Alberto Casares | Constella Intelligence

MailChimp Under Attack: How Cybercriminals Are Exploiting Email Marketing Platforms

Alberto Casares on March 26, 2025

At Constella, we’ve spent years analyzing how cybercriminals execute attacks that affect organizations of all sizes, whether they’re startups, local businesses, or global enterprises. One of the most revealing recent cases involves the abuse of Email Marketing Platforms like MailChimp, whose accounts are being compromised through account takeover (ATO), phishing, and social engineering tactics. These attacks are not only persistent, they’re scaling globally and affecting multiple sectors with serious consequences.

What Makes Email Marketing Platform, MailChimp, an Ideal Target?

MailChimp has long been a critical communication tool for marketing teams, tech newsletters, and even cybersecurity organizations. Access to a MailChimp account typically gives attackers:

Full lists of subscribers and contact information
The ability to send mass emails from a trusted source
The potential to impersonate trusted brands and individuals
Intelligence on marketing or internal communication strategies

Even with multi-factor authentication (MFA), many of these accounts are being accessed by bypassing traditional login processes.

How? Through the use of stolen session cookies. Infostealers, malware families designed to extract stored credentials, browser cookies, and app data, are a common threat vector. Once cookies are exfiltrated, attackers can bypass login flows entirely, rendering MFA useless.

Thousands of new fresh infections in the last few days

In just the last few days, Constella has detected +1.2K newly infected devices that contained MailChimp credentials. These are not historical records, they are fresh net new infections, actively putting sensitive accounts at risk.

What’s more, this data highlights a worrying trend: attackers are increasingly targeting corporate environments, not just personal users. Many of the domains associated with these infections belong to legitimate businesses across multiple sectors and geographies.

Global Spread: Countries Most Affected

A recent analysis of infections paints a clear picture of the global nature of this threat. The following countries are seeing the highest rates of MailChimp-related compromises in the past month:

Mexico (13.46%)
Australia (8.65%)
Colombia (8.65%)
Brazil (5.77%)
France (5.77%)
India (4.81%)

These infections are not just hitting random individuals; they’re breaching the digital walls of corporations, nonprofits, and educational institutions alike.

Targeted Sectors: Who’s Being Hit?

By filtering recent infostealers logs, we’ve identified that the following sectors are among the most impacted by this type of threat:

The sectors most affected include:

Education

Educational institutions continue to be attractive targets due to legacy systems and limited cybersecurity resources. These platforms often support large-scale virtual learning environments, making them vulnerable to entry points.

Marketing & Digital Media

Companies offering marketing and digital solutions are high-value targets due to the client data they process. These organizations often operate in highly connected ecosystems, making lateral movement easier for attackers once inside.

Technology & IT Services

Tech companies, including software developers and IT solution providers, also featured heavily. This sector represents both a high-risk and high-reward category for threat actors due to their access to other clients’ systems.

Retail & eCommerce

Retailers, especially smaller or niche e-commerce shops. These businesses often lack robust security teams, making them soft targets for credential harvesting and carding operations.

Healthcare & Industrial Automation

These organizations are attractive targets not just because of their mailing lists, but because of the trust associated with their brand identity. When an attacker sends an email from a legitimate MailChimp account tied to one of these domains, recipients are far more likely to open and engage with it.

Cookie Theft and MFA Bypass: A Silent Killer

Even when organizations implement MFA on their services (which, notably, isn’t universally enforced by organizations itself), attackers are finding ways in. One of the more alarming methods involves stealing authentication cookies through infostealers like RedLine, Raccoon, or Lumma, among others.

These cookies are then used to impersonate a logged-in session—allowing full access to accounts without ever needing to enter a password or second factor. It’s stealthy, effective, and often undetected until damage is done.

Constella’s Commitment

At Constella, we continuously monitor infostealer data, and exposed corporate credentials in real time. Our goal is to help businesses understand not only whether their data is exposed, but also what kind of attacks can originate from that exposure.

If your organization uses MailChimp, or if you suspect credentials may have been compromised in the past month, it’s time to take action. The threat is real, active, and spreading fast.

Want to know if your domain is affected? Reach out to our threat intelligence team, we’re here to help.

How Ransomware Attacks Dismantled a 150-Year-Old Company: The Knights of Old Case

Alberto Casares on January 7, 2025

In today’s digital age, ransomware attacks have escalated to unprecedented levels, threatening businesses of all sizes and industries. The attack on the British logistics firm Knights of Old Group (KNP Logistics) in 2023 is a grim reminder of how devastating these attacks can be. Once a thriving company with a 150-year legacy, Knights of Old was forced to cease operations due to a crippling ransomware attack, displacing over 700 employees and ending decades of business continuity.

The Fall of Knights of Old: A Timeline of Devastation

According to The Times, the attack on Knights of Old began on June 26, 2023, when threat actors infiltrated the company’s network. The attackers, leveraging stolen credentials, gained access to sensitive systems and deployed Akira ransomware. Their message, later posted online, highlighted their intention to publish the company’s corporate and customer data, further intensifying the pressure through double extortion tactics.

The attackers mocked the company, stating: “Delivering freight when you’re a knight is not as convenient. Perhaps Knight’s honor prevented them from contacting us to discuss the data we got from their network. We will share their corporate information here. There is also a database with customers’ data. Everything will be uploaded soon.”

Despite adhering to international data security standards and having cyber insurance, Knights of Old could not recover from the operational and reputational damage inflicted by the attack. By September 2023, the company had ceased operations entirely, marking a significant loss for the logistics industry.

The Rising Tide of Ransomware Attacks

The plight of Knights of Old is not an isolated incident. Ransomware attacks have surged globally, with a staggering 105% increase in incidents reported between 2022 and 2023, according to cybersecurity firm Sophos. Threat actors are becoming more organized, often using data harvested by infostealers to craft highly targeted attacks.

Infostealers, such as RedLine and Raccoon, have become critical tools in the ransomware supply chain. These malicious programs harvest login credentials, system information, and other sensitive data from compromised devices. This data is then sold on underground forums, providing ransomware gangs with the resources needed to infiltrate corporate networks.

A Growing List of High-Profile Victims

Colonial Pipeline (2021): Stolen VPN credentials allowed attackers to deploy ransomware, causing fuel shortages across the U.S.
CWT Global (2020): Attackers leveraged credentials from an infostealer to demand a $4.5 million ransom, later negotiated to $4.2 million.
Nvidia (2022): While primarily a data breach, the attackers used stolen data to threaten ransomware deployment.

The increasing collaboration between infostealer developers and ransomware operators highlights the importance of understanding the interconnected nature of these threats.

Lessons Learned from Knights of Old

The tragic downfall of Knights of Old underscores several critical lessons for businesses aiming to protect themselves from similar fates:

Invest in Proactive Security Measures: Advanced endpoint protection, continuous network monitoring, and robust incident response plans are essential.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): This can prevent attackers from using stolen credentials to access sensitive systems.
Conduct Regular Employee Training: Phishing remains a leading entry point for infostealers. Educating employees on recognizing and reporting suspicious activity is crucial.
Leverage Threat Intelligence: Monitoring the dark web for compromised credentials can provide early warning signs of potential attacks.
Backup Critical Data: Secure and offline backups ensure data recovery even if ransomware encryption occurs.

The Broader Implications of Ransomware’s Rise

The closure of Knights of Old is a stark example of how ransomware can dismantle even well-established organizations. As The Times article highlights, the global economy’s reliance on digital infrastructure has made businesses increasingly vulnerable to these attacks. With ransomware incidents growing in frequency and sophistication, no organization is immune.

Cybersecurity experts warn that the intertwining of infostealers and ransomware marks a new era of cybercrime. By selling harvested data to the highest bidder, infostealer operators fuel a cycle of exploitation that culminates in devastating ransomware attacks.

Conclusion

The fall of Knights of Old serves as a powerful reminder of the stakes involved in today’s cybersecurity landscape. Organizations must prioritize comprehensive defense strategies, recognizing that the cost of inaction is far greater than the investment in proactive measures.

Ransomware is not just an IT problem—it’s a business continuity crisis. By learning from incidents like Knights of Old, businesses can better prepare for the challenges ahead, ensuring their resilience in an increasingly hostile digital world.

For more insights into the evolving threat landscape, explore our detailed analyses on Constella.ai.

The Expanding Threat of Financial Hacks: Beyond Financial Accounts

Alberto Casares on December 31, 2024

While many associate financial hacks with stolen funds, recent incidents reveal a more complex landscape. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting confidential employee information, which can lead to tailored phishing attacks, extortion, reputational harm, and internal disruptions within financial institutions. This blog continues our previous exploration of cybersecurity challenges in the banking and financial sector, focusing on recent breaches highlighting evolving threats to employees and customers.

The exposure of employee data—such as organizational roles, personal contact details, and work-related credentials—has become a lucrative asset for threat actors. This information enables attackers to craft convincing phishing campaigns, impersonate executives, and infiltrate critical systems. Beyond immediate financial risks, these breaches subject employees to extortion attempts, psychological distress, and potential damage to their professional reputations. Such scenarios not only harm individuals but also undermine trust in the organization as a whole.

For customers, the risks extend far beyond compromised accounts. Even when financial details remain secure, leaked personal information such as addresses, phone numbers, or account identifiers can enable identity theft and scams. Attackers often exploit this data to impersonate individuals, apply for loans, or facilitate broader fraud.

As these breaches grow in scale and sophistication, financial institutions face mounting pressure to safeguard not just customer accounts but the broader ecosystem of sensitive data. This analysis delves into recent breaches to shed light on these pressing issues and the proactive measures required to mitigate their impact.

Recent Financial Hacks & Breaches Analyzed by Constella Intelligence

1. VTB Bank – Customer Database Breach

A post on an underground forum claims to offer data allegedly linked to VTB Bank in Russia, including over 1.9 million unique email addresses. The exposed data includes personal identifiers critical for launching identity theft or phishing attacks. Given the breadth of data compromised, customers and employees alike are at risk of targeted fraud and scams.

Exposed Fields:

Names
Emails
Phone numbers
Physical addresses
Dates of birth

2. Izipay – Customer Data Breach

Izipay, a major payment processor in Peru, appears to have been impacted by a breach exposing 1.8 million unique email addresses. The compromised information encompasses extensive details about merchants, making this breach highly impactful. The data exposed is ripe for targeted attacks, including fraud schemes, impersonation, and extortion.

Exposed Fields:

Customer codes
Account information
Company names
Operational details
Email addresses
Phone numbers
Regional identifiers
Transaction data
Administrative records

3. Interbank – Customer Database Breach

A user on a dark web platform has shared a post alleging that Peru’s Interbank was affected by a breach exposing over 1.7 million unique email addresses. The compromised information includes sensitive personal and account-related data, which attackers could exploit to defraud customers or execute targeted phishing campaigns.

Exposed Fields:

Full names
Account IDs / National IDs
Birth dates
Addresses
Phone numbers
Email addresses
IP addresses
Credit card information

4. Bank of America – Employee Directory Breach

In the United States, Bank of America reportedly experienced a breach tied to the MOVEit vulnerability, compromising more than 280k unique emails. The breach exposed extensive employee directory information, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to craft social engineering schemes. The detailed organizational data presents significant risks, including impersonation of high-ranking officials and exploitation of internal processes for financial gain.

Exposed Fields:

Employee codes
Login IDs
Full names
Email addresses
Phone numbers
Job titles
Detailed organizational information

5. PrivatBank – Customer Data Leak

Data sets allegedly tied to Ukraine’s PrivatBank, including over 400 unique emails and 237 million records, are being offered for sale online. While the number of email addresses found was low, the leak’s volume and the type of data—personal identifiers like passports and full names—pose a severe risk. Cybercriminals can use this information for identity theft, document forgery, or large-scale fraudulent activities.

Exposed Fields:

Login IDs & Emails
Full names
Phone numbers
Passport information

Conclusion

These breaches illustrate the growing sophistication of cyber threats targeting financial institutions. While direct financial theft remains a concern, the exposure of employee and customer data introduces new risks, including identity theft, extortion, and reputational damage. Addressing these challenges requires proactive and comprehensive cybersecurity measures.

The Evolving Threat of Cookie Session Hijacking: How Infostealers Enable Advanced Cyberattacks

Alberto Casares on December 9, 2024

Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with cookie session hijacking emerging as a significant threat. This technique allows attackers to bypass even advanced security measures like multi-factor authentication (MFA), enabling unauthorized access to critical systems and user accounts. Infostealers, a category of malware designed to harvest sensitive information, have become a primary tool for conducting these attacks. This blog explores how infostealers facilitate cookie session hijacking, its implications for organizations, and how businesses can defend against this evolving threat

How Cookie Session Hijacking Works

Cookie session hijacking is a process in which attackers steal and reuse session cookies to impersonate authenticated users. Here’s how the attack typically unfolds:

Initial Infection:
1. Attackers use infostealers, phishing emails, or other malicious techniques to compromise a user’s device.
1. Infostealers like RedLine, Racoon, Vidar, Meta, and Lumma are commonly deployed to harvest session cookies from compromised devices.
Cookie Extraction:
1. Once the device is infected, the infostealer accesses the browser’s database to extract session cookies.
1. These cookies are stored locally on the system, typically in locations like %localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cookies.
1. Advanced tools like Mimikatz can decrypt protected cookies.
Session Hijacking:
1. Stolen cookies are imported into the attacker’s browser using tools like “Cookie Quick Manager” (Firefox) or “cookies.txt importer” (Chromium-based browsers).
1. The attacker now gains access to authenticated user sessions without needing credentials or MFA tokens.

Exploitation:
- Attackers leverage hijacked sessions to gain unauthorized access to critical systems, such as cloud administration consoles, collaboration platforms, and web-based email services.

This access can facilitate further attacks, including data exfiltration, lateral movement within networks, or ransomware deployment.

