Most Wanted Malware for June 2022: New Banking, MaliBot, and Risk to Mobile Banking Users

Check Point Research reports on new Android banking malware, MaliBot. Emotet, with new variant, is still the most prevalent malware while Snake Keylogger climbs from eighth place to third. 

Our latest Global Threat Index for June 2022 reveals new Android banking, MaliBot, has taken third place in the most prevalent mobile malwares after it emerged following the takedown of FluBot at the end of May. 

MaliBot disguises itself as cryptocurrency mining applications under different names and targets users of mobile banking to steal financial information. Similar to FluBot, MaliBot uses phishing SMS messages (smishing) to lure victims into clicking on a malicious link that redirects them to the download of a fake application containing the malware. 

Also this month, the notorious malware, Emotet, is still the most prevalent malware overall. Snake Keylogger comes in third after an increase in activity since appearing in eighth place last month. Snake’s main functionality is to record users keystrokes and transmit collected data to threat actors. While in May we witnessed Snake Keylogger being delivered via PDF files, recently it has been spread through emails containing Word attachments tagged as requests for quotations. Researchers also reported about new variant of Emotet in June that has credit card stealing capabilities and targets Chrome browser users. 

While it’s always good to see law enforcement successful in bringing down cybercrime groups or malwares like FluBot, sadly it didn’t take long for a new mobile malware to take its place. Cybercriminals are well aware of the central role that mobile devices play in many peoples’ lives and are always adapting and improving their tactics to match. The threat landscape is evolving rapidly, and mobile malware is a significant danger for both personal and enterprise security. It’s never been more important to have a robust mobile threat prevention solution in place. 

This month we also revealed that “Apache Log4j Remote Code Execution” is the most commonly exploited vulnerability, impacting 43% of organisations worldwide, closely followed by “Web Server Exposed Git Repository Information Disclosure” which has a global impact of 42.3%. “Web Servers Malicious URL Directory Traversal” is in third place with a global impact of 42.1%.

Top Malware Families
*The arrows relate to the change in rank compared to the previous month.

This month, Emotet is still the most popular malware with a global impact of 14%, followed by Formbook and Snake Keylogger, each impacting 4.4% of organisations worldwide.

1. ↔ Emotet – Emotet is an advanced, self-propagating and modular Trojan. Emotet was once used as a banking Trojan, but recently is used as a distributer to other malware or malicious campaigns. It uses multiple methods for maintaining persistence and evasion techniques to avoid detection. In addition, it can be spread through phishing spam emails containing malicious attachments or links. 
2. ↔ Formbook – Formbook is an infostealer targeting the Windows OS and was first detected in 2016. It is marketed as Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) in underground hacking forums for its strong evasion techniques and relatively low price. FormBook harvests credentials from various web browsers, collects screenshots, monitors and logs keystrokes, and can download and execute files according to orders from its C&C. 
3. ↑ Snake Keylogger – Snake is a modular .NET keylogger and credential stealer first spotted in late November 2020. Its primary function is to record users keystrokes and transmit collected data to the threat actors. Snake infections pose a major threat to users’ privacy and online safety, as the malware can steal virtually all kinds of sensitive information and it is a particularly evasive and persistent keylogger.
4. ↓ Agent Tesla – Agent Tesla is an advanced RAT functioning as a keylogger and information stealer, which is capable of monitoring and collecting the victim’s keyboard input, system keyboard, taking screenshots, and exfiltrating credentials to a variety of software installed on a victim’s machine (including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and the Microsoft Outlook email client).
5. ↑ XMRig – XMRig is open-source CPU mining software used to mine the Monero cryptocurrency. Threat actors often abuse this open-source software by integrating it into their malware to conduct illegal mining on victims’ devices.
6. ↑ Remcos – Remcos is a RAT that first appeared in the wild in 2016. Remcos distributes itself through malicious Microsoft Office documents, which are attached to SPAM emails, and is designed to bypass Microsoft Windows UAC security and execute malware with high-level privileges.
7. ↑ Phorpiex – Phorpiex is a botnet (aka Trik) and has been since 2010. At its peak, it controlled more than a million infected hosts. Known for distributing other malware families via spam campaigns as well as fueling large-scale spam and sextortion campaigns.
8. ↓ Ramnit – Ramnit is a modular banking trojan first discovered in 2010. Ramnit steals web session information, giving its operators the ability to steal account credentials for all services used by the victim, including bank accounts, and corporate and social networks accounts. The trojan uses both hardcoded domains as well as domains generated by a DGA (Domain Generation Algorithm) to contact the C&C server and download additional modules.
9. ↓ Glupteba – Glupteba is a backdoor which gradually matured into a botnet. By 2019, it included a C&C address update mechanism through public Bitcoin lists, an integral browser stealer capability and a router exploiter.
10. ↑ NJRat – NJRat is a remote accesses Trojan, used both by crime ware and state attackers. The trojan has first emerged on 2012 and has multiple capabilities: capturing keystrokes, accessing the victim’s camera, stealing credentials stored in browsers, uploading and downloading files, performing process and file manipulations, and viewing the victim’s desktop. NJRat infects victims via phishing attacks and drive-by downloads, and propagates through infected USB keys or networked drives, with the support of Command & Control server software.

