Who is Cloud Atlas?

Cloud Atlas is a well-documented APT group that focuses on espionage against government bodies, state-owned enterprises, and private organizations. The group’s activity spans multiple regions, including Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and even parts of Europe. While the group’s exact sponsorship remains unclear, its activities align with state-backed cyber-espionage campaigns.

In its latest campaign, Cloud Atlas has targeted Russian agro-industrial enterprises, research organizations, and other high-value targets. By leveraging geopolitical themes, particularly those related to Russia’s ongoing “special military operation” in Ukraine, the group crafts phishing emails that are difficult for victims to ignore.

---

Key Tactics and Tools of the Attack

Cloud Atlas uses several advanced techniques to breach and maintain control of targeted systems:

1. Phishing Emails with Malicious Attachments
   The group sends well-crafted phishing emails using topics such as legislative changes or military support initiatives to deceive victims. Examples include:
   • Emails offering “postcards” to support soldiers in Ukraine, exploiting patriotic sentiments.
   • Documents related to military reserve law amendments.
   These emails typically originate from Russian email services like Yandex.ru and Mail.ru, adding a layer of legitimacy.
2. Exploitation of Known Vulnerabilities
   • The malware exploits the CVE-2017-11882 vulnerability in Microsoft Office, a flaw that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on victims’ systems.
   • Despite being patched years ago, this vulnerability is still widely exploited due to poor patch management in many organizations.
3. Polymorphic Malware
   The VBCloud malware, along with older variants like VBShower and PowerShower, is designed to:
   • Evade detection by security systems using polymorphic techniques.
   • Collect system information, exfiltrate sensitive files, and deploy additional malicious modules for extended espionage.
4. Cloud Services for Command and Control
   The malware leverages cloud platforms to communicate with command-and-control (C2) servers, making it harder for security teams to track or block communications.
5. Whitelist Targeting
   To avoid detection, the group whitelists its victims. This means the malicious attachments only activate on pre-approved systems, ensuring the malware doesn’t unintentionally expose itself to researchers or unintended users.

---

Geographic Focus and Motivation

Over 80% of the victims in this campaign are based in Russia, particularly in sectors critical to national security and infrastructure. However, the group’s operations extend to Belarus, Transnistria (a pro-Russian breakaway region in Moldova), and other regions with geopolitical significance.

Cloud Atlas’s motivations appear to align with state-sponsored espionage, aiming to steal confidential data, disrupt critical systems, and gather intelligence to advance broader geopolitical goals.

---

Potential Impact of VBCloud Malware

The deployment of VBCloud signals a significant evolution in Cloud Atlas’s cyber arsenal. Organizations targeted by this malware face several risks:

• Data Breaches: Theft of confidential business, government, or military data.
• Operational Disruption: Malware could disrupt critical systems, particularly in industries like agriculture and research.
• Reputational Damage: Being associated with a high-profile breach could erode public and stakeholder trust.

Moreover, the use of outdated vulnerabilities highlights the broader issue of poor cybersecurity hygiene, which allows threat actors to exploit known weaknesses with devastating results.

---

How to Mitigate the Threat

To defend against sophisticated campaigns like VBCloud, organizations must adopt a proactive cybersecurity strategy. Key recommendations include:

1. Regular Patch Management
   Ensure all systems and software are up-to-date with the latest security patches. Vulnerabilities like CVE-2017-11882 should be addressed immediately.
2. Strengthened Email Security
   • Deploy advanced email filtering solutions to detect phishing emails.
   • Train employees to recognize and report suspicious emails.
3. Multi-Layered Security Measures
   • Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor and block malicious activities.
   • Implement intrusion detection systems (IDS) to identify unusual network behavior.
4. Network Segmentation
   Restrict access to sensitive systems and data. This ensures that even if one part of the network is compromised, the malware cannot spread freely.
5. Incident Response Planning
   Have a robust incident response plan in place to minimize damage in case of a breach.

---

Conclusion

Cloud Atlas’s deployment of VBCloud malware represents a significant escalation in state-sponsored cyber-espionage. This campaign, with its heavy focus on Russia, underscores the growing sophistication of APT groups and their ability to exploit outdated vulnerabilities.

Organizations must remain vigilant and adopt comprehensive cybersecurity measures to protect themselves against such advanced threats. By addressing weak points like unpatched systems and inadequate employee training, companies can significantly reduce the risk of becoming the next victim of a targeted attack.

---

Then exactly a year later, Russian cybersecurity company F.A.C.C.T. revealed that various entities in the country were targeted by spear-phishing attacks that exploited an old Microsoft Office Equation Editor flaw (CVE-2017-11882) to drop a Visual Basic Script (VBS) payload responsible for downloading an unknown next-stage VBS malware.

Visit Our Ethical hacking Course

CEH V12 MaSTER CLASS