Source: The Red Canary Blog: Information Security Insights
Author: Tony Lambert
URL: https://redcanary.com/blog/threat-intelligence/email-bombing-virtual-machine/
ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:
In 2025, adversaries used social engineering and a custom QEMU VM to achieve persistence following a spam bombing attack.
MAIN POINTS:
- Red Canary Intelligence detected a unique tactic involving a QEMU VM after a spam bombing.
- Adversaries posed as tech support following the email attack to gain trust.
- Quick Assist was used for remote access, leading to VM deployment.
- The VM enabled internal network reconnaissance and connection to a C2 server.
- Sliver framework was used for command and control.
- Forensic analysis revealed activity through prefetch, browser history, and other artifacts.
- Sliver, ScreenConnect, and QDoor were part of the adversary’s toolkit.
- Deleted files and volume shadow copies offered recovery opportunities.
- This represents a shift in adversary tactics, highlighting advanced persistence methods.
- Emphasizes the need for robust defense strategies including social engineering training and remote access monitoring.
TAKEAWAYS:
- Adversaries are using VMs to bypass detection and maintain persistence.
- Social engineering is a critical tool in sophisticated attacks.
- Remote access tools can be leveraged for malicious purposes.
- Network reconnaissance is crucial for adversaries’ internal mapping.
- Multi-layered defense is essential to counter evolving adversary tactics.