New GootLoader Malware Variant Evades Detection and Spreads Rapidly

A new variant of the GootLoader malware called GootBot has been found to facilitate lateral movement on compromised systems and evade detection. "The GootLoader group's introduction of their own custom bot into the late stages of their attack chain is an attempt to avoid detections when using off-the-shelf tools for C2 such as CobaltStrike or RDP," IBM X-Force researchers Golo Mühr and Ole

Cybercriminals Targeting Law Firms with GootLoader and FakeUpdates Malware

Six different law firms were targeted in January and February 2023 as part of two disparate threat campaigns distributing GootLoader and FakeUpdates (aka SocGholish) malware strains. GootLoader, active since late 2020, is a first-stage downloader that's capable of delivering a wide range of secondary payloads such as Cobalt Strike and ransomware. It notably employs search engine optimization (