Warlock Ransomware Attacks Critical Infrastructure Through SharePoint Vulnerabilities
A ransomware campaign linked to the Warlock group has targeted critical infrastructure and public-sector organizations by exploiting vulnerabilities in on-premises Microsoft SharePoint servers. According to cybersecurity research published by Symantec and Carbon Black, the attackers targeted at least four organizations over a two-month period. The victims included a water utility, a telecommunications provider, a regional government body and a university. The organizations were located across Europe, Africa and Latin America. How did the attack happen? The attackers exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft SharePoint Server to gain initial access to their victims’ networks. After entering the systems, they deployed malicious web shells, stole credentials and used remote-access techniques to move deeper into compromised networks. Researchers also observed the attackers abusing legitimate software, including Visual Studio Code’s tunneling feature, to maintain remote access while makin...