Hackers are increasingly imitating penetration testing services to mask their malicious activities as legitimate security assessments. By posing as authorized security testers, these attackers exploit the trust and access typically granted to real penetration testers, allowing them to move more freely within targeted networks and systems while evading immediate detection.
In a recent investigation by the Israeli government, researchers uncovered an infection chain that utilized a suspicious domain as a command and control server. This attack combined public malware with custom components, demonstrating a sophisticated approach to disguise malicious operations. The attack used common techniques, target-specific infrastructure, and custom WordPress sites to deliver its payloads.
The attack began with a VHD file containing hidden components, including an HTA file disguised as an image. This file transferred malware to the victim’s system, initiating a Nim downloader that fetched a second-stage payload from a controlled server. The final payload integrated Donut, a shellcode generation framework, with Sliver, a Golang trojan, allowing full control over the compromised machine.
Further investigation revealed that the attackers used fake domains corresponding to well-known brands like Carlsberg and SintecMedia. Although some domains appeared unrelated to intelligence gathering, they were used to target various entities, including individuals and businesses. The campaign’s use of open-source tools and a targeted approach highlights the challenges in detecting and analyzing sophisticated attacks that employ readily available technologies.
Reference:
