3CX DesktopApp Supply Chain Attack: What You Need to Know

After being alerted by several security researchers of an ongoing supply chain attack in its 3CX DesktopApp, 3CX is currently working on a software update. According to the company's CEO, Nick Galea, the malware affects the Windows Electron client for customers running update 7. As an immediate response, the company has advised users to uninstall and reinstall the app, and in the meantime, use its PWA (progressive web application) client instead.

3CX is a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) IPBX software development company with over 600,000 customers and 12 million users in 190 countries. Its 3CX DesktopApp allows users to make calls, chat, video conference, and check voicemail using their desktop. Some of its customers include BMW, Honda, Ikea, Pepsi, and Toyota.

The ongoing attack was detected by security researchers at Sophos, Crowdstrike, and SentinelOne, who observed malicious activity originating from a trojanized version of the 3CX DesktopApp. Sophos reported that the software is a digitally signed version of the softphone desktop client for Windows and is packaged with a malicious payload. The application has been abused by the threat actor to add an installer that communicates with various command-and-control servers.

According to SentinelOne, the threat actor registered a massive attack infrastructure in February 2022 and is tracking the attack under the name SmoothOperator. Researchers noted that it is a chain attack that takes advantage of the DLL side-loading technique to load a malicious DLL that's designed to retrieve an icon file payload. The trojanized 3CX DesktopApp is the first stage in a multi-stage attack chain that pulls ICO files appended with base64 data from GitHub and ultimately leads to a third-stage infostealer DLL still being analyzed as of the time of writing.

Crowdstrike also found that the malicious activity includes beaconing to actor-controlled infrastructure, deployment of second-stage payloads, and hands-on-keyboard activity in a small number of cases. Sophos noted that the DLL side-loading is designed in such a way that users will not realize any difference while using the application. The information stealer can gather system information and sensitive data stored in Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Mozilla Firefox browsers.

In conclusion, the ongoing supply chain attack on the 3CX DesktopApp has prompted urgent action from the company, with a software update in progress and a recommendation for users to switch to its PWA client in the meantime. Security researchers have detected malicious activity originating from the trojanized version of the app, which has been abused by the threat actor to communicate with command-and-control servers and steal sensitive data. As always, it is important to stay vigilant and take immediate action in response to any security alerts or warnings.

Known Cyber Espionage Group and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

The primary purpose of cyber espionage groups and advanced persistent threats (APTs) is to gather sensitive information covertly from target organizations or individuals. This information can include a wide range of data, such as intellectual property, trade secrets, military plans, political intelligence, and more.

APTs are called "advanced" because they use advanced tactics and techniques to infiltrate and compromise target systems. They are called "persistent" because they often maintain a long-term presence on a target's systems to continue gathering information.

Cyber espionage groups and APTs are often sponsored by governments or other organizations, and they may target a wide range of sectors, including government, military, finance, and more. The information they gather can be used for various purposes, including military advantage, economic gain, and political leverage.

Here are a few things you will need to know to understand this blog:

• Compromise: When a system or network is compromised, an unauthorized party has gained access to it. This could be due to a security vulnerability or a successful cyber attack.

• Cyber espionage: Cyber espionage refers to the practice of collecting sensitive information covertly through the use of computer networks and the internet, often for military or political purposes.

• Exploit: An exploit is a vulnerability or weakness in a computer system, network, or application that can be exploited by an attacker to gain unauthorized access or perform other malicious actions.

• Ransomware: Ransomware is malware that encrypts a victim's files, making them inaccessible until a ransom is paid to the attacker.

• Breach: A breach is an incident in which a security system or protocol has been successfully attacked or bypassed.

• Phishing: Phishing is a type of cyber attack that involves tricking people into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial information, by pretending to be a legitimate entity. This is often done through fake emails or websites.

Known Cyber Espionage Group and Advanced Persistent Threats

There are many known cyber espionage groups and advanced persistent threats (APTs) that have been identified by cybersecurity researchers. Some examples include:

• APT1 (also known as Comment Crew or Shanghai Group): A Chinese APT that has been active since 2004 and has been linked to several high-profile cyber espionage campaigns.

