Colombia’s justice system, government organizations, and private sectors. Recent research by Check Point Research (CPR) has shed light on Blind Eagle’s ongoing campaigns, revealing that the group’s tactics continue to evolve, making it one of the most dangerous cyber threats in Latin America. The group’s ability to quickly adapt to security updates, such as the CVE-2024-43451 vulnerability patched by Microsoft, underscores its highly technical approach to cyber warfare.
CPR’s investigation uncovered over 9,000 infections in just one week, showcasing the scale and effectiveness of Blind Eagle’s tactics. A key aspect of the group’s strategy is its use of legitimate cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, Bitbucket, and GitHub to distribute malware. These trusted platforms are typically considered safe by most security systems, allowing the attackers to bypass traditional security measures. By hosting malicious payloads on these platforms, Blind Eagle can distribute malware without triggering alarms, providing the group with operational flexibility and stealth. This method also enables the attackers to update and modify their malware payloads quickly, without the need to reconfigure their attack infrastructure.
What sets Blind Eagle’s attacks apart is the minimal user interaction required to trigger the malicious payloads.
Rather than relying on traditional methods that require users to open attachments or click on links, Blind Eagle’s attack chain uses .URL files to silently track and infect victims. When a victim clicks or interacts with these files, a WebDAV request is triggered, notifying the attackers of the victim’s actions. This early stage of interaction allows the group to prioritize targets and deploy malware once the victim has been tracked. The final payload, often the Remcos RAT, gives the attackers complete control over the compromised machine, enabling them to exfiltrate sensitive data, modify files, steal credentials, and even encrypt files for ransom.
Blind Eagle’s continued success lies in its ability to weaponize both technical vulnerabilities and human behaviors.
The group’s recent use of HeartCrypt to protect malicious executables and its exploitation of Microsoft’s patched CVE-2024-43451 vulnerability show the group’s proactive approach to exploiting security weaknesses. Additionally, the group’s reliance on underground crimeware tools such as Remcos RAT and PureCrypter allows them to maintain persistence on compromised systems and avoid detection. The sophistication of Blind Eagle’s tactics emphasizes the evolving nature of cyber threats, highlighting the need for organizations to implement more proactive defense measures. Real-time endpoint protection, continuous monitoring, and heightened email security, particularly regarding cloud-based services, are essential in combating this increasingly agile and dangerous cyber threat.
