{"id":2811,"date":"2022-02-14T13:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-14T13:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/?p=2811"},"modified":"2022-01-20T17:03:48","modified_gmt":"2022-01-20T17:03:48","slug":"examples-of-malware-that-created-scary-headlines-in-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/examples-of-malware-that-created-scary-headlines-in-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Examples of Malware that Created Scary Headlines in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Malware was big news in 2021, as spending more time at home and working remotely due to the pandemic made us more susceptible to malicious software than ever. So, if you\u2019re looking for examples of the spyware, ransomware, botnets, and trojans that shook 2021, you\u2019re in the right place.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the world continued to struggle through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, cybercriminals showed an indifferent attitude towards people\u2019s suffering and executed some of the ugliest cyberattacks ever seen, \u2014a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/security\/business\/microsoft-digital-defense-report\">lot of them<\/a>. Here, we\u2019ve shortlisted five significant examples of malware that disrupted 2021. You\u2019ll find information on their invasion techniques and the damages they caused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, let\u2019s get right to it and explore the top five malicious software examples of 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Malware Example 1: Pegasus Spyware<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pegasus, the infamous spyware of Israel-based NSO Group, has been used to provide espionage-as-a-service to its clients. It is mostly used to spy on people working in the spheres of human rights, activism, journalism, politics, and the law. However, in January 2022, it was reported that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.calcalistech.com\/ctech\/articles\/0,7340,L-3927410,00.html\">Israel\u2019s police used the Pegasus spyware against its own citizens<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pegasus uses sophisticated zero-click exploits such as <a href=\"https:\/\/citizenlab.ca\/2021\/09\/forcedentry-nso-group-imessage-zero-click-exploit-captured-in-the-wild\/\">FORCEDENTRY<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/citizenlab.ca\/2020\/12\/the-great-ipwn-journalists-hacked-with-suspected-nso-group-imessage-zero-click-exploit\/\">KISMET<\/a> to secretly gain access to targeted victims\u2019 devices. Unlike many other <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link \" href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/different-types-of-malware\/\" title=\"types of malware\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">types of malware<\/a>, Pegasus victims don\u2019t need to open the infected message or click on anything to become infected; just receiving the message is enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, what makes Pegasus spyware so bad? This is one of those examples of malware that allows its clients to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Access victims\u2019 devices remotely,<\/li><li>Monitor the targets\u2019 actions and behaviors, and<\/li><li>Intercept and access their data.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forbiddenstories.org\/about-the-pegasus-project\/\">Forbidden Stories<\/a> reported that more than 50,000 phone numbers were selected for espionage by NSO clients in more than 50 countries since 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pegasus spyware created controversies in many countries, including Bahrain, France, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Hungary, Morocco, and Mexico. For example, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/news\/2021\/oct\/27\/indian-supreme-court-orders-inquiry-into-states-use-of-pegasus-spyware\">Indian government faced<\/a> accusations of using Pegasus spyware to eavesdrop on political opponents. In November 2021, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2021\/nov\/03\/nso-group-pegasus-spyware-us-blacklist\">U.S. government blacklisted the NSO Group<\/a> in the interest of national security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you can see, Pegasus continues to make headlines every few hours as we near the end of January 2022:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"794\" height=\"986\" src=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/examples-of-malware-pegasus-shadow.png\" alt=\"Examples of malware: A screenshot of headlines relating to the Pegasus malware\" class=\"wp-image-2812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/examples-of-malware-pegasus-shadow.png 794w, https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/examples-of-malware-pegasus-shadow-242x300.png 242w, https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/examples-of-malware-pegasus-shadow-560x695.png 560w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px\" \/><figcaption>A screenshot of some of the headlines relating to Pegasus from Google News (captured Jan. 20, 2022).