Taiwan Firms and U.S. Military Under Attack As HiatusRAT Malware Resurfaces

Wajahat Raja

August 30, 2023 - TuxCare expert team

Once again, HiatusRAT malware is identified as a severe threat to both American and Taiwan-based businesses. Threat actors have started using additional reconnaissance and targeting activities, placing sensitive data and essential infrastructure in danger.

To counteract the continuous HiatusRAT threat, it is necessary to recognize attack patterns, implement strong cybersecurity plans, and maintain constant readiness.

Globally, up to 100 edge networking devices were infected with malware that allowed them to passively collect traffic and turn them into a command-and-control (C2) infrastructure proxy network.

HiatusRAT Malware Resurgence and New Tactics

The HiatusRAT malware resurgence poses a serious threat to Taiwan-based companies and the US military because it is made to attack the vital infrastructure of organizations, spying on users and stealing personal information.

The recent HiatusRAT cyber attacks are said to be carried out by China-affiliated threat actors to exploit vulnerabilities in SonicWall appliances and Fortinet to establish a long-term presence in the target systems.

The HiatusRAT malware analysis reveals that the malware has new architecture possessing key features such as advanced channels for secure communication, following enhanced methods to remain hidden within the infected systems for a long period of time. It has expanded abilities to control information from a distance.

It is suggested that organizations adopt efficient cybersecurity measures for HiatusRAT, recognize attack patterns, and stay informed on new developments to implement best practices for securing networks against HiatusRAT.

Impact of Malware on Taiwan-Based Organizations and U.S. Military Procurement System

Reportedly, HiatusRAT malware resulted in serious damage to Taiwan-based organizations as well as the US military procurement system. The malware affected important organizational infrastructure and sensitive data, thus posing a serious threat to organizational security.

To be precise, in the case of Taiwan-based organizations, HiatusRAT attacks have compromised the organization’s private information, including financial and intellectual property. This called for immediate measures to protect Taiwan firms from HiatusRAT.

On the other hand, the malware attack on the US military procurement systems resulted in the loss of sensitive information, secret military information, serious disruptions in the organizational operations, and potential setbacks in military procurement.

These attacks jeopardized national security and American military operations, thus calling for effective measures by U.S. military cyber defense against HiatusRAT.

Mitigating the HiatusRAT Malware Threat: Response and Countermeasures

To prevent data breaches from HiatusRAT malware, organizations need to develop response and cybersecurity strategies proactively. According to the resources, organizations can establish cybersecurity measures and successfully defend themselves.

In this regard, a multifaceted approach should be employed consisting of efforts for identifying HiatusRAT attack patterns, installation of next-generation firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS), maintenance of software as well as system updates, and utilization of advanced threat detection solutions.

Also, it is necessary for organizations to focus on educating employees about best practices in cybersecurity to manage the threat of HiatusRAT malware. Primarily, by using these steps, it is determined that organizations can strengthen their defense against HiatusRAT malware and reduce its potential risks.

Conclusion

Since the new version of HiatusRAT malware functions differently because of the changes in its architecture and operations, the problem is getting challenging for target organizations such as Taiwan-based businesses and the US military procurement.

To reduce the malware threat and consequences, it is determined that organizations need to develop proactive cybersecurity measures and show preparedness.

TuxCare is still dedicated to informing you of important changes in the Linux ecosystem. Products like KernelCare Enterprise (KCE) are able to provide automated security patching with zero downtime. We are ready to offer the help and solutions required to manage the continuously shifting technological landscape as the situation develops.

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The source for this piece includes the article in The Hacker News.

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