Astaroth Banking Trojan Uses GitHub for Resilient Operations
Cyber Security News by CyberSum.net
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a new Astaroth banking trojan campaign that leverages GitHub repositories to host malware configurations. This tactic ensures the malware remains operational even if traditional command-and-control (C2) servers are taken down. The attack begins with phishing emails containing links to download zipped Windows shortcut files, which install the malware. Astaroth monitors for banking and cryptocurrency-related browser windows, using keylogging to steal credentials. The malware employs steganography to hide configuration data within images on GitHub, making it difficult to eliminate. McAfee worked with GitHub to remove the malicious repositories, but the ease of creating new ones suggests an ongoing challenge.