U.S. state legislature, Middle Eastern gov’t targeted by espionage group through Log4j
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2021-44228 | JNDI Injection Remote Code Execution in Apache Log4j2 (Log4Shell) Apache Log4j2, an extremely widely used Java logging library, fails to protect its JNDI lookup feature against attacker-controlled JNDI-related endpoints (CWE-20, CWE-502), so crafted text processed by the logger causes the Java runtime to fetch and load attacker-supplied objects, leading to remote code execution. The flaw is triggered whenever attacker-controlled input reaches the logging API and is parsed for JNDI lookups, a pattern common in web servers and enterprise Java applications that log user-supplied fields such as headers or form values. Successful exploitation yields arbitrary code execution under the privileges of the affected application, giving attackers a foothold for lateral movement, data theft, and ransomware deployment. Any Java application or product that ships or bundles an affected Apache Log4j2 release is exposed, making this one of the most broadly deployed vulnerabilities ever disclosed. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-12-10 with known ransomware use, and EPSS assigns a 100% probability of exploitation within 30 days. Do: Inventory all Java applications and dependencies for Apache Log4j2 and apply the vendor's patched updates, or remove affected assets from the network, as required by CISA's KEV catalog. Where updates are not yet available, use the temporary mitigations in CISA's ED-22-02 recommended-mitigation guidance, such as disabling message lookups, only until patches are applied. Prioritize internet-facing and business-critical systems and hunt for exploitation activity given known ransomware use. | 10.0 | 100% | KEV ransomware PoC ×9 |
| masshundreds of millions of Java applications/devices, with hundreds of thousands of internet-exposed services | |
| CVE-2021-45105 | Apache Log4j2 versions 2.0-alpha1 through 2.16.0 (excluding 2.12.3 and 2.3.1) did not protect from uncontrolled recursion from self-referential lookups. Apache Log4j2 versions 2.0-alpha1 through 2.16.0 (excluding 2.12.3 and 2.3.1) did not protect from uncontrolled recursion from self-referential lookups. This allows an attacker with control over Thread Context Map data to cause a denial of service when a crafted string is interpreted. This issue was fixed in Log4j 2.17.0, 2.12.3, and 2.3.1. NVD description · AI analysis pending | 5.9 | 100% |
| — |
Full article441 words · extracted from therecord.media · click to collapse
A group of hackers have used the Log4j vulnerability to attack the legislature of a U.S. state, the government of a country in the Middle East, a multinational electronics manufacturer, and a hospital in South East Asia, according to a new report. Researchers with the Symantec Threat Hunter team published a report on Thursday outlining the latest campaign from the Budworm espionage group — hackers who have previously been tied to a government hacking group connected to the Chinese government. Symantec said this is the first time in several years that actors with Budworm have targeted a U.S.-based entity, making the recent campaign stand out. Dick O’Brien, principal intelligence analyst at Symantec, told The Record that the attack on the U.S. legislature took place in July of this year. “It's also interesting to see an attack by one of the more capable APT actors being directed at the state level,” O’Brien said. “Either something particularly interesting to them was happening in that state or they're being particularly granular in their intelligence gathering.” The researchers found that in the most recent attacks, the hackers used the Log4j vulnerabilities – CVE-2021-44228 and CVE-2021-45105 – to compromise servers. Budworm actors also used the HyperBro malware family during attacks, a hallmark of Chinese government hackers with APT27. The hackers also used the PlugX/Korplug Trojan, another tool typically used by hackers based in China. O’Brien confirmed that Budworm is one of the names used to refer to APT27 hackers and that the general consensus is the group is based in China. “Budworm is known for mounting ambitious attacks against high-value targets. While there were frequent reports of Budworm targeting U.S. organizations six to eight years ago, in more recent years the group’s activity appears to have been largely focused on Asia, the Middle East, and Europe,” the researchers said. “However this is the second time in recent months, Budworm has been linked to attacks against a U.S-based target. A recent CISA report on multiple APT groups attacking a defense sector organization mentioned Budworm’s toolset. A resumption of attacks against U.S.-based targets could signal a change in focus for the group.” HyperBro’s use was highlighted by several U.S. agencies last week in an advisory about attacks on a defense company that gave multiple government hacking groups “long-term” access to the network.
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Jonathan Greig
is a Breaking News Reporter at Recorded Future News. Jonathan has worked across the globe as a journalist since 2014. Before moving back to New York City, he worked for news outlets in South Africa, Jordan and Cambodia. He previously covered cybersecurity at ZDNet and TechRepublic.
Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://therecord.media/u-s-state-legislature-middle-eastern-govt-targeted-by-espionage-group-through-log4j