Researchers Discover New Obfuscation-As-a-Service Platform

guest · Dec 6, 2020

Researchers Discover New Obfuscation-As-a-Service Platform
December 3, 2020
https://www.darkreading.com/cloud/r...uscation-as-a-service-platform/d/d-id/1339609

A new obfuscation-as-a-service platform detailed by researchers today during the Botconf 2020 virtual conference offers yet another proof point of how robust the cybercriminal economy is at filling market needs for black hats.

In this case, enterprising hackers developed a fully automated service platform for protecting mobile malware Android Packet Kits (APKs) from antivirus detection. Offered on a one-off basis or for a recurring monthly subscription, the service was available to mobile malware authors both in English and Russian for at least six months of 2020, potentially longer.
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The service was found and examined by a collaborative team from three organizations: Masarah Paquet-Clouston from GoSecure, Vit Sembera from Trend Micro, and Maria Jose Erquiaga and Sebastian Garcia from the Stratosphere Laboratory.

In their research quest they found a service that provided obfuscation for $20 per APK or $100 for 10 APKs. Alternatively, the provider also offered 30-day unlimited access for $850.

"None of these competitors offered a platform with an API, and all of them said that purchases happen via private message on Jabber or telegram," she said during the presentation, explaining they were all more expensive than the platform they examined.
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In terms of efficiency of actually evading detection, Paquet-Clouston said the service was "medium quality" and in less malicious applications would actually result in a higher likelihood of detection after being applied to the APK.

The good news for defenders is that while attackers went to great lengths to automate the service, that process of automation "makes it easier to fingerprint the obfuscation," Paquet-Clouston stated in a post.
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GoSecure: Deep Dive into an Obfuscation-as-a-Service for Android Malware

This blogpost summarizes cutting-edge research that uncovers an obfuscation-as-a-service platform for Android applications.
Two related blogs about the research can be found, one on the Stratosphere Laboratory blog and one on the Trend Micro website.
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