#FactCheck: Viral Fake Post Claims Central Government Offers Unemployment Allowance Under ‘PM Berojgari Bhatta Yojna’

Executive Summary

This report analyses a recently launched social engineering attack that took advantage of Microsoft Teams and AnyDesk to deliver DarkGate malware, a MaaS tool. This way, through Microsoft Teams and by tricking users into installing AnyDesk, attackers received unauthorized remote access to deploy DarkGate that offers such features as credential theft, keylogging, and fileless persistence. The attack was executed using obfuscated AutoIt scripts for the delivery of malware which shows how threat actors are changing their modus operandi. The case brings into focus the need to put into practice preventive security measures for instance endpoint protection, staff awareness, limited utilization of off-ice-connection tools, and compartmentalization to safely work with the new and increased risks that contemporary cyber threats present.

Introduction

Hackers find new technologies and application that are reputable for spreading campaigns. The latest use of Microsoft Teams and AnyDesk platforms for launching the DarkGate malware is a perfect example of how hackers continue to use social engineering and technical vulnerabilities to penetrate the defenses of organizations. This paper focuses on the details of the technical aspect of the attack, the consequences of the attack together with preventive measures to counter the threat.

Technical Findings

1. Attack Initiation: Exploiting Microsoft Teams

The attackers leveraged Microsoft Teams as a trusted communication platform to deceive victims, exploiting its legitimacy and widespread adoption. Key technical details include:

• Spoofed Caller Identity: The attackers used impersonation techniques to masquerade as representatives of trusted external suppliers.
• Session Hijacking Risks: Exploiting Microsoft Teams session vulnerabilities, attackers aimed to escalate their privileges and deploy malicious payloads.
• Bypassing Email Filters: The initial email bombardment was designed to overwhelm spam filters and ensure that malicious communication reached the victim’s inbox.

2. Remote Access Exploitation: AnyDesk

After convincing victims to install AnyDesk, the attackers exploited the software’s functionality to achieve unauthorized remote access. Technical observations include:

• Command and Control (C2) Integration: Once installed, AnyDesk was configured to establish persistent communication with the attacker’s C2 servers, enabling remote control.
• Privilege Escalation: Attackers exploited misconfigurations in AnyDesk to gain administrative privileges, allowing them to disable antivirus software and deploy payloads.
• Data Exfiltration Potential: With full remote access, attackers could silently exfiltrate data or install additional malware without detection.

3. Malware Deployment: DarkGate Delivery via AutoIt Script

The deployment of DarkGate malware utilized AutoIt scripting, a programming language commonly used for automating Windows-based tasks. Technical details include:

• Payload Obfuscation: The AutoIt script was heavily obfuscated to evade signature-based antivirus detection.
• Process Injection: The script employed process injection techniques to embed DarkGate into legitimate processes, such as explorer.exe or svchost.exe, to avoid detection.
• Dynamic Command Loading: The malware dynamically fetched additional commands from its C2 server, allowing real-time adaptation to the victim’s environment.

4. DarkGate Malware Capabilities

DarkGate, now available as a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) offering, provides attackers with advanced features. Technical insights include:

• Credential Dumping: DarkGate used the Mimikatz module to extract credentials from memory and secure storage locations.
• Keylogging Mechanism: Keystrokes were logged and transmitted in real-time to the attacker’s server, enabling credential theft and activity monitoring.
• Fileless Persistence: Utilizing Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and registry modifications, the malware ensured persistence without leaving traditional file traces.
• Network Surveillance: The malware monitored network activity to identify high-value targets for lateral movement within the compromised environment.

5. Attack Indicators

Trend Micro researchers identified several indicators of compromise (IoCs) associated with the DarkGate campaign:

• Suspicious Domains: example-remotesupport[.]com and similar domains used for C2 communication.

• Malicious File Hashes:some text
  • AutoIt Script: 5a3f8d0bd6c91234a9cd8321a1b4892d
  • DarkGate Payload: 6f72cde4b7f3e9c1ac81e56c3f9f1d7a
• Behavioral Anomalies:some text
  • Unusual outbound traffic to non-standard ports.
  • Unauthorized registry modifications under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.

Broader Cyber Threat Landscape

In parallel with this campaign, other phishing and malware delivery tactics have been observed, including:

1. Cloud Exploitation: Abuse of platforms like Cloudflare Pages to host phishing sites mimicking Microsoft 365 login pages.
2. Quishing Campaigns: Phishing emails with QR codes that redirect users to fake login pages.
3. File Attachment Exploits: Malicious HTML attachments embedding JavaScript to steal credentials.
4. Mobile Malware: Distribution of malicious Android apps capable of financial data theft.

Implications of the DarkGate Campaign

This attack highlights the sophistication of threat actors in leveraging legitimate tools for malicious purposes. Key risks include:

• Advanced Threat Evasion: The use of obfuscation and process injection complicates detection by traditional antivirus solutions.
• Cross-Platform Risk: DarkGate’s modular design enables its functionality across diverse environments, posing risks to Windows, macOS, and Linux systems.
• Organizational Exposure: The compromise of a single endpoint can serve as a gateway for further network exploitation, endangering sensitive organizational data.

