The Gootkit Information Stealer

by

March 4, 2021

Ignore the adorable tree baby. This isn’t about Groot. It’s about Gootkit, a particularly nasty information stealer that’s currently being distributed to people via hacked WordPress sites and malicious SEO techniques.

Gootkit, or Gootloader, has been around for awhile; since at least 2019. The bad actors have set up a system that’s really pretty…smart? I hate saying that, but as a marketing guy who understands the buyer’s journey and how people use the internet, specifically Google, to find what they’re looking for.

So, basically, as I’m sure you know, when you’re going online to find an answer to a question you have, you’re probably using something called a “phrase-based” search. You ask Google a question. It tries to serve up the best answer. You scan your results and click the best match. Yadda, yadda, yadda, you get it.

The people behind Gootkit get this. So they’ve set up a slew of blank forums on compromised WordPress sites that leverage SEO and an authoritative entry from what appears to be a system administrator or a trusted poster, that contains a masked yet malicious link, and you’re off to the races.

After clicking the link, you’ll download a ZIP archive. The archive contains a JavaScript file that begins the infection process. The Javascript itself is written to the actual disk. The ransomware is deployed to system memory, making it much more difficult to detect.

The actors are specifically targeting people in the U.S., Germany and South Korea.

The story is still developing so information is still coming out. Sophos has done a really nice write up on the more technical details (which you can read here).

Like our blog? Subscribe using the CTA in the upper right-hand corner of this page. Feel like sharing your thoughts with us? Use the comment section below.

Carl Keyser is the Content Manager at Integris.

Keep reading

Strong Cybersecurity Postures: How to Unleash their Power

Strong Cybersecurity Postures: How to Unleash their Power

In the vast digital landscape where virtual dragons and sneaky trolls roam a strong cybersecurity posture has never been more important. Imagine a band of modern-day knights led by our protagonist, Alex. Armed with a trusty laptop and a cup of coffee, Alex navigates...

How to Spot a Phishing Attack in 2023

How to Spot a Phishing Attack in 2023

In 2023 cyber threats lurk behind every tree trunk in today's digital jungle, and cybersecurity awareness is more critical than ever. Among the craftiest of these threats are phishing attacks. Phishing attacks are cunningly engineered with social manipulation at their...

How to Choose an IT Consultant in Boulder, CO

Regardless of industry size or type, Boulder IT consultants play a massive role in the way companies in the Boulder area do business. While most companies may have their own in-house IT department, many of these departments are small and cannot handle all the...