TellYouThePass ransomware resurges and exploits Log4Shell in recent attacks

The TellYouThePass ransomware resurged and exploits the Apache Log4j flaw (Log4Shell) to target both Linux and Windows systems.

Researchers from KnownSec 404 Team and Sangfor Threat Intelligence Team reported that the TellYouThePass ransomware resurged and is exploiting the Apache Log4j CVE-2021-44228 flaw to target both Linux and Windows systems.

“On December 13, Sangfor’s terminal security team and Anfu’s emergency response center jointly monitored a ransomware called Tellyouthepass, which has attacked both platforms. Sangfor has captured a large number of Tellyouthepass ransomware interception logs” reads the analysis published by Sangfor. “It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Tellyouthepass ransomware has used high-risk vulnerabilities to launch attacks. As early as last year, it had used Eternal Blue vulnerabilities to attack multiple organizational units.” add the experts.

The TellYouThePass ransomware has remained inactive since the summer of 2020, the threat mainly affected Chinese users.

Twitter user @80vul reported that a piece of the ransomware was employed in an attack on an old system that contained an internet-facing Log4j2 RCE vulnerability.

According to Curated Intelligence, ID-Ransomware (IDR) metric confirmed a spike in the submissions for this ransomware.

“Curated Intel member @PolarToffee responded with an ID-Ransomware (IDR) metric, proving that on December 13th, more than 30 samples of “TellYouThePass” ransomware were submitted to IDR, indicating that “a very sudden spike in submissions for what is a very old ransomware [that day].” Toffee further elaborates that she is “not saying they are using log4j2 but that’s certainly interesting.”” reported Curated Intelligence.

As reported by Bleeping Computer, the researcher German Fernandez also spotted a Linux version of the ransomware that is also able to harvests SSH keys and moves laterally throughout victims’ networks.

Unfortunately TellYouThePass isn’t the unique ransomware exploiting the Log4Shell flaw in its operations, the Conti ransomware gang is the first ransomware operation exploiting the Log4Shell vulnerability to target VMware vCenter Servers.

BitDefender also reported that threat actors are exploiting the flaw to spread a ransomware dubbed Khonsari being installed directly via Log4Shell exploits.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Log4Shell)

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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”.