Recommendations for Mitigation

1. Enable Advanced Threat Detection: Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify anomalous behavior like process injection and dynamic command loading.
2. Restrict Remote Access Tools: Limit the use of tools like AnyDesk to approved use cases and enforce strict monitoring.
3. Use Email Filtering and Monitoring: Implement AI-driven email filtering systems to detect and block email bombardment campaigns.
4. Enhance Endpoint Security: Regularly update and patch operating systems and applications to mitigate vulnerabilities.
5. Educate Employees: Conduct training sessions to help employees recognize and avoid phishing and social engineering tactics.
6. Implement Network Segmentation: Limit the spread of malware within an organization by segmenting high-value assets.

Conclusion

Using Microsoft Teams and AnyDesk to spread DarkGate malware shows the continuous growth of the hackers’ level. The campaign highlights how organizations have to start implementing adequate levels of security preparedness to threats, including, Threat Identification, Training employees, and Rights to Access.

The DarkGate malware is a perfect example of how these attacks have developed into MaaS offerings, meaning that the barrier to launch highly complex attacks is only decreasing, which proves once again why a layered defense approach is crucial. Both awareness and flexibility are still the key issues in addressing the constantly evolving threat in cyberspace.

Reference:

• https://thehackernews.com/2024/12/attackers-exploit-microsoft-teams-and.html
• https://socprime.com/blog/darkgate-malware-detection/

March 3rd 2023, New Delhi: If you have received any message that contains a link asking users to download an application to avail Income Tax Refund or KYC benefits with the name of Income Tax Department or reputed Banks, Beware!

CyberPeace Foundation and Autobot Infosec Private Limited along with the academic partners under CyberPeace Center of Excellence (CCoE) recently conducted five different studies on phishing campaigns that have been circulating on the internet by using misleading tactics to convince users to install malicious applications on their devices. The first campaign impersonates the Income Tax Department, while the rest of the campaigns impersonate ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, IDFC Bank and Axis bank respectively. The phishing campaigns aim to trick users into divulging their personal and financial information.

After a detailed study, the research team found that:

• All campaigns appear to be an offer from reputed entities, however hosted on third-party domains instead of the official website of the Income Tax Department or the respective Banks, raising suspicion.
• The applications ask several access permissions of the device. Moreover some of them seek users to provide full control of the device. Allowing such access permission could result in a complete compromise of the system, including access to sensitive information such as microphone recordings, camera footage, text messages, contacts, pictures, videos, and even banking applications.
• Cybercriminals created malicious applications using icons that closely resemble those of legitimate entities with the intention of enticing users into downloading the malicious applications.
• The applications collect user’s personal and banking information. Getting into this type of trap could lead users to face significant financial losses.
• While investigating the impersonated Income Tax Department’s application, the Research team identified the application sends http traffic to a remote server which acts as a Command and Control (CnC/C2) for the application.
• Customers who desire to avail benefits or refunds from respective banks, download relevant apps, believing that the chosen app will assist them. However, they are not always aware that the app may be fraudulent.

“The Research highlights the importance of being vigilant while browsing the internet and not falling prey to such phishing attacks. It is crucial to be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources, as they may contain malware that can harm the device or compromise the data.” spokesperson, CyberPeace added.

In addition to this in an earlier report released in last month, the same research team had drawn attention to the WhatsApp messages masquerading as an offer from Tanishq Jewellers with links luring unsuspecting users with the promise of free valentine’s day  presents making the rounds on the app.

CyberPeace Advisory:

• The Research team recommends that people should avoid opening such messages sent via social platforms. One must always think before clicking on such links, or downloading any attachments from unauthorised sources.
• Downloading any application from any third party sources instead of the official app store should be avoided. This will greatly reduce the risk of downloading a malicious app, as official app stores have strict guidelines for app developers and review each app before it gets published on the store.
• Even if you download the application from an authorised source, check the app’s permissions before you install it. Some malicious apps may request access to sensitive information or resources on your device. If an app is asking for too many permissions, it’s best to avoid it.
• Keep your device and the app-store app up to date. This will ensure that you have the latest security updates and bug fixes.
• Falling into such a trap could result in a complete compromise of the system, including access to sensitive information such as microphone recordings, camera footage, text messages, contacts, pictures, videos, and even banking applications and could lead users to financial loss.
• Do not share confidential details like credentials, banking information with such types of Phishing scams.
• Never share or forward fake messages containing links on any social platform without proper verification.

Source : https://www.aninews.in/news/business/business/alert-cybercriminals-target-taxpayers-and-banking-customers-with-phishing-campaign-and-malicious-application20230303182938/

Introduction

In the new age of technologies the internet and social media continue to witness a surge in deepfake videos a technological phenomenon that blurs the line between reality and fiction. The string of deepfake videos of Bollywood actors and other famous personalities has raised serious concerns. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke against the risks of artificial intelligence at the G20 Virtual Summit. The central government has recently announced that it will soon set up dedicated regulations to tackle this Menace. This will include holding social media platforms and creators responsible for their actions against the rules and regulations. Very often most people shy away from initiating a legal process or taking action while being victims of misuse of fast-paced tech but the government has announced its big support to the victims and promised to stand by complaints against deepfake videos especially this includes helping individuals to report the incidents and any violations by platforms.

