CyberWire Daily Spamageddon: Xeon Sender’s cloudy SMS attack revealed! [Research Saturday]
Sep 14, 2024
Alex Delamotte, a Threat Researcher from SentinelOne Labs, unveils the troubling rise of the Xeon Sender tool, a cloud-based hacktool facilitating SMS spam campaigns. He discusses its technical workings and alarming distribution on underground forums. The conversation highlights detection techniques for SMS abuse and cybersecurity best practices for organizations facing this modern threat. With SMS attacks on the rise, Delamotte emphasizes the urgent need for vigilance and effective monitoring to combat these malicious activities.
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Xeon Sender's Functionality
- Xeon Sender automates SMS spam by using valid SaaS API credentials for bulk messaging.
- It unifies different service providers under a simple interface requiring API keys and message details.
Detecting Unauthorized SMS Use
- Monitor sudden spikes and quota changes in SMS sending to detect unauthorized use.
- Set alarms for messages sent to numbers not in your customer database to spot spam campaigns.
Geographic Origins of Spam Tools
- Cloud spam tools like Xeon Sender often originate from developing regions such as Africa and Southeast Asia.
- These regions have actors with enough tech access to build cloud hacking tools, despite limited resources.