U.S. DoJ Dismantles Warzone RAT Infrastructure, Arrests Key Operators
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2017-11882 | Memory Corruption RCE in Microsoft Office via Legacy Equation Editor CVE-2017-11882 is a memory corruption vulnerability (CWE-119) in Microsoft Office, residing in the legacy Microsoft Equation Editor component (EQNEDT32.EXE), that allows remote code execution in the context of the current user. Attackers trigger it by persuading a user to open a crafted document, most commonly an RTF file or other Office document carrying a malicious embedded equation object, which overflows a buffer while the equation content is parsed. Successful exploitation lets the attacker run arbitrary code with the privileges of the signed-in user, a typical foothold for malware delivery and, per CISA, for ransomware operations. Any environment running affected Microsoft Office builds is exposed; the source data does not enumerate specific affected version ranges. The flaw is confirmed exploited in the wild: it was added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03 with known ransomware use and holds a 99.9% EPSS score (percentile 100), though the source data lists no public PoC. Do: Apply Microsoft's Office security updates (November 2017 or later) across all endpoints, prioritizing this KEV-listed flaw given its known ransomware use. On systems that cannot yet be patched, disable or unregister the legacy Equation Editor (EQNEDT32.EXE) and consider blocking or warning on RTF attachments as interim mitigations. Check for indicators of abuse such as EQNEDT32.EXE spawning unexpected child processes after document opens. | 7.8 | 100% | KEV ransomware PoC ×10 |
| masshundreds of millions of users/installations (Office is near-ubiquitous on Windows and in enterprises; the share still unpatched is unknown) |
Indicators of compromiseauto-extracted · verify before use · export allAll →
| Type | Indicator | Context |
|---|---|---|
| domain | warzone.ws | access trojan (RAT) called Warzone RAT . The domains – www.warzone[.]ws and three others – were "used to sell computer malware us |
Full article588 words · extracted from thehackernews.com · click to collapse
Ravie LakshmananFeb 11, 2024Malware / Cybercrime
The U.S. Justice Department (DoJ) on Friday announced the seizure of online infrastructure that was used to sell a remote access trojan (RAT) called Warzone RAT.
The domains – www.warzone[.]ws and three others – were "used to sell computer malware used by cybercriminals to secretly access and steal data from victims' computers," the DoJ said.
Alongside the takedown, the international law enforcement effort has arrested and indicted two individuals in Malta and Nigeria for their involvement in selling and supporting the malware and helping other cybercriminals use the RAT for malicious purposes.
The defendants, Daniel Meli (27) and Prince Onyeoziri Odinakachi (31) have been charged with unauthorized damage to protected computers, with the former also accused of "illegally selling and advertising an electronic interception device and participating in a conspiracy to commit several computer intrusion offenses."
Meli is alleged to have offered malware services at least since 2012 through online hacking forums, sharing e-books, and helping other criminals use RATs to carry out cyber attacks. Prior to Warzone RAT, he had sold another RAT known as Pegasus RAT (not to be confused with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware).
Like Meli, Odinakachi also provided online customer support to purchasers of Warzone RAT malware between June 2019 and no earlier than March 2023. Both individuals were arrested on February 7, 2024.
Warzone RAT, also known as Ave Maria, was first documented by Yoroi in January 2019 as part of a cyber attack targeting an Italian organization in the oil and gas sector towards the end of 2018 using phishing emails bearing bogus Microsoft Excel files exploiting a known security flaw in the Equation Editor (CVE-2017-11882).
Sold under the malware-as-a-service (Maas) model for $38 a month (or $196 for a year), it functions as an information stealer and facilitates remote control, thereby allowing threat actors to commandeer the infected hosts for follow-on exploitation.
Some of the notable features of the malware include the ability to browse victim file systems, take screenshots, record keystrokes, steal victim usernames and passwords, and activate the computer's webcams without the victim's knowledge or consent.
"Ave Maria attacks are initiated via phishing emails, once the dropped payload infects the victim's machine with the malware, it establishes communication with the attacker's command-and-control (C2) server on non-HTTP protocol, after decrypting its C2 connection using RC4 algorithm," Zscaler ThreatLabz said in early 2023.
On one of the now-dismantled websites, which had the tagline "Serving you loyally since 2018," the developers of the C/C++ malware described it as reliable and easy to use. They also provided the ability for customers to contact them via email (solmyr@warzone[.]ws), Telegram (@solwz and @sammysamwarzone), Skype (vuln.hf), as well as via a dedicated "client area."
An additional contact avenue was Discord, where the users were asked to get in touch with an account with the ID Meli#4472. Another Telegram account linked to Meli was @daniel96420.
Outside of cybercrime groups, the malware has also been put to use by several advanced threat actors like YoroTrooper as well as those associated with Russia over the past year.
The DoJ said the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) covertly purchased copies of Warzone RAT and confirmed its nefarious functions. The coordinated exercise involved assistance from authorities in Australia, Canada, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Romania, and Europol.
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Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://thehackernews.com/2024/02/us-doj-dismantles-warzone-rat.html