Here’s a story that reads like the next cybercrime thriller but is all too real. DragonForce, a notorious cybercriminal group, recently took over RansomHub, a ransomware operation known for aggressive extortion. But what’s even more fascinating and alarming is how they’re weaponizing vulnerabilities in SimpleHelp, a remote monitoring and management (RMM) tool used by countless IT teams. Let’s dive into how DragonForce pulled this off, what made it possible, and what companies need to do to keep these digital wolves at bay.
So, what’s the deal with SimpleHelp? It’s a cross-platform RMM solution that lets IT pros manage and troubleshoot remote systems. But like any powerful tool, it’s only as strong as its defenses. DragonForce found some chinks in the armor, and they weren’t shy about exploiting them.
It all started with weak input sanitization in certain versions of SimpleHelp. Essentially, the software wasn’t doing a great job of filtering out harmful data when handling things like authentication and file uploads. DragonForce’s hackers crafted sneaky requests to the SimpleHelp server that let them upload malicious files, often disguised as harmless scripts or installers. By exploiting path traversal vulnerabilities (think of them as taking a shortcut through a digital back door), they could place malware outside of restricted areas, bypassing security checks.
Once they slipped through, it was game over for a lot of systems. SimpleHelp often runs with high-level privileges, so once DragonForce had access, they could move laterally across connected systems. They used this access to drop ransomware payloads—their own brand from the newly acquired RansomHub toolkit onto multiple endpoints. And before you ask, yes, they also used SimpleHelp’s built-in features to steal data, quietly moving files out of networks before locking systems up and demanding payment.
But that’s not all. DragonForce wasn’t content to just break in and cause chaos. They set up encrypted reverse shells and tunneling scripts basically secret communication channels that blend in with normal network traffic. This allowed them to control compromised machines remotely, issue commands, and evade detection. They even used domain generation algorithms (DGAs) to keep their command servers a moving target, making it nearly impossible for defenders to block them effectively.
The pièce de résistance was integrating these attacks with RansomHub’s advanced ransomware features. These included double extortion tactics, where the attackers not only encrypted files but also threatened to leak stolen data if ransoms weren’t paid. They used payloads that could sense if they were running in a virtual environment (a common security testing trick) and delay execution to avoid getting caught. And they didn’t stop at encryption, they also deployed tools to scrape passwords and tokens from memory, expanding their reach.
Now, this all sounds pretty scary, but there are concrete steps companies can take to defend themselves against attacks like this. First off, always keep your software patched, vendors like SimpleHelp often release updates to fix known issues, but it’s on you to apply them. Use the principle of least privilege: don’t let RMM tools have admin rights unless absolutely necessary. Implement strong access controls and continuous authentication checks to make sure the right people—and only the right people, are logging in.
It’s also critical to protect against brute-force attacks and rate-limit login attempts to slow down automated hacking scripts. Using web application firewalls (WAFs) can help detect and block suspicious activity, including those nasty path traversal tricks. And don’t forget to change default credentials, turn off unnecessary features, and make sure all traffic is encrypted with strong TLS protocols.
On top of that, companies should invest in continuous monitoring tools like SIEM or XDR to catch unusual behavior early, things like odd data transfers or weird commands being issued from the RMM. And if you’re serious about security, have an incident response plan ready to go, so you can isolate compromised systems and call in the cavalry (vendors, law enforcement, whoever you need) before the damage spreads.
The moral of the story? DragonForce’s hijacking of SimpleHelp shows how cybercriminals are evolving, turning trusted IT tools into weapons of mass disruption. But by understanding their tactics and tightening up defenses, companies can make sure they’re not the next headline in the ransomware hall of shame.