FritzFrog Botnet Targeting SSH server, Data Center Servers, and Routers

FritzFrog botnet has been continuously targetting different systems for more than two years. The Cybersecurity researchers of Akamai security company have recently noted a new version that has a unique function through which it’s using the Tor proxy chain.

This botnet has been specifically targeting the following sectors along with an exposed SSH server:-

• Education systems
• Government systems
• Healthcare systems

The cybersecurity analysts at Akamai have asserted that this malware has been written in Golang, and it was detected in August 2020; not only this but this malware has been considered as one of the advanced and sophisticated threats.

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FritzFrog: A next-gen botnet

FritzFrog is considered a next-generation botnet, and it has been remarked because of the combination of properties that make it unique, so, that’s why we have mentioned the properties below:- 

• Constantly updated: All the databases of targets and breached machines are traded seamlessly.
• Aggressive: Brute force is established on an extensive dictionary; thus, by comparison, DDG, another one has been discovered that is P2P botnet, and it uses o the only username “root.”
• Efficient: All the targets are evenly disseminated among nodes.
• Proprietary: The P2P protocol is totally proprietary, and it relies on no known P2P protocols such as μTP.

Second wave with new abilities

Apart from this, the global networks of sensors have detected nearly 24000 attacks, and not only that, even the operators of the botnet have claimed that they had implemented a total of 1500 attacks.

Most of the attacks took place in China, but it has also targeted the European Tv network, Russian healthcare, and many other universities in East Asia.

Here the threat actors had used filtering lists with the motive to skip low-powered devices like Raspberry Pu boards.

Capabilities

This new version has a unique function, and not only this, but it has been written in Golang, and it’s quite sophisticated malware. While this malware is being packed with UPX, and it has a total of four processes like:-

1. ifconfig
2. nginx
3. apache2
4. php-fpm

The malware usually gets executed under one particular process at one time. FritzFrog keeps getting updated on a daily basis, and sometimes it gets updated multiple times a day; therefore, it’s remarked as one of the most sophisticated and advanced botnets.

Recommendation

All the admins of data center servers, routers, and cloud instances are required to stay alert, as the FritzFrog targets any device that reveals an SSH server.

Therefore the security experts of Akamai has stated the following indicators of FritzFrog running on a system:-

• Running processes named nginx, ifconfig, php-fpm, apache2, or libexec, whose executable file no longer exists on the file system.
• Listening on port 1234.
• TCP traffic over port 5555 implies network traffic to the Monero pool.

Moreover, the cybersecurity analysts have also suggested some recommendations that we have mentioned below:-

• Always allow the system login auditing with a warning.
• Always monitor the authorized_hosts file on Linux.
• Always configure explicit allow list of SSH login.
• Always allow root SSH access.
• Always allow the cloud-based DNS protection with threats and extraneous business apps like coin mining set to block.

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