Budworm Espionage Group Returns, Targets US State Legislature
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% |
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Full article348 words · extracted from infosecurity-magazine.com · click to collapse
The advanced persistent threat (APT) actor known as Budworm has been spotted targeting a US-based entity for the first time in more than six years, alongside other international targets.
The news comes from Symantec security researchers, who shared an advisory about the attacks with Infosecurity before publication.
According to the new data, Budworm executed attacks over the past six months against several strategically significant targets, including a Middle Eastern country’s government, a multinational electronics manufacturer, a hospital in South East Asia and a US state legislature.
“While there were frequent reports of Budworm targeting US 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,” reads the advisory.
In the latest attacks, Budworm leveraged the Log4j vulnerabilities (CVE-2021-44228 and CVE-2021-45105) to compromise the Apache Tomcat service on servers to install web shells. The attackers reportedly used Virtual Private Servers (VPS) hosted on Vultr and Telstra as command and control (C&C) servers.
Symantec also explained that Budworm continued to rely on the HyperBro malware family as its primary payload, which is often delivered using a dynamic-link library (DLL) side-loading technique.
“In recent attacks, Budworm has used the endpoint privilege management software CyberArk Viewfinity to perform side-loading,” the security researchers wrote in the advisory.
“The binary, which has the default name vf_host.exe, is usually renamed by the attackers in order to masquerade as a more innocuous file.”
In some cases, however, the HyperBro backdoor was loaded with its own HyperBro loader, also designed to load malicious DLLs and encrypt payloads.
“This is the second time in recent months, Budworm has been linked to attacks against a US-based target,” Symantec wrote, warning companies against the APT’s potential change of tactics.
“A recent CISA report on multiple APT groups attacking a defense sector organization mentioned Budworm’s toolset. A resumption of attacks against US-based targets could signal a change in focus for the group.”
For indicators of compromise (IoC) and additional information about the latest Budworm campaign, the Symantec advisory is now publicly available at this link.
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