Real-World Vulnerabilities Exploited Through Cookie Session Hijacking

Cookie session hijacking poses significant risks across most of the platforms and industries, so it is not limited to niche applications. We have tested and discovered vulnerabilities in many commonly used services:

Email Services (including corporate emails)
- Web-based email services are one of the most critical assets attackers seek to compromise. By hijacking session cookies, threat actors can bypass traditional authentication, gaining access to email accounts without needing the user’s password or two-factor authentication codes. This access level allows attackers to monitor and even exfiltrate sensitive data, conduct spear-phishing campaigns, reset passwords for other linked services, or impersonate the victim in business correspondence. The repercussions are severe, ranging from data breaches to financial fraud, as attackers use compromised email accounts to pivot and gain access to more valuable assets.

Collaboration and Productivity Tools
- With the rise of remote work, collaboration platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace have become indispensable. Unfortunately, these tools are also vulnerable to cookie hijacking. Attackers who gain access to these sessions can infiltrate internal company communications, steal sensitive documents, and even disrupt workflows. This not only compromises the integrity and confidentiality of internal discussions but can also provide attackers with insights into project timelines, corporate strategies, and employee details, setting the stage for further attacks, such as ransomware or insider threats.

Cloud Administration Consoles
- Perhaps the most concerning are attacks targeting cloud administration consoles. These consoles provide deep access to a company’s digital infrastructure. Hijacked sessions here allow attackers to potentially manipulate cloud resources, disrupt services, or even delete critical infrastructure. The potential damage ranges from service outages to complete data loss, making cloud environments a prime target for sophisticated threat actors.

AI Tools like ChatGPT
- AI tools, such as ChatGPT, have also become targets for cookie session hijacking. Attackers who hijack sessions of AI tools can impersonate users and access sensitive conversations, which may include proprietary or confidential information.

Social Media and Messaging Platforms
- Many popular social media and messaging platforms are particularly vulnerable to cookie-based session hijacking. These platforms often allow users to replicate sessions across devices without requiring additional validation. This convenient feature, intended for user experience, becomes a weak point for security. Attackers who gain access to session cookies can use them to impersonate victims, gaining full access to their accounts, including private messages and sensitive interactions. This form of unauthorized access can lead to identity theft, social engineering attacks, or even brand impersonation to deceive contacts.

Implications for Organizations

Once attackers successfully hijack a session, they often move quickly to exploit the compromised account. For individuals, this can mean loss of privacy, unauthorized purchases, or fraudulent messages sent to contacts. For companies, the impact can be far more devastating:

Corporate Espionage: Access to internal communication tools can reveal sensitive business strategies and negotiations.
Financial Fraud: Compromised email or cloud accounts can lead to unauthorized transactions or blackmail.
Supply Chain Attacks: Attackers can use hijacked sessions to impersonate company employees and target partners or suppliers, leading to a broader compromise of the supply chain.
Data Exfiltration: Threat actors can use hijacked accounts to extract sensitive information, which is then sold or used for further attacks.

Conclusion: The Role of Constella.ai in Combating Cookie Session Hijacking

Constella.ai offers an integrated cybersecurity solution that enables organizations to detect and mitigate threats posed by cookie session hijacking. By continuously monitoring for compromised credentials and session cookies, Constella.ai ensures early detection of vulnerabilities, preventing attackers from bypassing MFA or hijacking user sessions. Advanced attack surface mapping and real-time alerts empower organizations to address risks proactively, safeguarding critical systems and sensitive data.

As cyber threats evolve, the ability to detect and neutralize cookie session hijacking will be a cornerstone of organizational security. By implementing robust defenses and leveraging tools like Constella.ai, businesses can stay ahead of attackers, protecting both their operations and their reputation in an increasingly hostile digital landscape.

The Persistent Threat of Ransomware and How Businesses Can Protect Themselves

Alberto Casares on November 21, 2024

Introduction: Ransomware Landscape for Businesses

In recent years, ransomware has become one of the most pervasive cybersecurity threats, inflicting substantial losses on businesses globally. With an increasing number of organizations, from manufacturing to healthcare, falling victim to cyber extortion schemes, attackers are evolving their strategies to maximize impact. Notably, many of these attacks leverage infostealers—a type of malware designed to covertly harvest sensitive information, which is later used to facilitate ransomware operations. This blog delves into recent trends in ransomware, examining how cybercriminals exploit stolen data and the potential costs for organizations that become ensnared in these schemes.

Constella’s Analysis on Recent Ransomware and Data Exposures

Overview of Breaches and Infostealers

Ransomware attacks have escalated across various high-value industries, exploiting their unique vulnerabilities:

Manufacturing:
- Among the most affected sectors due to its reliance on complex data flows and interdependent supply chains.
- Disruptions in this industry can lead to cascading operational failures across global supply networks.
Healthcare:
- A prime target for its critical systems containing life-saving information and sensitive patient data.
- Ransomware in this sector poses heightened risks, as providers are often forced to pay ransoms to restore services promptly.
Technology:
- Targeted for its valuable intellectual property and business-critical information.
- Breaches can disrupt innovation, compromise trade secrets, and damage competitive advantages, as well as compromise access to key security tools relied upon by other companies, amplifying the ripple effect of such attacks.
Retail and Finance:
- Cybercriminals exploit these sectors for their vast repositories of consumer data and financial assets.
- Stolen data is often sold on the dark web or used for fraud and identity theft.

Ransomware incidents have a global footprint, with certain countries and regions experiencing elevated risks:

United States:
- The most affected country, facing frequent ransomware incidents across critical infrastructure, financial institutions, and healthcare systems.
- Extensive digital connectivity and high concentrations of essential services make the U.S. an attractive target for cybercriminals.
- Disruptions not only impact economic stability but also compromise key security platforms, potentially weakening defenses across industries.
India:
- Rapidly expanding digital infrastructure creates multiple vulnerabilities, offering attackers numerous points of entry.
- Growth in technology and finance sectors increases exposure to ransomware threats.
Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia:
- These countries share similar dependencies on digital infrastructure as the U.S., making them attractive targets for cybercriminals.
- Critical industries and public services in these nations are frequently disrupted by ransomware attacks, with increasing concerns about attackers exploiting security software providers.
Germany:
- A significant manufacturing hub, Germany’s strong industrial sector makes it particularly susceptible to supply chain disruptions caused by ransomware.
- Breaches in Germany’s tech-driven industries could compromise tools essential for securing other companies, magnifying the impact of an attack.

The analysis further indicates that breaches involving stolen credentials—many gathered through infostealers—affect more than 86% of recently compromised companies. Specifically, 34.6% of breached organizations reported exposure to infostealer infections, illustrating how attackers infiltrate networks via seemingly legitimate entry points. This data underscores the necessity for robust cybersecurity measures to counteract these sophisticated threats.

How Infostealers Facilitate Ransomware Deployment Within Organizations

Infostealers play a pivotal role in ransomware operations, acting as the silent enablers that pave the way for attackers to infiltrate and compromise organizations. By harvesting credentials and other sensitive information, infostealers provide the initial access points necessary for deploying ransomware.

Infostealers frequently collect session cookies, allowing attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely. This facilitates a rapid ransomware deployment process by giving attackers immediate access to critical systems without triggering security alerts.

On the other hand, infostealers extract credentials for VPNs, remote desktops, email accounts, and administrative tools. These credentials are often used to bypass security measures, such as firewalls and multi-factor authentication, granting attackers unrestricted access to an organization’s internal systems. Once inside, they can escalate privileges and move laterally across the network to identify valuable data and critical systems.

