Russian Hackers Exploit Email and VPN Vulnerabilities to Spy on Ukraine Aid Logistics
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2020-12641 | Command Injection RCE in Roundcube Webmail (CVE-2020-12641) Roundcube Webmail versions before 1.4.4 contain an OS command injection flaw (CWE-78) in rcube_image.php: shell metacharacters in the im_convert_path or im_identify_path configuration settings are not escaped before the configured ImageMagick binaries are executed. When image processing is triggered, an attacker who can control those configuration values can append arbitrary shell commands that run with the privileges of the web server user, yielding full remote code execution on the mail server. Successful exploitation can expose stored email, mail credentials, and the underlying host; the flaw is scored 9.8 (critical), with no privileges or user interaction required per the CVSS vector. Any self-hosted Roundcube deployment older than 1.4.4 is affected, including Roundcube packages shipped by openSUSE Leap and openSUSE Backports for SUSE Linux Enterprise. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: CISA added it to the KEV catalog on 2023-06-22, EPSS puts the 30-day exploitation probability at ~84%, and headlines note APT28-linked activity targeting government Roundcube servers, including Ukrainian entities. Do: Upgrade Roundcube to 1.4.4 or later, or apply the vendor-patched openSUSE Leap / SLE backport packages, as required by the CISA KEV listing (added 2023-06-22). After patching, verify that im_convert_path and im_identify_path settings contain no unescaped metacharacters and review web server logs for injected command activity; given APT28's targeting of government Roundcube servers, prioritize public-sector mail infrastructure for patching and threat hunting. | 9.8 | 84% | KEV PoC |
| masstens of thousands of internet-exposed Roundcube instances; millions of end users via bundled/self-hosted deployments (estimate) | |
| CVE-2020-35730 | Cross-Site Scripting in Roundcube Webmail Plain-Text Email Link Handling Roundcube Webmail contains a cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw (CWE-79) in the link-reference handling of rcube_string_replacer.php, where the linkref_addindex function mishandles JavaScript embedded in a link element of a plain-text email. An attacker triggers the flaw simply by sending a crafted plain-text message to a victim; when the message is processed/displayed in the Roundcube interface, the embedded script executes in the context of the victim's webmail session. Successful exploitation can lead to session hijacking, theft of webmail cookies or credentials, and arbitrary actions in the victim's mailbox. Any deployment of Roundcube Webmail is affected, which includes self-hosted instances and webmail offered by hosting providers, ISPs, and universities. Although no public proof-of-concept is known, CISA added this vulnerability to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-06-22, confirming exploitation in the wild; ransomware association is unknown, and no CVSS score is yet available, though EPSS puts 30-day exploitation probability at 32.7% (98th percentile). Do: Apply the vendor's updated Roundcube release per CISA's required action (updates per vendor instructions); since no specific fixed versions appear in this data, install the latest patched release of your deployed 1.x branch and verify with the vendor advisory. Check webmail servers for processing of plain-text messages with link-reference elements and review logs for anomalous webmail sessions; treat KEV-listed status as evidence of active exploitation and prioritize internet-exposed Roundcube instances. | 6.1 | 33% | KEV |
| masslikely >1M users across tens of thousands of exposed instances (Roundcube is bundled as webmail in cPanel/Plesk and by many ISPs) | |
| CVE-2021-44026 | SQL Injection in Roundcube Webmail via Search Parameters Roundcube Webmail contains a SQL injection flaw (CWE-89) in which attacker-controlled 'search' or 'search_params' input is incorporated into database queries without sufficient sanitization. An attacker with access to the webmail search functionality (typically an authenticated mailbox user) can submit crafted parameters to execute arbitrary SQL against the Roundcube backend database, potentially reading or modifying stored mail account data. Any organization running Roundcube is affected, including self-hosted mail servers and customers of hosting providers that ship Roundcube as their bundled webmail client. The flaw was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-06-22, indicating exploitation in the wild, and EPSS assigns a 41.9% probability of exploitation within 30 days (99th percentile). No public proof-of-concept is known, and CISA lists ransomware use as unknown. Do: Apply vendor updates per Roundcube's instructions by upgrading to the latest patched, supported release, prioritizing internet-facing webmail servers; federal agencies must remediate per the CISA KEV requirement. If Roundcube is managed by a hosting provider (e.g., via cPanel), coordinate patching with them. In the interim, restrict webmail exposure and review database and web logs for anomalous search-related queries that may indicate exploitation. | 9.8 | 42% | KEV |
