Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a brand new malware referred to as PLAYFULGHOST that comes with a variety of information-gathering options like keylogging, display seize, audio seize, distant shell, and file switch/execution.
The backdoor, in keeping with Google’s Managed Protection staff, shares practical overlaps with a recognized distant administration instrument known as Gh0st RAT, which had its supply code publicly leaked in 2008.
PLAYFULGHOST’s preliminary entry pathways embody using phishing emails bearing code of conduct-related lures or search engine marketing (search engine optimisation) poisoning strategies to distribute trojanized variations of reliable VPN apps like LetsVPN.
“In a single phishing case, the an infection begins by tricking the sufferer into opening a malicious RAR archive disguised as a picture file by utilizing a .jpg extension,” the corporate mentioned. “When extracted and executed by the sufferer, the archive drops a malicious Home windows executable, which ultimately downloads and executes PLAYFULGHOST from a distant server.”
Attack chains using search engine optimisation poisoning, alternatively, search to deceive unsuspecting customers into downloading a malware-laced installer for LetsVPN, which, when launched, drops an interim payload chargeable for retrieving the backdoor parts.
The an infection is notable for leveraging strategies reminiscent of DLL search order hijacking and side-loading to launch a malicious DLL that is then used to decrypt and cargo PLAYFULGHOST into reminiscence.
Mandiant mentioned it additionally noticed a “extra refined execution situation” whereby a Home windows shortcut (“QQLaunch.lnk”) file, combines the contents of two different recordsdata named “h” and “t” to assemble the rogue DLL and sideload it utilizing a renamed model of “curl.exe.”
PLAYFULGHOST is able to organising persistence on the host utilizing 4 totally different strategies: Run registry key, scheduled job, Home windows Startup folder, and Home windows service. It boasts an in depth set of options that permit it to collect intensive information, together with keystrokes, screenshots, audio, QQ account data, put in security merchandise, clipboard content material, and system metadata.
It additionally comes with capabilities to drop extra payloads, block mouse and keyboard enter, clear Home windows occasion logs, wipe clipboard information, carry out file operations, delete caches and profiles related to internet browsers like Sogou, QQ, 360 Security, Firefox, and Google Chrome, and erase profiles and native storage for messaging purposes reminiscent of Skype, Telegram, and QQ.
A number of the different instruments deployed by way of PLAYFULGHOST are Mimikatz and a rootkit that is able to hiding registry, recordsdata, and processes specified by the risk actor. Additionally dropped together with the obtain of PLAYFULGHOST parts is an open-source utility referred to as Terminator that may kill security processes by the use of a Convey Your Personal Susceptible Driver (BYOVD) assault.
“On one event, Mandiant noticed a PLAYFULGHOST payload being embedded inside BOOSTWAVE,” the tech big mentioned. “BOOSTWAVE is a shellcode that acts as in-memory dropper for an appended Moveable Executable (PE) payload.”
The focusing on of purposes like Sogou, QQ, and 360 Security and using LetsVPN lures increase the likelihood that these infections are focusing on Chinese language-speaking Home windows customers. In July 2024, Canadian cybersecurity vendor eSentire revealed the same marketing campaign that leveraged pretend installers for Google Chrome to propagate Gh0st RAT utilizing a dropper dubbed Gh0stGambit.
