A threat group known as RUBYCARP, believed to originate from Romania, has been identified as the operator of a long-standing botnet engaged in various illicit activities such as crypto mining, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and phishing. The group, suspected of being active for over a decade, utilizes the botnet to generate financial gains, leveraging public exploits and brute-force attacks for deployment. Their communication channels span both public and private IRC networks, facilitating coordination and command-and-control operations.
RUBYCARP’s modus operandi involves deploying a malware called ShellBot (or PerlBot) to infiltrate target environments, often exploiting vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-3129 in the Laravel Framework. Additionally, signs of compromised WordPress sites have emerged, with attackers installing backdoors to establish control over victim servers, connecting them to IRC servers for command dissemination. The botnet, estimated to encompass more than 600 hosts, has an IRC server established on May 1, 2023, facilitating communication and coordination among members.
Key members of the RUBYCARP group, including juice_, Eugen, Catalin, MUIE, and Smecher, are observed communicating via an Undernet IRC channel named #cristi. Furthermore, the group employs mass scanner tools to identify potential targets for infiltration, highlighting their proactive approach to expanding their botnet’s scale. RUBYCARP’s involvement in various cybercrime activities, including the development and sale of cyber weapons, underscores their sophisticated and multifaceted operation, giving them flexibility and resilience in conducting illicit operations over the years.
The group’s activities extend beyond traditional crypto mining, encompassing phishing operations aimed at stealing sensitive information like credit card data. While the stolen data may be utilized to support their attack infrastructure or monetized through underground cybercrime networks, RUBYCARP’s diverse revenue streams and extensive toolset reflect their significant presence and impact in the cyber threat landscape.
