WebSocket

2026-07-0613 minCheck Pointhigh

Cavern Manticore, an Iran-MOIS-linked APT group, deploys a modular .NET C2 framework targeting Israeli government and IT organizations. The framework uses three compilation formats (Mixed-Mode C++/CLI, NativeAOT, .NET Framework) as an anti-analysis layer, with DLL sideloading via WinDirStat.exe for initial execution. Post-exploitation modules provide DPAPI decryption, LDAP brute-forcing, SQL browsing, network reconnaissance, and SOCKS5 tunneling, with C2 traffic XOR-encrypted over HTTPS/WebSocket channels.

2026-07-0114 minMandianthigh

Google Threat Intelligence Group analyzed STOCKSTAY, a modular .NET backdoor developed and operated by Turla since late 2022, which uses a WebSocket-based C2 channel, RSA/AES encrypted communications, and IPC via WM_COPYDATA between its downloader, orchestrator, tunneler, and backdoor components. STOCKSTAY exhibits strong code, architectural, and obfuscation (K1MORPHER) overlaps with KAZUAR, suggesting a shared development team, and has been deployed via phishing (malicious RDP files, HTA lures) and, most recently, exploitation of CVE-2025-8088 in WinRAR to target Ukrainian military personnel. The actor leverages legitimate hosting platforms (Render, Glitch, GitHub) and compromised third-party/government infrastructure to obscure C2 infrastructure and complicate attribution.

2026-05-137 minTrend Microhigh

Trend Micro identified two distinct threat campaigns, SHADOW-AETHER-040 and SHADOW-AETHER-064, leveraging agentic AI to orchestrate attacks against Latin American government and financial institutions. The attackers utilized AI models like Anthropic's Claude to dynamically generate scripts, analyze configurations, and establish SOCKS5 tunnels for lateral movement, demonstrating a shift towards AI-assisted, signature-evasive intrusion operations.

2026-05-136 minMandiantcritical

Google Threat Intelligence Group identified UNC6692, a threat actor utilizing Microsoft Teams phishing and email bombing to deploy a custom modular malware suite. The attack chain leverages a malicious Chromium extension (SNOWBELT), a Python tunneler (SNOWGLAZE), and a Python bindshell (SNOWBASIN) to establish persistence, move laterally, and exfiltrate sensitive Active Directory data via legitimate cloud services.

2026-05-136 minANY.RUNhigh

A sophisticated, long-running Magecart campaign has been compromising e-commerce websites to steal payment card data, with a notable focus on the Spanish payment ecosystem. The attackers utilize multi-stage JavaScript payloads, mimic legitimate payment gateways like Redsys, and exfiltrate stolen data in real-time via WebSockets to evade traditional detection mechanisms.

2026-05-134 minPalo Alto Networksinfo

This architectural analysis details the hidden mechanisms behind Google's synced passkeys, revealing a hybrid model that leverages a cloud-based authenticator (enclave.ua5v[.]com) for sensitive cryptographic operations while anchoring trust to local hardware keys. Understanding this infrastructure is critical for defenders to anticipate emerging attack vectors in passwordless authentication environments.