Rewterz Threat Alert – New Campaign Lures Users with Cracked Software on GitHub to Distribute RisePro Infostealer – Active IOCs

Severity

High

Analysis Summary

The discovery of the “gitgub” campaign reveals a concerning trend in cybercriminal tactics, as cybersecurity researchers unearthed multiple GitHub repositories offering cracked software that served as a delivery mechanism for the RisePro information stealer.

The campaign involved 17 repositories across 11 different accounts and exploited the allure of free software to entice victims, demonstrating a sophisticated attempt to lure unsuspecting users into downloading malicious payloads. Notably, the repositories utilized deceptive tactics like the addition of Unicode circles mimicking build status indicators to lend an air of legitimacy and recent activity to their offerings.

Upon investigation, it was found that each repository directed users to download links hosting RAR archive files containing the malware payload. Victims were required to input a password provided within the repository’s README.md file to access the contents. Once executed, the installer unpacked the next-stage payload, an executable file inflated in size to thwart analysis tools, which subsequently injected RisePro version 1.6 into legitimate processes like AppLaunch.exe or RegAsm.exe. This evasion technique aimed to conceal the presence of the malicious software and prolong its operation undetected on infected systems.

RisePro’s emergence into the cyber threat landscape initially occurred through distribution via a pay-per-install malware downloader service called PrivateLoader. Written in C++, RisePro is engineered to gather sensitive information from compromised devices and transmit it to designated Telegram channels, frequently utilized by threat actors for data extraction. Notably, recent research demonstrated the potential for intercepting and forwarding messages from attacker-controlled bots to alternative Telegram accounts showcasing the adaptability and evolving nature of such malware.

This revelation coincides with the tactics employed by Snake Keylogger, highlighting the multifaceted approach utilized by information-stealing malware. Snake Keylogger’s integration with FTP and SMTP facilitates secure data transfer and email communication respectively, while its utilization of Telegram provides a real-time platform for immediate transmission of stolen data.

These findings underscore the increasing prevalence and sophistication of information-stealing malware which serves as a primary vector for high-impact cyber incidents including ransomware attacks and data breaches. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, organizations and individuals must remain vigilant and adopt robust security measures to mitigate the risks posed by such malicious actors.

Impact

• Credential Theft
• Sensitive Data Theft
• Financial Loss

Indicators of Compromise

MD5

• b4c99e9fd220af58d463a3b0f7a7ae4c
• b2ccacb6bd2fbe987264540ecd2bbe86
• 49e3c653127ef8d49191b83f1400b95e

SHA-256

• f52ba7d8a820d32c502c4aaef4bf9690fc0ca97b97c683b43057d82c06294257
• b0e194ed54bafa753bda5761c1264b67a5c438ee7a9ed624a83be913f037dcbb
• 059067376a6271fdead553b471ec899dec3662ec09bd5c3833911c87ea062e92

SHA-1

• 5e91be88941d42afbac693d526a83e3e091a8902
• 4ad0e6913ad4090100e033529c30e5436ee567de
• de787e803c20cbca652303b870e706958ae67514

URL

• https://digitalxnetwork.com/INSTALLER%20PA$$WORD%20GIT1HUB1FREE.rar

Remediation

• Block all threat indicators at your respective controls.
• Search for indicators of compromise (IOCs) in your environment utilizing your respective security controls.
• Never trust or open links and attachments received from unknown sources/senders.
• Implement multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to login processes.
• Regularly monitor network activity for any unusual behavior, as this may indicate that a cyberattack is underway.
• Organizations need to stay vigilant and follow best practices for cybersecurity to protect their systems and data from potential threats. This includes regularly updating software and implementing strong access controls and monitoring tools.
• Develop a comprehensive incident response plan to respond effectively in case of a security breach or data leakage.
• Maintain regular backups of critical data and systems to ensure data recovery in case of a security incident.
• Adhere to security best practices, including the principle of least privilege, and ensure that users and applications have only the necessary permissions.
• Establish a robust patch management process to ensure that security patches are evaluated, tested, and applied promptly.
• Conduct security audits and assessments to evaluate the overall security posture of your systems and networks.
• Implement network segmentation to contain and isolate potential threats to limit their impact on critical systems.