Rewterz Threat Alert – Qakbot aka Pinkslipbot or Qbot Malware – Active IOCs

Severity

Medium

Analysis Summary

QBot, often known as QakBot, is modular information malware. It has been operational since 2007. This banking Trojan, QakBot steals financial data from infected systems, and a loader using C2 servers for payload targeting and download. Qakbot can propagate to other computers on the same network and allow it to mask its existence and build persistence on infected computers. A malware attachment to a phishing email is commonly used in QakBot attacks. This particular campaign includes an xls file that contains macros. These macros run a script that fetches the Qakbot payload from a list of URLs. To get the victim to activate macros, the attackers employ a common trick, like when the target downloads the file, it is asked to allow changes and then content before viewing the document.

In addition to stealing information, QakBot can also download and install additional malware on the infected system, making it a potent threat that can cause significant damage. It is also capable of propagating itself across networks, making it a persistent threat that is difficult to remove.

During the past months, it is observed that attackers are employing a number of strategies to avoid detection, using Excel (XLM) 4.0 and ZIP file extensions. They are utilizing sophisticated strategies to evade automated detection and increase the likelihood that their attack will succeed, such as obfuscating code, using numerous URLs to deliver the payload and others. Threat actors are disguising attachments intended to spread malware using a variety of different common file names with typical keywords for finance and business operations

To protect against QakBot and similar threats, individuals and organizations should implement robust cybersecurity measures, including regularly updating software and systems, backing up data, and providing security awareness training for employees. It is also important to be vigilant when opening email attachments or visiting unfamiliar websites, as these are common methods used by attackers to spread malware.

Impact

• Unauthorized Access
• Financial Theft 
• Information Theft

Indicators of Compromise

MD5

46c99dca9155b478f1f8a6d2d97a8ea6
23693d7b4009938f30bce15b1c23c5f4
b7b590df11163dec1519190358d063ed

SHA-256

49f51250934f27cf485ca857315e25165a657000121119951c559d3b13b85ec2
b087012cc7a352a538312351d3c22bb1098c5b64107c8dca18645320e58fd92f
227aa72b932ddd6ab0bc7788bb024d47e2ab37bff073b3cf462191b3bd97576c

SHA-1

cba88acdb009882e3675ab703734f93712e7e01a
c0a12e0293a2414de94bb4b079920e8558af9f3c
a122e6a63ae9d7169f40421acbb19b97a0f3b5bd

URL

• http://167.172.248.73/5Me/2
• http://67.205.159.222/fSj/2

IP

• 12.172.173.82
• 186.64.87.213
• 108.190.203.42
• 50.68.204.71
• 136.232.184.134
• 103.42.86.110
• 174.118.36.28
• 75.143.236.149
• 72.203.216.98
• 85.241.180.94

Remediation

• Block all threat indicators at your respective controls.
• Search for Indicators of compromise (IOCs) in your environment utilizing your respective security controls
• Emails from unknown senders should always be treated with caution.
• Never trust or open ” links and attachments received from unknown sources/senders.
• Maintain cyber hygiene by updating your anti-virus software and implementing a patch management lifecycle.
• Patch and upgrade any platforms and software timely and make it into a standard security policy. Prioritize patching known exploited vulnerabilities and zero-days.
• Enable antivirus and anti-malware software and update signature definitions in a timely manner. Using multi-layered protection is necessary to secure vulnerable assets