Damballa Discovers Advanced Evasion Techniques Being Used by Six Crimeware Families

Damballa Inc. recently released results of its discovery of advanced stealth techniques used by six crimeware families to carry out global cyber attacks. The crimeware families are a new Zeus variant, Bamital, BankPatch, Bonnana, Expiro.Z and Shiz. The crimeware has been evading detection because cyber criminals are rapidly adopting domain generation algorithms (DGAs). This technique is being used to completely evade detection by blacklists, signature filters, and static reputation systems and to hide command-and-control (C&C) infrastructure. DGAs are also referred to as a form of Domain Fluxing.

An eight-page Damballa Research Report describes, for the first time, how six known malware families have been using DGAs to evade detection and grow sizable criminal networks. The oldest, BankPatch, has been using DGAs to evade detection for approximately two years. Without having to reverse engineer malware or 'decode' the DGA algorithm, Damballa Labs can now automatically detect and model DGA behavior by using patent-pending machine learning technology.

The company also released a detailed analysis of a recent variant of the Zeus version 3 malware, and for the first time, provided details on its use of DGAs as a secondary connection technique when the primary connection attempt is blocked or fails (the primary connection technique being peer-to-peer).

“While DGAs are not new, the rate at which they are being adopted and their ability to elude the scrutiny of some of the most advanced malware analysis professionals should be of great concern to incident response professionals,” stated Gunter Ollmann, vice president of research for Damballa. “We have found that the security community as a whole has insufficiently or only partially analyzed the network behaviors of DGA-capable malware. For one, some advanced malware is using DGA as a secondary connection technique when the primary technique, let’s say peer-to-peer, has failed. Those charged with protecting the enterprise that have detected or blocked the obvious primary connection technique have failed to counter the back-up technique, and the malware can then successfully locate the C&C using DGAs.”

DGAs first made major news with the outbreak of Conficker. Since that time, the DGA techniques have significantly advanced and are now being adopted by some of the more stealthy threats and by criminals desperately seeking to avoid attribution.

The concept of DGAs is simple enough, but incredibly stealthy. Malware that has infected an endpoint device is programmed with an algorithm that uses a ‘seed’ value, like the current date, to generate potentially hundreds of seemingly random domain names that all attempt to resolve to an IP address. Nearly all of the domain names will result in a ‘non-existent’ domain message (NXDomain). Only one or a few will actually resolve to an IP address. The criminal operator, knowing the nature of the algorithm and the seed that will be used that day, will register only one (or a few) of the domains and have them resolve to his C&C infrastructure. The next day the cycle repeats. The domains used for the previous day’s connection are discarded, meaning the domain names are ‘thrown away,’ and even if detected, would be meaningless in stopping the threat or discovering the criminal C&C.

Featured

  • Making the Grade with Locks and Door Hardware

    Managing and maintaining locks and door hardware across a school district or university campus is a big responsibility. A building’s security needs to change over time as occupancy and use demands evolve, which can make it even more challenging. Knowing the basics of common door hardware, including locks, panic devices and door closers, can make a difference in daily operations and emergency situations. Read Now

  • Choosing the Right Solution

    Today, there is a strong shift from on-prem installations to cloud or hybrid-cloud deployments. As reported in the 2024 Genetec State of Physical Security report, 66% of end users said they will move to managing or storing more physical security in the cloud over the next two years. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Security Risks for U.S. Retail Chains

    Interface Systems, a provider of security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses, has released its 2024 State of Remote Video Monitoring in Retail Chains report. The detailed study analyzed over 2 million monitoring requests across 4,156 retail locations in the United States from September 2023 to August 2024. Read Now

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3