Polyfill Website Compromised with Malicious JavaScript

antivirus software, DNS Filtering, Malicious JavaScript, Ophtek, Polyfill, secure firewall, , , , , ,
30
Jul 2024

The Polyfill.io website has been caught up in a supply chain attack, with the result that malicious JavaScript is now being supplied through the site.

Along with sites such as Bootcss and BootCDN, Polyfill has been compromised by threat actors and transformed into a malicious site. Typically, Polyfill was a treasure trove of JavaScript code which allowed the use of contemporary JavaScript functions in older browsers. The Polyfill domain was sold to a new firm at the start of 2024, and it appears the infected code was inserted into the JavaScript shortly after this. With Polyfill supplying JavaScript code to an estimated 110,000 websites, the potential for damage is high.

Understanding the Polyfill Attack

Unsuspecting web developers are downloading JavaScript code from Polyfill and incorporating it into their websites, under the understanding it will help their sites load in older browsers. However, the malicious JavaScript code now hosted on Polyfill does something very different. As JavaScript will be activated once a user loads an infected website, this means the malware is then downloaded to that user’s PC.

The main impact of this malicious JavaScript is a combination of data theft and clickjacking (where a user is tricked into clicking an element on a page). Some of the infected scripts also redirect users to malicious sites containing further malware, sports betting websites, and pornographic content. The attack has been significant, with notable victims affected including Intuit and the World Economic Forum.

The infected code has been difficult to analyze as security researchers have found it’s protected by high levels of obfuscation. By generating payloads which are specific to HTTP headers and only activating on certain devices, the malicious JavaScript has been difficult to pin down and examine. The attack has also been significant enough for Google to start banning Google Ads linking to the infected sites.

Protecting Your PCs from Polyfill

If your organization has used code from Polyfill.io in the past, it’s time to remove this code from your website. This is simplest and most effective way to minimize the threat to your visitors. Nonetheless, there’s much more you can do to stay safe from malicious websites:

  • Use Strong Firewall and Antivirus Solutions: you can protect against malicious websites by using comprehensive firewall and antivirus software, such as AVG and McAfee. These tools filter out harmful traffic, block access to known malicious sites, and detect suspicious activities. This combination of protection prevents malware infections and data breaches which can originate from unsafe web pages.
  • Employ DNS Filtering: access to malicious websites can be blocked at a network level by using DNS filtering services. By filtering out dangerous domains and websites known for malware distribution or phishing, these services provide an additional layer of security, preventing users from visiting harmful sites and protecting the integrity of your IT infrastructure.
  • Employee Education: training your employees to recognize phishing attempts, avoid suspicious links, and understand the importance of secure browsing habits is crucial. Regularly updated cybersecurity training programs ensure your staff can identify and avoid potential threats, reducing the risk of falling victim to malicious websites.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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SapphireStealer: The Threat of Open Source Malware 

antivirus software, firewall, Open Source Malware, Ophtek, Phishing, SapphireStealer, , , , ,
31
Oct 2023

Malware which can be enhanced always poses a huge risk to PC users, and the rise of open source malware like SapphireStealer is magnifying this problem. 

Open source programs are those which have had their source code put online and made available not only for use, but also modification. This approach is usually chosen with the main objective being public, open collaboration between coders, and the resulting programs made available to the public for free. It’s the very definition of what the internet was created for, but this doesn’t mean these intentions are always well meaning. And the story of SapphireStealer makes for the perfect evidence. 

What is SapphireStealer? 

The name of SapphireStealer is somewhat of a giveaway in terms of what this malware does, it’s an information stealer. SapphireStealer was first published to GitHub (an online and public source code repository) towards the end of 2022. And it proved to be a hit. As well as being simple enough for basic hackers to launch attacks, SapphireStealer was open source and could be tinkered with by fellow hackers. 

SapphireStealer originally started life with a basic set of capabilities, it would grab popular files – such as Word documents and image files – before emailing them to the hacker behind the attack. However, it wasn’t perfect, and there was plenty of room for improvement. It was a fantastic opportunity for the hacking community to see how they could enhance SapphireStealer. And this was exactly what they did. 

By January 2023, new variants of SapphireStealer were detected which could steal a wider range of files, and this stolen data could now be relayed through Discord and Telegram servers. And, as it remained open source, anyone on the internet could now access these more robust and dangerous variants. SapphireStealer appears to infect victims through a variety of methods: 

Minimizing the Threat of SapphireStealer 

At present, SapphireStealer is relatively basic in terms of the threat it carries. It isn’t going to cause financial damage like, for example, ransomware will. However, it has evolved rapidly in less than a year, and its risk level is only going to rise higher. The fact that open source malware is proving so popular also indicates that more threat actors are going to enter the digital arena. Therefore, you need to make sure you IT infrastructures are heavily guarded: 

  • Use a firewall: a tried and trusted security measure, a firewall puts a digital barrier between your organization and the internet. This means that you can monitor incoming and outgoing traffic and put filters in place to mitigate attacks and allow access to trusted users.  
  • Make sure your employees are aware: SapphireStealer relies on a number of well-known infection methods, but these aren’t necessarily well-known to the average PC user. Accordingly, your employees need to understand the most basic attack methods and how to identify them e.g. the telltale signs of a phishing email.  
  • Install antivirus software: it may seem like a no-brainer, but many organizations fail to put an effective antivirus suite at the forefront of their defenses. Even free antivirus software, such as Kaspersky Free, can make a significant difference to your digital safety. 