Below are real-world examples that highlight how infostealers are weaponized to infiltrate various organizational systems:

VPN Access:
Compromised VPN credentials can grant hackers a secure entry point into a company’s internal network. A notable example is the $22 million Change Healthcare ransomware incident, where attackers leveraged stolen VPN credentials to infiltrate the network, escalate privileges, and exfiltrate sensitive data before executing the ransomware.

Corporate Webmail:
Hackers exploit stolen email credentials to extract confidential information from employee mailboxes. A high-profile case involved the Argentine police, where hackers obtained over 12,000 police contact details using compromised webmail access.

Collaboration Tools:
Platforms like GitHub, Confluence, and Slack house critical company data. The EA Sports breach, which resulted in the theft of 780 GB of source code, exemplifies the risks associated with infostealer-compromised collaboration accounts.

Cloud Services:
As businesses increasingly rely on cloud platforms, credentials for AWS, GCP, and Azure have become prime targets. A large-scale breach involving Snowflake impacted 165 organizations, including major firms such as AT&T, affecting millions of end users worldwide.

Economic Impact and Costs of Ransomware Attacks

The financial toll of ransomware extends beyond ransom payments, impacting business operations, customer trust, and regulatory compliance. In the case of Change Healthcare, the breach’s overall cost reached an estimated $22 million. Globally, ransomware has already cost organizations billions, with damages encompassing lost productivity, legal fees, and system recovery expenses. The threat is also reputational, as customers and stakeholders scrutinize data protection efforts following a breach.

How Constella Helps Companies Protect and Prevent Attacks

Infostealers are increasingly being used as a precursor to ransomware attacks, making early detection and mitigation critical to organizational security. Constella’s comprehensive approach ensures that any compromised credentials from infostealer infections, including compromised session cookies, are detected and alerted before they can be leveraged by attackers. By identifying these threats early, Constella.ai helps prevent credential abuse and cookie session hijacking attacks, which are commonly used to bypass authentication and escalate ransomware operations.

By combining advanced monitoring, real-time alerts, and proactive defense measures, Constella empowers organizations to protect their networks, data, and reputation from the dual threats of infostealers and ransomware, ensuring a robust line of defense against these evolving cyber threats.

The Future of Identity Protection: Real-Time Threats and Scams

Alberto Casares on November 5, 2024

In today’s digital landscape, protecting your identity from real-time threats is more critical than ever. As a cybersecurity expert, I’ve seen an evolving spectrum of threats that go far beyond traditional identity theft. From classic dark web doxing to the advent of fullz—full identity kits sold for a few dollars—threat actors are leveraging these methods for a new breed of real-time scams, amplified by cutting-edge technology.

Recently, a project by Anh Phu Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio demonstrated the capability to integrate facial recognition technology with Meta’s smart glasses, allowing instant identification of strangers. This development marks a significant leap from the traditional static forms of identity theft into real-time exploitation, where personal information is weaponized in the moment.

Classic Doxing and Fullz on the Dark Web

For decades, doxing and the sale of fullz (complete identity kits) have been staple methods of cybercriminals on the dark web. Doxing involves collecting and publicizing personal information such as home addresses, phone numbers, and social media profiles, often with the intent to embarrass, harass, or intimidate. OSINT tools (Open-Source Intelligence) allow attackers to scrape social media profiles, public databases, and breached datasets to compile detailed profiles on their victims. Once exposed, this data is used for targeted harassment or extortion.

Meanwhile, fullz provide a more comprehensive set of personal details, typically including social security numbers, financial data, and other sensitive information that can be exploited for identity theft. The sale of fullz on dark web marketplaces has enabled identity theft and financial fraud on a massive scale. For a relatively small fee, threat actors can purchase a victim’s entire identity, making it easy to perform account takeovers, create fake profiles, or apply for credit in the victim’s name.

In the past, these methods were effective but static. Attackers could steal and use personal data long after it was exposed. Today, however, advancements in technology have transformed these identity theft techniques into dynamic, real-time threats.

Real-Time Identity Exploitation: The New Era of Scams

The rise of facial recognition technology combined with wearable devices, like Meta’s smart glasses, introduces a new dimension to identity theft. By pairing this real-time data collection with pre-existing fullz or other doxing techniques, threat actors can instantly exploit an individual’s identity on the fly.

In this I-XRAY demonstration, Meta’s smart glasses were modified to scan faces in public, instantly cross-referencing them with public social media data and possibly with compromised identity information. Imagine walking down the street, unaware that someone can identify you, access your data, and target you with personalized scams—all in real time. This shift turns identity theft into a real-time, hyper-targeted activity.

Here’s how this modern version of doxing and scamming might unfold:

Real-time recognition: A malicious actor equipped with facial recognition on smart glasses could walk through crowded public spaces and instantly identify individuals based on a match with their leaked photos from social media or other sources. This is no longer hypothetical; the proof-of-concept has already been demonstrated.

Instant exploitation: Once an individual is identified, scammers could access their leaked fullz from the dark web, providing them with a detailed set of personal information. They could then approach the target in real-time, pretending to know them, creating a social engineering scenario where the victim believes the scammer is a legitimate acquaintance or authority figure.

On-the-spot phishing: Imagine being approached by someone who knows your full name, email, address, and the last few digits of your social security number. When they ask you to verify some information the victim could easily fall into the trap of handing over even more sensitive information—like bank account details—without realizing they’ve been scammed until it’s too late.

The Role of AI in Amplifying Real-Time Threats

AI plays an integral role in the future of identity scams. It allows for the rapid analysis and deployment of identity data, enabling new, sophisticated scams that were previously unimaginable. Here are several ways AI can enhance these real-time threats:

AI-Powered Deepfakes: Threat actors can combine AI-generated deepfakes with real-time data to impersonate individuals in both video and audio formats. By using AI to craft believable but fake messages or phone calls, scammers can extort or deceive people more convincingly than ever before.
Automated Identity Theft at Scale: AI tools can automate the collection and correlation of personal data across multiple sources—social media, leaked data, and public records—faster than any human could. This allows threat actors to assemble profiles on victims quickly, accelerating identity fraud.
Behavioral Analysis and Predictive Attacks: AI can analyze online behaviors to predict the types of scams most likely to succeed on a given target. For example, someone frequently searching for job opportunities could be targeted with a fake job offer, exploiting the victim’s immediate needs.

Insights from Experts: Combating Modern Threats

As highlighted previously, cybersecurity in the age of AI and real-time technologies requires an updated approach. The reliance on static data protection strategies, such as password managers or even two-factor authentication, is no longer sufficient. We need to implement dynamic identity monitoring, where AI-driven systems track unusual behavior related to your digital presence in real-time.

How Constella is Protecting Your Identity

At Constella, we are dedicated to staying ahead of evolving threats by leveraging cutting-edge AI technologies and continuous monitoring to provide comprehensive identity protection. Our unique approach not only covers traditional dark web monitoring but also focuses on a broader range of sources across the surface web, ensuring a proactive stance against emerging scams and data leaks. Here’s how we’re tackling the future of identity theft:

Real-Time Identity Alerts: Our system is designed to provide real-time alerts when personal information is exposed across both the surface web, data brokers, and the dark web. Unlike traditional solutions that focus solely on the dark web, Constella offers a multi-source approach. This comprehensive coverage allows us to detect threats before they escalate, offering early warnings on a broader scale than any single-source monitoring service.

