05/08/2024-05/15/2024 QakBot Exploits Microsoft Windows DWM Zero-Day Vulnerability, Malicious Python Package, VMware Fixes And More.

1. QakBot Exploits Microsoft Windows DWM Zero-Day Vulnerability

A zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2024-30051) in Microsoft Windows DWM has been identified and is currently being actively exploited by QakBot actors. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate their privileges to system level. Although a patch for this vulnerability has been released, exploits for the vulnerability have been observed in conjunction with QakBot and other malware. It is crucial for Windows users to update their systems with the latest security patches to mitigate the risk posed by this zero-day exploit.

2. Malicious Python Package Hides Sliver C2 Framework in Fake Requests Library

LogoCybersecurity experts have uncovered a deceitful Python package masquerading as an offshoot of the widely-used requests library. Dubbed requests-darwin-lite, it secretly embeds a Golang version of the Sliver command-and-control framework within a PNG image of the project’s logo. This package, downloaded 417 times before its removal from PyPI, appears as a modified version of requests, but with a concealed malicious binary. Upon installation, it decodes and executes a Base64-encoded command to gather the system’s UUID, targeting specifically macOS systems. This discovery follows the detection of vue2util, a rogue npm package, which orchestrates a cryptojacking scheme. The sizable PNG file within requests-darwin-lite contains the hidden Sliver binary, indicating a potential targeted attack or a prelude to a broader campaign. This incident underscores the vulnerability of open-source ecosystems to malware distribution, necessitating systematic solutions to safeguard against such threats.

3. VMware Fixes Three Zero-day Bugs Exploited at Pwn2Own 2024

VMware patched four security vulnerabilities in Workstation and Fusion hypervisors, including three zero-days used in Pwn2Own Vancouver 2024. The most severe flaw, CVE-2024-22267, is a use-after-free bug in vbluetooth, allowing code execution by a local admin on a virtual machine’s VMX process. Admins can temporarily disable Bluetooth support as a workaround. Two other high-severity bugs (CVE-2024-22269 and CVE-2024-22270) permit local admins to access privileged info from hypervisor memory. CVE-2024-22268, a heap buffer overflow in Shader, can cause a denial of service if 3D graphics are enabled. Pwn2Own saw researchers earn $1,132,500, with exploits targeting browsers and VMware Workstation. STAR Labs SG and Theori teams won by exploiting VMware vulnerabilities for remote code execution and escaping VMs to execute code on host OS. Google and Mozilla promptly patched zero-days exploited at the event.

4. Critical Flaws in Cacti Framework Could Let Attackers Execute Malicious Code

The maintainers of the Cacti open-source network monitoring and fault management framework have addressed a dozen security flaws, including two critical issues that could lead to the execution of arbitrary code.

The most severe of the vulnerabilities are listed below –

• CVE-2024-25641 (CVSS score: 9.1) – An arbitrary file write vulnerability in the “Package Import” feature that allows authenticated users having the “Import Templates” permission to execute arbitrary PHP code on the web server, resulting in remote code execution;
• CVE-2024-29895 (CVSS score: 10.0) – A command injection vulnerability allows any unauthenticated user to execute arbitrary command on the server when the “register_argc_argv” option of PHP is On.
  Also addressed by Cacti are two other high-severity flaws that could lead to code execution via SQL injection and file inclusion –
• CVE-2024-31445 (CVSS score: 8.8) – An SQL injection vulnerability in api_automation.php that allows authenticated users to perform privilege escalation and remote code execution;
• CVE-2024-31459 (CVSS score: N/A) – A file inclusion issue in the “lib/plugin.php” file that could be combined with SQL injection vulnerabilities to result in remote code execution.

It’s worth noting that 10 out of the 12 flaws, with the exception of CVE-2024-29895 and CVE-2024-30268 (CVSS score: 6.1), impact all versions of Cacti, including and prior to 1.2.26. They have been addressed in version 1.2.27 released on May 13, 2024. The two other flaws affect development versions 1.3.x.

5. New Chrome Zero-Day Vulnerability CVE-2024-4761 Under Active Exploitation

Google on Monday shipped emergency fixes to address a new zero-day flaw in the Chrome web browser that has come under active exploitation in the wild. The high-severity vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-4761, is an out-of-bounds write bug impacting the V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine. It was reported anonymously on May 9, 2024. The disclosure comes merely days after the company patched CVE-2024-4671, a use-after-free vulnerability in the Visuals component that has also been exploited in real-world attacks.
With the latest fix, Google has addressed a total of six zero-days since the start of the year, three of which were demonstrated at the Pwn2Own hacking contest in Vancouver in March –

• CVE-2024-0519 – Out-of-bounds memory access in V8 (actively exploited)
• CVE-2024-2886 – Use-after-free in WebCodecs
• CVE-2024-2887 – Type confusion in WebAssembly
• CVE-2024-3159 – Out-of-bounds memory access in V8
• CVE-2024-4671 – Use-after-free in Visuals (actively exploited)
  Users are recommended to upgrade to Chrome version 124.0.6367.207/.208 for Windows and macOS, and version 124.0.6367.207 for Linux to mitigate potential threats.