| massmillions of users across tens of thousands of exposed Roundcube deployments (estimated) | |
| CVE-2023-23397 | Zero-Click Elevation of Privilege in Microsoft Outlook (Forced NTLM Credential Leak) CVE-2023-23397 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook caused by improper input validation (CWE-20) combined with authentication bypass via spoofed authentication data on the channel (CWE-294), allowing an attacker to force Outlook to authenticate to an attacker-controlled SMB/WebDAV server. It is triggered when Outlook processes a crafted email or calendar object — for example a meeting or task reminder whose sound property points to an attacker-supplied UNC path — and requires no user interaction. That authentication exchange leaks the victim's NTLM credential hash, which the attacker can crack offline or relay to authenticate as the victim and access resources such as Exchange mailboxes, effectively escalating privileges. Affected software spans Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Office (including the Long Term Servicing Channel), and Microsoft Outlook, which are deployed across enterprises, governments, and militaries worldwide. It is actively exploited in the wild — added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-03-14 with a 97.4% EPSS — and Microsoft has warned of exploitation by Russia-aligned threat actors in campaigns against government and military mail servers, with patches shipped in Microsoft's March 2023 security updates. Do: Apply Microsoft's March 2023 security updates to Microsoft 365 Apps, Office/LTSC, and Outlook immediately, per CISA's required action. As interim mitigation, enable Extended Protection for Authentication or add accounts to the Protected Users group to block the NTLM credential leak, and audit calendar and task reminder sound properties for UNC paths (Microsoft published an audit/cleanup script for this) while watching for unexpected outbound SMB/WebDAV connections from hosts running Outlook. | 9.8 | 97% | KEV |
| masson the order of hundreds of millions of users (Outlook ships with Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365, the dominant enterprise and government email suite) | |
| CVE-2023-38831 | Code Execution in RARLAB WinRAR via Crafted ZIP File/Folder Name Confusion RARLAB WinRAR before 6.23 mishandles ZIP archives that contain a benign file (such as a JPG) alongside a folder with the same name, causing the folder's contents - which can include malicious executable files - to be processed when the user merely attempts to view the benign file. By sending a crafted ZIP archive, an attacker gains arbitrary code execution on the victim's machine with the user's privileges. Because the flaw is local (AV:L) and requires user interaction, risk is limited to Windows systems running an unpatched copy of WinRAR, while machines without the tool are unaffected. The bug was actively exploited in the wild from April through October 2023, including by government-backed actors (APT28), SideCopy attacks on Indian government entities, ransomware operations, and trading-account theft campaigns, and it was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-08-24. Do: Upgrade all Windows systems running WinRAR to version 6.23 or later, which fixes this flaw; if patching is not immediately possible, treat ZIP files from untrusted sources with caution and check archives for duplicate file/folder names before opening. Given KEV listing with known ransomware use and public proof-of-concept exploits, hunt for compromise by reviewing whether unexpected executables or scripts ran when ZIP archives were opened, and apply vendor mitigations per CISA's required action or discontinue use if mitigations are unavailable. | 7.8 | 98% | KEV ransomware PoC ×4 |
| masshundreds of millions of users/installations worldwide (WinRAR is one of the most widely installed Windows archive utilities) |
Full article758 words · extracted from thehackernews.com · click to collapse
Russian cyber threat actors have been attributed to a state-sponsored campaign targeting Western logistics entities and technology companies since 2022.