Top Attacked Industries Globally
This month Education/Research is still the most attacked industry globally, followed by Government/Military and Healthcare.   

1. Education & Research 
2. Government/Military
3. Healthcare

Top Exploited Vulnerabilities
This month, “Apache Log4j Remote Code Execution” is the most commonly exploited vulnerability, impacting 43% of organisations worldwide, closely followed by “Web Server Exposed Git Repository Information Disclosure” which has a global impact of 42.3%. “Web Servers Malicious URL Directory Traversal” is in third place with a global impact of 42.1%. 

1. ↑ Apache Log4j Remote Code Execution (CVE-2021-44228) – A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Apache Log4j. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system.
2. ↑ Web Server Exposed Git Repository Information Disclosure – An information disclosure vulnerability has been reported in Git Repository. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an unintentional disclosure of account information.
3. ↓ Web Servers Malicious URL Directory Traversal (CVE-2010-4598,CVE-2011-2474,CVE-2014-0130,CVE-2014-0780,CVE-2015-0666,CVE-2015-4068,CVE-2015-7254,CVE-2016-4523,CVE-2016-8530,CVE-2017-11512,CVE-2018-3948,CVE-2018-3949,CVE-2019-18952,CVE-2020-5410,CVE-2020-8260) – There exists a directory traversal vulnerability on different web servers. The vulnerability is due to an input validation error in a web server that does not properly sanitise the URL for the directory traversal patterns. Successful exploitation allows unauthenticated remote attackers to disclose or access arbitrary files on the vulnerable server.
4. ↔ HTTP Headers Remote Code Execution (CVE-2020-10826,CVE-2020-10827,CVE-2020-10828,CVE-2020-13756) – HTTP headers let the client and the server pass additional information with an HTTP request. A remote attacker may use a vulnerable HTTP Header to run arbitrary code on the victim machine.
5. ↑ Command Injection Over HTTP (CVE-2021-43936,CVE-2022-24086) – A command Injection over HTTP vulnerability has been reported. A remote attacker can exploit this issue by sending a specially crafted request to the victim. Successful exploitation would allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target machine
6. ↑ PHPUnit Command Injection (CVE-2017-9841) – A command injection vulnerability exists in PHPUnit. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability would allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands in the affected system.
7. ↓ MVPower DVR Remote Code Execution – A remote code execution vulnerability exists in MVPower DVR devices. A remote attacker can exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary code in the affected router via a crafted request.
8. ↑ Apache Struts2 Content-Type Remote Code Execution (CVE-2018-10561) – An authentication bypass vulnerability exists in Dasan GPON routers. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability would allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information and gain unauthorised access into the affected system.
9. ↑ D-LINK Multiple Products Remote Code Execution (CVE-2015-2051) – A remote code execution vulnerability has been reported in multiple D-Link products. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution on the vulnerable device.
10. ↓ WordPress portable-phpMyAdmin Plugin Authentication Bypass (CVE-2012-5469) – An authentication bypass vulnerability exists in WordPress portable-phpMyAdmin Plugin. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability would allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information and gain unauthorised access into the affected system.

Top Mobile Malware
This month AlienBot is the most prevalent mobile malware, followed by Anubis and MaliBot.

1. AlienBot – AlienBot malware family is a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) for Android devices that allows a remote attacker, as a first step, to inject malicious code into legitimate financial applications. The attacker obtains access to victims’ accounts, and eventually completely controls their device. 
2. Anubis – Anubis is a banking Trojan designed for Android mobile phones. Since it was initially detected, it has gained additional functions including Remote Access Trojan (RAT) functionality, keylogger, audio recording capabilities and various ransomware features. It has been detected on hundreds of different applications available in the Google Store.
3. MaliBot – Malibot is an Android banking malware that has been spotted targeting users in Spain and Italy. The banking disguises itself as crypto mining applications under different names and focuses on stealing financial information, crypto wallets and more personal data. 

Check Point’s Global Threat Impact Index and its ThreatCloud Map is powered by Check Point’s ThreatCloud Intelligence. ThreatCloud provides real-time threat intelligence derived from hundreds of millions of sensors worldwide, over networks, endpoints and mobiles. The intelligence is enriched with AI-based engines and exclusive research data from Check Point Research, The Intelligence & Research Arm of Check Point Software Technologies.