Advanced Dark Web Monitoring: We continuously scan the dark web to detect any exposure of your personal information, whether it has been compromised by infostealers or exposed through data breaches. Our unique approach involves not just scraping the dark web but correlating this data with surface web activities, giving you a more holistic view of your identity exposure. This enables a faster response to potential threats before they result in fraud or exploitation.

AI-Driven ScamGPT: Leveraging our proprietary AI technology, ScamGPT simulates potential scams that you may be targeted by using your own exposed personal information. This proactive approach allows us to train you before threat actors attempt a real attack, helping you recognize and avoid personalized phishing schemes, social engineering attempts, and other forms of exploitation. By generating potential scam scenarios based on your specific data profile, we ensure you are better prepared for what’s coming, long before the attackers strike.

Surface of Attack Mapping: Constella’s unique AI technology creates a detailed view of your real surface of attack, analyzing how your compromised information could be used against you. Using algorithms developed in collaboration with law enforcement agencies (LEAs), we connect the dots in the same way threat actors do, identifying all possible avenues they could exploit to target you. This approach allows you to see your vulnerabilities from the perspective of an attacker, enabling you to take targeted actions to secure those areas before they become active threats.

By integrating these advanced tools and methodologies, Constella provides a comprehensive identity protection solution designed to stay one step ahead of modern identity theft techniques. Our AI-driven insights ensure that you are equipped to defend against both current and future threats, safeguarding your personal information in an ever-changing cyber landscape.

Inside the Dark Web: How Threat Actors Are Selling Access to Corporate Networks

Alberto Casares on October 21, 2024

In recent weeks, underground forums on the dark web have continued to flourish as bustling marketplaces where cybercriminals sell unauthorized access to corporate networks. From VPN credentials to Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access, threat actors take advantage of compromised corporate environments, often leveraging data from recent breaches or stolen via infostealers. This analysis highlights the trends observed in the last few weeks, shedding light on the types of actors involved, the most targeted countries and sectors, and the types of access being traded.

Selling Access to Corporate Networks Through Key Actors on Underground Forums

In just the last few weeks, over 250 distinct threat actors have been identified on underground forums, all involved in selling access to corporate networks. These actors can be divided into two major categories:

Individual cybercriminals – Typically specializing in phishing attacks or leveraging malware like infostealers, these individuals focus on lower-value or opportunistic attacks.
Organized cybercrime groups – These structured groups act as access brokers, offering extensive credential dumps and long-term, persistent access to corporate environments. Their capabilities are far more advanced, often involving sophisticated breaches and after-sale services to ensure buyers can maximize the value of the access.

Breakdown of Threat Actors:

60% of the identified actors are individuals, concentrating on smaller, low-value targets, often selling low-risk access points.
The remaining 40% are part of coordinated cybercriminal groups, focusing on high-value targets with comprehensive access that often includes post-sale support like lateral movement within networks and privilege escalation.

These actors don’t just stop at initial access. A significant number of them provide additional services, such as helping buyers navigate through compromised corporate systems and avoid detection. The after-sale support offered by these groups often includes technical assistance to move laterally within the network and maintain persistent access, ensuring attackers can continue exploiting their entry points over time.

The data from just a few weeks offers a window into the vast and diverse ecosystem of cybercrime thriving on underground forums. This highlights the rapidly evolving nature of these threat actors and underscores the need for corporations to stay vigilant against an ever-growing array of cyber threats.

The persistent activity observed emphasizes the continuous development of more advanced methods to breach and exploit corporate environments, making it clear that cybersecurity must remain a top priority for organizations across all sectors.

Most Targeted Countries

Recent data from underground forums shows that threat actors are targeting companies and institutions across multiple continents, with a clear focus on high-value sectors like finance, technology, government, and energy. Here’s a summarized breakdown of the affected countries and continents:

North America

United States: Primarily targets in the financial and technology sectors.
Canada: Focus on financial and real estate sectors.
Mexico: Targets include government agencies and financial services.

Europe

Russia: Focus on energy and government sectors.
Poland: Targets in the manufacturing sector.
United Kingdom: Primarily financial services and wealth management.

Asia

Israel: Focus on finance and technology sectors.
Japan: Targets in educational and technology firms.
India: Significant focus on IT and outsourcing sectors.

South America

Brazil: Targets in the financial and government sectors.

Middle East

Iran: Focus on educational institutions.

Africa

South Africa: Limited but significant interest in the financial sector.

Recent Data Trends in Cybercriminal Targeting & Selling Access to Corporate Networks

The latest data from underground forums indicates a growing focus on three main sectors: finance, education, and real estate. These sectors are increasingly becoming targets for cybercriminals, primarily due to the wealth of sensitive information they hold and their operational importance.

Finance Sector

Access to financial services firms has become one of the most common offerings on underground forums. Financial institutions are especially vulnerable because they manage vast amounts of sensitive data, from customer information to transaction details. This data is not only valuable for direct financial gain but also for long-term exploitation, such as fraud and identity theft.

Threat actors are selling access to financial organizations, particularly banks and investment firms, that control billions in assets. These listings often include VPN and RDP access to corporate networks, allowing attackers to infiltrate the system and potentially deploy ransomware or steal sensitive data. Cybercriminal groups see this as a high-return opportunity, especially since financial institutions are often willing to pay ransoms to recover their operations quickly.

Education Sector

Educational institutions, particularly large universities with many employees and students, are becoming frequent victims of cyberattacks, especially ransomware. Schools and universities hold sensitive intellectual property, personal student data, and research information, making them attractive targets. Attackers frequently exploit this data by using stolen credentials obtained from phishing or malware campaigns. Once inside, they can lock down critical systems and demand a ransom, often crippling educational services and access to essential resources.

This rise in attacks on educational institutions aligns with the broader trend of ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS), where organized cybercriminal groups offer ransomware to affiliates, who then launch attacks and split the ransom payments. Educational institutions, especially those involved in cutting-edge research or government-sponsored projects, are prime targets for these sophisticated, high-impact ransomware campaigns.

Real Estate Sector

The real estate sector is another emerging target for cybercriminal groups, with listings for real estate firms becoming more common. These companies hold critical data on property ownership, transactions, and financial dealings, making them attractive to attackers seeking to steal valuable information or disrupt operations. The real estate industry also relies on secure networks to manage large transactions and sensitive communications, further making it a target for ransomware and data exfiltration.

Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) Influence

Organized cybercriminal groups are increasingly using RaaS to monetize stolen data. This model allows cybercriminals to sell access or share ransomware tools with affiliates who conduct the attacks, splitting profits with the developers of the ransomware. The shift toward this model has lowered the barrier to entry for cybercriminals, allowing even low-skilled attackers to participate in high-impact attacks. Institutions in the finance, education, and real estate sectors are prime targets for RaaS-based attacks because of the high potential for extortion, intellectual property theft, and operational disruption.

Overall, the convergence of RaaS with sector-specific targeting demonstrates how organized cybercrime is evolving, with specialized groups focusing on high-value sectors that are more likely to pay ransoms or suffer significant disruptions from attacks.

