By employing machine learning algorithms, we were able to discover an enormous certificate signing abuse by BrowseFox, a potentially unwanted application (PUA) detected by Trend Micro as PUA_BROWSEFOX.SMC. BrowseFox is a marketing adware plugin that illicitly injects pop-up ads and discount deals. While it uses a legitimate software process, the adware plugin may be exploited…
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Already a vital part of the critical infrastructure of the internet, satellites are set to take on a more significant role with the emergence of 5G cellular network technology and the continuing expansion of the internet of things (IoT). While terrestrial networks handle peak load well, disaster handling and critical infrastructure scenarios are served well by satellites, which are unaffected by most ground-based events. Ensuring the security of satellites, therefore, acquires even greater importance and warrants more initiatives to that end.
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In January, we saw a variant of the disk-wiping KillDisk malware hitting several financial institutions in Latin America. One of these attacks was related to a foiled heist on the organization’s system connected to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication’s (SWIFT) network.
Last May, we uncovered a master boot record (MBR)-wiping malware in the same region. The telltale sign was a problem related to the affected machine’s boot sector. Based on the error message it displayed after our tests, we were able to ascertain that this was another — possibly new — variant of KillDisk. This kind of notification is common in systems affected by MBR-wiping threats and not in other malware types such as ransomware, which some people initially believed to be the culprit. Trend Micro products detect this threat as TROJ_KILLMBR.EE and TROJ_KILLDISK.IUE.
Read MoreThe ACM ASIA Conference on Computer and Communications Security (ACM ASIACCS) is an avenue for cybersecurity research breakthroughs, techniques, and tools. At the ACM ASIACCS 2018 in Incheon, South Korea, we presented our research using DefPloreX-NG, a tool for identifying and tracking web defacement campaigns using historical and live data. “DefPloreX-NG” is a play on the phrase “defacement explorer.” The appended “NG” acronym means “Next Generation,” signifying improvements from the previous version of the tool. DefPloreX-NG is equipped with an enhanced machine learning algorithm and new visualization templates to give security analysts and other professionals a better understanding of web defacement campaigns.
Read More Although many tax scams purely rely on social engineering, other campaigns make use of more sophisticated tools and techniques. We found and analyzed one such campaign delivering the notorious banking trojan known as URSNIF to North American targets.
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