Description

The Akamai Security Intelligence Research Team (SIRT) has identified an active vulnerability in DigiEver DS-2105 Pro DVRs, which is being targeted by the Hail Cock botnet, a variant of Mirai. This botnet thrives on unpatched devices, exploiting several known vulnerabilities. Among these is a remote code execution (RCE) flaw in the /cgi-bin/cgi_main.cgi endpoint of the DigiEver DS-2105 Pro, which allows attackers to inject malicious commands. The vulnerability was initially uncovered by Ta-Lun Yen of TXOne Research. Other devices targeted include TP-Link devices (CVE-2023-1389), which exploit the /cgi-bin/luci endpoint to download and execute malicious scripts, Tenda HG6 routers, which have remote command injection vulnerabilities, and Teltonika RUT9XX routers (CVE-2018-17532), which are similarly exploited by the botnet. The attack typically starts with HTTP POST requests to download Mirai-based malware, eventually compromising broader network systems. The botnet primarily targets devices with outdated firmware, taking advantage of vulnerabilities in hardware no longer supported by manufacturers. These devices are left open to exploitation, as attackers can easily manipulate their outdated software. In contrast to earlier Mirai botnets, the Hail Cock variant employs modern cryptographic techniques such as ChaCha20 and XOR for encryption, reflecting an evolution in attack strategies aimed at evading detection. The botnet’s persistence mechanisms include cron jobs that pull additional payloads from domains like hailcocks[.]ru. Its command-and-control infrastructure uses dynamic domains, ensuring uninterrupted operation despite changes in the botnet’s structure. Interestingly, compromised devices display unique console messages after infection. While older variants show “you are now apart of hail cock botnet,” newer versions display the phrase, “I just wanna look after my cats, man.” Akamai recommends that users of vulnerable devices regularly update firmware, segment networks to isolate IoT devices, and replace default passwords with strong, unique credentials to defend against these threats. Upgrading to supported devices is also highly advised to mitigate the risks posed by outdated and unsupported hardware.