05/02/2024-05/08/2024 Hackers Exploit LiteSpeed Cache Bug, ROOTROT Webshell in Network Attack And More.

1. Hackers Exploit LiteSpeed Cache Bug to Create WordPress Admins

Hackers are exploiting an outdated LiteSpeed Cache plugin in WordPress, targeting sites to gain admin control. LiteSpeed Cache, used in over 5 million sites, promises faster loads and better rankings. WPScan noted a surge in attacks on versions older than 5.7.0.1 due to a severe cross-site scripting flaw (CVE-2023-40000). Over 1.2 million probing requests originated from a single IP. Attackers inject malicious code into WordPress files, creating admin users like ‘wpsupp-user’ or ‘wp-configuser’. The presence of “eval(atob(Strings.fromCharCode” in the database signals infection. While many users upgraded, 1,835,000 remain vulnerable.
Another campaign targets “Email Subscribers,” exploiting CVE-2024-2876 for SQL injection. Despite its smaller user base (90,000 installs), the attacks highlight hacker persistence. Admins must update plugins, remove unnecessary components, and monitor for new admin accounts. In case of a breach, a thorough cleanup, including resetting passwords and restoring clean backups, is essential.

2. Four Critical Vulnerabilities Expose HPE Aruba Devices to RCE Attacks

HPE Aruba Networking issued security updates for critical vulnerabilities in ArubaOS, posing a risk of remote code execution. Among the 10 flaws, four are deemed severe, including unauthenticated buffer overflow issues. Of the 10 security defects, four are rated critical in severity:

• CVE-2024-26304 (CVSS score: 9.8) – Unauthenticated Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in the L2/L3 Management Service Accessed via the PAPI Protocol;
• CVE-2024-26305 (CVSS score: 9.8) – Unauthenticated Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in the Utility Daemon Accessed via the PAPI Protocol;
• CVE-2024-33511 (CVSS score: 9.8) – Unauthenticated Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in the Automatic Reporting Service Accessed via the PAPI Protocol;
• CVE-2024-33512 (CVSS score: 9.8) – Unauthenticated Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in the Local User Authentication Database Accessed via the PAPI Protocol.

Exploitation involves sending crafted packets to the Process Application Programming Interface (PAPI) UDP port (8211), granting attackers the ability to execute code on affected systems. Vulnerable software versions encompass ArubaOS 10.5.1.0 and below, impacting Mobility Conductor, Controllers, and WLAN Gateways. Even end-of-maintenance versions like ArubaOS 8.6.x.x are affected. Security researcher Chancen discovered seven of the issues. Users should promptly apply updates to mitigate risks, with temporary measures recommended for ArubaOS 8.x.

3. MITRE Reveals that Chinese Hackers Used ROOTROT Webshell in Network Attack

MITRE Corporation, a non-profit serving US government research, revealed a breach by sophisticated nation-state hackers, likely Chinese group UNC5221. Exploiting Ivanti Connect Secure VPN flaws (CVE-2023-46805, CVE-2024-21887), they infiltrated MITRE’s NERVE network. After gaining access, they moved within VMware, installing webshells and backdoors to steal data. MITRE’s response contained the breach, confirming NERVE’s isolation from other networks. While unnamed, the attackers resemble UNC5221 observed by firms like Mandiant exploiting Ivanti vulnerabilities. The incident underscores persistent risks for national security and tech research. MITRE collaborates with law enforcement for investigation and plans to share insights to bolster future defenses.

4. CISA Urges Software Devs to Weed Out Path Traversal Vulnerabilities

CISA and the FBI advised software companies to eliminate path traversal vulnerabilities, which allow attackers to manipulate files to execute code or breach security measures. Exploiting these flaws, threat actors can access sensitive data or disrupt systems. Recent incidents in critical infrastructure prompted this warning. They urged developers to implement preventive measures such as generating unique identifiers for files, restricting file name characters, and ensuring non-executable permissions for uploads. Path vulnerabilities rank among the top software weaknesses according to MITRE. This alert follows previous warnings about SQL injection vulnerabilities, which also pose significant risks.

04/24/2024-05/02/2024 Judge0 Sandbox Vulnerabilities, New R Programming Vulnerability, GitLab Password Reset Vulnerability And More.

