Zealot Campaign leverages NSA exploits to deliver Monero miners of both Windows and Linux servers
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2017-5638 | Unauthenticated RCE in Apache Struts Jakarta Multipart parser CVE-2017-5638 is an improper input validation flaw (CWE-20) in the Jakarta Multipart parser of Apache Struts, in which the parser mishandles the Content-Type value of a file upload and allows malicious upload leading to remote code execution. It is triggered remotely without authentication by sending a crafted Content-Type header in a multipart request to a Struts endpoint; no valid upload or credentials are required. A successful attacker gains code execution in the security context of the application server, which typically enables host compromise, data theft, or ransomware deployment. Any organization running Apache Struts applications that use the Jakarta Multipart parser is affected; the provided data specifies only "Apache Struts" and gives no version ranges. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: the flaw is listed in CISA KEV (added 2021-11-03) with known ransomware use, EPSS assigns it roughly a 100% exploitation probability (100th percentile), and no public PoC is catalogued in the source data. Do: Apply updates per vendor instructions: upgrade Apache Struts to the releases that fix this flaw (2.3.32 / 2.5.10.1 or later, per Apache advisory S2-045), and check for Struts jars bundled inside application packages and vendor appliances. Prioritize internet-facing apps, and as an interim mitigation validate or filter the Content-Type header on multipart requests. Because exploitation is in the wild and ransomware use is known, also review web and application server logs for evidence of successful compromise. | 9.8 | 100% | KEV ransomware PoC ×10 |
| masslikely hundreds of thousands of deployments (tens of thousands of Struts hosts were internet-exposed in public scans) | |
| CVE-2017-9822 | Cookie Deserialization RCE in DotNetNuke (DNN) before 9.1.1 CVE-2017-9822 is a remote code execution flaw (CWE-94, code injection) in DotNetNuke (DNN) before 9.1.1, caused by insecure handling of a cookie, which the vendor flagged as a critical 2017-08 security issue. An attacker triggers the flaw by sending a maliciously crafted cookie to an affected DNN site; the CVSS vector (AV:N/PR:L/UI:N) indicates network-based exploitation with low-privileged access required and no user interaction. Successful exploitation yields full high-impact compromise (C:H/I:H/A:H), meaning arbitrary code execution and the ability to read, alter, or destroy data on the web server, a suitable foothold for follow-on actions such as ransomware or cryptojacking. Any DNN (formerly DotNetNuke) deployment running a version prior to 9.1.1 is affected, which includes a broad base of CMS sites built on the vendor's platform. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: the flaw is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2021-11-03, ransomware use noted), it carries a very high EPSS score of 94.8%, and a public proof of concept exists, with related server compromise campaigns such as the Zealot campaign illustrating how unpatched web servers are targeted for Monero coin-mining payloads. Do: Apply updates per vendor instructions by upgrading DNN/DotNetNuke to version 9.1.1 or later, prioritizing internet-facing DNN sites given the CISA KEV listing and known ransomware use. In the interim, review web server logs for suspicious or oversized cookie values being processed by DNN endpoints, and consider WAF rules to limit or inspect serialized payloads in cookies. Inventory all DNN portals in your environment and confirm their version, since older legacy deployments are the primary risk. | 8.8 | 95% | KEV ransomware PoC |
| large≈100,000–750,000 deployments (vendor historically claimed 750,000+ DNN sites; internet-exposed count from scans not provided) |
Full article548 words · extracted from securityaffairs.com · click to collapse
Pierluigi Paganini
December 17, 2017
Security researchers spotted a sophisticated malware campaign, tracked as Zealot campaign targeting Linux and Windows servers to install Monero miners.
Security researchers from F5 Networks spotted a sophisticated malware campaign, tracked as Zealot campaign (after the name zealot.zip, one of the files dropped on targeted servers), targeting Linux and Windows servers to install Monero cryptocurrency miners.
The campaign was detected by security researchers from F5 Networks, who named it Zealot, after zealot.zip, one of the files dropped on targeted servers.
Hackers are using a wide arsenal of exploits to compromise the servers and install the malware, including the same code used in the Equifax hack
F5 Networks experts observed threat actors scanning the Internet for particular unpatched servers and hack them with two exploits, one for Apache Struts (CVE-2017-5638) and one for the DotNetNuke ASP.NET CMS (CVE-2017-9822).
“F5 threat researchers have discovered a new Apache Struts campaign. This new campaign is a sophisticated multi-staged attack targeting internal networks with the NSA-attributed EternalBlue and EternalSynergy exploits.” states the analysis from F5 Networks.
“We have dubbed the campaign “Zealot” based on the name of the zip file containing the python scripts with the NSA-attributed exploits. As we continue to research this campaign, we will update this publication.”
The exploit for the Struts vulnerability includes malicious code for targeting both Linux and Windows machines at the same time.
Once the hackers infected a Windows machine, they used the EternalBlue and EternalSynergy exploits (both exploits belong to the huge trove of data belonging to the NSA that was leaked by the Shadow Brokers earlier this year) for lateral movements in the target network.
In the last stage of the attack, threat actors would use PowerShell to download and install the Monero miner.
The attack against Linux servers sees attackers using Python scripts that appear to be taken from the EmpireProject post-exploitation framework, to install the same Monero miner.
“Zealot seems to be the first Struts campaign using the NSA exploits to propagate inside internal networks. There were other malware campaigns like NotPetya and WannaCry ransomware, and also Adylkuzz cryptominer launching attacks by directly scanning the Internet for SMBs to exploit with the NSA tools the ShadowBrokers released.” continues the analysis.
“The Zealot campaign, however, seems to be opening new attack vector doors, automatically delivering malware on internal networks via web application vulnerabilities.”
The researchers reported that the amount that was paid for the miner address associated with the Zealot campaign was approximately $8,500 USD, we cannot exclude that crooks also used other Monero wallets.
The researchers warned of the possible change for the final-stage payload, they could use the same campaign to deliver ransomware.
Another curiosity emerged from the analysis it that the attackers appear to be big fans of the legendary StarCraft game, in fact, many of the terms and file names used for this campaign are characters of the game (i.e. Zealot, Observer, Overlord, Raven).
“The level of sophistication we are currently observing in the Zealot campaign is leading us to believe that the campaign was developed and is being run by threat actors several levels above common bot herders,” concluded the analysis.
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(Security Affairs – Zealot Campaign, Monero miners)
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Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://securityaffairs.com/66829/cyber-crime/zealot-campaign-nsa-exploits.html