The increase in Chinese malware activity could challenge Russia's dominance in the cybercrime space.
For decades, Russian and Eastern European hackers have dominated the cybercrime underworld. These days, they may face competition from a new player: China.
Researchers at cybersecurity firm Proofpoint report that since early 2023, they have identified an increase in the spread of Chinese-language malware via email campaigns, signaling a surge in Chinese cybercrime activity and a new trend in the global threat landscape.
According to Larson, the increase could be due to several factors.
Despite the fact that Russian-speaking hackers continue to dominate cybercriminal networks, the aforementioned Proofpoint report states that the recent rise of Chinese malware “may threaten the dominance of the Russian-speaking cybercrime market in the threat landscape.”
Malware delivered via email
The hackers behind the Chinese attacks are using a type of malware known as a Remote Access Trojan (RAT). This malware is delivered via email and allows cybercriminals to gain access to a computer from a remote location and steal data or perform other malicious actions.
The Chinese malware, contained in fake accounts sent to unsuspecting businesses and other targets, is linked to suspected cybercriminal operations from China, according to Proofpoint.
Cybercriminals have used various types of malware to carry out hacking attacks.
One of them, named Sainbox, attacked dozens of companies, mainly in the manufacturing and technology sectors, in May. Another recently detected malware, named ValleyRAT, was used in at least six hacking attacks in 2023.
According to the report, the subjects and content of the emails are usually written in Chinese and are mainly related to pricing, payments and new products.
Targeted users have Chinese names written in Chinese characters or corporate email addresses associated with businesses operating in China, the report says.
Larson said the spread of Chinese malware suggests that cybercrime remains profitable and attractive to actors beyond Eastern Europe.
Source of information: voanews.com
