New Ttint IoT botnet exploits two zero-days in Tenda routers

Security researchers provided technical details about an IoT botnet dubbed Ttint that has been exploiting two zero-days in Tenda routers

Security researchers at Netlab, the network security division Qihoo 360, have published a report that details an IoT botnet dubbed Ttint.

The experts are monitoring the Mirai-based botnet since November 2019 and observed it exploiting two Tenda router 0-day vulnerabilities to spread a Remote Access Trojan (RAT).

Unlike other IoT DDoS botnets, Ttint implements 12 remote access functions such as Socket5 proxy for router devices, tampering with router firewall and DNS settings, executing remote custom system commands.

The botnet uses the WSS (WebSocket over TLS) protocol for C2 communication to circumvent the typical Mirai traffic detection and provide secure encrypted communication for command and control.

“About the infrastructure, the attacker first used a Google cloud service IP, and then switched to a hosting provider in Hong Kong” reads the analysis published by Netlab.

“Two zero days, 12 remote access functions for the router, encrypted traffic protocol, and infrastructure IP that that moves around. This botnet does not seem to be a very typical player.”

When the botnet was first detected in 2019, experts noticed it was exploiting the Tenda zero-day flaw tracked as CVE-2020-10987.

The vulnerability was detailed in July 2020 by the security researchers Sanjana Sarda.

On August 21, Netlab researchers observed the Ttint botnet exploiting a second zero-day flaw in the family of Tenda routers.

On August 28, 2020, Netlab reported the details of this second 0-day flaw and the PoC to Tenda, but the vendor has not yet responded.

According to the experts, Tenda routers running a firmware version between AC9 to AC18 are vulnerable to the attack.

The report published by Netlab includes Indicators of Compromise (IoCs).

“We recommend that Tenda router users check their firmware and make necessary update.” concludes the report. “We also recommend that our readers monitor and block related IoCs.”

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Ttint botnet)

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Pierluigi Paganini

Pierluigi Paganini is member of the ENISA (European Union Agency for Network and Information Security) Threat Landscape Stakeholder Group and Cyber G7 Group, he is also a Security Evangelist, Security Analyst and Freelance Writer. Editor-in-Chief at "Cyber Defense Magazine", Pierluigi is a cyber security expert with over 20 years experience in the field, he is Certified Ethical Hacker at EC Council in London. The passion for writing and a strong belief that security is founded on sharing and awareness led Pierluigi to find the security blog "Security Affairs" recently named a Top National Security Resource for US. Pierluigi is a member of the "The Hacker News" team and he is a writer for some major publications in the field such as Cyber War Zone, ICTTF, Infosec Island, Infosec Institute, The Hacker News Magazine and for many other Security magazines. Author of the Books "The Deep Dark Web" and “Digital Virtual Currency and Bitcoin”.