Nathaniel Morales@feeds.trendmicro.com
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Cybercriminals are actively deploying FOG ransomware disguised as communications from the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) via malicious emails. This campaign, which has been ongoing since January, involves cybercriminals spreading FOG ransomware by claiming ties to DOGE in their phishing attempts. The attackers are impersonating the U.S. DOGE to infect targets across multiple sectors, including technology and healthcare. It has been revealed that over 100 victims have been impacted by this -DOGE-themed ransomware campaign since January.
Cybercriminals are distributing a ZIP file named "Pay Adjustment.zip" through phishing emails. Inside this archive is an LNK file disguised as a PDF document. Upon execution, this LNK file triggers a PowerShell script named "stage1.ps1", which downloads additional ransomware components. The script also opens politically themed YouTube videos, potentially to distract the victim. The initial ransomware note makes references to DOGE to add confusion. The attackers utilize a tool called 'Ktool.exe' to escalate privileges by exploiting a vulnerability in the Intel Network Adapter Diagnostic Driver.
The ransomware note, RANSOMNOTE.txt, references DOGE and includes names of individuals associated with the department. Victims are being asked to pay $1,000 in Monero, although it is unclear whether paying the ransom leads to data recovery or if it is an elaborate troll. Trend Micro revealed that the latest samples of Fog ransomware, uploaded to VirusTotal between March 27 and April 2, 2025, spread through distribution of a ZIP file containing a LNK file disguised as a PDF.
Recommended read:
References :
- cyberinsider.com: FOG Ransomware Impersonates U.S. DOGE to Infect Targets
- gbhackers.com: Cybercriminals Deploy FOG Ransomware Disguised as DOGE via Malicious Emails
- www.trendmicro.com: FOG Ransomware Spread by Cybercriminals Claiming Ties to DOGE
- www.scworld.com: Fog ransomware notes troll with DOGE references, bait insider attacks
- gbhackers.com: Cybercriminals Deploy FOG Ransomware Disguised as DOGE via Malicious Emails
- securityonline.info: FOG Ransomware Campaign Targets Multiple Sectors with Phishing and Payload Obfuscation
- darkwebinformer.com: FOG Ransomware Attack Update for the 21st of April 2025
- bsky.app: DOGE-themed ransomware hit 100+ victims since January
Stu Sjouwerman@blog.knowbe4.com
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Tolling agencies throughout the United States are currently grappling with an escalating cybersecurity threat: deceptive text message scams known as smishing. These scams involve cybercriminals sending text messages that impersonate toll payment notifications, tricking individuals into clicking malicious links and making unauthorized payments. These messages often embed links that, if clicked, take the victim to a phishing site impersonating E-ZPass, The Toll Roads, FasTrak, Florida Turnpike, or another toll authority.
These scams are part of a sophisticated campaign leveraging platforms, most recently a PhaaS platform called Lucid. This platform enables cybercriminals to launch large-scale phishing campaigns with minimal effort. Cybercriminals behind this scheme are exploiting legitimate communication technologies like Apple iMessage and Android RCS to bypass traditional spam filters and deliver their malicious messages at scale.
The phishing messages typically claim unpaid toll fees and threaten fines or license suspension if recipients fail to respond. The Lucid platform offers advanced features such as dynamic targeting, device-specific focus, and evasion techniques. These features allow attackers to tailor campaigns for iOS or Android users, block connections from non-targeted regions, and prevent direct access to phishing domains.
Recommended read:
References :
- aboutdfir.com: Have you ever received an odd text message on your phone, purporting to be from a toll provider or package delivery service? If you have a U.S. cell phone, chances are you’ve encountered one of these SMiShing attempts—cybercriminals’ latest ploy to trick you into giving up your personal
- www.cysecurity.news: Tolling agencies throughout the United States are battling an escalating cybersecurity threat that is causing deceptive text message scams, which are often called smishing, to escalate.
- Cyber Security News: Beware! Phishing Scam Uses Fake Unpaid Tolls Messages to Harvest Login Credentials
- gbhackers.com: Beware! Fake Unpaid Tolls Messages Used in Phishing Attack to Steal Login Credentials
- www.bleepingcomputer.com: E-ZPass toll payment texts return in massive phishing wave
- BleepingComputer: An ongoing phishing campaign impersonating E-ZPass and other toll agencies has surged recently, with recipients receiving multiple iMessage and SMS texts to steal personal and credit card information.
- The DefendOps Diaries: The Toll Payment Text Scam: A Modern Cybersecurity Threat
- blog.knowbe4.com: Upgraded Phishing-as-a-Service Platform Drives a Wave of Smishing Attacks
- cybersecuritynews.com: A sophisticated cybercriminal operation has emerged targeting toll payment services across multiple regions, with evidence suggesting this campaign will continue expanding globally.
