Watering-Hole Attacks Transmit DazzleSpy Backdoor to macOS

Hackers are using a unique backdoor to compromise Apple’s macOS operating system. The backdoor infection occurs through specialized watering-hole cyber-attacks.    
 

Why is the Attack Meaningful?

This cyber-attack went unnoticed until earlier this week.  The attack uses an exploit within the Safari web browser to zero in on specific targets.  Though the watering-hole attack has been used to target Hong Kong political activists in favor of a democratic government, it will likely be used to target others in the weeks and months ahead.

The watering-hole attack has cybersecurity experts with ESET concerned as its characteristics reveal the individuals behind it are quite advanced.  The digital attack campaign is somewhat similar to the cyber-attack revealed by Google’s Threat Analysis Group at the start of November 2021.

The malware empowers digital miscreants to control a considerable number of functionalities, exfiltrate files, and ultimately compromise computers running the macOS operating system.  Adding salt to the wound is the fact that the attack executes arbitrary shell commands, gathers system information, and adds an iCloud Keychain to computers with a macOS version that predates 10.14.4.  The infection can even launch or end remote screen sessions.  The webmasters in control of the targeted websites would be wise to add internet privacy and security safeguards.
 

How is the Attack Performed?

This highly nuanced digital attack sabotages websites with the injection of harmful inline frames, also referred to as iframes.  The initial attack targeted D100 radio, a web-based radio station that supports democracy in Hong Kong.  This attack occurred between the end of September and the initial week of November.

The next part of the attack involved the use of a tampered code that served as a bridge for loading a Mach-O file with the leveraging of WebKit remote code execution bugs.  Apple partially remedied this digital security flaw in February of 2021 yet the WebKit remote code execution can still spur the use of the Mach-O binary to exploit the patched weakness within the kernel to trigger the subsequent malware stage.

The infection sequence information from Google’s Threat Analysis Group pertaining to the infection set the stage for the installation of a MACMA implant.  The malware was ultimately transmitted to every macOS user who visited the D100 Radio website.  ESET’s cybersecurity team has named the backdoor “DazzleSpy.”
 

Who is Responsible for the DazzleSpy Attack?

Digital security specialists at ESET indicate there is a good chance the hackers responsible for the latest attack were also behind the 2020 LightSpy iOS malware threat.  Both attacks were conducted in a similar manner, implementing iframe injections on webpages frequented by those interested in advancing democracy.  Both such attacks also used WebKit exploits.  However, ESET’s brass has not confirmed the same hacking collective is responsible for both attacks.  

If the DazzleSpy macOS infection continues to wreak havoc, the digital miscreants who created it will undoubtedly use it for other attacks, targeting businesses and other groups beyond the realms of political and social change.  Stay tuned as more details about DazzleSpy are revealed in the weeks ahead.