How Hackers Use Social Engineering to Spread Dridex Malware
Tags: cybersecurity, malware, hackers, security
Published: 2023-06-02 11:31:25

## **What is Dridex Malware?**
Dridex is a highly sophisticated form of malware that has been active since 2014, with the primary goal of stealing banking credentials from its victims. This malware is classified as a Trojan, which hides malicious code within seemingly harmless data. It is typically spread through phishing campaigns that target Windows users with malicious emails, prompting victims to open attached Word or Excel files. Once opened, the malware infects the victims computer and enables cybercriminals to steal personal information, primarily banking credentials.

Evil Corp, a Russia-based group, is thought to have made several updates to the Dridex Banking Trojan in the last decade.The Dridex malware can evade antivirus detection controls, making it hard to detect. Since the malware constantly changes and uses new and unknown signatures, signature-based threat detection software may not be effective against it. User behavior analytics software, which relies less on signature-based threat detection, could be a better alternative to other tools.

## **How does Dridex Malware work ?**
Dridex malware is a sophisticated banking trojan that is designed to steal sensitive information from victims, including login credentials, financial information, and personal data. It is typically delivered via phishing emails, which are designed to trick users into opening an attachment or clicking on a link that downloads the malware onto their device. Once installed, the malware will remain dormant until the user visits a banking website or enters their credentials, at which point it will activate and begin recording keystrokes and other sensitive data.
The malware is modular in nature, meaning that it can download additional modules or updates to enhance its functionality. Some of the additional modules that have been observed in Dridex attacks include a network scanner that can map out the victim’s network, a screenshot grabber that can capture images of the victim’s screen, and a data stealer that can exfiltrate data to the attacker’s command and control servers.

One of the unique features of Dridex malware is its use of a decentralized peer-to-peer (P2P) network for communication between the infected devices and the command and control servers. This makes it more difficult for security researchers to track and disrupt the malware, as there is no single point of failure in the communication network.

Dridex malware is constantly evolving, and new variants are being developed and deployed by cybercriminals on a regular basis. As such, it is critical that organizations implement robust security controls, such as email filtering, endpoint protection, and user awareness training, to prevent Dridex malware infections and mitigate the impact of any successful attacks.

## How to detect Dridex malware ?
Detecting Dridex malware can be challenging, as it is designed to evade traditional signature-based antivirus and intrusion detection systems. However, there are several strategies that organizations can employ to identify and mitigate Dridex infections:

**a.Email filtering**
Dridex malware is typically delivered via phishing emails, which can be identified and blocked by email filtering solutions. These solutions can analyze the content, attachments, and sender information of incoming emails and block suspicious messages before they reach the user’s inbox.

**b.Endpoint protection**
Endpoint security solutions can detect and prevent Dridex malware infections by monitoring system activity, detecting suspicious behavior, and blocking known malicious files and processes. Some endpoint protection solutions also include advanced features such as memory scanning and behavioral analysis to detect and prevent zero-day attacks.
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c.User awareness training**
Educating users on how to identify and avoid phishing emails can be an effective way to prevent Dridex infections. Users should be trained to recognize suspicious emails and to avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from untrusted sources.

**d.Network monitoring**
Network monitoring solutions can detect and alert on unusual network activity that may indicate a Dridex infection. These solutions can detect communications between infected devices and command and control servers, as well as lateral movement within the network.

**e.User behavior analytics**
User behavior analytics solutions can detect anomalous behavior on endpoints and identify potential insider threats. These solutions can analyze user activity and alert on deviations from normal behavior, such as excessive data access or unusual login patterns.

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