Hackers Real Targets Were Google, Microsoft & Samsung In CCleaner Malware Attack

The attack on Windows Utility CCleaner was more severe than thought. It was first understood that hackers have added malware in the famous PC software CCleaner but the target was not CCleaner, the target was the most known tech companies around the world.

The hackers were targeting a string of internal domains with a second-stage payload, designed to gather data and provide constant access to an infected device.

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The domains targeted include “Ntdev.corp.microsoft.com”, hq.gmail.com which are internal domains for Windows developers and Gmail respectively. Other than this the companies victimized are Sony, Samsung, Intel, and Akamai.

Avast experts said, “This was a typical watering hole attack where the vast majority of users were uninteresting for the attacker, but select ones were.”

700,000 computers were exposed by this attack but it is not yet clear which companies have been compromised successfully. Also what the hackers were actually looking for remains a mystery. Talos although said that the hackers target “would suggest a very focused actor after valuable intellectual property.”

So in the upcoming weeks, it is likely that researchers find more about this CCleaner malware attack. The target, aim, and purpose of hackers currently gives a dim picture.