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Researchers reported that the Iranian threat actor MuddyWater is using DCHSpy Android surveillanceware in campaigns tied to the Israel-Iran conflict, with samples masquerading as legitimate VPN software. One analyzed variant, Earth VPN, was built from modified open-source OpenVPN code and communicated with attacker-controlled command-and-control infrastructure to fetch both VPN configuration data and an operational command set that controlled permissions requests and collection tasks.
The malware was designed to steal a wide range of data from infected devices, including contacts, call logs, account information, WhatsApp databases, screenshots, audio recordings, camera files, and other content stored on external storage. Investigators said the stolen data was compressed into password-protected archives and exfiltrated over SFTP using credentials delivered by the C2, while the spyware also included Xiaomi-specific autostart persistence, an APK download-and-install update mechanism, and several incomplete features that suggest the tool remains under active development.
TTPs, infrastructure, and targeting history in one profile.
4 events from the most recent confirmed update back to the earliest known activity.
The earliest known Earth VPN sample was reportedly obtained on July 20, 2025. The sample is described as a DHCSpy variant disguised as a VPN application.
Wayback Machine snapshots showed the Earth VPN distribution website was active as early as March 2024, indicating the lure infrastructure was online by then.
Lookout first discovered the DHCSpy spyware family on July 16, 2023, when it identified a sample named Hide VPN.
Traces found in a Comodo VPN sample indicate the DHCSpy Android spyware family had been in development since August 10, 2022.
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Iran-linked **MuddyWater** (also tracked as **Seedworm**) was tied to an espionage campaign that compromised at least nine organizations across nine countries and four continents, hitting sectors including manufacturing, education, government, financial services, professional services, telecommunications, and an international airport. Researchers said the group used **DLL side-loading** with legitimate signed binaries such as `fmapp.exe` from Fortemedia and `sentinelmemoryscanner.exe` from SentinelOne to launch malicious DLLs, including the open-source **ChromElevator** tool for browser-data theft. One confirmed victim was a major South Korean electronics manufacturer, where the attackers reportedly maintained access for about a week, while earlier activity also targeted telecom providers in Egypt, Sudan, and Tanzania. The operators combined stealthy execution with a broad post-compromise toolkit, using **Node.js** to launch PowerShell payloads for reconnaissance, screenshot capture, privilege escalation, credential theft, and SOCKS5 reverse-proxy tunneling. Symantec also linked MuddyWater to the **MuddyC2Go** PowerShell framework, use of legitimate remote-management software **SimpleHelp**, and the publicly available **Venom Proxy** to maintain access and move through victim networks. Persistence was established through registry modifications, credentials were harvested through fake login prompts and registry hive dumping, and stolen data was exfiltrated via the public file-transfer service `sendit[.]sh`, indicating a sustained intelligence-collection effort aligned with Iranian state interests.
Jun 29, 2026
Iranian state-aligned threat group MuddyWater has launched a new cyberespionage campaign targeting organizations in Israel and Egypt, with a focus on technology, engineering, manufacturing, local government, and educational sectors. Researchers from ESET and other security firms have identified that MuddyWater is using a novel loader, dubbed Fooder, which masquerades as the classic Snake video game to deliver a new backdoor called MuddyViper. This loader introduces execution delays, inspired by the Snake game's mechanics, to evade antivirus detection. The campaign also employs spearphishing emails with PDF attachments that link to remote monitoring and management software installers, hosted on free file-sharing services, to gain initial access. The MuddyViper backdoor enables attackers to collect system information, execute files and shell commands, transfer files, and exfiltrate Windows login credentials and browser data. Additional tools, such as credential stealers and another backdoor named VAX One, have also been deployed. MuddyWater's evolving tactics, including the use of reflective loading for in-memory execution and the impersonation of legitimate software, demonstrate increased sophistication and a continued focus on defense evasion and persistence. Security researchers note the possibility that MuddyWater may be acting as an initial access broker for other Iranian threat actors, given observed overlaps in operations.
Jun 29, 2026
Iranian state-linked threat group **MuddyWater** targeted governments, ministries, universities, telecommunications providers, and other organizations in Turkey, the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, Armenia, and nearby countries with evolving espionage malware campaigns. Researchers said the group delivered malicious Excel and Office documents through phishing, using macros and the Office exploit `CVE-2017-0199` to launch multi-stage infections that dropped Windows Script Files, persistence components, and remote access tools including **SloughRAT**—also tracked as **Canopy**—along with additional Visual Basic and JavaScript implants. The intrusion chains used compromised or attacker-controlled infrastructure, regional decoy themes tied to Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Kurdistan, and fallback behavior that sometimes redirected victims to benign sites when command-and-control failed. Cisco Talos and Clearsky reported that MuddyWater combined PowerShell, living-off-the-land binaries, DNS and HTTP command-and-control, token-tracking mechanisms, and staged payload retrieval to execute arbitrary commands on victim systems, underscoring a broader shift toward more flexible and advanced tradecraft aligned with Iranian intelligence objectives.
Aug 14, 2026