Security researchers have recently uncovered a financially motivated cyber threat campaign named Labrat, which cleverly exploits vulnerabilities in order to profit from crypto mining and proxy jacking. These threat actors have gone to great lengths to remain hidden, using various tactics and techniques.
The Labrat Campaign
The Labrat campaign came to light when the team at Sysdig observed the threat actors compromising a targeted container through the use of the legacy GitLab remote code execution vulnerability known as CVE-2021-22205. This flaw allowed them to gain unauthorized access and initiate their malicious activities.
The ultimate objective of the Labrat campaign is to generate revenue by engaging in two primary activities: cryptomining and proxyjacking. Cryptomining involves using the compromised systems’ computational power to mine cryptocurrencies, while proxyjacking allows threat actors to rent out compromised systems used as proxy networks.
Extensive Efforts to Stay Hidden
Unlike many cyber attackers who opt for simple scripts, the Labrat campaign deployed stealthy compiled binaries written in Go and .NET. By doing so, the threat actors enhanced their ability to remain concealed from researchers and network defenders.
In their efforts to obfuscate their command-and-control (C2) network, the attackers exploited a legitimate service called CloudFlare. Leveraging this service allowed them to obscure their malicious activities and increase their chances of avoiding detection.
To maintain their revenue stream and outsmart security defenses, the Labrat attackers continuously update their compiled binaries. This dynamic approach raises the bar for detection, as traditional signature-based defenses struggle to keep up with the rapidly evolving threat.
To ensure persistence, the Labrat attackers utilize a legitimate open-source tool known as Global Socket (GSocket). By leveraging this tool, the attackers can maintain their foothold on compromised systems, making it challenging for organizations to entirely remove their presence.
Potential Expansion of the Campaign
Beyond engaging in cryptomining and proxyjacking, the Labrat campaign offers potential for broader implications. The backdoor deployed by the attackers provides them with access to compromised systems, enabling them to potentially exploit these footholds for other malicious purposes.
Recommendations for Impacted Users
Users impacted by the CVE-2021-22205 vulnerability should promptly adhere to their organization’s security incident and disaster recovery protocols. This includes reporting the incident, deprovisioning the compromised instance, and initiating recovery procedures.
To mitigate the risk posed by the Labrat campaign, it is crucial to deprovision the compromised GitLab instance promptly. Following this, organizations should restore their systems using the latest good working backup to a new GitLab instance, ensuring a clean and secure environment for operations.
The Labrat campaign represents a significant threat in the realm of cybercrime, targeting financial gain through cryptomining and proxyjacking. By utilizing undetected binaries, abusing legitimate services, and constantly updating their techniques, the threat actors behind Labrat have demonstrated their commitment to remaining hidden and profitable. As this campaign evolves, it is imperative for organizations to be vigilant, follow security best practices, and leverage robust detection and prevention measures to safeguard their systems and data.