Links to Public Breaches and Infostealers

Much of the data traded for corporate access originates from well-publicized breaches or is harvested via infostealers. These infostealers, like Vidar and Redline, are frequently used to siphon login credentials from compromised devices. These credentials are then sold in bulk on underground forums or offered as part of access packages.

One prominent example is the sale of credentials linked to a breach at a North American financial institution. The listing offered RDP access to the company’s network, likely obtained through a combination of phishing and infostealer malware. Similarly, credentials linked to healthcare organizations and university networks in the U.S. and Canada have been offered for sale, highlighting how infostealers play a critical role in these underground economies.

Types of Access Sold

The most commonly sold types of access on these forums include VPN credentials, RDP access, and increasingly, cloud platform access. VPN credentials allow buyers to gain access to secure corporate networks by bypassing firewalls, while RDP access grants full control over a target machine, allowing attackers to move laterally within the system and escalate privileges.

Cloud platform access is also becoming more prevalent as companies move critical infrastructure to cloud services like AWS and Azure. Listings advertising admin access to a company’s cloud infrastructure, such as AWS environments, have attracted interest, as cloud-based environments represent a significant attack surface for organizations.

The Importance of Comprehensive Corporate Protection

Many of the cyberattacks observed on underground forums are rooted in data obtained from data breaches or infostealers, highlighting the urgent need for organizations to expand their security focus beyond traditional corporate credentials. While many companies concentrate their defenses on securing credentials from corporate devices, cybercriminals do not discriminate between data obtained from corporate or personal devices. Their sole interest is in accessing valuable data from targeted or attractive companies.

For threat actors, it doesn’t matter if credentials were compromised on a work-issued laptop or a personal device; as long as the credentials grant access to sensitive corporate systems, they are of high value. This means that companies must protect all potential entry points—both professional and personal. Employees often use the same passwords across platforms or access corporate resources from personal devices, creating a significant vulnerability.

On the other hand, there is another important issue because many organizations continue to rely heavily on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and VPN solutions as their primary security mechanisms. However, recent studies, such as those by Constella Intelligence, have demonstrated that these protections are no longer as foolproof as once believed. Infostealers—malware designed to harvest login credentials and other sensitive information—have proven effective at bypassing these security measures. Threat actors can use stolen data to circumvent both MFA and VPN mechanisms, rendering them ineffective against sophisticated attacks.

In particular, infostealers can capture session tokens, cookies, and authentication tokens that allow attackers to bypass MFA entirely. Even if a corporate system requires two-factor authentication, attackers can replay these tokens to gain unauthorized access. Likewise, VPN protections can be bypassed if attackers obtain the necessary credentials and tokens, allowing them to enter corporate networks as legitimate users without raising red flags.

This growing threat underscores that, while MFA and VPNs are important components of a security strategy, they can no longer be the sole lines of defense. Organizations need to adopt more advanced security measures that address the vulnerabilities exposed by credential-based attacks.

Escalation of Cyber Warfare in the Israel-Palestine Conflict: A Deep Dive into Recent Israeli Breaches

Alberto Casares on October 16, 2024

The geopolitical conflict between Israel and its adversaries has shifted into the digital sphere, where sophisticated cyberattacks have become a primary tool for targeting critical sectors. In recent months, cyberattacks have exposed Israeli defense data, diplomatic communications, and sensitive civilian information. Among the prominent players in this cyberwarfare is the Handala Group, a hacktivist entity leveraging advanced persistent threat (APT) tactics to disrupt Israeli operations. Other actors, such as EagleStrike and the Hunter Killer hacker group, further complicate Israel’s cybersecurity landscape.

This blog analyzes recent Israeli breaches, the types of data compromised, and the strategic implications of these attacks, offering insights into the evolving digital conflict.

Handala’s Cyber Campaign: Recent Breaches Targeting Israel

In the past few months, Handala has launched a series of attacks across various sectors in Israel, targeting critical infrastructure, government entities, and individual high-profile figures.

1. Doscast Hacked (October 10, 2024)

Handala targeted Doscast, a major audio platform for the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. This attack disrupted the platform, which hosts a variety of commentators and conversationalists, exposing its vulnerabilities and impacting its wide user base. The symbolic nature of this hack underscores Handala’s ideological objectives, as Doscast is a prominent site within the religious community.

2. Ambassador of Israel in Germany Emails (October 8, 2024)

Handala compromised 50,000 emails from Ron Prosor, the Israeli Ambassador to Germany and former senior Mossad officer. The leaked emails expose sensitive diplomatic communications, potentially affecting Israel’s foreign relations. This breach also highlights Handala’s aggressive tactics, as they included personal threats against Prosor, claiming constant surveillance over his activities.

3. Max Shop Hacked (October 8, 2024)

The breach of Max Shop, a cloud-based terminal system used in over 9,000 stores, resulted in the theft of 1.5TB of data. The attack defaced store kiosks and sent threatening messages to 250,000 Israeli citizens. This attack directly impacted retail operations and exposed personal information, further heightening concerns over civilian data security.

4. Israeli Industrial Batteries (IIB) Leak (October 6, 2024)

Handala released 300GB of data from IIB (Israeli Industrial Batteries), a company involved in providing energy storage infrastructure to Israel’s military and defense sectors. The breach of IIB threatens the resilience of Israel’s defense logistics, particularly its energy-dependent military operations.

5. Shin Bet Hacked (October 3, 2024)

Handala successfully breached the Shin Bet’s security system, compromising their exclusive mobile security application used by officers. This attack poses a significant risk to Israel’s internal security, potentially exposing confidential communications, field agents, and counterterrorism operations.

6. Israeli Prime Minister Emails (October 2, 2024)

The group leaked 110,000 secret emails belonging to former Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Handala claims to have been surveilling Israel’s leadership for decades. This breach exposes sensitive government discussions, further undermining Israel’s internal political operations and national defense strategies.

7. Soreq Nuclear Research Center (September 28, 2024)

Handala targeted the Soreq Nuclear Research Center (NRC), a key nuclear research facility in Israel. The group claims to have stolen comprehensive data, including emails, infrastructure maps, personnel details, and administrative documents. This breach could severely compromise Israel’s nuclear capabilities and has far-reaching implications for national security.

8. Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Emails (September 26, 2024)

Handala exposed 60,000 emails belonging to Gabi Ashkenazi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief of General Staff of the Israeli Armed Forces. The breach includes communications that could be used to disrupt Israel’s foreign policy initiatives, further eroding trust in the nation’s cybersecurity capabilities.

9. Benny Gantz Hacked (September 23-24, 2024)

Handala published 35,000 confidential emails and 2,000 private photos of Benny Gantz, the former Defense Minister. The group’s goal is not only to embarrass the official but to expose internal defense discussions. This breach is a significant escalation in the group’s attacks on individual high-profile figures, highlighting the personal risks involved for Israeli officials.