The activity has been assessed to be orchestrated by APT28 (aka BlueDelta, Fancy Bear, or Forest Blizzard), which is linked to the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) 85th Main Special Service Center, Military Unit 26165.
Targets of the campaign include companies involved in the coordination, transport, and delivery of foreign assistance to Ukraine, according to a joint advisory released by agencies from Australia, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
"This cyber espionage-oriented campaign targeting logistics entities and technology companies uses a mix of previously disclosed TTPs and is likely connected to these actors' wide scale targeting of IP cameras in Ukraine and bordering NATO nations," the bulletin said.
The alert comes weeks after France's foreign ministry accused APT28 of mounting cyber attacks on a dozen entities including ministries, defense firms, research entities, and think tanks since 2021 in an attempt to destabilize the nation.
Then last week, ESET took the wraps off a campaign dubbed Operation RoundPress that it said has been ongoing since 2023 by exploiting cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in various webmail services like Roundcube, Horde, MDaemon, and Zimbra to single out governmental entities and defense companies in Eastern Europe, as well as governments in Africa, Europe, and South America.
According to the latest advisory, cyber attacks orchestrated by APT28 are said to have involved a combination of password spraying, spear-phishing, and modifying Microsoft Exchange mailbox permissions for espionage purposes.
The primary targets of the campaign include organizations within NATO member states and Ukraine spanning defense, transportation, maritime, air traffic management, and IT services verticals. No less than dozens of entities in Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, and the United States are estimated to have been targeted.
"This malicious campaign by Russia's military intelligence service presents a serious risk to targeted organizations, including those involved in the delivery of assistance to Ukraine," Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said. "The U.K. and partners are committed to raising awareness of the tactics being deployed."
Initial access to targeted networks is said to have been facilitated by leveraging seven different methods -
- Brute-force attacks to guess credentials
- Spear-phishing attacks to harvest credentials using fake login pages impersonating government agencies and Western cloud email providers that were hosted on free third-party services or compromised SOHO devices
- Spear-phishing attacks to deliver malware
- Exploitation of Outlook NTLM vulnerability (CVE-2023-23397)
- Exploitation of Roundcube vulnerabilities (CVE-2020-12641, CVE-2020-35730, CVE-2021-44026)
- Exploitation of internet-facing infrastructure such as corporate VPNs using public vulnerabilities and SQL injection
- Exploitation of WinRAR vulnerability (CVE-2023-38831)
Once the Unit 26165 actors gain foothold using one of the above methods, the attacks proceed to the post-exploitation phase, which involves conducting reconnaissance to identify additional targets in key positions, individuals responsible for coordinating transport, and other companies cooperating with the victim entity.
The attackers have also been observed using tools like Impacket, PsExec, and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for lateral movement, as well as Certipy and ADExplorer.exe to exfiltrate information from the Active Directory.
"The actors would take steps to locate and exfiltrate lists of Office 365 users and set up sustained email collection," the agencies pointed out. "The actors used manipulation of mailbox permissions to establish sustained email collection at compromised logistics entities."
Another notable trait of the intrusions is the use of malware families like HeadLace and MASEPIE, to establish persistence on compromised hosts and harvest sensitive information. There is no evidence that malware variants like OCEANMAP and STEELHOOK have been used to directly target logistics or IT sectors.
During data exfiltration, the threat actors have relied on different methods based on the victim environment, often utilizing PowerShell commands to create ZIP archives to upload the collected data to their own infrastructure, or employing Exchange Web Services (EWS) and Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) to siphon information from email servers.
"As Russian military forces failed to meet their military objectives and Western countries provided aid to support Ukraine's territorial defense, Unit 26165 expanded its targeting of logistics entities and technology companies involved in the delivery of aid," the agencies said. "These actors have also targeted internet-connected cameras at Ukrainian border crossings to monitor and track aid shipments."
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