Using Massively Distributed Malware in APT-Style Attacks

Using Massively Distributed Malware in APT-Style Attacks

Dana Tamir

IBM Trusteer Dir. Enterprise Security

© 2014 IBM Corporation

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What do you

think about when

you hear the term

APT?


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FlameStuxnet

Security

Virus

Trojan

RAT

Threat

Data Credentials

Malware Internet

Wild

Cyber

WAR

DiscoveryAlert!

Breach

Dangerous Detection

Research

$$$


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Stuxnet* Designed to attack Siemens industrial systems

* Caused fast-spinning centrifuges to tear themselves apart

* Exploited four zero-day vulnerabilities

Duqu* Looks for info to target industrial control systems

* Not destructive

* Uses jpeg files and encrypted dummy files as containers to exfiltrate data to C&C

Gauss

* A complex Cyber-espionage toolkit

* Steals various kinds of data from infected machines

* Includes an encrypted payload which is activated on certain specific system configs

APTs => Highly Targeted Malware

Flame• A sophisticated

cyber-espionage

malware

• Infected target

machines in

Middle Eastern

countries

• Receives

instructions via

C&C servers


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New Emerging Trend

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Trojans Used in

Financial Fraud

Trojans Used in

APT-Style Attacks

• Targets Consumers

• Used for stealing

• Bank account credentials

• Personal information

• Sophisticated

• Targets Employees

• Used for stealing

• Corporate credentials

• Business and operational

data

• Sophisticated


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Typical functions available with these malware families

Capability Description

Keylogging Captures user keystrokes and sends data to attacker

Screenshot capturing record browser session, including data displayed to user

Video capturing record a video stream of a browser session

Form grabbing (HTTP

POST grabbing)

method used to capture user input from a web data

form.

HTML injection a method used for injecting HTML content into legitimate

web pages in order to modify it.

Remote execution of

command line

instructions

enables the operator to collect data and change settings

on one or more remote computers.

Remote control of the

infected machine

allows complete control over the PC and full access to

the corporate network.

Evasion techniques designed to evade anti-virus and other security controls.

Anti-research

techniques

a variety of sophisticated features designed to prevent

researchers from analyzing the malware

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Using Massive Distribution Campaigns

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Not Targeted!

Infecting Millions of Machines!


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Massively Distributed Malware

Massive Distribution Campaigns use techniques like Spear-Phishing, Drive-By Downloads, Malvertising, Watering hole attacks…


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Massively Distributed Malware

Command and Control ServerRegistration

Configuration file


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The Configuration Files

• Provided by the Command and Control Server

• Contain operational information, like:

• Targets and Operational Triggers

• Information requested

• Alternative Command and Controls

• Can be Updated!

• New operational triggers and targets

• New information requested

• Alternative Command and Controls

• Software upgrades

Examples?


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Example: The Citadel Trojan

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Citadel Configuration

File


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Available for sale on the Russian Underground

New version offers “classic” Zeus and new capabilities

Enables the attacker to run shell commands off the infected device

Can map the network on which the infected device is

Obviously not added for financial fraud…

Built-in VNC (the VNCfox)

is a valuable tool

“Crowd-sourcing”

Will not work on devices

that use a Cyrillic keyboard

layout (do not wish to target

Russian or Ukrainian systems)

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Constantly under development

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Malware


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From The Citadel Configuration File

Instructed to look for user access to certain URL addresses

Form Grabbing/ “HTTP POST”: grab all the information submitted by the user

The relevant section from the configuration file (shown in a Trusteer proprietary format)

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Grabbing webmail login credentials

http://mail.target-company.com/*

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Citadel triggered by specific processes

Citadel instructed to start keylogging (capturing user keystrokes) when specific processes

are running.

The relevant part of the configuration is shown below (in IBM Trusteer’s proprietary format):

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Examples of Citadel Evasion Techniques

Designed to evade anti-virus and

other traditional security controls

Anti-research techniques: won’t

execute if env settings are set to

‘debug’ mode

Using “AutoCMD” functionality (run

shell commands on infected device):

– The variant creates a new user on the

infected device

– New user added to native windows

remote desktop protocol (RDP) group.

– So, if the malware is removed from the

infected device, the operator still has a

backdoor into it using Windows RDP.

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AlienSpy RAT used to deliver the popular Citadel Trojan

Similar to other RATs, AlienSpy RAT provides the attacker with full

control over the compromised system.

Network traffic encryption is performed to obfuscate the malicious

network traffic with the command and control server (CnC)

AlienSpy receives commands to download and execute a file in the victim

system

– At least one variant received commands to infect the victim system with Citadel

C&C

AlienSpy

(PayslipDetails.jar)

Citadel

C&C

Dropper


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Using Trojans to Massively Distribute Trojans

…so far managed to infect over 770,000 machines

around the world.

…designed primarily to disseminate other kinds of

malware and has been operating since at least

2012 somewhat under the radar of researchers…


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The Dyre Trojan

First appeared in June 2014

Distributed through massive spear-phishing campaigns

Initially targeted customers of large financial institutions

Targets include: Bank of America, Citigroup, and Royal Bank

of Scotland Group Plc, and JP Morgan Chase customers.

Undergone many changes in a very short period

Uses some noteworthy propagation

and evasion techniques.