1. Judge0 Sandbox Vulnerabilities Expose Systems to Takeover Risk

Judge0, an open-source code execution service, faces critical vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-29021, CVE-2024-28185, and CVE-2024-28189) discovered by Tanto Security, potentially leading to system takeover. These flaws allow attackers to escape sandboxes and gain root access. Organizations, including educational institutions and recruitment firms, heavily rely on Judge0 for secure code execution, especially in competitive programming. Tanto Security found weaknesses in Judge0’s isolate binary, running in privileged mode like Docker containers, posing risks of unauthorized system access. Vulnerabilities in user-submitted code processing and component interaction were identified, indicating potential system compromise. Despite initial patches, subsequent bypasses were found, highlighting persistent vulnerabilities. 

2. New R Programming Vulnerability Exposes Projects to Supply Chain Attacks

A critical flaw in the R programming language (CVE-2024-27322, CVSS score: 8.8) enables threat actors to execute code by crafting malicious RDS (R Data Serialization) files. HiddenLayer reported that lazy evaluation in R, akin to promise objects, is the root cause. RDS, similar to Python’s pickle, serializes data structures, and is used in R for saving and loading data and packages. Version 4.4.0, released on April 24, 2024, mitigates the issue. Attackers can exploit this flaw through specially crafted R packages, leading to supply chain attacks. The flaw is detailed in an advisory by CERT/CC, warning of potential exploitation through malicious RDS or rdx files, emphasizing the risk in projects utilizing readRDS on untrusted files.

3. CISA Warns of Active Exploitation of Severe GitLab Password Reset Vulnerability

CISA has flagged a critical flaw in GitLab, designated CVE-2023-7028, due to ongoing exploitation. This vulnerability, with a severity score of 10.0, allows account takeover by sending password reset emails to unverified addresses. GitLab disclosed the issue in January, linking it to a code change in version 16.1.0 from May 1, 2023. All authentication methods within these versions are affected, posing significant risks such as data theft and source code manipulation. Mitiga warns of potential supply chain attacks if malicious code is injected into CI/CD pipelines. GitLab has released patches for versions 16.5.6, 16.6.4, and 16.7.2, backporting fixes to older versions. CISA urges federal agencies to apply these updates by May 22, 2024, to safeguard their systems. No further details on real-world exploits have been provided by CISA yet.

4. Enhancing Software Supply Chain Security through GitHub’s 2FA Implementation

GitHub has enforced mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) for code contributors, significantly boosting security in the software supply chain. This initiative has driven widespread adoption of 2FA among developers, prompting GitHub to encourage other organizations to follow suit. The platform has seen a notable increase in 2FA usage, particularly among users with critical roles in the software supply chain. The move to mandatory 2FA has not only enhanced security but also promoted the adoption of more robust 2FA methods, such as passkeys, over less secure options like SMS. Leading organizations like RubyGems, PyPI, and AWS have joined in, elevating software supply chain security standards. GitHub’s 2FA implementation has reduced reliance on SMS, mitigating vulnerabilities like SIM swapping. Users now frequently configure multiple 2FA methods, adding an extra layer of protection and decreasing related support tickets.

5. Bogus npm Packages Used to Trick Software Developers into Installing Malware

A social engineering campaign dubbed DEV#POPPER is targeting software developers, deceiving them with fake job interviews to download a Python backdoor via bogus npm packages. Securonix attributes this activity to North Korean threat actors. The scheme involves luring developers to run seemingly legitimate software from GitHub, containing malicious payloads compromising their systems. Initially flagged by Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 as Contagious Interview, the campaign evolved to distribute malware like BeaverTail and InvisibleFerret. Phylum discovered similar malicious npm packages on the registry, aiming to extract sensitive data. The attack chain starts with a ZIP archive on GitHub, containing a seemingly harmless npm module harboring a JavaScript file (BeaverTail) and a Python backdoor (InvisibleFerret).

6. Palo Alto Networks Outlines Remediation for Critical PAN-OS Flaw Under Attack

Palo Alto Networks has issued guidance for fixing a critical security flaw, CVE-2024-3400, affecting PAN-OS. This flaw allows unauthenticated remote shell command execution on vulnerable devices and has been actively exploited since at least March 26, 2024, by a threat cluster known as UTA0218 in Operation MidnightEclipse.
Palo Alto Networks recommends different remediation steps based on the level of compromise:

• Level 0 Probe: Update to the latest hotfix.
• Level 1 Test: Update to the latest hotfix.
• Level 2 Potential Exfiltration: Update to the latest hotfix and perform a Private Data Reset.
• Level 3 Interactive access: Update to the latest hotfix and perform a Factory Reset.

Palo Alto Networks updated its advisory on April 29, 2024, acknowledging proof-of-concept post-exploit persistence techniques. Fixes and Threat Prevention signatures are recommended to prevent further exploitation.