• Home
  • Cyber Crime
  • Cyber warfare
  • APT
  • Data Breach
  • Deep Web
  • Digital ID
  • Hacking
  • Hacktivism
  • Intelligence
  • Internet of Things
  • Laws and regulations
  • Malware
  • Mobile
  • Reports
  • Security
  • Social Networks
  • Terrorism
  • ICS-SCADA
  • POLICIES
  • Contact me
MUST READ

SECURITY AFFAIRS MALWARE NEWSLETTER ROUND 55

 | 

Security Affairs newsletter Round 534 by Pierluigi Paganini – INTERNATIONAL EDITION

 | 

Law enforcement operations seized BlackSuit ransomware gang’s darknet sites

 | 

Arizona woman sentenced for aiding North Korea in U.S. IT job fraud scheme

 | 

Operation CargoTalon targets Russia’s aerospace with EAGLET malware,

 | 

Unpatched flaw in EoL LG LNV5110R cameras lets hackers gain Admin access

 | 

Koske, a new AI-Generated Linux malware appears in the threat landscape

 | 

Mitel patches critical MiVoice MX-ONE Auth bypass flaw

 | 

Coyote malware is first-ever malware abusing Windows UI Automation

 | 

SonicWall fixed critical flaw in SMA 100 devices exploited in Overstep malware attacks

 | 

DSPM & AI Are Booming: $17.87B and $4.8T Markets by 2033

 | 

Stealth backdoor found in WordPress mu-Plugins folder

 | 

U.S. CISA adds CrushFTP, Google Chromium, and SysAid flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

 | 

U.S. CISA urges FCEB agencies to fix two Microsoft SharePoint flaws immediately and added them to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

 | 

Sophos fixed two critical Sophos Firewall vulnerabilities

 | 

French Authorities confirm XSS.is admin arrested in Ukraine

 | 

Microsoft linked attacks on SharePoint flaws to China-nexus actors

 | 

Cisco confirms active exploitation of ISE and ISE-PIC flaws

 | 

SharePoint under fire: new ToolShell attacks target enterprises

 | 

CrushFTP zero-day actively exploited at least since July 18

 | 
  • Home
  • Cyber Crime
  • Cyber warfare
  • APT
  • Data Breach
  • Deep Web
  • Digital ID
  • Hacking
  • Hacktivism
  • Intelligence
  • Internet of Things
  • Laws and regulations
  • Malware
  • Mobile
  • Reports
  • Security
  • Social Networks
  • Terrorism
  • ICS-SCADA
  • POLICIES
  • Contact me
  • Home
  • Breaking News
  • Malware
  • Recent DarkGate campaign exploited Microsoft Windows zero-day

Recent DarkGate campaign exploited Microsoft Windows zero-day

Pierluigi Paganini March 14, 2024

Researchers recently uncovered a DarkGate campaign in mid-January 2024, which exploited Microsoft zero-day vulnerability.

Researchers at the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) recently uncovered a DarkGate campaign in mid-January 2024, which exploited the Windows zero-day flaw CVE-2024-21412 using fake software installers.

CVE-2024-21412 (CVSS score 8.1) is an Internet Shortcut Files Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability. An unauthenticated attacker can trigger the flaw by sending the victim a specially crafted file that is designed to bypass displayed security checks. The attacker has to trick the victims into clicking the file link.

In the campaign observed by ZDI, threat actors used PDF documents lures that contained Google DoubleClick Digital Marketing (DDM) open redirects. The victims were redirected to compromised sites hosting the exploit for the Microsoft Windows SmartScreen bypass flaw CVE-2024-21412 that led to malicious Microsoft (.MSI) installers.

“The phishing campaign employed open redirect URLs from Google Ad technologies to distribute fake Microsoft software installers (.MSI) masquerading as legitimate software, including Apple iTunes, Notion, NVIDIA, and others.” reads the analysis published by Trend Micro. “The fake installers contained a sideloaded DLL file that decrypted and infected users with a DarkGate malware payload.”

Microsoft addressed the flaw with the release of Microsoft released Patch Tuesday security updates for February 2024.

