This CSA is supplementary to previous reports on malicious cyber actor activities involving DPRK ransomware campaigns—namely Maui and H0lyGh0st ransomware.
The authoring agencies are issuing this advisory to highlight additional observed TTPs DPRK cyber actors are using to conduct ransomware attacks targeting South Korean and U.S.
healthcare systems.
Observable TTPs
The TTPs associated with DPRK ransomware attacks include those traditionally observed in ransomware operations.
Additionally, these TTPs span phases from acquiring and purchasing infrastructure to concealing DPRK affiliation:
Acquire Infrastructure [T1583].
DPRK actors generate domains, personas, and accounts; and identify cryptocurrency services to conduct their ransomware operations.
Actors procure infrastructure, IP addresses, and domains with cryptocurrency generated through illicit cybercrime, such as ransomware and cryptocurrency theft.
Obfuscate Identity.
DPRK actors purposely obfuscate their involvement by operating with or under third-party foreign affiliate identities and use third-party foreign intermediaries to receive ransom payments.
Purchase VPNs and VPSs [T1583.003].
DPRK cyber actors will also use virtual private networks (VPNs) and virtual private servers (VPSs) or third-country IP addresses to appear to be from innocuous locations instead of from DPRK.
Gain Access [TA0001].
Actors use various exploits of common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVE) to gain access and escalate privileges on networks.
Recently observed CVEs that actors used to gain access include remote code execution in the Apache Log4j software library (known as Log4Shell) and remote code execution in unpatched SonicWall SMA 100 appliances [T1190 and T1133].
Observed CVEs used include:
CVE 2021-44228
CVE-2021-20038
CVE-2022-24990
Actors also likely spread malicious code through Trojanized files for “X-Popup,” an open source messenger commonly used by employees of small and medium hospitals in South Korea [T1195].
The actors spread malware by leveraging two domains: xpopup.pe[.]kr and xpopup.com.
xpopup.pe[.]kr is registered to IP address 115.68.95[.]128 and xpopup[.]com is registered to IP address 119.205.197[.]111.
Sign Up For Threat Alerts
Mar 23, 2023
HiatusRAT Targets SOHO Routers
Business grade routers are being infected with the HiatusRAT Remote Access Trojan a variant of...
Mar 23, 2023
HiatusRAT Targets SOHO Routers
Business grade routers are being infected with the HiatusRAT Remote Access Trojan a variant of...
Mar 21, 2023
Dotrunpex – Demystifying new virtualized .net injector...
DotRunpeX is a new injector written in .NET using the Process Hollowing technique and used...
Mar 21, 2023
GlobeImposter Ransomware With MedusaLocker Spreading Via RDP
A GlobeImposter ransomware campaign was discovered being carried out by the attackers behind MedusaLocker. The...
Mar 20, 2023
Common credential stealers
FortiGuard Threat Research has observed an increasing threat arising from credential stealers. The most common...
Mar 20, 2023
Sirattacker And ALC Ransomware Analysis
The Sirattacker and ALC ransomware families continue to gain traction and compromise Microsoft Windows devices....
Mar 19, 2023
Google Advertising Used To Distribute RedLine Stealer
A malvertising campaign was discovered mimicking websites belonging to well-known software such as Notepad++ and...
Mar 16, 2023
Microsoft Outlook Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability Exploit
Microsoft has posted a security vulnerability CVE-2023-23397, exploiting it allows attackers to gain elevated privileges...
Mar 16, 2023
ImBetter Information Stealer Targets Cryptocurrency Users
Threat actors are targeting cryptocurrency users with the ImBetter information stealer malware. Adversaries are hosting...
Mar 16, 2023
ImBetter Information Stealer Targets Cryptocurrency Users
Threat actors are targeting cryptocurrency users with the ImBetter information stealer malware. Adversaries are hosting...
Mar 15, 2023
US Cert Alert – Threat Actors Exploit...
CISA and authoring organizations assess that, beginning as late as November 2022, threat actors successfully...
Mar 15, 2023
Threat Actors Use ParallaxRAT For Targeting Cryptocurrency...
Threat actors are targeting organization in the cryptocurrency sector with spam and phishing campaigns that...
Mar 13, 2023
Exposing The Lazarus Arsenal WinorDLL64 Backdoor
In 2021 the researchers discovered and dissected a tool from the Lazarus APTs arsenal named...
Mar 12, 2023
Clasiopa New Group Targets Materials Research
A campaign targeting the materials research sector with custom and commodity utilities and malware is...
Mar 09, 2023
New Emotet campaign
Emotet is a type of malware that is designed to steal sensitive information from infected...