• APT28 (also known as Fancy Bear or Sofacy Group): A Russian APT that has been active since at least 2007 and has been linked to cyber espionage campaigns against governments, military organizations, and other high-value targets.

• APT29 (also known as Cozy Bear or The Dukes): Another Russian APT that has been active since at least 2008 and has been linked to cyber espionage campaigns against a wide range of targets, including government agencies, think tanks, and political organizations.

• APT3 (also known as Gothic Panda or UPS Team): A Chinese APT that has been active since at least 2010 and has been linked to cyber espionage campaigns against a wide range of targets, including governments, military organizations, and businesses.

• APT10 (also known as Stone Panda or MenuPass Group): A Chinese APT that has been active since at least 2010 and has been linked to cyber espionage campaigns against a wide range of targets, including governments, military organizations, and businesses.

Cyber Espionage Group and Advanced Persistent Threats Tools

Cyber espionage groups and advanced persistent threats (APTs) use various tools and techniques to infiltrate and compromise target systems. These can include:

Malware: APTs often use malware to infect and compromise target systems. This can include viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware, and other types of malicious software.

Spearphishing: APTs may use spearphishing attacks to trick target individuals into revealing sensitive information or installing malware. Spearphishing attacks are highly targeted and often involve using fake emails or websites that appear legitimate.

Vulnerabilities: APTs may exploit vulnerabilities in software or systems to gain access to a target's systems. This can include known vulnerabilities that have not been patched, as well as zero-day vulnerabilities (vulnerabilities that are unknown to the vendor and have not yet been patched).

Command and control servers: APTs may use command and control servers to remotely control the malware they have deployed on a target's systems and to exfiltrate stolen data.

Custom tools: APTs may use custom tools developed specifically for their operations. These tools may be designed to evade detection or to perform specific tasks, such as stealing specific types of data or taking control of systems.

How to Protect System Form Cyber Espionage Groups and Advanced Persistent Threats?

Here are a few steps that organizations and individuals can take to protect their systems from cyber espionage groups and advanced persistent threats (APTs):

• Keep software and systems up to date: Make sure to apply the latest security updates and patches for all software and systems. This can help to close known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by APTs.

• Use antivirus and firewall software: Install and regularly update antivirus and firewall software to help protect against malware and other threats.

• Use strong, unique passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts and do not reuse passwords across different accounts.

• Enable two-factor authentication: Use two-factor authentication, which requires a second form of authentication in addition to a password, whenever possible. This can help to protect against attacks that rely on stolen passwords.

• Be cautious of emails and links: Be cautious of emails and links, particularly those that come from unknown sources. Do not click on links or download attachments from untrusted sources, as they may contain malware.

• Educate employees: Educate employees about the risks of cyber attacks and teach them how to recognize and avoid suspicious emails and other threats.

• Conduct regular security assessments: Conduct regular security assessments to identify vulnerabilities and to ensure that security measures are effective.

Are you worried about cyber espionage?

CyberSecOp managed services help organizations by providing the expertise and resources; we are a specialized cybersecurity provider for organizations that may not have the in-house expertise or resources to manage their cybersecurity effectively.

Some common types of managed services in the context of APTs and cyber espionage may include:

• Threat intelligence and monitoring: Offer real-time monitoring for APTs and other threats, as well as analysis of threat intelligence data.

• Vulnerability management: Offer services to help organizations identify and address vulnerabilities in their systems and applications.

• Security incident response: Offer support to organizations in responding to security incidents, including providing guidance on how to contain and mitigate the effects of an attack.

• Security testing and assessment: Providers may offer services to help organizations assess the effectiveness of their current security measures and identify areas for improvement.

CyberSecOp use MITRE ATT&CK to help organizations better understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by attackers and design more effective defenses against them. We also use it in relation to incident response, allowing organizations to quickly identify what stage of an attack they are dealing with and take appropriate action.

Using MITRE ATT&CK to provide services, it helps your clients improve their cybersecurity posture and defend against cyber attacks. This could involve providing guidance on how to implement controls to mitigate specific attack techniques, conducting assessments to identify vulnerabilities and areas for improvement, or providing incident response support.