Tag: malware as a service

Programming, Security, Tech

Ducktails vs. Duck Tales

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Bye-bye Mr. Duck, Scriptingthewhy told my dad all about you.
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Ducktails is not going to have a good spin after you read about this one. So you may have looked at the title and thought that you are going to read a nice story about Ducktails and have those memories of being a child sitting in front of the TV on weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings come rushing back to you.

Remembering the time sat through your watch list of favorite cartoons until you got to the main event. However, sadly, you’re not going to have that moment. We have come across some information that will have your head spinning including your tail.

So, as usual, we’ll be covering what the attack is, who is using it, the functionality, and effects upon release, and what are some ways to protect yourself from this being the last Saturday morning for your peace of mind.

We found a duck in your computer, it was ducking.
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The Attack

What has you spinning around like a record from the 80s? Great that you asked, the intruder in question is called “Ducktail”, and no, it’s not “Duck Tales”. As mentioned earlier, your sweet childhood is here to be exploited, not rewarded.

Ducktail is what is known as “adware”, adware for those who may not know is malware software that secretly installs itself on the victim’s device and pops up unwanted advertisements.

No, your YouTube account doesn’t have adware, that’s just YouTube being god-awful. Speaking of god-awful, did you know that ducktail was a hairstyle? I’ll take the adware, please.

Ed: You know they could give us more information as to who the scammers are.
Z-daddy: It’s not that simple, and most of the time it’s untraceable.
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Who Can It Be Now

As far as who has been making use of ducktails to make other people’s lives interesting, there have been no names. However, it is believed that its origins trace back to Vietnam a few years back.

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Sue: Ed, I thought you landed a job interview and was looking to get out of here.
Ed: It was a scam.
Sue: Oh, well, Scriptingthewhy could’ve told you about that.
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That Sinking Feeling

Are you confused about how something like this works? Don’t worry, I have you on that front. The Ducktails adware pairs with NodeStealer and targets Meta business and Facebook (also called Meta) accounts and for lack of better a term, hi-jack the accounts.

Once access is gained, social engineering can begin, where multiple victims can be approached through various platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp, even including freelancer platforms like Upwork.

So, yeah, once in, everyone is getting a spicy meatball, and no one is off the menu. Ducktail also has another way in due to performing what is called “search engine poisoning”, this is the dark art of tricking a search engine like Google into ranking webpages to appear number one so they can further distribute their malware.

The overall is you’re being lured into giving your information. These lures involve bogus posting on Upwork, Freelancer, Facebook ads, LinkedIn mailing, and even those “Disney is hiring for Data Analytics 100% remote position” ads you see on YouTube. Disney, like any other job, wants your butt in a seat on-site. Don’t fall for this.

Back on track, so once the adware gets onto your computer and begins to steal information, this includes items like saved session cookies from the browser to then tailor ads more personal to the victim. So basically, you have in your search history lawn mowers, it finds that and crafts you “lawn mowers for cheap or even free”, you click, and pop goes the weasel.

The good news is the rest of your collected information doesn’t go to waste however, it has been known to be sold on the dark web for about $15 USD to about $340 USD depending on who you are. You’re still worth something, whether you believe it or not.

You make one move on my owner’s computer and you’re gone with Tweetie. You got me?
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The Prevention

So it’s clear, you don’t want your tail like your life spinning out of control. Well, don’t worry, I have you on that one. Everyone thinks that cybersecurity is using cutting-edge technology to stop the bad guys when in reality, it’s just practicing some good fundamental habits.

A simple way of thinking about a form of protecting yourself is when contacted by anyone you don’t know and they request you visit a link, uh treat it like the front door of your house, and don’t open it. I hope you wouldn’t open the door all the way for a complete stranger so the same applies here.

Always keep a lookout when visiting websites as if you look in your browser search bar and to the left, if the little lock symbol is not locked then that means the site is not secure. This means everyone else can see your transactions and you don’t want that.

When downloading software, it is always best to download from the official site and not a third party as downloading from a third party may contain malware and other nasty software.

Having your operating system and anti-virus up to date is a must because patches for vulnerabilities are released often and further help protect your computer. Always remember, your tail is meant to twerk for a paycheck, not twerking because you lost one.

Whoa there lil duckie, we’re not saying all ducks are bad.
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Made it this far and found this to be entertaining? Then a big thanks to you and please show your support by cracking a like, sharing this with whomever, scripting a comment, or plug-in to follow.

