The ToxicPanda virus has not been enough and, while this is happening, there is already a new tactic that allows hackers to infiltrate WiFi networks remotely to pivot.
The reason why it has caught the attention of many experts in the sector is because it works in a stealthy and is capable of spreading from network to network to affect multiple victims.
This method is known as “nearest neighbor attack” o “nearest neighbor attack” and has been analyzed in an official Volexity study.
Apparently it comes from Russia and could become a technique that will evolve over time for espionage and mass attacks.
The nearest neighbor attack is one of the most dangerous hacking methods in the world
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According to the report, in early 2022, the Volexity team was in full investigation into suspicious movements that affected a client in Washington, DC.
Thanks to this, they found the origin of a new unknown method that was being used by a group of hackers from Russia.
These have been tracked as GruesomeLarch, better known as Forest Blizzard, APT28, Sofacy and Fancy Bear, who are related to the Rista GRU military intelligence agency.
The main objective is to access the WiFi network without having to be near it, which gives hackers the advantage of attacking from a safe distance to be less likely to be detected.
Volexity
With this system, several organizations have been affected from the beginning of the investigation. Hackers have used all kinds of methods to circumvent security with this technique, but the most effective and common way they have found is through a VPN.
The steps consist of stealing credentials from a VPN that is not protected with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for remote access.
Once infiltrated into a computer with a WiFi connection, They infiltrate the network to attack other connected devicesgoing from one to another until reaching the objective.
Considering this, the nearest neighbor attack is one of the methods that many experienced cybercriminals could start implementing in their attacks. In fact, there is a high possibility that malware will be installed when accessing your WiFi.
Over time it could become more common than thoughtso it is best to prevent. The way you can avoid them is to create strong passwords for your accounts, know which devices are connected to your WiFi or format your device in case of emergency.
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Tags: Malware, Viruses, hackers, Cybersecurity