LookBack, TA410

Between July 19 and July 25, 2019, several spear phishing emails were identified targeting three US companies in the utilities sector. The phishing emails appeared to impersonate a US-based engineering licensing board with emails originating from what appears to be an actor-controlled domain, nceess[.]com. Nceess[.]com is believed to be an impersonation of a domain owned by the US National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. The emails contain a malicious Microsoft Word attachment that uses macros to install and run malware that Proofpoint researchers have dubbed “LookBack.” This malware consists of a remote access Trojan (RAT) module and a proxy mechanism used for command and control (C&C) communication.  We believe this may be the work of a state-sponsored APT actor based on overlaps with historical campaigns and macros utilized. The utilization of this distinct delivery methodology coupled with unique LookBack malware highlights the continuing threats posed by sophisticated adversaries to utilities systems and critical infrastructure providers. Proofpoint found similarities in malware delivery with Stone Panda, APT 10, menuPass , but those may have been false flags.