Social media platforms to realign their policies as per the Indian laws

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced on 24th November 2023 that it will be giving social media platforms seven days time period to align their terms of service and other policies with Indian laws and regulations in order to address the issue of hosting of deepfakes on these platforms. All platforms must align and transform their terms of use with their users to be consistent with the 12 areas that are prohibited under rule 3(1)(b) of the Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021.

The platforms will ensure harmonization and alignment of their terms & policies so that every user on every platform is aware that when they use a platform the platform intends to be a safe and trusted platform and the platform will not tolerate these 12 types of content or information that have been prohibited under the IT Act and the IT rules. The government approach is to collectively advocate for responsible and safe use of the Internet. The government has taken a proactive step in partnership with these social media platforms to ensure an era where such platforms will be a lot more responsible and a lot more responsive to the expectations under the law and more compliant.

Officer to be appointed under rule 7 

As Deepfake Videos continue to surface on social media, the Government has geared up to curb such content online. Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar Minister of State, (Meity), stated that the government will soon appoint an officer to take appropriate action against deepfake videos. This statement came after the government meeting with industry stakeholders and important players held on 24 Nov 2023. He added that Meity and the government of India will nominate an officer under rule 7  (IT rules 2021) and will ensure full compliance expectations from all the platforms. An officer appointed under Rule 7,  will be entrusted with building a mechanism where users can put in their complaints regarding deepfakes and MeitY may also assist such aggrieved users with filing FIRs in such cases. Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State, (Meity) also added that we will also be creating a platform where it will be very easy for netizens to bring to the attention of the government of India and notices of allegations or reports of violation of law by the platforms and the rule 7 officer will take that digital platform information and respond accordingly. 

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (updated as on 6.4.2023)

Rule 3(1)(b) states that intermediaries shall inform its rules and regulations, privacy policy and user agreement to the user and shall make reasonable efforts to ‘restrict’ the users from hosting, displaying, uploading, modifying, publishing, transmitting, store, update or sharing any information that is prohibited under this rule which also includes deepfake, misinformation, CSAM(Child sexual abusive material) etc.  As per rule 3(2)(b) Intermediaries shall remove or disable access within 24 hours of receipt of complaints of contents that expose the private areas of individuals, show such individuals in full or partial nudity or in a sexual act or is in the nature of impersonation including morphed images etc. 

Ongoing Efforts Ahead of Crucial Meeting with Tech Giants

Ahead of the government meeting with online platforms such as Google, Facebook, and YouTube on Friday, 24th November 2023, Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar Minister of State, (Meity) added that way back from October 2022 the government of India had been alerting them to the threat of misinformation and deepfakes which are part of misinformation. He further added that the current IT rules under the IT Act provide for adequate compliance requirements on their part to deal with deepfake.

Deepfake Misinformation

Misinformation powered by AI becoming an even more potent force to disrupt and to mislead and to create chaos and confusion at a scale and of a type that is deeply detrimental. Deepfakes in a very simple basic way is misinformation which is powered by or enhanced by AI. Video-based deepfake misinformation is more dangerous since it has a greater reach as video consumption today is the preferred choice by users on the internet.

Way forward

The Honorable Prime Minister has raised the issue that deep fakes are deeply disruptive they can create divisions and all kinds of disruptions in communities, in families and therefore misuse of deepfake technology is a very clear present danger to the safe and trusted internet.

The Government is on its way to draft a dedicated legislation dedicated to tackling deepfakes.

Even as we speak to a future regulation and a future law which is certainly required given that our IT Act is 23 years old. However current IT rules provide for compliance requirements by the platforms on misinformation patently false information and deepfakes. Followed by the recent government advisory on misinformation and deepfake.

Conclusion

Prime Minister alerting of the dangers of deepfakes online. The government is now in the process of starting to look very seriously into this issue and also issued guidelines for intermediaries and in a finite period of time it is hoped that the threat of deep fakes would actually no longer exist in in our system. The government made it clear that apart from people spreading deepfake videos, the platforms making them spread and not taking action will also be liable they are currently liable and will be even more so in future after new rules and regulations are brought in.

References:

• https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/deepfakes-meity-gives-social-media-platforms-7-day-ultimatum-to-align-their-policies-to-indian-laws-and-regulations-11805521.html
• https://www.azbpartners.com/bank/amendments-to-the-information-technology-intermediary-guidelines-and-digital-media-ethics-code-rules-2021/#:~:text=Prior%20to%20the%20amendment%2C%20under%20Rule%203(1)
• https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/amendments-to-the-it-rules-2021
• https://youtu.be/zmI2ml1d_Es?feature=shared
• https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1975445

‍