DarkGate, Which Abused Microsoft Teams, Now Leverages MSI Files

A new wave of cyberattacks has been discovered by Netskope Threat Labs, involving the use of SharePoint as a delivery platform for the notorious DarkGate malware. 

This alarming trend is driven by an attack campaign that exploits vulnerabilities in Microsoft Teams and SharePoint, posing a serious risk to online security.

DarkGate: A Versatile Threat

DarkGate, also known as MehCrypter, emerged in the cybersecurity scene in 2018. 

Since then, it has become a popular choice among cybercriminals due to its versatile feature set, including HVNC (Hidden VNC), keylogging, information theft, and the ability to download and execute additional payloads. 

This malware variant has been involved in multiple campaigns in the past few months, making it a persistent and evolving threat.

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The Infection Path

The recent DarkGate variant detected by Netskope Threat Labs follows a clever infection path. 

It begins with a phishing email, masquerading as a fake invoice containing a PDF document. 

Once opened, the PDF prompts the user to review a document, initiating the download of a CAB file. 

Within this file lies an internet shortcut leading to the download of an MSI file, the entry point for DarkGate’s infiltration.

Once the MSI file is executed, a complex chain of loading techniques is triggered. 

DarkGate uses DLL side-loading techniques, hiding its presence by executing a fake version of the dbgeng.dll DLL file. 

This DLL, written in Delphi programming language, facilitates the execution of malicious payloads while avoiding detection.

Multiple Layers of Evasion

The malware’s evasion techniques are not limited to a single layer. 

DarkGate’s multi-stage loading process involves the use of AutoIt scripts, further concealing its intentions. 

These scripts construct a PE (Portable Executable) file, executing it through a callback function, adding another layer of complexity to its operation.

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