Infostealers, an increasingly prevalent form of malware, target sensitive information like login credentials, financial documents, and cryptocurrency wallets. Protecting organizations and individuals from these threats requires a robust security strategy. FortiSandbox, a trusted and cost-effective sandboxing solution, stands as a powerful defense against all types of 0-day attacks, including infostealers, ransomware, Trojans, and phishing.

FortiSandbox recently identified an infostealer specifically targeting German-, Italian-, Polish-, and Spanish-speaking users aiming to steal email login data from Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird mail clients. The stolen data is then sent to its command-and-control (C2) server, granting the threat actor access to the victim's email credentials.

This infostealer arrives as an obfuscated JavaScript file. Once executed, it uses Microsoft tools like PowerShell to copy itself into the user directory and then utilizes the 'certutil' utility to decode its payload and ultimately execute its 64-bit PE file. This sophisticated sequence allows it to effectively bypass security measures and deliver its payload.

Infostealer: Why Europe

Infostealers operate through a variety of means, including phishing emails, malicious website downloads, and exploiting software vulnerabilities. While their prevalence is worldwide, recent reports indicate a significant number of European users falling victim to these attacks. Here are possible reasons:

• Large and affluent population:Europe boasts a significant population with a high disposable income, making it an attractive target for financially-motivated attacks.
• Advanced digital infrastructure:Europe has a highly developed digital infrastructure, with widespread internet penetration and online banking adoption, providing opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit.
• Diverse range of industries:Europe hosts a variety of industries with valuable intellectual property and financial data, making it an attractive target for espionage and industrial sabotage.
• Political instability in certain regions: Some European countries are experiencing political instability, which can lead to weaker cybersecurity infrastructure and increased vulnerability to cyberattacks.
• Language diversity:The variety of languages spoken in Europe can present challenges for cybersecurity defenses, as attackers may target specific language groups with localized attacks.

The FortiSandbox Advantage: Multi-Layered Defense

FortiSandbox offers a multi-layered defense approach that effectively safeguards customers from infostealer attacks:

1. Dynamic Analysis:FortiSandbox goes beyond static analysis, which examines files for known malware signatures. It also employs dynamic analysis, a critical technology for infostealer detection. In a secure sandbox environment, FortiSandbox executes suspicious files, mimicking real-world conditions. This allows it to observe the file's behavior and identify malicious activities like data exfiltration attempts, which static analysis might miss.
2. Global Threat Intelligence:FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet's threat intelligence arm, continuously monitors the global threat landscape. This real-time intelligence feeds directly into FortiSandbox, keeping it updated with the latest infostealer signatures and attack methods. Customers benefit from this global threat intelligence, ensuring comprehensive protection against evolving infostealer threats.
3. Customization for European Needs:FortiSandbox recognizes the unique security needs of different regions, including Europe. It offers a high degree of customization, allowing European security teams to tailor detection rules and configurations to address specific threats prevalent in their region. This ensures optimal protection against infostealer campaigns targeting European users.

FortiSandbox: A Trusted Cybersecurity Control for Securing European Organizations

Like all organizations, European entities require robust security solutions designed to combat cyber threats, including region-specific malware like infostealers. Dynamic analysis, machine learning, and real-time threat updates ensure superior protection against infostealer attacks. By using FortiSandbox, European organizations can establish a proactive and comprehensive security posture to safeguard their valuable data and maintain business continuity in the face of evolving infostealer threats, whether generic attacks or those customized for their region or industry.

You can read more details on the step-by-step analysis of an infostealer attack and the protections provided by FortiSandbox here.