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Malware Example 2: Gafgyt\/Bashlite Botnet and Offshoots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In May 2021, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uptycs.com\/blog\/discovery-of-simps-botnet-leads-ties-to-keksec-group\">Uptycs\u2019s<\/a> security team published a report stating they had discovered a Botnet named \u2018Simps\u2019 being used to execute distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudflare.com\/en-gb\/learning\/ddos\/glossary\/mirai-botnet\/\">Mirai<\/a> and Gafgyt modules. Gafgyt, also known as <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.trendmicro.com\/trendlabs-security-intelligence\/bashlite-iot-malware-updated-with-mining-and-backdoor-commands-targets-wemo-devices\/\">Bashlite<\/a> botnet, has many variants such as Qbot, Hoaxcalls, Lizkebab, and Torlus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thehackernews.com\/2014\/11\/bashlite-malware-leverages-shellshock.html\">Bashlite was first discovered<\/a> in\u00a02014. It targets IoT devices such as DVRs, cameras, and home routers. Bashlite made headlines in 2016 when it corrupted more than\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/threatpost.com\/bashlite-family-of-malware-infects-1-million-iot-devices\/120230\/\">one million<\/a>\u00a0IoT devices to execute DDoS attacks. In April 2020, Hoaxcalls\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/unit42.paloaltonetworks.com\/hoaxcalls-mirai-target-legacy-symantec-web-gateways\/\">targeted<\/a> the security leader\u00a0Symantec, attempting to exploit\u00a0Symantec\u2019s legacy Secure Web Gateway 5.0.2.8, which stopped receiving support updates in 2019. Thankfully, Symantec fixed the vulnerabilities in time and foiled the attempt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These botnets are still active and pose threats to companies lacking the resources and security know-how of Symantec. To understand how a botnet works, check out this article: <a href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/botnet-attacks-what-is-a-botnet-how-does-it-work\/\">Botnet Attacks: What Is a Botnet &amp; How Does It Work?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Malware Example 3: Anubis Trojan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next on our list of examples of malware is one named after an ancient Egyptian deity&#8230; only this type is a bit different from the others we&#8217;ve talked about thus far because it&#8217;s a trojan. A trojan is a malicious software program that masquerades as a legitimate application. The creator gives the software a misleading name\u00a0or infects a legitimate program with malware to trick innocent users into downloading and installing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In December 2021, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lookout.com\/blog\/anubis-targets-hundreds-of-financial-apps\">Lookout reported<\/a> that the Anubis trojan, <a href=\"https:\/\/cyware.com\/news\/exploring-the-nature-and-capabilities-of-anubis-android-banking-trojan-6ea7dec4\">first identified in 2017<\/a>, has resurfaced. Their report shows that Anubis was being used to target customers of more than 400 financial institutions, including Chase Bank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Capital One. The malware disguises itself as the Orange Telecom app to fool victims into downloading it. Once downloaded, Anubis pushes a popup window instructing the user to disable <em>Google Play Protec<\/em>t to avoid detection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The main goal of Anubis is to steal banking, virtual payment, and cryptowallet credential data from targeted devices. The trojan is highly dangerous because it has multiple capacities, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Intercepting SMS messages<\/li><li>Monitoring the devices\u2019 screens<\/li><li>Keylogging<\/li><li>Exfiltrating files<\/li><li>Collecting GPS<\/li><li>Abusing the devices\u2019 accessibility services<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fake app was available on the Google Play store from July 2021 and was later removed, but the researchers warned that it would likely reappear soon. There\u2019s no data on what happened to the credentials already stolen by this trojan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Malware Example 4: PYSA Ransomware<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/threat-spotlight\/2021\/03\/pysa-the-ransomware-attacking-schools\/\">PYSA<\/a>, also known as Mespinoza, is ransomware that encrypts the targets\u2019 data while delivering additional damage by extracting the users\u2019 critical files and data. The operators behind PYSA then demand extortion money to decrypt the data or threaten to release it publicly if the victim doesn\u2019t pay the ransom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This type of ransomware targets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Educational institutions<\/li><li>Financial institutions<\/li><li>Government entities<\/li><li>Healthcare organizations<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are the typical steps involved in PYSA attacks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" type=\"1\"><li><strong>Steal victims\u2019 credentials through various means.<\/strong> This is done by compromising Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or via phishing scams.<\/li><li><strong>Install unauthorized tools onto targets\u2019 devices without their knowledge.<\/strong> This includes programs such as PowerShell Empire2, Koadic3, and Mimikatz4, which allow attackers to enable various processes on users\u2019 devices.<\/li><li><strong>Deactivate antivirus programs<\/strong> <strong>on compromised devices.<\/strong> This leaves the devices vulnerable to attacks, surveillance and data theft.<\/li><li><strong>Use tools to gain and control access to data.<\/strong> Attackers can use a program like WinSCP5 to encrypt and extract critical files from the victims\u2019 networks.<\/li><li><strong>Upload stolen data to a server they control.<\/strong> Some examples include MEGA.NZ, cloud storage and file sharing service.<\/li><li><strong>Display a ransom message on the victims\u2019 screens.<\/strong> These messages typically contain information on how to pay the ransom and what happens if the targets don\u2019t pay.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PYSA first appeared in March 2021 and reached its peak in November 2021. PYSA ransomware attacks <a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.nccgroup.com\/news\/ncc-group-monthly-threat-pulse-november-2021-439934\">have grown by 50%<\/a> for organizations and increased a staggering 400% in the government sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Region<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>PYSA Ransomware Attacks in November 2021<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>USA<\/td><td>140<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>UK<\/td><td>32<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Canada<\/td><td>14<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>France<\/td><td>14<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Italy<\/td><td>11<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>Examples of malware: This table breaks down the number of PYSA-related ransomware attacks that occurred in November 2021.