Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Attackers Using New Tool to Exploit Reporters, Rights Workers in Asia

    By
    Sean Michael Kerner
    -
    April 20, 2016
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      spear-phishing campaigns

      Attackers are likely using a new tool to build phishing malware campaigns against reporters and human rights activities across Asia, according to security firm Arbor Networks. In a new report about the tool, dubbed the Four-Element Sword Engagement, Arbor reveals the tactics and technologies the attackers are employing.

      Arbor concluded that at least 12 attack scenarios were being employed with different forms of phishing in order to deliver malware payloads.

      “Threat actors with what appears to be a Chinese origin have been targeting Tibetans, journalists in Hong Kong, and human rights workers in Taiwan and across Asia,” Curt Wilson, senior research analyst at Arbor Networks, told eWEEK.

      Wilson noted that the attackers are using the Four-Element Sword Engagement, or four key elements to generate exploit code that builds malicious documents that are then sent in a targeted phishing attack (spear-phishing) to targets of interest. The malicious documents drop malware payloads that will then eavesdrop or otherwise collect information from the victim’s computer.

      “Spying on journalists and human rights workers can have serious consequences,” Wilson said. “These threats to civilized society are definitely a concern, not just for people defending networks.”

      What’s not entirely clear from the report is how wide the impact is from the Four-Element Sword Engagement. Wilson noted that he didn’t know precisely how many people were actually exploited by the attack.

      The Four-Element Sword Engagement gets its name from the four primary vulnerabilities that are exploited, CVE-2012-0158, CVE-2012-1856, CVE-1641 and CVE-2015-1770. These vulnerabilities are known issues that Microsoft has already patched, and as such, any organization running a fully up-to-date Windows system will have less risk of being exploited.

      “Sometimes when dealing with organizations, like those in Tibet, there are limited resources for IT security,” Wilson said. “Clearly, the attackers are throwing those exploits at targets because they think they will have some success.”

      Attackers are also finding success, thanks to the immediate contextual relevance of the spear-phishing topics used. For example, one of the attacks outlined by Arbor Networks is called the Sixteen Drops of Kadam Empowerment, which uses a legitimate looking document, based on content that was posted on the Central Tibetan Administration’s Website on Dec. 31. According to Arbor Networks, the spear-phishing campaign started the same day the content was loaded on the Tibetan Website.

      Wilson noted that the term “Four-Element Sword Builder” is a bit of conjecture based on analysis. By way of Arbor’s analysis of multiple malware samples, researchers were able to find enough code similarity to infer that a single tool was used.

      “I found enough code that had similar characteristics, using the four exploits or a combination of them, so there was enough similarity to imply there is a builder infrastructure behind it,” Wilson said.

      Multiple open-source tools are freely available that attackers or security researchers can use to build phishing and malware campaigns. However, as far as Wilson could tell, there was no known overlap between the Four Element Sword Builder with any tools of which he was aware.

      “[Four-Element Sword Builder] looks like something unique and distinct to me,” Wilson said.

      Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.

      Sean Michael Kerner
      Sean Michael Kerner is an Internet consultant, strategist, and contributor to several leading IT business web sites.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×