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals. 

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Malware Links Are Being Spread Through YouTube

antivirus software, malicious links, malicious websites, malware, Ophtek, Updates, YouTube, , , , , ,
02
Nov 2021

YouTube is one of the most popular destinations online thanks to the entertainment it offers. But where there are lots of people, there are always hackers.

Close to 43% of internet users visit YouTube at least once a month, so this is a significant amount of traffic. Accordingly, this presents hackers with a huge audience to target. Hacking YouTube directly is difficult, so hackers are unlikely to succeed in embedding malware into videos. However, you can embed URLs into video descriptions. These are usually used to redirect the viewer to a destination that is related to the contents of the video. For example, a video advertising a brand’s product may include a link to that product in the video description. But the truth is, this link could take you anywhere.

Spreading Malware on YouTube

Using malicious links on YouTube is nothing new, but security researchers have noted that this technique has been growing in popularity recently. In particular, two specific Trojans have been detected: Raccoon Stealer and RedLine. One of the main reasons that hackers have been targeting YouTube is down to the Google accounts they have already stolen. Setting up a YouTube channel requires you to have a Google account, so it makes sense for hackers to take advantage of YouTube.

The fake YouTube channels are then used to host videos related to topics such as VPNs, malware removal and cryptocurrency. Each video will center around a particular call-to-action, most likely involving the download of a tool e.g. a malware removal application. Viewers will be encouraged to download this from the link in the video description. These links appear to either use a bit.ly or taplink.cc address to redirect users to malicious websites. The users are then instructed to download the relevant tool. Unfortunately, all it will download is malware.

This malware is used to scan PCs for login credentials, cryptocurrency wallets and credit card details before transmitting it to a remote server. The hacker behind the attack can then harvest this data and continue to steal further data from the victim.

Remaining Vigilant Online

The number of threats we face daily seems to be rising daily and it may feel that being vigilant online is an exhausting job. However, it’s crucial for your safety that you remember the basics of online security:

  • Be Wary of All Online Links: Even the biggest and most secure websites are at risk of being compromised. YouTube is one of the most popular sites online and yet it still houses hackers in plain view. Therefore, the likelihood of coming across malicious links online is highly likely. Therefore, verify all links before clicking them. A good way to do this is by highlighting the link, copying it and then posting it into Google to see if it brings up any red flags.
  • Always Use Antivirus Software: It’s likely, at some point, that you will fall for an infected link at some point. But this doesn’t mean you should remain at the mercy of the malware. You can limit the damage caused by malware by always using antivirus software. This will automatically scan your PC throughout the day and identify any malware. In many cases it will even check all downloaded files and scan them before opening.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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The Dangerous Power of the Prometheus Malware

antivirus software, Cyber Security, email security, malware, Ophtek, Prometheus Malware, , , , ,
18
Aug 2021

Malware-as-a-service (MaaS) provides a powerful malware solution for hackers. And Prometheus is the perfect example of such an infrastructure.

There’s money in everything and hacking is no different. But rather than extorting funds through ransomware, hackers can also design MaaS to generate some quick cash. MaaS takes the pain out of designing your own malware by offering a ready-made solution. And all you need to do is a pay a fee to use it. Typically, MaaS will give the user access to software which can distribute malware through malicious campaigns; this is exactly what Prometheus does.

As Prometheus, and all forms of MaaS, is so powerful, it’s important that you understand what it is and how to tackle it.

How Does Prometheus Work?

Prometheus has been available to purchase for a year now, with a subscription costing $250 per month. It uses two main attack strategies:

  • Distributing MS Word and Excel documents which are infected with malware
  • Using malicious links to divert victims to phishing websites

Subscribers to the Prometheus MaaS are given a central control panel from where they can launch their campaigns. From here they are able to configure various parameters to tailor their attacks e.g. targeting specific email addresses with a malicious call-to-action. Prometheus can also be used to assess potential victims. Using infected websites, Prometheus can collect data on visitors – such as IP address and user details – to assess which method of attack is best to launch. It’s a sophisticated form of hacking and one that requires high levels of awareness to combat.

It’s estimated that over 3,000 email addresses have been targeted by Prometheus as of this writing. These targets have included individuals in Europe and a number of government agencies and businesses in the US. While 3,000 potential victims may sound relatively small, it’s clearly best for every one of them to avoid it. And it is possible.

How to Combat Prometheus

Prometheus uses traditional methods to infect PCs with its malicious payloads, so it’s easy to avoid becoming a victim. All you need to do is practice the following:

  • Check All Emails: Malicious emails are very good at hiding the fact that they are malicious. Therefore, it always pays to quickly verify every email. Is the email address correct or is it a strange variation e.g. security@micros0ft.com? Is there an unusual and urgent call-to-action in the email such as a “click here before you lose access to your account” link? Anything suspicious should be queried with your IT team immediately.
  • Verify Links: It’s very easy to insert a malicious link into an email or website, so these need to be verified before clicking. For example, a link could be displayed as www.bankofamerica.com but hovering your cursor over this link will reveal the genuine destination. And this could be redirecting you towards a malicious website, so always verify your links.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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