In mid-February, U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added the flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Trend Micro researchers reported that the flaw CVE-2024-21412 was used in a zero-day attack chain by the APT group Water Hydra.

A new vulnerability discovered by @thezdi was used in a zero-day attack chain by the APT group Water Hydra.

Watch Trend Micro Sr. Threat Researcher @gothburz share his expert insights on CVE-2024-21412. pic.twitter.com/AZasBtG2Ot

— Trend Micro Research (@TrendMicroRSRCH) February 13, 2024

DarkGate RAT is written in Borland Delphi and is available in the cybercrime ecosystem as a malware-as-a-service (MaaS) model. The malware is considered a sophisticated threat and is continuously improved.

DarkGate has been active since at least 2018, it supports various features, including process injection, the download and execution file, information stealing, shell command execution, and keylogging abilities. The malicious payload also employs multiple evasion techniques.

Financially motivated threat actors employed the malware in attacks against organizations across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The attack chain analyzed by the ZDI starts with a phishing message using PDF attachment with a specially crafted link. The threat actors deployed an open redirect from the doubleclick[.]net domain inside the PDF file.

Upon clicking the link the recipient is redirected to a compromised web server hosting an .URL internet shortcut file that exploits CVE-2024-21412.

“To initiate the DarkGate infection chain, the threat actors deployed an open redirect from the doubleclick[.]net domain inside a PDF file served via a phishing campaign, using the “adurl” parameter that redirected the victim to a compromised web server.” continues the analysis. “The target of the phishing campaign must select the button inside the phishing PDF in order for exploitation of CVE-2024-21412 and DarkGate infection to occur.”

Threat actors use open redirects to distribute fake Microsoft software installers (.MSI) masquerading as legitimate software.

The threat actors used installed masqueraded as legitimate software, including Apple iTunes, Notion, NVIDIA, and others. The fake installers contained a sideloaded DLL file that allows to decrypt and infect users with a DarkGate payload.

“The Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) monitored this campaign closely and observed its tactics. Using fake software installers, along with open redirects, is a potent combination and can lead to many infections. It is essential to remain vigilant and to instruct users not to trust any software installer that they receive outside of official channels.” concludes the report.

Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, malware)


facebook linkedin twitter

CVE-2024-21412 DarkGate Hacking hacking news information security news IT Information Security malware Pierluigi Paganini Security Affairs Security News

you might also like

Pierluigi Paganini July 27, 2025
SECURITY AFFAIRS MALWARE NEWSLETTER ROUND 55
Read more
Pierluigi Paganini July 27, 2025
Security Affairs newsletter Round 534 by Pierluigi Paganini – INTERNATIONAL EDITION
Read more

leave a comment

newsletter

Subscribe to my email list and stay
up-to-date!

    recent articles

    SECURITY AFFAIRS MALWARE NEWSLETTER ROUND 55

    Malware / July 27, 2025

    Security Affairs newsletter Round 534 by Pierluigi Paganini – INTERNATIONAL EDITION

    Breaking News / July 27, 2025

    Law enforcement operations seized BlackSuit ransomware gang’s darknet sites

    Cyber Crime / July 26, 2025

    Arizona woman sentenced for aiding North Korea in U.S. IT job fraud scheme

    Intelligence / July 26, 2025

    Operation CargoTalon targets Russia’s aerospace with EAGLET malware,

    Intelligence / July 25, 2025

    To contact me write an email to:

    Pierluigi Paganini :
    pierluigi.paganini@securityaffairs.co

    LEARN MORE

    QUICK LINKS

    • Home
    • Cyber Crime
    • Cyber warfare
    • APT
    • Data Breach
    • Deep Web
    • Digital ID
    • Hacking
    • Hacktivism
    • Intelligence
    • Internet of Things
    • Laws and regulations
    • Malware
    • Mobile
    • Reports
    • Security
    • Social Networks
    • Terrorism
    • ICS-SCADA
    • POLICIES
    • Contact me

    Copyright@securityaffairs 2024

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities...
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT