AZORult: Persistent Is Key
INITIAL INFECTION
AZORult is typically delivered through spam emails or malicious websites. Hackers may send out spam emails with infected attachments or links to malicious websites in an attempt to trick victims into downloading and installing the malware on their machines. The emails may be designed to appear legitimate and may use social engineering techniques to persuade the victim to take action. For example, the email may claim to be from a legitimate company or organization and may contain a sense of urgency or a false sense of security in order to get the victim to take the desired action.
In addition to spam emails, AZORult can also be spread through malicious websites. Hackers may create fake websites that are designed to look legitimate, but are actually designed to infect the visitor's machine with malware. The website may contain infected links or downloads that, when clicked on or downloaded, will install the malware onto the victim's machine. Hackers may also use exploit kits, which are tools that are used to identify vulnerabilities in a victim's system and then exploit them to deliver malware.
PERSISTENCE
One of the key ways that AZORult is able to persist on an infected machine is through the use of rootkits. Rootkits are types of software that are designed to run with the highest level of privileges on a system, and they are often used by malware to maintain a foothold on an infected machine. AZORult can use rootkits to hide itself on the infected machine, making it more difficult for the victim to detect and remove the malware.
In addition to using rootkits for persistence, AZORult can also perform other actions in order to steal sensitive information. It can use web injects to alter the appearance or behavior of webpages in order to steal login credentials and other sensitive information as it is entered by the user. It can also be customized to target specific types of data and can be used to download and install other types of malware onto the infected machine.
EXFILTRATION
AZORult is a particularly dangerous form of malware because it is highly versatile and can be customized to target specific types of data. It can also be used to download and install other types of malware onto the infected machine, further increasing the attacker's access to the victim's system.
One of the key ways that AZORult is able to steal sensitive information is through the use of web injects. Web injects are code snippets that are inserted into a webpage as it is loaded in the victim's browser. They can be used to alter the appearance or behavior of the webpage, and in the case of AZORult, they can be used to steal login credentials and other sensitive information as it is entered by the user.
The malware can also be used to exfiltrate sensitive documents from the target system. Specific file extensions like PDFs and DOC files can be taken from the users computer and directly uploaded to the attackers servers.
PROTECTION
To protect against AZORult and other types of malware, it is important to use antivirus software and keep it up to date, be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources, and avoid visiting unfamiliar websites. It is also a good idea to use strong and unique passwords for all of your accounts and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.