EagleStrike and the Hunter Killer Leak (September 2024)

On September 30, 2024, EagleStrike exposed a comprehensive data breach facilitated by the Hunter Killer group. The leak included critical Israeli state data, including:

Israel MFA Access: Over 370GB of data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was compromised, including remote desktop access (RDP) and SharePoint credentials. This breach threatens Israeli diplomatic operations and international communications.
Mossad Email Server Dump: 27,000 emails were leaked, revealing sensitive information from 2017 to 2023. This exposes Mossad’s covert operations and intelligence-gathering efforts, placing Israel’s security at significant risk.
Defense Contractors: Data from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems was also part of the breach. Intellectual property and defense technology information were exposed, severely impacting Israel’s defense development.
Military and SCADA Systems: Handala obtained access to 70 SCADA systems, which control critical infrastructure such as water and energy. The potential sabotage of these systems could lead to widespread service disruptions or worse, physical damage to key facilities.

Handala’s Extortion Tactics and Ransomware Campaigns

Handala is not only focused on cyber sabotage but also engages in ransomware and extortion, often targeting high-value industries. Notable ransomware campaigns include:

Healthcare Sector (February – June 2024): Handala targeted hospitals and healthcare organizations, demanding 8 BTC (~$569,252 USD) in ransom. This campaign involved the theft of patient records and financial data, crippling healthcare operations.
Defense and IT Sectors (March – May 2024): Handala launched coordinated attacks on Israel’s defense contractors and IT services. These breaches exposed proprietary technologies and military secrets, undermining Israel’s defense infrastructure.

Extortion Methods: Handala’s extortion model involves leaking data through Clearnet and TOR sites, alongside Telegram channels, if ransom demands are not met. These platforms enable Handala to continuously publicize their exploits and pressure victims.

Impacts on Israeli Citizens: Identity Theft and Civil Disruptions

While the breaches targeting government and military entities are alarming, Handala has increasingly targeted civilians, amplifying public concern over data security.

Max Shop Hack (October 2024)

This attack affected over 9,000 retail systems across Israel, leaking 1.5TB of personal and financial data from 250,000 Israeli citizens. Beyond the direct financial losses, victims are vulnerable to identity theft and phishing schemes. The hack demonstrates Handala’s capacity to disrupt civilian life and further erodes public trust in data security.

Identity Theft and Phishing Risks:

Financial Loss: Stolen identities can be used to open fraudulent bank accounts and apply for credit.
Phishing Campaigns: Detailed personal data enables highly targeted phishing attacks, further compromising individual security.
Long-term Privacy Concerns: Once personal data circulates on dark web markets, it remains accessible, prolonging the risk of exploitation.

Conclusion

Handala’s cyber campaigns against Israel mark a significant escalation in digital warfare. Their attacks on critical infrastructure, defense systems, and civilian sectors have exposed substantial vulnerabilities. These breaches not only undermine Israel’s national security and diplomatic standing but also pose severe risks to individual citizens through identity theft and financial fraud.

Israel must implement a multi-layered defense strategy that includes strengthening its cybersecurity infrastructure, enhancing public awareness, and fostering international cooperation. With adversaries like Handala continuing to innovate their tactics, robust defense measures are essential to safeguard the nation’s critical assets and its people.

How Cybercriminals Use Stolen Data to Target Companies — A Deep Dive into the Dark Web

Alberto Casares on October 6, 2024

The digital world has revolutionized the way we live and work, but it has also opened up a new realm for cybercriminals. The rise of the dark web has provided a breeding ground for hackers and other malicious actors to trade stolen data and launch attacks against companies worldwide. This blog post provides a summary of some of the trends observed over the past few days, highlighting how threat actors are using compromised data to exploit businesses, the sectors most impacted, and the dynamics of this underground market.

Cybercriminal’s Hidden Market for Stolen Data

Imagine an underground marketplace bustling with activity — vendors selling hacked streaming service accounts, buyers bidding on cloud storage credentials, and a community exchanging tips on how to bypass security features. This is the reality of the dark web, where forums like BreachForums act as virtual bazaars for compromised data.

Stolen information is incredibly valuable in this shadowy ecosystem. From streaming service logins to financial account credentials, threat actors peddle a variety of digital goods. But why is there such a demand? The answer lies in the sheer usability of this data — for unauthorized access, fraud, identity theft, or even blackmail.

Which Sectors Are Being Targeted the Most?

Recent activity on underground forums reveals a worrying trend: threat actors are targeting multiple industries. The most affected sectors include digital services, cloud storage platforms, and financial services, reflecting a shift in focus towards companies that hold valuable user data and offer high resale value.

1. Digital Services and Streaming Platforms:

Who’s at Risk? Companies like Netflix and Disney+ are prime targets. Their popularity and the fact that millions of users are willing to pay for premium content make them attractive for hackers.
What’s Being Sold? Compromised accounts are often shared or sold with details like session cookies, making it easy for buyers to bypass login security. This enables users to enjoy premium services without the account owner’s knowledge.
Why It Matters: Compromised accounts are often resold or shared for free, undermining these companies’ revenue models. For example, a Netflix account that allows multiple streams can be used by multiple individuals without the company’s knowledge.

2. Cloud Storage and File Hosting:

Who’s at Risk? Platforms like Mega.nz and Google Drive are frequently targeted.
What’s Being Sold? Access to cloud storage accounts can potentially contain sensitive personal files or proprietary business data.
Why It Matters: Access to these accounts can be devastating. Personal data may be exposed, business information can be leaked, and in the worst cases, this access can be leveraged for ransom or further exploitation.

3. Financial Services:

Who’s at Risk? PayPal and other online banking services remain high-value targets.
What’s Being Sold? Financial account credentials, often including transaction history and linked bank details, are sold for quick financial gain.
Why It Matters: Once compromised, these accounts can be used for fraudulent purchases, laundering money, or draining linked bank accounts.

4. Government and Educational Institutions:

Who’s at Risk? Certain threads also reveal a focus on educational and governmental institutions, often in specific regions. These breaches can lead to the exposure of sensitive or classified information and may be driven by politically motivated actors.
Why It Matters: Database access to regional entities such as educational systems and government bodies can spark interest, potentially signaling politically motivated targeting or the pursuit of classified information for espionage purposes.

A Growing Market: Why is Stolen Data So Valuable?

Data is the new oil — it’s valuable, in-demand, and fuels an entire underground economy. But what makes stolen data so enticing for cybercriminals?

Ease of Access and Use:
1. Many compromised accounts come with details like session cookies, allowing threat actors to bypass multi-factor authentication and other security measures effortlessly. This makes it easy to log in without the hassle of entering passwords or passing security checks.
High Resale Value:
1. Digital accounts, particularly for streaming services, can be resold for a fraction of the original subscription cost. Similarly, cloud storage accounts are valued for the data they contain, making them an attractive purchase.
Potential for Further Exploitation:
1. Some threat actors aren’t just looking to sell; they’re seeking to exploit. Access to cloud storage or email accounts can serve as an entry point for more targeted attacks, such as spear-phishing campaigns, business email compromise (BEC), or even corporate espionage.

Sophistication Levels: From Novices to Experts

Not all cybercriminals are created equal. The dark web is home to a diverse group of actors, each with varying levels of sophistication. Understanding these levels helps in identifying the potential impact of their activities:

1. Newbies:

Profile: Typically engage in low-risk activities such as trading basic credentials (e.g., single account login details for streaming services).
Activities: Selling or sharing low-value accounts for platforms like Netflix and Hulu.
Risk: Minimal, as these actors lack the skills to perform more complex attacks. However, their activities can still lead to widespread account sharing.