Would like to give sincere thanks to current followers and subscribers, your support and actions mean a lot and has a play in the creation of each script.

Do you feel like there is something I may have missed on Ducktail? Script a comment below.

Programming, Security, Tech

Buzzing in Your Computer

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Tom: Hey, did either of you check out the script?
Aaron: Yeah Tom, now shut up the movie is about to start.
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So, you’re a fan of Transformers, huh? Well, brace yourself, because this might shock you. You know how those robots can turn into cars, planes, and other stuff?

Well, guess what? Some of them can also hack into your computer or your online accounts without breaking a sweat. It’s crazy, the internet never stops being the place where people can exploit sweet childhood memories.

We’re going to look at what the attack is, who is using it, the functionality and effects upon release, and what are some ways to protect yourself from this transformer transforming your life into a nightmare.

Kim: So uh…we’re just friends huh?
Dave: *Thinking: If I pretend like I’m drinking she’ll stop asking me questions.*
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The Attack

Have you ever experienced a transforming nightmare?  For those who may not know it’s called “malware” which means “malicious software”.  This refers to any software that is designed to harm, disrupt, or steal data from a computer or a network. You can think of this as your neighbor offering you food knowing it’s laced with naptime medicine.

The newest addition to being laced with something that stings and honey is not included is called “BumbleBee”. BumbleBee is a malware downloader written in C++ language and has a single function that handles various tasks.

This is malware that can hide in plain sight and deliver ransomware payloads to infected systems. In a nutshell, this bee sting giveth and this bee taketh your data.

Not only do I collect pollen but I can give your computer everything you never wanted, like a virus.
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Who Can It Be Now

Who would set something like this up to take your data? Well, we’re happy to tell you that this didn’t come out from Beyonce’s beehive. BumbleBee has been linked to several cybercriminal groups, such as EXOTIC LILY and TrickBot.

Let us quickly go over the two. EXOTIC LILY is a financially motivated group that may have acted as initial access brokers for other malicious actors and targets a wide range of industries also involving IT.

TrickBot is a Trojan that threat actors spread via spear phishing campaigns. This is done by using tailored emails that contain malicious links. And you thought ChatGPT was only good for fixing resumes and completing essays.

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Well, it’s time to mail some ransomware.
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That Sinking Feeling

Now moving on to how something like BumbleBee works. BumbleBee is a downloader that is distributed through malspam (malware spam- spam email with malware) campaigns. Emails are sent with a malicious attachment that has an ISO extension.

When the user opens the attachment, they see a folder with two files: a DLL file and an LNK file. Both files are infected with this troublesome transformer. The LNK file is a shortcut that executes the DLL file when clicked. Trigging the BumbleBee downloader to download and run other malware on the compromised system.

What’s the other malware that could be downloaded we hear you ask. Well, this could be but is not limited to viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, adware, ransomware, and more. What problems can they cause? Don’t worry, we have you on that as well.

Malware can cause various problems, such as slowing down the system, encrypting or deleting files, displaying unwanted ads, or demanding a ransom to restore access. Malware can infect a device through various methods, such as downloading attachments, clicking on links, visiting malicious websites, or using infected USB drives.

So all in all, BumbleBee gets into your system, transforms, drops off, and rolls out. And you thought Optimus was bad.

This isn’t what we meant as far as protecting your information but it’s a start.
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The Prevention

So how does one protect themselves from what came from the beehive? Well, to protect your computer from malware and other threats of the like. You should follow some basic security practices.

First, avoid opening attachments and clicking on links in emails that look off or are irrelevant to you. Especially if they came from an unknown sender. Second, use only official tools to update and activate the software you use. And never download or run any cracks, keygens, or patches from unknown sources.

Third, keep your operating system and applications updated with the latest security patches and fixes. Fourth, download software and files only from official or reputable websites, and avoid using third-party downloaders.

Lastly, install a reliable antivirus program on your computer and scan your system regularly for any potential infections or vulnerabilities. Many issues will come a buzzing but if you can avoid being stung from a hit and run, then do so.

It’s a good thing I read Scriptingthewhy. I knew these bees were acting funny. IT’S TIME TO GET YA’ll IN ORDER!
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Made it this far and found this to be entertaining? Then a big thanks to you and please show your support by cracking a like, sharing this with whomever, scripting a comment, or plug-in to follow.

Would like to give sincere thanks to current followers and subscribers, your support and actions mean a lot and has a play in the creation of each script.

Do you feel like there is something I may have missed on BumbleBee? Script a comment below.

