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Threat actors are using FTP server banners as dead-drop resolvers to conceal commands that deliver two newly documented Windows remote access trojans, E4del and PINHOLE. Researchers said the campaign has been active since early July and likely begins with phishing-delivered ZIP archives containing LNK files, which trigger PowerShell-based retrieval of malicious content from FTP banner responses instead of more typical web infrastructure.
The two payloads diverge after initial access. E4del is a Node.js RAT disguised as a signed Discord-themed Electron application and supports command execution, screenshot capture, and payload download, while PINHOLE uses Pinterest pins and SurveyMonkey surveys to obtain command-and-control configuration and relies on in-memory execution, shellcode fluctuation, and Early Bird APC injection to evade detection. Researchers described the FTP-banner technique as novel but less stealthy than web-based dead-drop resolvers because outbound FTP traffic to unfamiliar servers is more likely to stand out, and they published indicators of compromise to help defenders identify related infrastructure and infected hosts.
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SOCRadar said it identified new malicious infrastructure tied to the FTP-banner malware delivery technique as recently as August 2026, indicating the campaign was still active. The infrastructure supported delivery of the E4del and PINHOLE remote access trojans.
SOCRadar reported that FOFA searches indicated the FTP-banner command-delivery technique had been weaponized since early July 2026. The campaign used ZIP and LNK-based infection chains, likely initiated through phishing, to deliver the previously undocumented E4del and PINHOLE RATs.
MalwareHunterTeam observed attackers using .LNK shortcut files together with FTP server banners as dead-drop resolvers in July 2026. This appears to be the earliest explicit observation of the campaign technique in the provided sources.
SOCRadar disclosed technical details on the novel use of FTP server banners to deliver the E4del and PINHOLE RATs and published indicators of compromise to help defenders identify related infrastructure and infected hosts. The report described E4del as a Discord-themed Node.js RAT and PINHOLE as a more advanced RAT using Pinterest and SurveyMonkey for C2 configuration.
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Multiple campaigns are using phishing emails and archive-based lures to deliver remote access malware through stealthy, multi-stage infection chains. Point Wild documented **Remcos RAT**, **DesckVB RAT**, and a Rust-based **COVERT RAT** being delivered through ZIP attachments, weaponized `LNK` files, obfuscated JavaScript droppers, and hidden PowerShell execution, often with decoy documents to mask activity. The payloads were loaded filelessly through .NET reflection and in-memory execution, with operators abusing legitimate binaries and services such as `aspnet_compiler.exe`, GitHub, and paste or web-hosting platforms to stage malware while evading detection. Reported command-and-control infrastructure included `192.3.27.141:8087`, `172.245.246.77:8080`, and `181.231.253.69:4444`, while observed artifacts included `C:\ProgramData\remcos\logs.dat`, `C:\ProgramData\colors\logs.dat`, and payload names such as `ALTERNATE.dll`, `ClassLibrary3.dll`, `Keylogger.dll`, and `msedge_proxy.exe`. Separate reporting showed the same tradecraft extending beyond custom RATs to commodity remote-access software and credential theft. A campaign targeting Russian aerospace and aviation organizations used invoice-themed phishing and spoofed domains to install a portable **AnyDesk** instance for unattended access, maintain persistence with a scheduled task, minimize visibility with Tray Minimizer, and exfiltrate configuration data through a command-line SMTP mailer; Seqrite linked the activity to **Rare Werewolf (Librarian Ghouls)**. Securonix research cited by Trojan Killer described **VEIL#DROP** using fake document-style JavaScript files, Blogspot-hosted staging, PowerShell download cradles, XOR decoding, and in-memory .NET loading to deploy **PureLog Stealer**, which targets browser credentials, cookies, session tokens, wallet data, and host information. Across the campaigns, the common pattern is phishing-led initial access followed by LOLBins, PowerShell, staged downloads, persistence, and covert data theft or long-term remote control.
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Multiple research reports detailed **Windows-focused malware delivery chains** that rely on social engineering and abuse of legitimate services to blend into normal enterprise traffic. FortiGuard Labs described a **multi-stage campaign targeting users in Russia** that starts with business-themed decoy documents and scripts, then escalates to security-control bypass and surveillance before deploying **Amnesia RAT** and ultimately **ransomware** with widespread file encryption. A notable technique in that intrusion is the abuse of **Defendnot** (a Windows Security Center trust-model research tool) to **disable Microsoft Defender**, while payloads are hosted modularly across public cloud services (e.g., **GitHub** for scripts and **Dropbox** for binaries) to improve resilience and complicate takedowns. Separately, ReliaQuest reported attackers using **LinkedIn private messages** to build trust with targets and deliver a **WinRAR SFX** that triggers **DLL sideloading** via a legitimate PDF reader, then establishes persistence (Registry `Run` key) and executes **Base64-encoded shellcode in-memory** to load a RAT-like payload. Trend Micro and Koi Security documented **Evelyn Stealer**, which weaponizes **malicious VS Code extensions** to drop a downloader DLL (e.g., `Lightshot.dll`), run hidden PowerShell to fetch `runtime.exe`, and inject the stealer into `grpconv.exe`, exfiltrating data (credentials, cookies, wallets, screenshots, Wi‑Fi credentials) to `server09.mentality[.]cloud` over FTP. AhnLab ASEC also reported **proxyjacking** activity in South Korea attributed to **Larva‑25012**, distributing **proxyware disguised as a Notepad++ installer** and evolving evasion (e.g., injecting into Windows Explorer and using Python-based loaders) to monetize victims’ bandwidth via unauthorized proxyware installation.
Jun 29, 2026