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The target is

business data!


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Dyre compromises MS-Outlook to spread out

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Spear-phishing email with

weaponized attachmentUptare

downloaderC&C

Dyre Trojan

C&C

WORM_MAILSPAM.XDPHijacks MS-Outlook Client to send

out more spear-phising emails Worm deletes itself so no

evidence is left


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Dyre Evasion Techniques

Fast evolution: a new binary code version can be released every three

days.

Uses Secure Socket Layers (SSL) to protect C&C communications

Has a mechanism that enables the Trojan to find an alternate C&C (in

case the hard coded C&Cs aren’t available)

– Uses a domain generation algorithm (DGA) to generate URLs on various top-

level domains (cc, ws, to, in, hk, cn, tk, and so)

– Similar to the mechanism used by Downad/Conficker malware.

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The Latest News on Dyre: Dyre Wolf


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The Carbanak attack

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The Carbanak Malware

Distributed through drive-by downloads and spear-phishing

Designed for espionage, data exfiltration and providing remote access

Once the system is infected, Carbanak logs keystrokes and takes

screenshots every 20 seconds (intercepts ResumeThread call)

Can install additional malware like the Ammyy RAT

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Carbanak Evasion Techniques

Carbanak copies itself into

“%system32%\com” with the name

“svchost.exe” and then deletes the original

exploit payload

Carbanak injects its code into svchost.exe.

Most of the actions described below happen

within this process.

To communicate with the C&C it uses the

HTTP protocol with RC2+Base64

encryption, adding characters not included

in Base64.

Latest Carbanak samples are digitally

signed (seem trusted)


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Characteristics of Massively Distributed APT malware

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1:500 PCs infected with MAD APT malware

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Recommendations

Traditional security controls aren’t effective

• > New approach needed!

There is no silver bullet!

Multi-layered protection required

– Employee Endpoints

– Servers

– Networks

Security Intelligence

Emergency Response Services

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IBM is uniquely positioned to offer integrated protection

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A dynamic, integrated system to disrupt the lifecycle of advanced attacks

and prevent loss

Open Integrations Global Threat Intelligence

Ready for IBM Security

Intelligence Ecosystem

IBM Security Network

Protection XGS

Smarter Prevention Security Intelligence

IBM Emergency

Response Services

Continuous Response

IBM X-Force

Threat Intelligence

• Leverage threat intelligencefrom multiple expert sources

• Prevent malware installation and disrupt malware communications

• Prevent remote network exploits and limit the use of risky web applications

• Discover and prioritize vulnerabilities

• Correlate enterprise-wide threats and detect suspicious behavior

• Retrace full attack activity, Search for breach indicators and guide defense hardening

• Assess impact and plan strategically and leverage experts to analyze data and contain threats

• Share security context across multiple products

• 100+ vendors, 400+ products

Trusteer Apex Endpoint

Malware Protection

IBM Security QRadar

Security Intelligence

IBM Security QRadar

Incident Forensics

IBM Guardium Data

Activity Monitoring

• Prevent remote network exploits and limit the use of risky web applications

IBM Endpoint Manager• Automate and manage continuous

security configuration policy compliance


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Trusteer Apex Advanced Malware Protection

Multi-layered protection against advanced malware and credentials theft

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Threat and Risk ReportingVulnerability Mapping and Critical Event Reporting

Advanced Threat Analysis and Turnkey Service

CredentialProtection

Exploit Chain Disruption

Advanced Malware

Detection and Mitigation

Malicious Communication

Prevention

Lockdownfor Java

Global Threat Research and IntelligenceGlobal threat intelligence delivered in near-real time from the cloud

• Alert and prevent

phishing and

reuse on non-

corporate sites

• Prevent infections

via exploits

• Zero-day defense

by controlling

exploit-chain

choke point

• Mitigates mass-

distributed

advanced malware

infections

• Cloud based file

inspection for

legacy threats

• Block malware

communication

• Disrupt C&C

control

• Prevent data

exfiltration

• Prevent high-risk

actions by

malicious Java

applications


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No

. o

f T

yp

es

Attack Progression

Data exfiltrationExploit

Deliveryof weaponized

content

Exploitationof app vulnerability

Malwaredelivery

Malware persistency

Execution and malicious access

to content

Establish communication

channels

Dataexfiltration

Breaking the Threat LifeCycle

Pre-exploit

0011100101110100001011110001100011001101

Strategic Chokepoint



Advanced Malware

Prevention

Endpoint Vulnerability

Reporting

CredentialProtection

Destinations (C&C traffic detection)

Endless

Unpatchedand zero-day vulnerabilities

(patching)

ManyWeaponized

content(IPS, sandbox)

Endless

Maliciousfiles

(antivirus, whitelisting)

Endless

Many

Maliciousbehavioractivities

(HIPs)

Exploit Chain Disruption

Lockdown for Java

Malicious Communication

Blocking


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www.ibm.com/security

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Statement of Good Security Practices: IT system security involves protecting systems and information through prevention, detection and response

to improper access from within and outside your enterprise. Improper access can result in information being altered, destroyed or misappropriated

or can result in damage to or misuse of your systems, including to attack others. No IT system or product should be considered completely secure

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Using Massively Distributed Malware in APT-Style Attacks

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