2. Intermediate Threat Actors:

Profile: Have the capability to conduct more sophisticated breaches, such as accessing cloud storage services or hijacking VPN accounts.
Activities: Frequent discussions around financial account credentials or access to cloud storage with potential sensitive information.
Risk: Moderate to high, as these actors can exploit compromised data for financial gain or to access deeper networks.

3. Advanced Threat Actors:

Profile: Possess deep technical expertise and may even carry out targeted attacks on specific industries or regions.
Activities: Breaching government or educational systems, reflecting interest in sensitive or classified data.
Risk: Very high, as these actors are capable of executing large-scale data breaches, espionage, or infrastructure disruption.

The Dark Web’s Pulse: Measuring Community Interest

The number of replies and discussions around specific types of accounts serves as a strong indicator of the community’s interest and perceived value of the stolen data. The vibrant discussions around cloud storage platforms and digital services suggest that these sectors remain high-priority targets.

The rapid growth in interest within hours of posting reflects the increasing demand for certain types of data. For businesses, this means staying vigilant and being aware of the value cybercriminals place on different types of data assets.

Conclusion: A Threat That’s Here to Stay

The use of compromised data by cybercriminals to target companies is not a passing trend — it’s a growing, complex issue that demands attention. From digital services and cloud storage to financial and governmental sectors, no industry is immune. The sophistication levels of threat actors continue to rise, and the vibrant underground markets provide an easy way for them to exchange and monetize this data.

For companies, this means investing more in security, training employees to recognize potential threats, and staying one step ahead by monitoring these underground forums for early warnings. The fight against cybercrime is ongoing, and understanding how threat actors operate is the first step in protecting our digital assets.

By shedding light on these dark activities, we hope to raise awareness and help companies build stronger defenses against the ever-evolving threat of compromised data.

Leveraging Infostealers to Breach Companies: A Cybersecurity Intelligence Perspective

Alberto Casares on September 16, 2024

Infostealers are specialized malware designed to extract sensitive data from infected systems. They operate in the background, collecting login credentials, browser histories, and cookies, often without detection. Deployed through phishing emails or malicious websites, infostealers are a growing favorite among cybercriminals due to their low risk of detection and the high-value data they yield.

Unlike more overt forms of cyberattacks like ransomware, infostealers are subtle and continuous. The stolen information is often sold in bulk on dark web marketplaces or used to launch further attacks, such as gaining access to company networks or committing financial fraud. The sophistication of these tools has grown, making them one of the most effective methods for threat actors to compromise corporate environments.

Why Infostealers Are Effective Against Companies

Infostealers are attractive to threat actors for several reasons:

Low Detection Rates: Infostealers are designed to evade detection by traditional security measures such as antivirus software. Once deployed, they blend seamlessly into legitimate system processes, making it challenging for conventional security solutions to recognize or remove them. This stealth allows them to operate undetected for extended periods, gathering critical data.

Targeting High-Value Data: Infostealers are capable of extracting a wide range of sensitive information, including passwords, session cookies (which can be used to bypass multi-factor authentication), financial records, and proprietary business data. This stolen data is often sold on dark web marketplaces or used for extortion, leading to significant financial and reputational damage.

Wide Availability and Accessibility: Infostealers are readily available for purchase on dark web forums, frequently offered as part of malware-as-a-service (MaaS) platforms. This makes them accessible even to less experienced cybercriminals, lowering the barrier to entry for launching sophisticated attacks. The ease of access and customization further amplifies their appeal to threat actors across the cybercriminal ecosystem.

Top Threat Actors Leveraging Infostealers

We have seen that many cybercriminals are actively using infostealers data as a preferred method for infiltrating organizations. These groups have leveraged infostealers to breach companies, leading to extensive financial and reputational damage. Below are a number of threat actors that stand out for their sophisticated use of these tools:

USDoD: This threat actor has carried out high-profile attacks, including the breach of Airbus by exploiting compromised credentials from a Turkish Airlines employee. This attack underscores the significant risk that infostealers pose to supply chains, allowing hackers to penetrate companies through vulnerable third-party partners.
Sp1d3rHunters: Known for exploiting Snowflake accounts, Sp1d3rHunters has executed breaches against major companies such as Ticketmaster and AT&T, exfiltrating sensitive data such as customer information and event tickets. Their operations demonstrate how infostealer logs can be used to gain access to cloud services and wreak havoc.
IntelBroker: This notorious threat actor has breached both government and private sector entities, targeting organizations such as Apple, Zscaler, and Microsoft. By using Infostealer-collected credentials, IntelBroker has facilitated attacks on critical infrastructure and sold access to compromised systems on dark web forums, further intensifying the risk to companies.
Andariel (North Korea): Part of the Lazarus Group, Andariel is a North Korean state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor. This group is known for using infostealers, alongside other tools like keyloggers and remote access trojans (RATs), to target sectors such as military, nuclear, and manufacturing. Andariel’s strategy of using Infostealers to gather intelligence and financial data is a key part of their cyber operations.
Lapsus$: Emerging in 2021, Lapsus$ has quickly gained a reputation for its high-profile breaches of companies like NVIDIA, Samsung, and Vodafone. Lapsus$ utilizes info stealers to harvest login credentials, payment information, and proprietary business data. In a notable attack, Lapsus$ breached Electronic Arts (EA), stealing source code for popular games like FIFA. The group’s aggressive tactics have caused widespread disruption in the tech and financial sectors.

These groups’ sophisticated use of infostealers illustrates why businesses must adopt more advanced detection and monitoring systems to protect against this growing threat.

How Companies Can Defend Against Infostealers

While info stealers present a complex threat, companies can adopt several key strategies to mitigate the risks and minimize the impact of such attacks:

Analyze Exposed Data for Risk Mitigation: After a suspected infostealer attack, companies must conduct thorough analyses of the stolen data to assess the potential risks. This includes examining session cookies that could be hijacked to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA), as well as personal credentials that may be used to impersonate employees or escalate privileges within the organization. Proactively identifying and addressing these risks can help prevent follow-up attacks or unauthorized access.

Strengthen Authentication Practices: While MFA is an essential safeguard, it is not foolproof, especially if session cookies are compromised. Companies should implement adaptive MFA, which monitors for anomalies in login attempts (such as unusual locations or devices) to prevent attackers from using stolen credentials. Additionally, frequent reauthentication can help disrupt the use of stolen session tokens.

Monitor for Unusual Access Patterns: Regularly reviewing access logs and monitoring for anomalous login attempts—such as multiple failed attempts, logins from unexpected locations, or odd behavior patterns—can help detect infostealer activity early. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) systems can play a key role in identifying and mitigating the effects of infostealers by flagging unusual data access or exfiltration activities.

Educate Employees on Phishing and Cyber Hygiene: Many infostealers are deployed through phishing attacks or malicious links. Regularly training employees to recognize suspicious emails, websites, and attachments can significantly reduce the likelihood of an initial infection. Implementing phishing simulations and real-time feedback can help maintain employee vigilance.