The notorious North Korean threat actor, Lazarus Group, has once again made headlines with their latest cyber attack. Researchers recently discovered an undisclosed backdoor, named LightlessCan, which was employed by the Lazarus Group in a targeted attack against a prominent Spanish aerospace company. This incident is part of a wider campaign dubbed “Operation DreamJob,” which involves the use of fake job opportunities to lure unsuspecting employees. In this article, we delve into the details of this attack and explore the implications it carries for cybersecurity.
Background: The Lazarus Group and their activities
The Lazarus Group is a highly sophisticated and prolific threat actor known for carrying out cyber attacks on behalf of the North Korean regime. They have been involved in several high-profile campaigns, including the 2014 Sony Pictures Entertainment hack and the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack. The group is primarily motivated by financial gain and gathering intelligence to support national interests.
Discovery of an Undocumented Backdoor, LightlessCan
During their investigation, security researchers at Eset stumbled upon an unknown backdoor called LightlessCan. This highly advanced tool was being used by the Lazarus Group to infiltrate the targeted Spanish aerospace company. The presence of this previously undocumented backdoor highlights the group’s evolving tactics and capabilities.
Attack Method
To launch their attack, the Lazarus Group capitalized on the allure of a dream job opportunity within the aerospace industry. They created phony LinkedIn profiles posing as recruiters to entice employees. This scheme, known as “Operation DreamJob,” allowed the attackers to establish a false sense of trust and credibility.
Payload and Malicious Actions
The attackers deployed two malicious executables, Quiz1.exe and Quiz2.exe, which were cleverly hidden within .iso images hosted on a third-party cloud storage platform. Once these executables were opened, they triggered the installation of additional payloads from the ISO images onto the victim’s system.
Description of LightlessCan
Of particular concern is the sophisticated nature of LightlessCan. This complex and potentially evolving tool provides the Lazarus Group with a wide range of capabilities, enabling them to maintain persistence, evade detection, and execute their malicious actions with precision.
Introduction of NickelLoader
The initial payload deployed by the attackers is an HTTP(S) downloader called NickelLoader. This downloader allows the adversaries to inject any desired program into the memory of the victim’s computer, enabling the execution of further malicious activities without leaving noticeable traces.
RATs and LightlessCan
NickelLoader is primarily used by attackers to deliver two types of Remote Access Trojans (RATs). The first is a variant of the BlindingCan backdoor, previously associated with the Lazarus Group. The second and more concerning RAT is the newly introduced LightlessCan, which appears to be the successor to BlindingCan.
Impact and Implications
One of the most significant implications of this attack is the attackers’ ability to greatly reduce traces of the Windows command-line programs typically used in post-compromise activities. This poses a significant challenge for real-time monitoring solutions and post-mortem digital forensic tools, making it harder to detect and investigate the attack.
The discovery of the LightlessCan backdoor and its deployment by the Lazarus Group highlights the constant evolution of cyber threats and underscores the need for organizations to remain vigilant. This attack against a Spanish aerospace company serves as a chilling reminder of the ever-present danger posed by advanced threat actors. It is crucial for organizations to implement robust security measures, provide employee education, and conduct regular threat assessments to defend against such attacks and protect sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.