1. Overview The AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) continuously monitors various threats targeting Linux environments. Techniques that modify the Linux kernel to conceal malware and signs of compromise have been used for a long time, and Syslogk is one such rootkit that operates in this manner. This document provides an analysis of the key features […]

The AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) recently identified attack cases that exploited Radmin and UltraVNC. Although the Initial Intrusion method remains unknown, the attackers installed Radmin—a remote control tool—and then installed UltraVNC. The threat actors exploited the remote control tools to gain control of the infected systems and installed Netch and CCProxy to use the […]

  People who initially seem fine but tend to subtly avoid others as the relationship deepens or when conflicts arise—and who disappear when pressured—are commonly referred to as “avoidant types.” By repeatedly pulling away only to reappear, they drain the other person’s emotions and energy, ultimately undermining the relationship. The attack pattern of the recently […]

A request to review the purchase of seafood ingredients arrived. When the file is opened, a normal hwp document appears, but while the user is reviewing the contents, a malicious script runs in the background and even registers a scheduled task. It then extracts system information to an external location, downloads and executes additional commands, […]

Purpose and Scope The July 2026 Threat Trend Report on Ransomware summarizes major Korean & global ransomware issues based on statistics regarding the quantity of new ransomware samples, the number of compromised systems, and statistics on targeted businesses. Statistics on targeted businesses were compiled based on information published on DLS (Dedicated Leak Sites, also referred […]

Statistics on Malware Distributed to the Financial Sector In Attack Stage 1, phishing (a technique that tricks users into opening malicious links or attachments) had the highest rate at 1.7, Down from 2.3 The previous month. In Attack Stage 2, Dropper/Downloader (a type that downloads additional malware) was the most prevalent at 1.7, Up from […]

Content This report summarizes the distribution channels, number of Infostealers, number of detections, and target companies that were disguised as Infostealers collected during the month of July 2026. It was compiled based on results from AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC)’s automated data collection system, email honeypots, and automated C2 analysis, as well as diagnostic logs […]

The AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) recently identified a phishing email campaign that disguised itself as a request to review a quote. The threat actor impersonated a sales team member at a specific overseas company and, by claiming that a previous quote needed to be revised and product versions verified, tricked recipients into opening the […]

The AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) recently identified attack cases in which attackers targeted web servers in Korea to install SoftEther VPN. Attack cases involving the installation of SoftEther VPN, an open-source VPN, were previously discussed in the 2024 ASEC blog post titled “Analysis of Attack Cases Targeting ERP Servers in Korea to Install SoftEther […]

Recently, the AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) identified instances of phishing emails that were disguised as transaction receipts. The emails impersonated employees of a specific US company. The body of the message stated that a transaction receipt was attached and asked the recipient to review it and confirm whether funds had been deposited into their […]

1. Overview AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) recently confirmed that the Larva-26005 threat actor is distributing Xctdoor to users in Korea. Xctdoor was disclosed through the ASEC blog in 2024, and [1] In March 2026, Hauri disclosed an attack case in which the malware was disguised as an integrated security program. [2]   While analyzing […]

The Larva-24009 threat actor has been active since at least 2023, carrying out phishing email attacks targeting users both in Korea and globally to install malware. ASEC (AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) has previously disclosed attack cases by this threat actor in 2024, and [1] [2] [3] Subsequently, Cyble also identified this same attack campaign […]

This technical analysis report was prepared as part of the joint cybersecurity advisory titled “Advisory on Cyberattacks Targeting Korean Citizens and Businesses by State-Sponsored Hacking Groups” issued by the Republic of Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), National Police Agency (NPA), Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), and Financial Security Institute (FSI).   OverView AhnLab SEcurity […]

Summary AtlasRAT is a Windows-based remote access malware. This report analyzes a four-stage in-memory loader chain—which begins with a Delphi executable that is disguised as AGE Flash Player—and its final RAT functionality. The final payload performs TLS-based ChaCha20-encrypted C2 communication, executes modular plugins, performs offline keylogging, and injects DLLs into WeChat processes. Group Characteristics Public […]

While monitoring attack cases targeting MS-SQL servers, the AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) identified an instance in which the Larva-26009 threat actor installed the XMRig CoinMiner. While the installation of CoinMiner is common in attack cases targeting MS-SQL servers, in this particular attack case, the attacker installed VShell and GotoHTTP to gain control over the […]

AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) previously disclosed an attack case in which the Kimsuky group used spear phishing attacks to install the PebbleDash malware in a post titled “Analysis of the Kimsuky Group’s Latest Attacks Exploiting PebbleDash and RDP Wrapper” [1]. The same threat actors have continued their activities in 2026 and have recently been […]

Statistics on Malware Distributed to the Financial Sector In the June threat analysis for the financial sector, phishing was the most prevalent attack method in Attack Stage 1, while droppers/downloaders (distribution tools that download additional malware) were the most prevalent in Attack Stage 2. Infostealers were identified in the third attack stage, indicating that multi-stage […]

Contents This report summarizes the distribution channels, number of Infostealers, number of detections, and information on companies targeted by new Infostealers collected during June 2026. The collected samples were obtained through an automated data collection system, an email honeypot system, and an automated malware C2 analysis system operated by AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC). Purpose […]

The AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) is monitoring attacks targeting poorly managed Linux servers using multiple honeypots. Recently, ASEC identified cases where malware with propagation capabilities was used to install the XMRig CoinMiner.   In these attack cases, malware such as ShellBot, MIG LogCleaner, and XHide were used. The threat actors created and used downloaders […]

Recently, the AhnLab SEcurity intelligence Center (ASEC) identified a case of phishing emails that disguise themselves as payment confirmation notices. These emails impersonate employees of a specific company in Korea and trick recipients into opening a malicious XLS file attached to the email, which is disguised as a payment confirmation notice.   [Figure 1] Body […]