ASEC Weekly Phishing Email Threat Trends (May 28th, 2023 – June 3rd, 2023)
AhnLab Security Emergency response Center (ASEC) monitors phishing email threats with the ASEC automatic sample analysis system (RAPIT) and honeypot. This post will cover the cases of distribution of phishing emails during the week from May 28th, 2023 to June 3rd, 2023 and provide statistical information on each type. Generally, phishing is cited as an attack that leaks users’ login account credentials by disguising as or impersonating an institute, company, or individual through social engineering methods. On a broader note, the act is a technical subterfuge that enables the threat actor to perform attacks such as information leaks, malware distribution, and fraud against various targets. The focus of this post will be on the fact that phishing attacks mainly occur through emails. We will also provide a detailed classification of various attack methods that are based on phishing emails. Furthermore, we will make an effort to minimize user damage by introducing new attack types that have never been found before and emails that require users’ caution, along with their keywords. The phishing emails covered in this post will only be those that have attachments. Emails that have malicious links in the body without attachments will be excluded.
Phishing Emails
During this week, the most prevalent threat type seen in phishing email attachments was FakePage with 36%. FakePages are web pages where the threat actor has imitated the screen layout, logo, and font of the real login pages or advertising pages, leading users to enter their account and password information. The input information is sent to the threat actor’s C2 server or used to induce users to access other fake websites. See <FakePage C2> below The second in line were Infostealers like AgentTesla, FormBook, and AveMaria that leak user credentials saved in web browsers, emails, and FTP clients (27%). Aside from these, Trojan (22%), Downloader (10%), Exploit (2%), Worm (1%), Backdoor (1%), and Dropper (1%) were detected. The threat types using phishing email attachments and their order of prevalence are similar to the order of malware distribution published weekly in the <ASEC Weekly Malware Statistics>.
File Extensions in Phishing Emails
We have identified which file extensions were used by the threats above for the distribution of email attachments. FakePages were distributed through web pages script (HTM, HTML, SHTM, and SHTML) documents that must be executed with a web browser. Other malware, including Infostealer and downloader, came attached to emails with file extensions including compressed files (RAR, Z, GZ, 7Z, etc.).
Cases of Distribution
The following are distribution cases that occurred during the week from May 28th, 2023 to June 3rd, 2023. The cases will be classified into FakePage and malware types, including Infostealer, Downloader, Exploit, and Backdoor. The numbers in email subjects and attachment filenames are unique IDs and may vary depending on the email recipient. Distribution cases with Korean subjects were also found. These are cases that specifically targeted Korean users instead of propagating themselves globally using identical English subjects and texts.
Case: FakePage
Email Subject
Attachment
[FedEx] Tariffs payment notice (Tax Invoice)
FedEx.html
02-QT-000488 – Request for Price Q1-Project order specification request
PO-02-QT-000488 _**********.com.HTM
PO vkj production status MAY.29 T/T
po~vkj_mfj3987365367893.pdf
Your account already has +14777$
Your_balance_has_been_replenished_22%2C336%24-8615.pdf
When you get your money +16853$
You_are_now_rich_21.639%24_on_your_balance-263.pdf
FW: RE: Shipping Documents
Scanned Bill of Lading Doc.Pdf.htm
Re: RFQ – 3~PHASE ORD
PO-98802.shtml
Re: Balance payment confirmation cg06″
Bal_payment swift.shtml
You are now rich +11498$ on your balance!
26316%24_Need_to_move_you_have_24_hours-14255.pdf
Signed Shipping Documents For Consignee (********@*********.co.kr)
Bill Of Lading Copy.html
You are now rich +27244$ on your balance!
When_you_get_your_money_17%2C612%24-2703.pdf
Come on, quickly withdraw your +27662$! The account is not blocked yet
29%2C694%24_Need_to_move_you_have_24_hours-14275.pdf
Booking.com Invoice 8831882301
lnvoice-8831882301.pdf
Booking.com Invoice 9831249301
lnvoice-9831249301.pdf
Re: June/New-Order #Brazil-098484OBZ
June_New-Order #Brazil-098484OBZ.XLS.html
VERIFY YOUR ACCOUNT.
*********.comUPDATE.shtml
[DHL] Shipping Document // Arrival-Notification – ETA: 6/25 BL NO: 23*******
Shipping Document_Bill of Lading.Pdf.htm
Request for quotation
Quote.htm
【电子发票号码:30940297】您收到一张新的电子发票
SF E-Invoice 30940297.pdf.html
VERIFY YOUR **********.com ACCOUNT.
*********.comUPDATE.shtml
New Order for Po No. : 4500250395
PO2340943.html
Inquiry
Quote.html
<Request for Quotation> / Toyo Korea / ****** *** Electric
Order345009.html
invoice & Shipping Documents 29 May 2023
dhl-shipment_invoice PI-Bill Of Lading#998454.htm
Re：(Scanned) Doc~Original Copy – FYI
Shipping document.html
Shipment Notice – Confirm Shipping Documents
Scanned Copies of Packing List_ETD.Pdf.htm
Documentos
##documentos.XLSx.img
MAY P.O _3000000821
MAY P.O _3000000821.Shtm
FW: BANK STATEMENTS (JAN – APR.) 2023
BANK STATEMENTS (JAN – APR.) 2023.zip .htm
Case: Malware (Infostealer, Downloader, etc.)
Email Subject
Attachment
Reply: Reply: [DHL] Acceptance of Import Declaration (Payment Before Acceptance) – 1000452436
Import declaration acceptance statement-1000452436.rar
UPS Korea-att invoice content
att1-Doc^^ICNIR00112339^^ACC^^KR^^IBS^^BIV_FRI_ICN.z
Final Warning – Over Due Payment – Urgent Reminder!Final Warning – Over Due Payment – Urgent R….
Overdue.img
RE: Booking
MSDS-112800.xlsm
P. Order & Contract (A-4553)2
P. Order & Contract (A-4553)2.rar
New Order 220628001
New Order 220628001.PDF.iso
[Sending Finalized Text] G7+Partners FASS Meeting
[FINAL] ********* Action Statement for Resilient Global Food_ Security_trackchanged.docx
Pending DHL Shipment Notification REF: 02/6/2023
Shipping doc.img
Enquiry for Quotation – Works at Sector MZW-18 in ****** ****** Project
PO.028940.22.S-R224454676781-P0-MT_SAM.rar
Shipment Delivery Address *(Required) contact form
Required contact form..rar
Payment Receipt For T/T USD$140,378,00
Payment Receipt For TT USD$140,378,00.rar
Please review your July 2022 offer
PLAYGROUND PROJECT – 2022089928 – KDF.arj
INCOMING DELIVERY NOTIFICATION
Delivery Repor.iso
RE: RE: FW: 2023/7/24 order shipment
Automann- Order2#44096.docx
cargo booking to Maresk for Po SPL-036500 & SPL-037282
SPL-036500 & SPL-037282.pdf.z
Fatura ve GB Hk.
PROFORMA.LZH
Fw: Copia de pago
Copia de pago#8101227910.05302023.gz
New enquiry
Quotation Details_pdf.z
NEW ORDER
Purchase Order 982F23.Docx.img
purchase order
PO331020770.z
Purchases Order // PO23100080
PO23100080.z
quote request
Purchase order.r20
RE: inquiry
30590120233540MES_S Quote.z
Re: Purchase Order No. 9455 & 9556
9455 & 9556.z
RE: quote request
10690531TEZ_S Quote.r09
Re[5]: wonderful pics
great_pctrs.pif
Ref:103XXXXX Shipment of Original Documents.
DHL SHIPMENT NOTIFICATION_PDF.gz
SWIFT TRANSFER.
SWIFT TRANSFER.LZH
*****Bank tarafindan
evraklar.gz
very cool pictures
sex-pic.jpg.exe
RE ; Advance in process – project #1021 (30% deposit)
invoice.xls
RE: Statement of Account
SOA.xls
RE: Reservation
MSDS-19055205pdf.7z
RE: Booking Request
MSDS-112883pdf.7z
Re: “URGENT” PAYMENT BACK RETURNED TT (Ref 0066743)
006673-001.arj
Re: Request for Quotation via ShipServ DQR02/5-10-2023
QTN-DQR025-10-2023.rar
Payment Advice Note 81930 30.05.2023 – 4360A
PAYMENT COPY $79,000.00.zip
*** *** ****** New Order PO#HKPOORD002361-2362
New Order PO#HKPOORD002361-2362.zip
AW: PO-000001306
PO-000001306.z
Certificates Of Analaysis
Certificates Of Analaysis.rar
Commercial and technical offer
Commercial and technical offer.rar
New enquiry.
MML-REQUEST FOR QUOTE_(IC 2114).IMG
Payment. (******* BANK ACCOUNT)
INVOICE_VM33020031052023.IMG
PAYMENT SWIFT //50% ADVANCE PAYMENT//
CCB SWIFT $40K.rar
Purchase Order PO-5093027b
PO-5093027b.r02
RE: Offer Request
RE Offer Request.rar
Re: order
33690120233531MES_S Quote.z
RE: ORDER JMG 06-01-2023
ORDER JMG.IMG
Request V-23-VJU-028-D/01 for the Voge Julie
V-23-VJU-028-DGFGRz9eenOICt9Y-xlxs.rar
Signed Authorization letter
Signed Authorization letter.rar
Urgent (TT draft copy)
MT103-draft.r20
swift copy
swift.LZ
RE: ****** SHIPPING COMPANY
MSDS-112703pdf.7z
About the payment
Remittance Copy#0128762534.pdf.gz
DHL awb – 4026735019
DHL awb – 4026735019_20230525.gz
DHL AWB – 5032675620
DHL AWB – COMMERCIAL INVOICE, BILL OF LADING, ETC DOC.gz
Fw: Due Invoice Payment
20230106.8203849061-mt103-Trf.gz
Documentos
##documentos.XLSx.img
The ASEC analysis team has selected keywords that users must look out for, based on the distribution cases above. If these keywords are included in the subject of the email, or if the same characteristics are found, users must exercise strict caution as they may be phishing emails from threat actors.
Keyword to Beware of: ‘Invoice’
The keyword for this week is ‘Invoice.’ For this week, it has been confirmed that multiple emails were distributed with a Korean title (UPS Korea-att invoice content) and disguised as a certain transport company. The email was attached with a malicious file with the SCR extension. The file is an Infostealer that steals information by running the normal process aspnet_compiler.exe and injecting AveMaria into that normal process. Users must pay attention to the content of the email to check for any unfamiliar file attachment extensions and poorly translated Korean.
FakePage C2 URL
When users enter their IDs and passwords on the login pages among the FakePages created by the threat actor, their information is sent to the attacker’s server. The list below shows the threat actor’s C2 URLs of fake login pages distributed during the week.
https[:]//submit-form[.]com/nv7B93q6
https[:]//www[.]spgiutar[.]com/mmc/fdpxoGur23f[.]php
http[:]//www[.]miassmebel-neo[.]ru/ZaZa/port25[.]php
https[:]//aphal[.]000webhostapp[.]com/acr/PDF
https[:]//submit-form[.]com/Lc0iCuYC
https[:]//cardiofitness[.]guru/maersk/mk[.]php
https[:]//submit-form[.]com/t5Rk3sUT
http[:]//vanchuyentrungviethhc[.]com/wp-admin/YSL/Daemon[.]php
https[:]//sercex[.]com/justgm[.]php
https[:]//formcarry[.]com/s/8AHxxLifK2
https[:]//submit-form[.]com/b8nhWuB2
https[:]//formspree[.]io/f/xrgvdwqd
https[:]//www[.]vvl-badvilbel[.]de/wp-content/plugins/3ae9ce9eaa8d4ce9a0f81e400863ce6b/y/mm/mdx/mmd/exee[.]php
https[:]//naehpa[.]com/wp-admin/QY/port25[.]php
Attacks using phishing emails are disguised with content that can easily deceive users, such as invoices and tax payments, to induce users to access fake login pages or execute malware. Fake login pages are evolving by the second to closely resemble the original pages. The attackers pack malware in compressed file formats to escape the attachment scans of users’ security products. Users must practice strict caution and refer to recent cases of distribution to avoid being exposed to infection by malicious phishing emails. The ASEC analysis team recommends users follow the email security guidelines below.
Do not execute links and attachments in emails from unverified senders until they are proven to be credible.
Do not enter sensitive information such as login account credentials until the site is found to be reliable.
Do not execute attachments with unfamiliar file extensions until they are found to be reliable.
Use security products such as antimalware software.
According to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, phishing email attacks correspond to the following techniques.
Phishing for Information (Reconnaissance, ID: T1598[1])
Phishing (Initial Access, ID: TI1566[2])
Internal Spearphishing (Lateral Movement, ID: T1534[3])
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The post ASEC Weekly Phishing Email Threat Trends (May 28th, 2023 – June 3rd, 2023) appeared first on ASEC BLOG.
Article Link: https://asec.ahnlab.com/en/54163/
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