Written by: Stav Shulman, Matan Mimran, Sarah Bock, Mark Lechtik < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> Executive Summary UNC1860 is a persistent and opportunistic Iranian state-sponsored threat actor that is likely affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). A key feature…
Category: Threat Intelligence
An Offer You Can Refuse: UNC2970 Backdoor Deployment Using Trojanized PDF Reader
Written by: Marco Galli, Diana Ion, Yash Gupta, Adrian Hernandez, Ana Martinez Gomez, Jon Daniels, Christopher Gardner < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> Introduction In June 2024, Mandiant Managed Defense identified a cyber espionage group suspected to have a North Korea nexus, tracked…
Announcing the 11th Annual Flare-On Challenge
Written by: Nick Harbour When it’s pumpkin spice season, that means it’s also Flare-On Challenge season. The Flare-On Challenge is a reverse engineering contest held every year by the FLARE team, and this marks its eleventh year running. It draws…
Protecting Multi-Cloud Resources in the Era of Modern Cloud-Based Cyberattacks
Written by: Rupa Mukherjee, Jon Sabberton In the era of multi-cloud adoption, where organizations leverage diverse cloud platforms to optimize their operations, a new wave of security challenges have emerged. The expansion of attack surfaces beyond traditional on-premises environments, coupled…
Insights on Cyber Threats Targeting Users and Enterprises in Mexico
Written by: Aurora Blum, Kelli Vanderlee Like many countries across the globe, Mexico faces a cyber threat landscape made up of a complex interplay of global and local threats, with threat actors carrying out attempted intrusions into critical sectors of…
DeFied Expectations — Examining Web3 Heists
Written by: Robert Wallace, Blas Kojusner, Joseph Dobson Where money goes, crime follows. The rapid growth of Web3 has presented new opportunities for threat actors, especially in decentralized finance (DeFi), where the heists are larger and more numerous than anything…
A Measure of Motive: How Attackers Weaponize Digital Analytics Tools
Adrian McCabe, Ryan Tomcik, Stephen Clement < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> Introduction Digital analytics tools are vital components of the vast domain that is modern cyberspace. From system administrators managing traffic load balancers to marketers and advertisers working to deliver relevant content…
I Spy With My Little Eye: Uncovering an Iranian Counterintelligence Operation
Written by: Ofir Rozmann, Asli Koksal, Sarah Bock Today Mandiant is releasing details of a suspected Iran-nexus counterintelligence operation aimed at collecting data on Iranians and domestic threats who may be collaborating with intelligence and security agencies abroad, particularly in…
PEAKLIGHT: Decoding the Stealthy Memory-Only Malware
Written by: Aaron Lee, Praveeth DSouza TL;DR Mandiant identified a new memory-only dropper using a complex, multi-stage infection process. This memory-only dropper decrypts and executes a PowerShell-based downloader. This PowerShell-based downloader is being tracked as PEAKLIGHT. Overview Mandiant Managed Defense…
“WireServing” Up Credentials: Escalating Privileges in Azure Kubernetes Services
Written by: Nick McClendon, Daniel McNamara, Jacob Paullus < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> Executive Summary Mandiant disclosed this vulnerability to Microsoft via the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) vulnerability disclosure program, and Microsoft has fixed the underlying issue. An attacker with…
Hacking Beyond .com — Enumerating Private TLDs
Written by: Idan Ron < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> Background My story started a few months ago, when I performed a red team assessment for a major retail company. During the Open Source Reconnaissance (OSINT) phase, I reviewed the SSL certificates…
Hacking Beyond.com — Enumerating Private TLDs
Written by: Idan Ron < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> Background My story started a few months ago, when I performed a red team assessment for a major retail company. During the Open Source Reconnaissance (OSINT) phase, I reviewed the SSL certificates…
UNC4393 Goes Gently into the SILENTNIGHT
Written by: Josh Murchie, Ashley Pearson, Joseph Pisano, Jake Nicastro, Joshua Shilko, Raymond Leong Overview In mid-2022, Mandiant’s Managed Defense detected multiple intrusions involving QAKBOT, leading to the deployment of BEACON coupled with other pre-ransomware indicators. This marked Mandiant’s…
APT45: North Korea’s Digital Military Machine
Written by: Taylor Long, Jeff Johnson, Alice Revelli, Fred Plan, Michael Barnhart Executive Summary APT45 is a long-running, moderately sophisticated North Korean cyber operator that has carried out espionage campaigns as early as 2009. APT45 has gradually expanded into…
Whose Voice Is It Anyway? AI-Powered Voice Spoofing for Next-Gen Vishing Attacks
Written by: Emily Astranova, Pascal Issa < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> Executive Summary AI-powered voice cloning can now mimic human speech with uncanny precision, creating for more realistic phishing schemes. According to news reports, scammers have leveraged voice cloning and deepfakes…
APT41 Has Arisen From the DUST
Written by: Mike Stokkel, Pierre Gerlings, Renato Fontana, Luis Rocha, Jared Wilson, Stephen Eckels, Jonathan Lepore < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> Executive Summary In collaboration with Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG), Mandiant has observed a sustained campaign by the advanced persistent…
Scaling Up Malware Analysis with Gemini 1.5 Flash
Written by:Bernardo Quintero, Founder of VirusTotal and Security Director, Google Cloud SecurityAlex Berry, Security Manager of the Mandiant FLARE Team, Google Cloud SecurityIlfak Guilfanov, author of IDA Pro and CTO, Hex-RaysVijay Bolina, Chief Information Security Officer & Head of Cybersecurity Research,…
AI-Powered Learning: Your NIST NICE Prompt Library (Built with Google Gemini)
Written by: Jake Liefer < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, staying ahead of threats demands continuous learning and skill development. The NIST NICE framework provides a roadmap, but mastering its extensive tasks, knowledge, and skills (TKSs)…
Scaling Up Malware Analysis with Gemini 1.5 Flash
Written by:Bernardo Quintero, Founder of VirusTotal and Security Director, Google Cloud SecurityAlex Berry, Security Manager of the Mandiant FLARE Team, Google Cloud SecurityIlfak Guilfanov, author of IDA Pro and CTO, Hex-RaysVijay Bolina, Chief Information Security Officer & Head of Cybersecurity Research,…
Emboldened and Evolving: A Snapshot of Cyber Threats Facing NATO
Written by: John Hultquist < div class=”block-paragraph_advanced”> As North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members and partners gather for a historic summit, it is important to take stock of one of its most pressing challenges—the cyber threat. The Alliance faces…