SiliconANGLE reports that threat actors have abused Windows features and fileless execution mechanisms to facilitate the sophisticated multistage Dead#Vax malware campaign.Malicious emails purporting to be from legitimate businesses have been used to send links to virtual hard disk files on the InterPlanetary File System, with the opening of the VHD triggering Windows Script Files, obfuscated batch scripts, and PowerShell loaders for encrypted data siphoning and critical string and execution logic concealment, according to Securonix analysts. Such a multistage compromise concludes with the distribution of the AsyncRAT malware for credential and data exfiltration, surveillance, and follow-on intrusions."This intrusion highlights how modern adversaries can weaponize legitimate system functionality to construct stealthy, resilient, and highly evasive malware delivery pipelines," said researchers, who noted the importance of studying new attack techniques for enhanced detection engineering, incident response, and defense strategy adaptation for fileless multistage cyberattacks.
