Sunday, January 29, 2023
  • Events
  • Interviews
  • Jobs
  • Opinion
  • Whitepapers
  • Glossary
  • Community Forum
  • Web Hosting Directory
  • Login
  • Register
Cloud7 News
  • Cloud Computing
  • Web Hosting
  • Data Center
  • Linux
  • Cybersecurity
  • More
    • Network/Internet
    • Windows
    • Software
    • Hardware
    • Blockchain
    • Policy/Legislation
    • How-Tos
    • Troubleshooting
No Result
View All Result
Cloud7 News
  • Cloud Computing
  • Web Hosting
  • Data Center
  • Linux
  • Cybersecurity
  • More
    • Network/Internet
    • Windows
    • Software
    • Hardware
    • Blockchain
    • Policy/Legislation
    • How-Tos
    • Troubleshooting
No Result
View All Result
Cloud7 News
No Result
View All Result

Home > Cybersecurity > Google shares details of the Heliconia exploitation framework

Google shares details of the Heliconia exploitation framework

Google shared its finding on the Heliconia exploitation framework, with possible ties to a company located in Barcelona, Spain, named Variston IT.


Erdem Yasar Erdem Yasar
December 1, 2022
3 min read
Google shares details of the Heliconia exploitation framework
  • Heliconia framework exploits n-day vulnerabilities in Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Defender and provides all the tools necessary to deploy a payload
  • TAG became aware of the Heliconia framework when Google received an anonymous submission to the Chrome bug reporting program.
  • TAG analyzed the submissions and found they contained frameworks for deploying exploits in the wild.

Google‘s Threat Analysis Group, which has been tracking the activities of commercial spyware vendors, shared its findings on an exploitation framework with likely ties to Variston IT, a company in Barcelona, Spain. The company claims to provide custom security solutions to its customers. Google stated that Variston IT’s Heliconia framework exploits n-day vulnerabilities in Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Defender. The company also provides the necessary tools allowing users to deploy payloads to target devices.

Spyware vendor

The affected vulnerabilities were patched in 2021 and early 2022 by Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla. Google didn’t detect active exploitation but it seems like these were utilized as zero-days in the wild. Google’s team also created detections in Safe Browsing, which helps users by warning them when visiting a dangerous site or downloading dangerous files.

The Threat Analysis Group noticed the framework after receiving anonymous submissions to its bug reporting program. The submitter provided instructions and an archive that contained source code for three bugs. The submitter used unique names in the bug reports including, “Heliconia Noise,” “Heliconia Soft” and “Files.” The analysis showed that it contained frameworks for deploying exploits in the wild along with a script in the source code that points to the possible creator of the frameworks, Variston IT.

  • Heliconia Noise: a web framework for deploying an exploit for a Chrome renderer bug followed by a sandbox escape
  • Heliconia Soft: a web framework that deploys a PDF containing a Windows Defender exploit
  • Files: a set of Firefox exploits for Linux and Windows.

Heliconia Noise is a web framework that deploys a Chrome renderer exploit, which is followed by a Chrome sandbox escape and agent installation. The framework runs a Flask web server to host the exploit chain. A full infection performs requests to six different web endpoints during the different stages of the exploit chain:

Stage 1: Remote code execution (RCE)

  • index.py: the landing page
  • iframe.py: the iframe that runs the RCE exploit
  • wasm.py: a dummy WebAssembly (Wasm) module

Stage 2: Sandbox escape

  • sbx.py: the sandbox escape shellcode

Stage 3: Post-exploitation

  • launcher.py: the agent launcher
  • agent.py: the agent

Google said,

« TAG’s research has shown the proliferation of commercial surveillance and the extent to which commercial spyware vendors have developed capabilities that were previously only available to governments with deep pockets and technical expertise. The growth of the spyware industry puts users at risk and makes the Internet less safe, and while surveillance technology may be legal under national or international laws, they are often used in harmful ways to conduct digital espionage against a range of groups. These abuses represent a serious risk to online safety which is why Google and TAG will continue to take action against, and publish research about, the commercial spyware industry. »