Security, Tech

Owls Up There with Fed Banking

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To be or not to be…poor. That is the question. WAIT, WHY IS THAT EVEN A QUESTION!?
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Let’s start this off by asking a simple question and this is something that many of you can relate to. How many of you enjoy having a bank account full of money? It’s safe to assume that almost everyone reading this script enjoys having a decent sum of money in their bank account.

I know that there may have been a very, very, very small few that might have said, “Money isn’t real, the real value of you isn’t in the form of numbers.” To them, I ask, if that is true then why is it that every time I get a bill, I spiral into a panic attack? Explain that one, however, you’re not wrong, that’s not the point being made here, so hush.

Suppose like in many situations, you check your account before going to sleep to confirm you have a decent amount, but when waking up you get an alert sounding like the accountant bit from South Park talking about your bank account, “Annnd, it’s gone. Your money, it’s all gone.” Let me script for you how this may have happened.

Dear sweet Satan’s cornhole…Z-Daddy was right. My accounts are at zero.
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Halloween Gone Mobile

So, the numbers in your bank account are gone with the wind and you’re probably wondering how you got to this junction. Well, let me inform you that you may have been infected with a virus called SOVA.

SOVA is a virus designed for mobile phones, as you can predict this is mainly for Android phones, but iPhone users don’t think you’re safe. Your sweet saucy phone jack is just not on the menu for now.

SOVA, in case you were wondering means owl in Russian, the name was given because owls are nocturnal birds of prey, they’re silent, and like a slow jam from the 80s, they stalk and capture their prey. As you could have already guessed, this is Michael Myers of the animal kingdom, and it very well could be on your mobile device.

I don’t stalk my prey; they just don’t see me coming. Stop making a big woot…oh I saw what you did there.
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Night-time Owls, Day-time Collection

Outside of SOVA being given a cute name by the threat actor, the first version made its first appearance on the underground markets back in September of 2021. For those who don’t know what the underground markets are, they’re the “dark web” or may also be called the “dark net”. And before you ask, no, there is not an underground store in either of those areas.

SOVA was shown that it not only had the ability to collect usernames, passwords, and other information, but it also has an interesting function that will be brought up later. Trust me, you’re not going to like this. If you suffer from having trust issues with people, you’re really going to have it with your phone after reading this script.

No, no, no, annnnnnd now it’s gone. All of my money, it’s all gone.
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Intruder at Hand

Right now, you’re probably looking at your phone and thinking “I don’t trust you.” And you would be right since your phone is the main attack vector for this malware/virus/trojan. That’s right, viruses have pronouns too.

SOVA is distributed by a smishing attack, which is another form of phishing where the attacker is trying to bait you into clicking on a link for further malicious intent via text messaging.

Once the fake application is installed on the phone, it then sends the list of all applications installed on your device back to the command-and-control server (C2C), this is done with the intent for the attacker to then choose which app to target.

The attacker fires back the malware that can perform collecting keystrokes, steal cookies, intercept multi-factor authentication tokens, copy and paste, and add fake overlays for a range of apps.

But are you ready to have some major trust issues? This malware can perform actions like clicking, swiping, and pretty much interacting the same way as if you were using it. This is all done via the accessibility service, guessing this is the last time you’ll trust a handicap sign.

All of our accounts are wiped clean, if only we kept reading Scriptingthewhy.
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Panic, Pause, and Simple Steps

While this seems like the sky is falling and you’re never going to dance again because empty words have no rhythm. Though it’s easy to pretend, knowing this information will not make you a fool. Always be very careful when you download from a friend as this could be potential harm that you have been given.

A few other ways of preventing from downloading such malware are to make sure you check all of the details of the application such as reviews and how often the application is downloaded. Make sure you download from only trusted sources like the manufacturer’s store or from the app store.

Other practices are making sure your OS (Operating System), applications, and anti-virus software are up to date. Most of the ways to keep your devices and information safe are to follow simple best practices but most of the time the combination of “It’s our app and we want it now” and reading takes too much effort that exposes us to possible threats.

This is my third time this month getting a spa treatment, and it’s all thanks to those cursed scripts. Bless you Z-Daddy.
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Made it this far and found this to be entertaining? Then a big thanks to you and please show your support by cracking a like, scripting a comment, or plug-in to follow.

Would like to give sincere thanks to current followers and subscribers, your support and actions mean a lot and has a play in the creation of each script.

Do you feel like I may have missed something about SOVA? Script a comment below.