Alex is joined by Kacey and Charles this week to chat through the top threat intel stories of the week.
This week’s highlights include:
- Zorab Ransomware Disguised as STOP Djvu Ransomware
- Endgame: New DDoS protection tool advertised on the dark web
- Sodinokibi Ransomware Group updates and Maze ransomware alliance
Listen to this week’s episode now 👇
Chinese and Iranian state hackers target US presidential campaigns
On 04 Jun 2020, security researchers reported that staff members of the United States presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Joe Biden were being targeted by Chinese and Iranian state-sponsored hackers. The hackers delivered spearphishing email messages to the staff members, although there were no signs of compromise. According to the Google Threat Analysis Group, the latest attacks were attributed to “APT31”, a Chinese state-sponsored group, and “APT35”, an Iranian state-sponsored group.
Tycoon ransomware operators go after education, software
On 04 Jun 2020 security researchers reported on a newly uncovered form of ransomware, dubbed Tycoon, that affects Windows and Linux systems. The threat actors using Tycoon have been active since December 2019, targeting organizations in the education and software industries. They use privileges to disable anti-malware software, use ProcessHacker to prevent limitations to their attacks, and demand a ransom that increases over time if payment is not rendered. Security researchers believe that Tycoon may be linked to the “Dharma” ransomware, considering similarities in email addresses and encrypted-file names.
CISA warns of hurricane-related scams
The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a statement that warned people to remain vigilant and aware of potential cyber threats during the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began on 01 June 2020. The statement highlighted the potential for cybercriminals to target disaster victims and charitable donors following a hurricane. CISA recommended exercising caution in handling email messages with hurricane-related subject lines, attachments, or hyperlinks.
For more details, read the full Weekly Intelligence Summary: