reconnaissance Archives

Tech Optimizer

February 11, 2026

If you’re struggling to play tactics sim Menace, it could be because your antivirus is randomly deleting files

Menace, a turn-based tactics game, has launched in early access with notable updates. Players are advised to whitelist the 'GameAssembly.dll' and 'Menace.exe' files due to some antivirus programs incorrectly classifying the former as malware. The first update introduces new adversaries, including pirate veteran scavengers and a pirate heavy machinegun truck. Enhancements include an optimized splash screen for ultra-wide monitors and significant balancing changes, such as a new heat mechanic for laser and plasma rifles and the addition of motion scanners to pirate EMP units.

Tech Optimizer

February 1, 2026

When Digital Guardians Turn Rogue: Inside the eScaneS an Antivirus Supply Chain Attack That Exposed Millions

eScan, an antivirus solution, has become a conduit for a supply chain attack that may have affected millions of users through a compromised software update mechanism. The attack exploited eScan’s automatic update system, distributing malware via official channels that appeared legitimate, thus bypassing traditional security measures. Reports indicate that supply chain attacks have increased by over 300% in the past three years, with software update mechanisms being prime targets. The exact number of affected users is still under investigation, but the breach occurred over a limited period before detection. Enterprises using eScan now face vulnerabilities in their security infrastructure, prompting IT departments to conduct forensic analyses to determine if their networks were compromised. The breach raises concerns about digital security as users typically rely on antivirus solutions for protection. Researchers found that the malware used advanced techniques, including multi-stage deployment and polymorphic behavior to evade detection, indicating significant resources behind the attack. In response, eScan has initiated an incident response protocol, revoked compromised digital certificates, and added verification layers to its update system. However, restoring user trust will require transparency about the breach and preventive measures. The incident has led to widespread security audits across the antivirus sector and may accelerate the adoption of zero-trust security models. Regulatory inquiries are underway regarding eScan's data protection practices, and legal experts anticipate class-action lawsuits from affected users and enterprises. The breach highlights a trend where attackers target security infrastructure itself, making software distribution security a critical focus for cybersecurity professionals. Proposed solutions include blockchain-based verification systems and industry-wide standards for supply chain security. The eScan breach underscores that no organization is immune to sophisticated supply chain attacks, as compromising a security vendor can provide access to its entire customer base. Increased information sharing about supply chain threats is advocated to enhance collaboration within the security industry. Moving forward, eScan must balance technical remediation with transparent communication to rebuild trust, while users are advised to implement defense-in-depth strategies rather than relying solely on one security tool.

Tech Optimizer

January 30, 2026

When Digital Guardians Turn Rogue: Inside the Avast Antivirus Supply Chain Attack That Exposed Millions

Avast's automatic update system was compromised, allowing malicious code to be distributed through its official channels, affecting potentially millions of users. This breach is characterized as a sophisticated supply chain attack, which exploited the software update mechanism, making it difficult to detect as the malware appeared legitimate. Security analysts noted a 300% increase in supply chain attacks over the past three years, with this incident highlighting vulnerabilities in security solutions. Avast has initiated an incident response, revoked compromised digital certificates, and is collaborating with cybersecurity firms to address the breach. European regulators have begun inquiries into Avast's data protection measures, and legal experts anticipate class-action lawsuits from affected users. The incident underscores a trend of attackers targeting security infrastructure itself, prompting calls for improved software distribution security and industry-wide standards.

AppWizard

January 28, 2026

Trains are taking over the survival genre: there are a half-dozen survival base-builders on rails coming in 2026

A shift in survival gaming is occurring with the introduction of mobile bases on trains, with at least six or seven games set for release in 2026. Frostrail, developed by FakeFish, is a solo or co-op first-person shooter where players navigate a frozen world aboard a train, scavenging for resources and upgrading their engine for survival. EverRail allows up to four players to use drones for reconnaissance and engage in combat, featuring a respawn mechanic where players take on new characters after death. Enginefall is inspired by Snowpiercer, featuring a megatrain where players loot and battle through various train cars, transforming them into strategic bases. Frostliner combines city-building with survival as players manage a train filled with citizens, upgrading it and ensuring their safety while exploring with additional vehicles. Steel Artery: Train City Builder focuses on constructing a steampunk city on rails, requiring resource management and strategic planning for economic success. Railborn features a customizable train system for traversing different biomes, allowing players to scavenge and rebuild ecosystems while creating unique train cars.

Winsage

January 12, 2026

EDRStartupHinder Disables Antivirus and EDR Protections During Windows 11 25H2 Startup

A new tool named EDRStartupHinder was unveiled on January 11, 2026, which allows attackers to inhibit the launch of antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions during the Windows startup process. Developed by security researcher Two Seven One Three, it targets Windows Defender and various commercial security products on Windows 11 25H2 systems by redirecting essential system DLLs during boot using the Windows Bindlink API and Protected Process Light (PPL) security mechanisms. The tool employs a four-step attack chain that includes creating a malicious service with higher priority than the targeted security services, redirecting critical DLLs to attacker-controlled locations, and modifying a byte in the PE header of the DLLs to cause PPL-protected processes to refuse loading them. This results in the termination of the security software. EDRStartupHinder has been tested successfully against Windows Defender and other unnamed antivirus products, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing these security solutions from launching. The source code for EDRStartupHinder is publicly available on GitHub, raising concerns about its potential misuse. Security teams are advised to monitor for Bindlink activity, unauthorized service creation, and registry modifications related to service groups and startup configurations to detect this attack vector. Microsoft has not yet issued any statements regarding patches or mitigations for this technique.

AppWizard

December 22, 2025

Forgotten 1993 shooter from Duke Nukem dev is back and better than ever with a full remaster thanks to two die-hard fans

Biomenace Remastered is a fan-made remaster of the classic 1993 shooter developed by Apogee, created by two fans, Niko and Bart, who secured a licensing deal with the original developer, James Norwood. The remaster features the original three episodes with 36 levels and introduces a fourth chapter with 15 additional stages, new NPCs, and two extra boss encounters. It includes a built-in editor for players to create missions, offers seamless transitions between new and classic visuals, and has a quick-save feature. The game incorporates Steam achievements and leaderboards and is verified for Steam Deck. Biomenace Remastered is available on Steam for .99 / £10.23 until December 25, after which the price will increase to .99 / £12.79, with a free demo also available.

Winsage

December 15, 2025

VolkLocker Emerges as a Cross-Platform Ransomware Threat Targeting Linux and Windows

A pro-Russian hacktivist group, CyberVolk, has re-emerged in 2025 with a new ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation called VolkLocker, which targets both Windows and Linux systems using Golang. The group utilizes Telegram bots for command-and-control operations, allowing affiliates to manage ransomware interactions. Despite its advancements, coding errors in the ransomware enable victims to recover encrypted files without paying a ransom. VolkLocker employs AES-256 encryption but has a critical flaw where the master encryption key is hard-coded and saved in plaintext, allowing easy decryption. The ransomware also ensures persistence by replicating itself and disabling essential system tools. CyberVolk offers additional RAT and keylogger add-ons for sale, with complete RaaS packages priced between [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: A newly rebooted pro-Russian hacktivist group, CyberVolk, has made a notable comeback in 2025, unveiling a new ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation dubbed VolkLocker, as detailed in recent research by SentinelOne. After a prolonged period of dormancy following extensive bans on Telegram, this group has re-emerged with a Golang-based ransomware solution that targets both Windows and Linux systems. This latest initiative signifies CyberVolk's commitment to revitalizing its operations, showcasing what analysts refer to as the “CyberVolk 2.x” generation of tools. Despite the group's advancements, their integration of sophisticated Telegram-based automation has inadvertently led to coding errors that allow victims to recover their encrypted files without the need to pay a ransom. Telegram-Fueled Automation and Functionality VolkLocker is heavily reliant on Telegram bots for its command-and-control operations, which form the core of its new RaaS model. All interactions between operators and the ransomware's ecosystem, from onboarding new customers to managing victims, are facilitated through a Telegram bot known as CyberVolk_Kbot. This bot provides various commands such as /decrypt, /list, and /status, enabling affiliates to monitor infections and communicate with compromised systems in real time. Operators tasked with creating new ransomware payloads must input several configuration details, including a Bitcoin address, Telegram bot token ID, chat ID, encryption deadline, and file extension. Decryption triggered via backed-up key file This design approach aligns with CyberVolk’s goal of simplifying deployment for affiliates with limited technical skills. The Golang-based payloads, compiled for both Linux and Windows platforms, utilize the “ms-settings” UAC bypass technique (MITRE ATT&CK T1548.002) for privilege escalation. Once operational, VolkLocker performs system reconnaissance, checks for virtual machine environments by matching MAC address prefixes, and strategically excludes key system paths from encryption. Encryption Flaws and System Destruction Features VolkLocker employs AES-256 in Galois/Counter Mode (GCM) for file encryption; however, its encryption design reveals a significant oversight. The master encryption key is hard-coded within the binary and is also saved in a plaintext file named system_backup.key located in the %TEMP% directory. This easily accessible key allows victims to decrypt their files without paying the ransom, highlighting a critical flaw in CyberVolk’s development process. In addition to its encryption capabilities, VolkLocker ensures persistence by replicating itself across multiple directories and disabling essential tools such as Task Manager, Windows Defender, and Command Prompt through registry modifications. It also deletes Volume Shadow Copies and can trigger a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) using the Windows NtRaiseHardError() function when the countdown timer expires or when incorrect decryption keys are repeatedly entered. Despite these coding missteps, CyberVolk is expanding its offerings, providing RAT and keylogger add-ons for 0 each, along with complete RaaS packages ranging from 0 to ,200. SentinelOne researchers caution that this resurgence underscores how politically motivated groups are increasingly leveraging Telegram infrastructure to commercialize their ransomware operations. Indicators of Compromise: Windows Sample: dcd859e5b14657b733dfb0c22272b82623466321 Linux Sample: 0948e75c94046f0893844e3b891556ea48188608 Bitcoin Wallet: bc1qujgdzl0v82gh9pvmg3ftgnknl336ku26nnp0vy Telegram Bot: 8368663132:AAHBfe3xYPtg1IMynKhQy1BRzuF5UZRZspw Find this Story Interesting! Follow us on Google News, LinkedIn, and X to Get More Instant Updates" max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"] and ,200. Indicators of compromise include specific Windows and Linux sample hashes, a Bitcoin wallet address, and a Telegram bot ID.

Tech Optimizer

December 2, 2025

When AI Breaks Bad: The Rise of Ransomware and Deepfakes

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the cybersecurity landscape by enabling sophisticated cyberattacks, such as ransomware and deepfakes. Ransomware has evolved from manual coding to AI-driven automation, making attacks more efficient and harder to stop. AI automates the targeting of victims by analyzing large datasets to identify vulnerabilities. Machine learning allows malware to change its form to evade detection, and ransomware can operate autonomously within networks. Phishing attacks have become more convincing through AI-generated messages that mimic real communications. Deepfakes can create realistic impersonations, leading to financial fraud and extortion, as demonstrated by a 2024 incident resulting in a million loss. Deepfakes also pose risks for manipulation and disinformation, affecting public perception and market dynamics. On the defensive side, AI is utilized in cybersecurity to detect and prevent attacks through anomaly detection, zero-trust security models, and advanced authentication methods. Human training and awareness are crucial for recognizing AI-generated threats. Effective defense requires regulations, shared accountability, and preparedness within organizations, including continuous monitoring and employee training. Collaboration between public agencies and private security firms is essential for a robust response to cyber threats.

Tech Optimizer

November 11, 2025

Hackers Exploiting Triofox Flaw to Install Remote Access Tools via Antivirus Feature

A critical security vulnerability (CVE-2025-12480) has been identified in Gladinet's Triofox platform, allowing attackers to bypass authentication and access sensitive configuration pages. This vulnerability has a CVSS score of 9.1 and has been exploited by a threat cluster known as UNC6485 since August 24, 2025. Despite patches issued by Gladinet, attackers created a new admin account to execute malicious code, including a batch script that downloaded tools for remote access. They used these tools for reconnaissance and privilege escalation. Mandiant recommends that Triofox users update to the latest version and audit admin accounts.

Winsage

October 31, 2025

Windows Server Update Service exploitation ensnares at least 50 victims

Over 50 organizations in the United States have been targeted in attacks exploiting a vulnerability in the Windows Server Update Service (WSUS), identified as CVE-2025-59287, related to the deserialization of untrusted data. Despite a security update from Microsoft in mid-October, an emergency out-of-band update was issued due to its inadequacy. Sophos recorded six incidents linked to this exploitation, with indications of broader impacts. The affected sectors include technology, education, manufacturing, and healthcare. The hacker group UNC6512 has been connected to these activities, conducting reconnaissance and exfiltrating sensitive data. Sophos detected malicious activity on October 24, following the release of the out-of-band patch. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added this vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and urged security teams to apply necessary patches and check for signs of compromise.