• Trend Micro
  • About TrendLabs Security Intelligence Blog
Search:
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Ransomware
    • Vulnerabilities
    • Exploits
    • Targeted Attacks
    • Deep Web
    • Mobile
    • Internet of Things
    • Malware
    • Bad Sites
    • Spam
    • Botnets
    • Social
    • Open source
Home   »   Malware   »   Unusual BHEK-Like Spam With Attachment Found

Unusual BHEK-Like Spam With Attachment Found

  • Posted on:November 13, 2013 at 7:57 pm
  • Posted in:Malware, Spam
  • Author:
    Jonathan Leopando (Technical Communications)
0

Soon after Paunch was arrested, we found that the flow of spam campaigns going to sites with the Blackhole Exploit Kit (BHEK) had slowed down considerably. Instead, we saw an increase in messages with a malicious attachment.

Recently, however, we came across rather unusual spam samples that combines characteristics of both attacks.

Figure 1. Spammed message

These particular messages contain both a link to a malicious site, as well as a malicious attachment. Having a spam message that contains both kinds of threats is not common – generally, spam will have one or the other.

The URLs linked to by these messages are generally compromised sites, which point to Javascript files in a similar manner to that used by the Blackhole Exploit Kit. We cannot confirm whether these Javascript files resulted in redirects to landing sites that would lead to exploit kits, but the added content to the compromised sites we have seen is almost identical to that used by Blackhole campaigns.

The malicious attachment is another UPATRE variant, TROJ_UPATRE.SMB. This downloader installs a ZBOT variant onto the affected system. We had earlier identified that the Cutwail botnet had been sending out spam messages with UPATRE downloaders as attachments, and that is also the case here.

Long term, it’s unclear what this indicates. It may mean that attackers are turning to another exploit kit to replace BHEK as a long-term solution, but we cannot say for sure. We are continuously looking out for new threats in order to protect our users. In the meantime, we block the spam messages, websites, and files associated with this threat.

Additional analysis by Emmanuel Nisperos

Learn how to protect Enterprises, Small Businesses, and Home Users from ransomware:
ENTERPRISE »
SMALL BUSINESS»
HOME»
Tags: BHEKblackhole exploit kitcryptolockerMalwareSpamUPATRE

Security Predictions for 2020

  • Cybersecurity in 2020 will be viewed through many lenses — from differing attacker motivations and cybercriminal arsenal to technological developments and global threat intelligence — only so defenders can keep up with the broad range of threats.
    Read our security predictions for 2020.

Business Process Compromise

  • Attackers are starting to invest in long-term operations that target specific processes enterprises rely on. They scout for vulnerable practices, susceptible systems and operational loopholes that they can leverage or abuse. To learn more, read our Security 101: Business Process Compromise.

Recent Posts

  • Our New Blog
  • How Unsecure gRPC Implementations Can Compromise APIs, Applications
  • XCSSET Mac Malware: Infects Xcode Projects, Performs UXSS Attack on Safari, Other Browsers, Leverages Zero-day Exploits
  • August Patch Tuesday Fixes Critical IE, Important Windows Vulnerabilities Exploited in the Wild
  • Water Nue Phishing Campaign Targets C-Suite’s Office 365 Accounts

Popular Posts

Sorry. No data so far.

Stay Updated

  • Home and Home Office
  • |
  • For Business
  • |
  • Security Intelligence
  • |
  • About Trend Micro
  • Asia Pacific Region (APAC): Australia / New Zealand, 中国, 日本, 대한민국, 台灣
  • Latin America Region (LAR): Brasil, México
  • North America Region (NABU): United States, Canada
  • Europe, Middle East, & Africa Region (EMEA): France, Deutschland / Österreich / Schweiz, Italia, Россия, España, United Kingdom / Ireland
  • Privacy Statement
  • Legal Policies
  • Copyright © Trend Micro Incorporated. All rights reserved.