PowerLess

Malware updated 7 days ago (2024-11-29T14:52:29.814Z)
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Powerless is a malicious software (malware) that was deployed by Ballistic Bobcat in September 2021, during the wrap-up of the campaign documented in CISA Alert AA21-321A. This malware was introduced as part of the PowerLess campaign, which involved the use of a new command and control (C&C) server. The PowerLess backdoor and its supporting toolset were delivered to victims through phishing attacks, often disguised as fake emails. Traditional blocklisting methods proved ineffective against this malware, as the URLs used for downloading additional stages were dynamically generated and the hash of the initial payload fetched from the C2 was always unique. Imperva Data Security Fabric (DSF), a data-centric protection solution for enterprises, was found to be powerless against threats like Powerless. These threats include data handling mistakes, malicious insiders, and attack exploits leveraging compromised account credentials. Despite advancements in law enforcement capabilities, they were unable to act swiftly enough against such cyber threats, particularly those originating from non-cooperative states like Russia. Conventional means also failed to halt the spread of similar malware, such as Glupteba, leading to litigation from companies like Google. Victims of the Powerless malware often felt helpless, witnessing some of their friends and family falling for related scams. Nati Tal, head of Guardio Labs, noted that despite the challenges, they were not entirely powerless, managing to detect millions of fake emails impersonating their brands. Despite these efforts, the culture of blame that often follows such breaches can leave teams feeling powerless. It's crucial to remember that fostering a supportive environment is key to overcoming such cybersecurity challenges.
Description last updated: 2024-10-17T11:41:50.240Z
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Possible Aliases / Cluster overlaps
It's hard to track cluster overlaps and naming conventions between vendors, so here are some possible overlapping names / profiles you also may want to look at. Create a free account to see the source evidence for each alias, and help fix any errors.
Alias DescriptionVotes
Powerless Backdoor is a possible alias for PowerLess. The PowerLess Backdoor is a novel and previously undocumented malware linked to the Phosphorus group, an Iranian-aligned threat actor. This malicious software was discovered by the Cybereason Nocturnus Team in September 2021 when a victim received an updated version of the Ballistic Bobcat tools, wh
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Miscellaneous Associations
Other elements of context that could aid in the identification of relevance
Payload
Backdoor
Malware
Ransomware
Implant
PowerShell
Loader
State Sponso...
Espionage
Exploit
Phishing
Analyst Notes & Discussion
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Associated Threat Actors
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Alias DescriptionAssociation TypeVotes
The Phosphorus Threat Actor is associated with PowerLess. Phosphorus, also known as APT35 or Charming Kitten, is a prominent threat actor linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran. The group is notorious for its cyberespionage activities and has been actively targeting high-profile individuals involved in Middle Eastern affairs at univUnspecified
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The Ballistic Bobcat Threat Actor is associated with PowerLess. Ballistic Bobcat, also known as APT35, APT42, Charming Kitten, TA453, and Phosphorus, is a threat actor group believed to be aligned with Iran. The group has been active for several years, developing and deploying a series of backdoor exploits known as Sponsor (versions v1 through v4). Ballistic BobUnspecified
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The Charming Kitten Threat Actor is associated with PowerLess. Charming Kitten, also known as APT35 or APT42 among other names, is a threat actor believed to be linked to the Iranian government. The group has been implicated in a series of cyber-attacks against various entities in Brazil, Israel, and the U.A.E., deploying a new backdoor that initiates an infectUnspecified
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Source Document References
Information about the PowerLess Malware was read from the documents corpus below. This display is limited to 20 results, create a free account to see more
PreviewSource LinkCreatedAtTitle
DARKReading
4 months ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
DARKReading
6 months ago
Malwarebytes
7 months ago
CERT-EU
9 months ago
CERT-EU
9 months ago
CERT-EU
10 months ago
DARKReading
10 months ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
ESET
a year ago
BankInfoSecurity
a year ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
CERT-EU
a year ago
CERT-EU
a year ago