NVISO discovered threat actors deploying QEMU virtual machines to run malicious payloads, creating a covert command‑and‑control channel that bypasses traditional AV/EDR defenses. The blog details the QEMU command line, persistence via cron jobs, and offers hunting guidance to spot these hidden VMs.
Researchers uncovered an unprotected HTTP directory hosting a 12‑file toolkit that reveals PCPJack’s control of 230 compromised AWS, GCP, and Azure servers used as a hidden SMTP relay network. The package includes multi‑architecture Chisel binaries, Python deployers, and state logs, confirming large‑scale email‑relay operations and earlier undocumented activity.
A supply‑chain attack inserted an undeclared Monero miner into the Windows version of Hola Browser. The hidden binary adds a Defender exclusion, creates an auto‑start service, and runs when idle, affecting an estimated 0.1% of users. Hola has rebuilt its distribution pipeline and tightened code‑signing controls.