Stealer is Delivered to Targets Bundled with Ransomware and Other Malicious Content

OXFORD, U.K.  — Agosto 3, 2021 —

Sophos, a global leader in next-generation cybersecurity, has published new research, “Trash Panda as a Service: Raccoon Stealer Steals Cookies, Cryptocoins and More,” detailing how a stealer disguised as pirated software grabs cryptocurrencies and information while dropping malicious content, such as cryptominers, on targeted systems.

“With much of daily and professional life now reliant on services delivered through a web browser, the operators behind information-stealing malware are increasingly targeting stored web credentials that provide access to a lot more than they could get by just stealing stored password hashes,” said Sean Gallagher, senior threat researcher at Sophos.

“The campaign we’ve been tracking shows Raccoon Stealer grabbing passwords, cookies, and the ‘autofill’ text for websites, including credit card data and other personally identifying information that may be stored by a browser. Thanks to a recent ‘clipper’ update that changes the clipboard or destination information for a cryptocurrency transaction, Raccoon Stealer also now targets crypto-wallets, and it can retrieve or load files – such as additional malware – on infected systems. That’s a lot of stuff that cybercriminals can easily monetize for a service that is ‘rented out’ at $75 for a week’s use.”

Raccoon Stealer is usually spread by spam email. However, in the campaign Sophos investigated, it is distributed through droppers that the operators disguised as cracked software installers. These droppers bundle Raccoon Stealer with additional attack tools, including malicious browser extensions, YouTube click-fraud bots, and Djvu/Stop, a ransomware targeted primarily at home users.

The operators behind this Raccoon Stealer campaign also used the Telegram chat service for the first time for command-and-control communications, according to Sophos researchers.

“Information stealers fill an important niche in the cybercrime ecosystem. They offer a quick return on investment and represent an easy and cheap entry point for bigger attacks,” said Gallagher. “Cybercriminals often sell stolen identity credentials on ‘dark’ marketplaces, allowing other attackers, including ransomware operators or Initial Access Brokers, to take advantage of them for their own criminal intentions – such as breaking into a corporate network through a workplace chat service. Or attackers can use credentials for further attacks targeting other users on the same platform. There is a constant demand for stolen user credentials – especially credentials providing access to legitimate services that attackers can use to easily host or spread more malware. Information stealers may look like lower-level threats, but they’re not.”

Sophos recommends that organizations that use online services for workplace chat and collaboration use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to protect employees’ accounts and ensure that all employees have up-to-date malware protection on any computer they access remote work-related services from.

Sophos Intercept X protects users by detecting the actions and behaviors of malware like Raccoon Stealer, including scanning for suspicious activity in memory and protecting against fileless malware.

Sophos advises consumers to install a security solution on the devices that they and their families use for online communications and gaming, such as Sophos Home, to protect everyone from malware and cyberthreats. It is also good security practice to avoid downloading and installing unlicensed software from any source. Always check first to make sure it’s legitimate.

Further information on Raccoon Stealer and other cyberthreats is available at SophosLabs Uncut.

Acerca de Sophos

Sophos es una empresa innovadora y líder global de soluciones de seguridad avanzadas para combatir los ciberataques, entre las que se incluyen servicios de detección y respuesta gestionadas (MDR) y de respuesta a incidentes y un amplio catálogo de tecnologías para la protección de endpoints, redes, el correo electrónico y la nube. Como uno de los mayores proveedores especializados en ciberseguridad, Sophos protege a más de 600 000 organizaciones y a más de 100 millones de usuarios de todo el mundo frente a adversarios activos, ransomware, phishing, malware y mucho más. Los servicios y productos de Sophos se conectan a través de la consola de administración de Sophos Central y utilizan Sophos X-Ops, la unidad de información sobre amenazas multidominio de la empresa. La información de Sophos X-Ops optimiza todo el Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem, que incluye un lago de datos centralizado que se sirve de un completo conjunto de API abiertas disponibles para clientes, partners, desarrolladores y otros proveedores de ciberseguridad y de tecnología de la información. Para las organizaciones que necesitan soluciones de seguridad totalmente gestionadas, Sophos ofrece la ciberseguridad como servicio. Aunque los clientes también pueden gestionar su ciberseguridad directamente mediante la plataforma de operaciones de seguridad de Sophos o utilizar un enfoque híbrido reforzando sus equipos internos con los servicios de Sophos, que incluyen la búsqueda y remediación de amenazas. Sophos vende a través de partners distribuidores y proveedores de servicios gestionados (MSP) en todo el mundo. Sophos tiene su sede en Oxford, Reino Unido. Encontrará más información en es.sophos.com.