- Cyber Security News: Toll Payment Services Abused in Large-Scale Hacking Campaign
- gbhackers.com: Threat Actors Exploit Toll Payment Services in Widespread Hacking Campaign
- securityonline.info: Resecurity report details escalation of smishing by China-based Smishing Triad targeting toll payments in US and UK.
- securityonline.info: Smishing Triad Expands Fraud Campaign, Targets Toll Payment Services
- www.scworld.com: Toll payment service-targeted schemes by Smishing Triad escalates
- Cisco Talos Blog: Cisco Talos has observed a widespread and ongoing financial theft SMS phishing (smishing) campaign since October 2024 that targets toll road users in the United States of America.
- krebsonsecurity.com: China-based SMS phishing kits are enjoying remarkable success converting phished payment card data into mobile wallets from Apple and Google. Until recently, the so-called “Smishing Triad†mainly impersonated toll road operators and shipping companies.
- www.silentpush.com: Smishing Triad is a Chinese eCrime group systematically targeting organizations in at least 121 countries with SMS phishing “smishing†campaigns.
- bsky.app: SilentPush has published a profile of Chinese cybercrime group Smishing Triad. The group is massive, with operations across 121 countries. The report also looks at the group's new phishing kit, named Lighthouse.
- gbhackers.com: Chinese eCrime Group Targets Users in 120+ Countries to Steal Banking Credentials
- www.silentpush.com: Smishing Triad: Chinese eCrime Group Targets 121+ Countries, Intros New Banking Phishing Kit
- blog.talosintelligence.com: Have you received a suspicious text that seemed to be from a toll road service? Discover how this widespread smishing scam is targeting U.S. drivers and uncover the actors behind it in our latest blog post:
- Cisco Talos: Have you received a suspicious text that seemed to be from a toll road service? Discover how this widespread smishing scam is targeting U.S. drivers and uncover the actors behind it in our latest blog post:
- cyberpress.org: “$5 SMS Scam Alert: Toll Road Users Targeted in New Phishing Campaignâ€
- Daily CyberSecurity: Nationwide Smishing Scam Targets Toll Road Users, Stealing Payment Data
- Cyber Security News: Cisco Talos has uncovered an ongoing financial theft campaign targeting toll road users across the United States through SMS phishing, or “smishing,†attacks. This campaign, active since October 2024, impersonates toll payment services to steal sensitive user information.
- gbhackers.com: Cybersecurity researchers at Cisco Talos have uncovered a large-scale smishing campaign targeting toll road users across the United States.
Stu Sjouwerman@blog.knowbe4.com
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A China-based cybercriminal group known as the Smishing Triad is behind a surge in smishing campaigns targeting consumers in the US and UK. The group is exploiting toll payment services by sending fraudulent text messages that appear to originate from legitimate toll collection agencies such as FasTrak, E-ZPass, and I-Pass. These deceptive messages claim unpaid toll bills or payment requests, tricking users into divulging sensitive personal and financial information. Tolling agencies throughout the United States are battling this escalating cybersecurity threat, highlighting the need for heightened vigilance.
These campaigns utilize tactics that make it difficult for consumers to protect themselves, primarily by spoofing Sender IDs (SIDs) via SMS, iMessage, and other instant messaging (IM) platforms. The attackers impersonate legitimate organizations, creating a sense of urgency to prompt immediate action from the recipients. The lower spam protection of SMS compared to email makes these IM channels a fertile ground for exploitation, leading to a higher likelihood of victims falling for the scam. The attackers’ objectives include financial gain and the theft of personal and financial data for future exploitation.
The scale of the campaign is significant, with the use of over 60,000 impersonation websites, complicating efforts by platforms like Apple and Android to block these fraudulent activities effectively. These fraudulent websites mimic official toll payment portals, tricking users into entering payment details or personal information, which is then harvested for financial fraud and identity theft. Federal and state agencies have issued warnings, advising individuals to verify toll-related claims through official websites and avoid clicking on links in unsolicited text messages. Consumers are also advised to report suspicious messages to authorities and enable security features on smartphones.
Recommended read:
References :
- www.cysecurity.news: Tolling agencies throughout the United States are battling an escalating cybersecurity threat that is causing deceptive text message scams, which are often called smishing, to escalate.
