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VU#718077: UEFI Shell module embedded in SPI Flash can be used to bypass Secure Boot
CERT/CC details VU#718077: UEFI Shell embedded in SPI flash lets attackers bypass Secure Boot and execute pre-boot code; patches issued.
CERT/CC's VU#718077, reported by Eclypsium researcher Stas Lyakhov, describes how a UEFI Shell embedded in SPI flash can be abused by attackers who can modify UEFI boot configuration, creating multiple boot entries that bypass controls preventing the Shell from launching under Secure Boot. The Shell's dmem and mm commands allow arbitrary physical memory read/write, letting attackers overwrite Secure Boot values and execute unauthorized pre-boot code that can persist across reboots and OS reinstalls while degrading EDR effectiveness. AMI confirmed its Aptio UEFI BDS module is affected (CVE-2026-33197), and Cisco published an advisory for a variation affecting UCS Servers and UCS-based appliances (CVE-2026-20293). Firmware patches are being rolled out through OEM and IBV BIOS build pipelines.
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Cardinal RAT Sins Again, Targets Israeli Fin
Unit 42 documents updated Cardinal RAT attacks against Israeli FinTech firms, using BMP steganography, MD5-hash obfuscation, and process injection to hinder analysis and detection.
Unit 42 tracked a series of attacks using an updated Cardinal RAT (version 1.7.2) targeting the Israeli financial technology sector. The .NET loader hides a second-stage DLL inside an embedded BMP image decrypted with a single-byte XOR key, and the payload renames functions, methods, and variables to MD5 hashes for obfuscation. The malware installs a startup-folder LNK file and injects its final payload into RegSvcs.exe or RegAsm.exe, communicating with affiliatecollective[.]club over port 443. A possible relationship with the EVILNUM JavaScript malware used against similar organizations was also noted.
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ApateWeb: An Evasive Large-Scale Scareware and PUP Delivery Campaign
Unit 42 uncovers ApateWeb, a campaign using over 130,000 domains and multilayered redirects to deliver scareware, adware and PUPs to millions of users.
Unit 42 discovered ApateWeb, a large-scale campaign using a network of more than 130,000 domains to deliver scareware, potentially unwanted programs, adware including a rogue browser and browser extensions, and scam pages. The campaign uses a three-layer structure with deceptive emails as the entry point, centralized victim tracking via UUIDs, intermediate adware or anti-bot redirections, and evasion tactics such as cloaking, bot detection error pages, and wildcard DNS abuse. Activity spiked since August 2022, with several hundred attacker-controlled sites remaining in Tranco's top 1 million rankings and millions of monthly hits; Unit 42 blocked an estimated 3.5 million sessions across 74,711 devices in November 2023.
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