Cybersecurity Threats Targeting Developers Identified in New Campaign
/ 4 min read
Quick take - The Contagious Interview campaign poses a significant cybersecurity threat to developers in various sectors by using deceptive job postings to distribute malicious code, while a related operation, WageMole, employs social engineering tactics to exploit job seekers and generate income through fraudulent means.
Fast Facts
- The Contagious Interview campaign targets developers in web, cryptocurrency, and AI sectors, using job postings on platforms like Freelancer to lure victims.
- Malicious JavaScript code, known as “BeaverTail,” is delivered through coding challenges on GitHub and facilitates further exploitation, including keylogging and data exfiltration.
- The campaign has affected over 140 victims across Windows, Linux, and macOS, with a focus on developers in the cryptocurrency industry, leading to the theft of sensitive files.
- A related operation, WageMole, employs social engineering tactics to create fake job-seeking personas and uses platforms like LinkedIn to attract potential employers.
- Both campaigns highlight the need for increased vigilance among job seekers and employers, as cybercriminals exploit legitimate hiring processes for malicious purposes.
The Contagious Interview Campaign: A Cybersecurity Threat
The Contagious Interview campaign has been identified as a significant cybersecurity threat targeting developers, particularly in the web, cryptocurrency, and AI sectors. Documented by ThreatLabz, the campaign employs a multifaceted approach to lure victims, primarily through job postings on part-time hiring platforms such as Freelancer.
Malicious Tactics and Techniques
Applicants are directed to solve coding problems hosted on GitHub, which contain malicious JavaScript code known as “BeaverTail.” This code acts as an initial infection vector, facilitating further exploitation. BeaverTail has demonstrated resilience, with minimal changes since its initial discovery. It is delivered through malicious NPM packages, and the threat actor has diversified the types of files used in attacks, incorporating macOS applications and Windows installers disguised as chat applications.
A notable feature of BeaverTail is its use of advanced obfuscation techniques, employing a JavaScript-obfuscator to conceal its operations and evade detection. It can dynamically retrieve additional malicious code from attacker-controlled servers, further enhancing the threat’s capabilities. Once executed, the BeaverTail script can download additional payloads, including a main backdoor script named “InvisibleFerret.” This backdoor is designed to collect basic system information and execute various malicious functionalities, including initiating keylogging in a separate thread to capture keystrokes and clipboard data.
Victims and Impact
The threat actor can exfiltrate sensitive files, including PDF documents, images, and source code containing credentials. In August 2024, InvisibleFerret was updated with new commands for data exfiltration, expanding its scope to include browser data and application data directories. The malware has shifted from using FTP to solely relying on HTTP for exfiltration. Over a two-month period, more than 140 victims across diverse operating systems—Windows, Linux, and macOS—were identified as compromised by the Contagious Interview campaign. Victims were located in various countries, including India, Pakistan, Kenya, Nigeria, Spain, and Russia. The campaign has particularly focused on developers in the cryptocurrency industry, leading to the exfiltration of sensitive files.
Related Operations: WageMole
In addition to the Contagious Interview campaign, a related operation known as WageMole has emerged, targeting job-seekers using social engineering tactics. WageMole actors create fake personas using stolen or altered identification documents and prepare study guides for job interviews. They leverage generative AI to craft structured responses to interview questions and produce multiple versions of resumes tailored for different roles.
LinkedIn is a key platform for these actors, where fake profiles are crafted to attract potential employers. They also utilize job-seeking sites like Indeed and Glassdoor, targeting various industries, including IT, healthcare, retail, financial services, construction, and real estate. WageMole actors use automation scripts to create accounts on job search platforms and may offer compensation for access to legitimate accounts. Interviews are conducted via Skype, allowing actors to misrepresent their locations.
The group’s overarching goal is to generate income while circumventing economic sanctions, often requesting payments through online platforms like PayPal or Payoneer to obscure their identities. This ongoing threat underscores the need for vigilance among job seekers and employers alike, as cybercriminals continue to exploit legitimate hiring processes for malicious gains.
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