- BleepingComputer: Toll payment text scam returns in massive phishing wave
- gbhackers.com: Beware! Fake Unpaid Tolls Messages Used in Phishing Attack to Steal Login Credentials
- www.bleepingcomputer.com: The E-ZPass toll payment texts return in massive phishing wave
- Cyber Security News: Beware! Phishing Scam Uses Fake Unpaid Tolls Messages to Harvest Login Credentials
- The DefendOps Diaries: The Toll Payment Text Scam: A Modern Cybersecurity Threat
- www.bleepingcomputer.com: An ongoing phishing campaign impersonating E-ZPass and other toll agencies has surged recently, with recipients receiving multiple iMessage and SMS texts to steal personal and credit card information.
- gbhackers.com: Threat Actors Exploit Toll Payment Services in Widespread Hacking Campaign
- securityonline.info: Smishing campaigns exploiting toll payment systems to deceive consumers into disclosing sensitive information, often linked to popular platforms like FasTrak, E-ZPass, and I-Pass.
- Cyber Security News: In a sophisticated cybercrime operation, the Smishing Triad, a China-based group, has been identified as the orchestrator behind a surge in smishing campaigns targeting consumers in the US and UK.
- blog.knowbe4.com: Upgraded Phishing-as-a-Service Platform Drives a Wave of Smishing Attacks
- cybersecuritynews.com: Threat Actors Leveraging Toll Payment Services in Massive Hacking Attack
- securityonline.info: Smishing Triad Expands Fraud Campaign, Targets Toll Payment Services
- www.scworld.com: Toll payment service-targeted schemes by Smishing Triad escalates
- blog.talosintelligence.com: Unraveling the U.S. toll road smishing scams
- DataBreaches.Net: E-ZPass toll payment texts return in massive phishing wave
- Blog: Unpaid toll-themed smishing campaign gives victims no free ‘E-ZPass’
- Cisco Talos: Have you received a suspicious text that seemed to be from a toll road service? Discover how this widespread smishing scam is targeting U.S. drivers and uncover the actors behind it in our latest blog post:
- Cisco Talos Blog: Cisco Talos has observed a widespread and ongoing financial theft SMS phishing (smishing) campaign since October 2024 that targets toll road users in the United States of America.
- krebsonsecurity.com: China-based purveyors of SMS phishing kits are enjoying remarkable success converting phished payment card data into mobile wallets from Apple and Google. Until recently, the so-called “Smishing Triad” mainly impersonated toll road operators and shipping companies.
- www.silentpush.com: Smishing Triad: Chinese eCrime Group Targets 121+ Countries, Intros New Banking Phishing Kit
- bsky.app: SilentPush has published a profile of Chinese cybercrime group Smishing Triad. The group is massive, with operations across 121 countries. The report also looks at the group's new phishing kit, named Lighthouse.
- gbhackers.com: Smishing Triad has targeted numerous countries, including but not limited to UK, Canada, and USA.
- www.silentpush.com: Smishing Triad is a Chinese eCrime group systematically targeting organizations in at least 121 countries with SMS phishing “smishing†campaigns.
@www.bleepingcomputer.com
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A new JavaScript obfuscation technique has been discovered and is being actively used in phishing attacks. Juniper Threat Labs identified the technique targeting affiliates of a major American political action committee (PAC) in early January 2025. The method leverages invisible Unicode characters to represent binary values, effectively concealing malicious JavaScript code within seemingly harmless text.
This obfuscation technique was first demonstrated in October 2024, highlighting the speed with which such research can be weaponized in real-world attacks. The encoding uses two different Unicode filler characters, the Hangul half-width and Hangul full width, to represent the binary values 0 and 1. This allows attackers to hide entire payloads invisibly within a script, which is then executed through a Proxy get() trap. Security researchers have posted methods to decode this encoded JavaScript into readable form.
Recommended read:
References :
- blogs.juniper.net: Invisible obfuscation technique used in PAC attack
- bsky.app: A new JavaScript obfuscation method utilizing invisible Unicode characters to represent binary values is being actively abused in phishing attacks targeting affiliates of an American political action committee (PAC).
- BleepingComputer: A new JavaScript obfuscation method utilizing invisible Unicode characters to represent binary values is being actively abused in phishing attacks targeting affiliates of an American political action committee (PAC).
- Anonymous ???????? :af:: A new JavaScript obfuscation method utilizing invisible Unicode characters to represent binary values is being actively abused in phishing attacks targeting affiliates of an American political action committee (PAC).
- www.bleepingcomputer.com: A new JavaScript obfuscation method utilizing invisible Unicode characters to represent binary values is being actively abused in phishing attacks targeting affiliates of an American political action committee (PAC).
- Christoffer S.: Juniper Networks: Invisible obfuscation technique used in PAC attack Novel obfuscation technique observed in a phishing attack targeting affiliates of a political action committee (PAC) in January 2025.
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