Microsoft has warned that Iranian state-sponsored groups have been exploiting a critical vulnerability in PaperCut print management software alongside financially motivated actors.
The company’s threat intelligence team observed both Mango Sandstorm (Mercury) and Mint Sandstorm (Phosphorus) weaponising CVE-2023-27350 in their operations to gain initial access. Mango Sandstorm is linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) while Mint Sandstorm is associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
CVE-2023-27350 is a critical flaw in PaperCut MF and NG installations that could allow an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. A patch was released on March 8, 2023, by PaperCut, but many vulnerable servers have yet to be updated.
Cybersecurity firm VulnCheck has published details on a new line of attack that can circumvent existing detections, allowing attackers to exploit the vulnerability unimpeded.
The involvement of state-sponsored actors alongside cybercriminal groups like Lace Tempest, which has already abused the flaw to deliver Cl0p and LockBit ransomware, underlines the importance of updating vulnerable servers as quickly as possible.
Microsoft’s report also highlights that Iranian threat actors are increasingly adopting a new tactic that combines offensive cyber operations with multi-pronged influence operations to “fuel geopolitical change in alignment with the regime’s objectives.”
This shift coincides with an increased tempo in adopting newly reported vulnerabilities and using custom tooling and tradecraft for maximum impact.
