Primary threat research from Elastic Security Labs
1 October 2024
Elastic publishes 2024 Global Threat Report
Elastic Security Labs has released the 2024 Elastic Global Threat Report, surfacing the most pressing threats, trends, and recommendations to help keep organizations safe for the upcoming year.
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Security Research
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AWS SNS Abuse: Data Exfiltration and Phishing
During a recent internal collaboration, we dug into publicly known SNS abuse attempts and our knowledge of the data source to develop detection capabilities.
Detecting Hotkey-Based Keyloggers Using an Undocumented Kernel Data Structure
In this article, we explore what hotkey-based keyloggers are and how to detect them. Specifically, we explain how these keyloggers intercept keystrokes, then present a detection technique that leverages an undocumented hotkey table in kernel space.
Linux Detection Engineering - The Grand Finale on Linux Persistence
By the end of this series, you'll have a robust knowledge of both common and rare Linux persistence techniques; and you'll understand how to effectively engineer detections for common and advanced adversary capabilities.
Emulating AWS S3 SSE-C Ransom for Threat Detection
In this article, we’ll explore how threat actors leverage Amazon S3’s Server-Side Encryption with Customer-Provided Keys (SSE-C) for ransom/extortion operations.
Malware Analysis
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The Shelby Strategy
An analysis of REF8685's abuse of GitHub for C2 to evade defenses.
Shedding light on the ABYSSWORKER driver
Elastic Security Labs describes ABYSSWORKER, a malicious driver used with the MEDUSA ransomware attack-chain to disable anti-malware tools.
You've Got Malware: FINALDRAFT Hides in Your Drafts
During a recent investigation (REF7707), Elastic Security Labs discovered new malware targeting a foreign ministry. The malware includes a custom loader and backdoor with many features including using Microsoft’s Graph API for C2 communications.
Under the SADBRIDGE with GOSAR: QUASAR Gets a Golang Rewrite
Elastic Security Labs share details about the SADBRIDGE loader and GOSAR backdoor, malware used in campaigns targeting Chinese-speaking victims.
Campaigns
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From South America to Southeast Asia: The Fragile Web of REF7707
REF7707 targeted a South American foreign ministry using novel malware families. Inconsistent evasion tactics and operational security missteps exposed additional adversary-owned infrastructure.
PIKABOT, I choose you!
Elastic Security Labs observed new PIKABOT campaigns, including an updated version. PIKABOT is a widely deployed loader malicious actors utilize to distribute additional payloads.
Initial research exposing JOKERSPY
Explore JOKERSPY, a recently discovered campaign that targets financial institutions with Python backdoors. This article covers reconnaissance, attack patterns, and methods of identifying JOKERSPY in your network.
Elastic charms SPECTRALVIPER
Elastic Security Labs has discovered the P8LOADER, POWERSEAL, and SPECTRALVIPER malware families targeting a national Vietnamese agribusiness. REF2754 shares malware and motivational elements of the REF4322 and APT32 activity groups.
Groups & Tactics
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Betting on Bots: Investigating Linux malware, crypto mining, and gambling API abuse
The REF6138 campaign involved cryptomining, DDoS attacks, and potential money laundering via gambling APIs, highlighting the attackers' use of evolving malware and stealthy communication channels.
Code of Conduct: DPRK’s Python-fueled intrusions into secured networks
Investigating the DPRK’s strategic use of Python and carefully crafted social engineering, this publication sheds light on how they breach highly secure networks with evolving and effective cyber attacks.
GrimResource - Microsoft Management Console for initial access and evasion
Elastic researchers uncovered a new technique, GrimResource, which allows full code execution via specially crafted MSC files. It underscores a trend of well-resourced attackers favoring innovative initial access methods to evade defenses.
Invisible miners: unveiling GHOSTENGINE’s crypto mining operations
Elastic Security Labs has identified REF4578, an intrusion set incorporating several malicious modules and leveraging vulnerable drivers to disable known security solutions (EDRs) for crypto mining.
Perspectives
WinVisor – A hypervisor-based emulator for Windows x64 user-mode executables
WinVisor is a hypervisor-based emulator for Windows x64 user-mode executables that leverages the Windows Hypervisor Platform API to provide a virtualized environment for logging syscalls and enabling memory introspection.
Storm on the Horizon: Inside the AJCloud IoT Ecosystem
Wi-Fi cameras are popular due to their affordability and convenience but often have security vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
Kernel ETW is the best ETW
This research focuses on the importance of native audit logs in secure-by-design software, emphasizing the need for kernel-level ETW logging over user-mode hooks to enhance anti-tamper protections.
Forget vulnerable drivers - Admin is all you need
Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) is an increasingly popular attacker technique whereby a threat actor brings a known-vulnerable signed driver alongside their malware, loads it into the kernel, then exploits it to perform some action within the kernel that they would not otherwise be able to do. Employed by advanced threat actors for over a decade, BYOVD is becoming increasingly common in ransomware and commodity malware.
GenerativeAI
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Elastic Advances LLM Security with Standardized Fields and Integrations
Discover Elastic’s latest advancements in LLM security, focusing on standardized field integrations and enhanced detection capabilities. Learn how adopting these standards can safeguard your systems.
Embedding Security in LLM Workflows: Elastic's Proactive Approach
Dive into Elastic's exploration of embedding security directly within Large Language Models (LLMs). Discover our strategies for detecting and mitigating several of the top OWASP vulnerabilities in LLM applications, ensuring safer and more secure AI-driven applications.
Accelerating Elastic detection tradecraft with LLMs
Learn more about how Elastic Security Labs has been focused on accelerating our detection engineering workflows by tapping into more generative AI capabilities.
Using LLMs and ESRE to find similar user sessions
In our previous article, we explored using the GPT-4 Large Language Model (LLM) to condense Linux user sessions. In the context of the same experiment, we dedicated some time to examine sessions that shared similarities. These similar sessions can subsequently aid the analysts in identifying related suspicious activities.
Tools
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STIXy Situations: ECSaping your threat data
Structured threat data is commonly formatted using STIX. To help get this data into Elasticsearch, we’re releasing a Python script that converts STIX to an ECS format to be ingested into your stack.
Into The Weeds: How We Run Detonate
Explore the technical implementation of the Detonate system, including sandbox creation, the supporting technology, telemetry collection, and how to blow stuff up.
Click, Click… Boom! Automating Protections Testing with Detonate
To automate this process and test our protections at scale, we built Detonate, a system that is used by security research engineers to measure the efficacy of our Elastic Security solution in an automated fashion.
Unpacking ICEDID
ICEDID is known to pack its payloads using custom file formats and a custom encryption scheme. We are releasing a set of tools to automate the unpacking process and help analysts and the community respond to ICEDID.