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AI-POWERED 'BLACKMAMBA' KEYLOGGING ATTACK EVADES MODERN EDR SECURITY

Researchers warn that polymorphic malware created with ChatGPT and other LLMs
will force a reinvention of security automation.

Elizabeth Montalbano, Contributing Writer

March 8, 2023

3 Min Read
Source: Christopher Wedd via Alamy Stock Photo


A proof-of-concept, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven cyberattack that changes
its code on the fly can slip past the latest automated security-detection
technology, demonstrating the potential for creating undetectable malware.

Researchers from HYAS Labs demonstrated the proof-of-concept attack, which they
call BlackMamba, which exploits a large language model (LLM) — the technology on
which ChatGPT is based — to synthesize a polymorphic keylogger functionality on
the fly. The attack is "truly polymorphic" in that every time BlackMamba
executes, it resynthesizes its keylogging capability, the researchers wrote.



The BlackMamba attack, outlined in a blog post, demonstrates how AI can allow
the malware to dynamically modify benign code at runtime without any
command-and-control (C2) infrastructure, allowing it to slip past current
automated security systems that are attuned to look out for this type of
behavior to detect attacks.

"Traditional security solutions like endpoint detection and response (EDR)
leverage multi-layer, data intelligence systems to combat some of today’s most
sophisticated threats, and most automated controls claim to prevent novel or
irregular behavior patterns," the HYAS Labs researchers wrote. "But in practice,
this is very rarely the case."



They tested the attack against an EDR system that was not identified
specifically, but characterized as "industry leading," often resulting in zero
alerts or detections.

Using its built-in keylogging ability, BlackMamba can collect sensitive
information from a device, including usernames, passwords, and credit card
numbers, the researchers said. Once this data is captured, the malware uses a
common and trusted collaboration platform — Microsoft Teams — to send the
collected data to a malicious Teams channel. From there, attackers can exploit
the data in various nefarious ways, selling it on the Dark Web or using it for
further attacks, the HYAS Labs researchers said.



"MS Teams is a legitimate communication and collaboration tool that is widely
used by organizations, so malware authors can leverage it to bypass traditional
security defenses, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems," they
wrote. "Also, since the data is sent over encrypted channels, it can be
difficult to detect that the channel is being used for exfiltration."



Moreover, because BlackMamba's delivery system is based on an open source Python
package, it allows developers to convert Python scripts into standalone
executable files that can be run on various platforms, including Windows, macOS,
and Linux, they wrote.


WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MODERN SECURITY

AI-powered attacks like this will become more common now as threat actors create
polymorphic malware that leverages ChatGPT and other sophisticated,
data-intelligence systems based on LLM, according to the HYAS Labs researchers.
This, in turn, will force automated security technology to evolve as well to
manage and combat these threats.

“The threats posed by this new breed of malware are very real," the researchers
wrote in the post. "By eliminating C2 communication and generating new, unique
code at runtime, malware like BlackMamba is virtually undetectable by today's
predictive security solutions."

Typically, organizations that deploy EDR and other automated security controls
as part of a modern security stack believe they're doing everything in their
power to detect and prevent malicious activity. However, BlackMamba's use of AI
now demonstrates that "they are not foolproof," the HYAS Labs researchers noted.



"The BlackMamba proof-of-concept shows that LLMs can be exploited to synthesize
polymorphic keylogger functionality on-the-fly, making it difficult for EDR to
intervene," they wrote.

The security landscape will have to evolve alongside attackers' use of AI to
keep up with the more sophisticated attacks that are on the horizon, according
to the researchers. Until then, it's imperative that organizations "remain
vigilant, keep their security measures up to date," they advised, "and adapt
to new threats that emerge by operationalizing cutting-edge research being
conducted in this space."




ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Elizabeth Montalbano, Contributing Writer



Elizabeth Montalbano is a freelance writer, journalist, and therapeutic writing
mentor with more than 25 years of professional experience. Her areas of
expertise include technology, business, and culture. Elizabeth previously lived
and worked as a full-time journalist in Phoenix, San Francisco, and New York
City; she currently resides in a village on the southwest coast of Portugal. In
her free time, she enjoys surfing, hiking with her dogs, traveling, playing
music, yoga, and cooking.


See more from Elizabeth Montalbano, Contributing Writer
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