New Malware PG_MEM Targets PostgreSQL Databases for Crypto Mining
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 |
Full article390 words · extracted from thehackernews.com · click to collapse
Ravie LakshmananAug 22, 2024Database Security / Cryptocurrency
Cybersecurity researchers have unpacked a new malware strain dubbed PG_MEM that's designed to mine cryptocurrency after brute-forcing their way into PostgreSQL database instances.
"Brute-force attacks on Postgres involve repeatedly attempting to guess the database credentials until access is gained, exploiting weak passwords," Aqua security researcher Assaf Morag said in a technical report.
"Once accessed, attackers can leverage the COPY ... FROM PROGRAM SQL command to execute arbitrary shell commands on the host, allowing them to perform malicious activities such as data theft or deploying malware."
The attack chain observed by the cloud security firm entails targeting misconfigured PostgreSQL databases to create an administrator role in Postgres and exploiting a feature called PROGRAM to run shell commands.
In addition, a successful brute-force attack is followed by the threat actor conducting initial reconnaissance and executing commands to strip the "postgres" user of superuser permissions, thereby restricting the privileges of other threat actors who might gain access through the same method.
The shell commands are responsible for dropping two payloads from a remote server ("128.199.77[.]96"), namely PG_MEM and PG_CORE, which are capable of terminating competing processes (e.g., Kinsing), setting up persistence on the host, and ultimately deploying the Monero cryptocurrency miner.
This is accomplished by making use of a PostgreSQL command called COPY, which allows for copying data between a file and a database table. It particularly weaponizes a parameter known as PROGRAM that enables the server to run the passed command and write the program execution results to the table.
"While [cryptocurrency mining] is the main impact, at this point the attacker can also run commands, view data, and control the server," Morag said.
"This campaign is exploiting internet facing Postgres databases with weak passwords. Many organizations connect their databases to the internet, weak password is a result of a misconfiguration, and lack of proper identity controls."
The disclosure comes as the Datadog Security Labs detailed an opportunistic attack campaign that leverages the Log4Shell flaw (CVE-2021-44228, CVSS score: 10.0) in Apache Log4j to drop an obfuscated bash script that's capable of collecting system information, as well as deploying an XMRig miner and a reverse shell for remote access.
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Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://thehackernews.com/2024/08/new-malware-pgmem-targets-postgresql.html