Attacks commence with weaponised software installers spread via malicious websites.
The CastleBot malware-as-a-service framework has enabled the distribution of a plethora of malicious payloads, including information-stealing malware and other ransomware-linked backdoors.
The group, which has ramped up activity since May, conduct attacks which commence with weaponised software installers spread via malicious websites promoted using search engine optimisation poisoning, according to an IBM X-Force report.
Reported by GBHackers News, integrated within CastleBot is a shellcode stager, a PE section mapping and import resolving loader, and a primary backdoor that conducts AP hashing and configuration decryption to facilitate the deployment of the WarmCookie, Rhadamanthys, Remcos, and DeerStealer payloads, said researchers.
Additional findings showed the CastleBot has been improved last month to include WOW64 bypass, msiexec.exe-based MSI execution, and QueueUserAPC-based advanced injection.
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Dan Raywood is a B2B journalist with 25 years of experience, including covering cybersecurity for the past 17 years. He has extensively covered topics from Advanced Persistent Threats and nation-state hackers to major data breaches and regulatory changes.
He has spoken at events including 44CON, Infosecurity Europe, RANT Forum, BSides Scotland, Steelcon and the National Cyber Security Show, and served as editor of SC Media UK, Infosecurity Magazine and IT Security Guru. He was also an analyst with 451 Research and a product marketing lead at Tenable.
