PhantomCaptcha Strikes: Spear Phishing Attack Targets Ukraine Relief Efforts with Russian-Hosted RAT
SentinelOne’s report reveals a PhantomCaptcha spear phishing attack using a ClickFix-style CAPTCHA lure. This one-day operation targeted Ukraine’s war relief groups, tricking victims with fake emails and weaponized PDFs. The malicious campaign, hosted on Russian infrastructure, highlights the evolving threats faced by humanitarian efforts in the region.
Hot Take:
Ah, phishing – the ‘catfishing’ of the cyber world. Who knew CAPTCHA could be used for something other than making us question our ability to identify traffic lights? In the latest episode of Cyber Shenanigans, we have a single-day spear phishing attack in Ukraine that’s got more twists than a daytime soap opera. But instead of uncovering hidden siblings, we’re revealing a crafty ploy involving weaponized PDFs and a CAPTCHA page that’s faker than a three-dollar bill.
Key Points:
- PhantomCaptcha is the name of the spear phishing campaign targeting aid groups in Ukraine.
- The attack used weaponized PDFs and a fake Cloudflare CAPTCHA page to deliver a WebSocket RAT.
- Victims included members of major aid organizations and Ukrainian regional government administrations.
- The campaign was a sophisticated, multi-stage operation with six months of planning.
- The malicious domain used in the attack ceased operation on the same day, indicating a one-day blitz.