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the NCC Group, the operators behind PYSA ransomware will continue their operations in 2022 also and will likely exploit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nccgroup.com\/uk\/apache-log4j-zero-day-recommendations-resources\/\">Log4Shell vulnerability<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/s3.documentcloud.org\/documents\/20514564\/pysa-ransomware-bc.pdf\">FBI has urged victims<\/a> not to pay the ransom and register the complaints to the <a href=\"https:\/\/ic3.gov\/\">Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Malware Example 5: TrickBot Trojan + Botnet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last on our list of examples of malware is another unique variety. TrickBot malware <a href=\"https:\/\/www.malwarebytes.com\/trickbot\">first appeared in 2016<\/a>, and was taken down in 2020. But it reappeared in 2021 and is still active in 2022. By December 2021, this malware had infected about <a href=\"https:\/\/research.checkpoint.com\/2021\/when-old-friends-meet-again-why-emotet-chose-trickbot-for-rebirth\/\">140,000 victims across 149 countries<\/a>. But what is TrickBot and why is it such a problem?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">TrickBot is a unique combination of ransomware, <a href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/what-is-a-trojan-horse-in-computer-terms\/\">trojan<\/a>, and botnet. It targets victims via phishing emails with attachments disguised as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Invoices<\/li><li>Traffic violation notifications<\/li><li>Greetings cards<\/li><li>Information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once users download the malicious macro-laden documents, they are encouraged to enable macros, which executes JavaScript code and downloads the TrickBot binary from an external server.&nbsp;Then, the TrickBot can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/research.checkpoint.com\/2021\/when-old-friends-meet-again-why-emotet-chose-trickbot-for-rebirth\/\">Deliver other dangerous malware<\/a> like Emotet, Ryke, and Conti ransomware<\/li><li>Use victims\u2019 devices for cryptomining, ransomware and botnet attacks<\/li><li>Bypass Windows User Account Control (UAC), change device settings and download malicious plugins<\/li><li>Redirect victims to fake banking sites to trick them into inputting their login credentials<\/li><li>Steal credentials through form-grabbers<\/li><li>Deploy <a href=\"https:\/\/owasp.org\/www-community\/attacks\/Credential_stuffing\">credential stuffing attacks<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">TrickBot is difficult to detect because it disables antivirus protection like Windows Defender. It also encrypts its communication with the C&amp;C server, hides DNS traffic, and erases all evidence from the victim\u2019s network to prevent discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.checkpoint.com\/2021\/03\/11\/february-2021s-most-wanted-malware-trickbot-takes-over-following-emotet-shutdown\/\">Checkpoint<\/a>\u2019s Global Threat Index for February 2021, TrickBot was recognized as the number one most dangerous malware active at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Thoughts on These 2021 Examples of Malware <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you might have noticed in all our examples of malware, attackers either use social engineering tricks or exploit unpatched vulnerabilities to deploy their attacks. If you\u2019re a business owner, it\u2019s crucial to invest in <a href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/what-is-vulnerability-management-a-look-at-the-vulnerability-management-process\/\">vulnerability management<\/a> and cybersecurity training for all your employees. As individuals, we can make sure we know how to detect and mitigate <a href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/common-types-of-phishing-attacks-how-to-recognize-avoid-them\/\">phishing attacks<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/social-engineering-attacks-a-look-at-social-engineering-examples-in-action\/\">social engineering scams<\/a>. Many, if not all, <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link \" href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/malware-attack-different-types-of-malware-attacks\/\" title=\"malware attacks\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">malware attacks<\/a> can be avoided if we know what to look for and stay vigilant while surfing online.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Malware was big news in 2021, as spending more time at home and working remotely due to the pandemic made us more susceptible to malicious software than ever. So, if&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"","tve_custom_css":"","tve_user_custom_css":"","tve_globals":{},"tcb2_ready":0,"tcb_editor_enabled":0,"tve_landing_page":"","_tve_header":"","_tve_footer":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[228,22,131],"class_list":["post-2811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cyber-security","tag-examples-of-malware","tag-malware","tag-malware-attacks","post-with-tags"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>5 Examples of Malware that Created Scary Headlines in 2021 - InfoSec Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We explore five alarming examples of malware that we saw either appear or re-appear in 2021, and consider what these threats mean for 2022.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/examples-of-malware-that-created-scary-headlines-in-2021\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Examples of Malware that Created Scary Headlines in 2021 - 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