See more Cybersecurity News


Tags: Google
Erdem Yasar

Erdem Yasar

Erdem Yasar is a news editor at Cloud7 News. Erdem started his career by writing video game reviews in 2007 for PC World magazine while he was studying computer engineering. In the following years, he focused on software development with various programming languages. After his graduation, he continued to work as an editor for several major tech-related websites and magazines. During the 2010s, Erdem Yasar shifted his focus to cloud computing, hosting, and data centers as they were becoming more popular topics in the tech industry. Erdem Yasar also worked with various industry-leading tech companies as a content creator by writing blog posts and other articles. Prior to his role at Cloud7 News, Erdem was the managing editor of T3 Magazine.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Next Post
Dropbox to acquire Boxcryptor assets

Dropbox to acquire Boxcryptor assets

Related News

Radware issued a threat advisory

Chinese 8220 Gang targets public clouds

January 29, 2023 3:00 pm
Thoma Bravo to acquire Magnet Forensics

Thoma Bravo to acquire Magnet Forensics

January 26, 2023 1:10 pm
LastPass faces yet another security incident

LastPass publishes an update on the November 2022 security incident

January 25, 2023 6:35 pm
VMware vRealize updates addressing security flaws

VMware fixes critical vRealize Log Insight security flaws

January 25, 2023 3:30 pm
Get free daily newsletters from Cloud7 News Get the Cloud7 Newsletter
Select list(s):

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

By subscribing, you agree to our
Copyright Policy and Privacy Policy

Get the free newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest IT business updates straight to your inbox.

Select list(s):

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Editor's Choice

What’s new in Linux kernel 6.2 rc5?

10 Best Web Hosting Services of 2023

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is available for download. What is new?

CERN and Fermilab recommend AlmaLinux

7 best hosting control panels of 2023

How to update Linux Kernel without rebooting?

7 best Linux mail servers of 2023

7 best cPanel alternatives for 2023

7 best Linux web browsers for 2023

7 best CentOS alternatives

7 best Linux server distros of 2023

Interview with Igor Seletskiy on AlmaLinux

How to create a VM and install a Linux distro on VMware Workstation

Recent News

  • Chinese 8220 Gang targets public clouds
  • RtBrick supports a hardened open switch from Edgecore
  • Weekly round-up: 23 – 27 January
  • Interview: Orly Izhaki, General Manager of Wix Restaurants
  • What is ChatGPT? Everything you need to know

Cloud7 News
Cloud7 is a news source that publishes the latest news, reviews, comparisons, opinions, and exclusive interviews to help tech users of high-experience levels in the IT industry.

EXPLORE

  • Web Hosting
  • Cloud Computing
  • Data Center
  • Cybersecurity
  • Linux
  • Network/Internet
  • Software
  • Hardware
  • How-Tos
  • Troubleshooting

RESOURCES

  • Events
  • Interviews
  • Jobs
  • Opinion
  • Whitepapers
  • Glossary
  • Community Forum
  • Web Hosting Directory

Get the Cloud7 Newsletter

Get FREE daily newsletters from Cloud7 delivering the latest news and reviews.

  • About
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Copyright Policy
  • Contact

© 2022, Cloud7 News. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Cloud Computing
  • Web Hosting
  • Data Center
  • Linux
  • Cybersecurity
  • More
    • Network/Internet
    • Windows
    • Software
    • Hardware
    • Blockchain
    • Policy/Legislation
    • How-Tos
    • Troubleshooting
  • Events
  • Interviews
  • Jobs
  • Opinion
  • Whitepapers
  • Glossary
  • Community Forum
  • Web Hosting Directory

© 2022, Cloud7 News. All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
Sign In with Google
Sign In with Linked In
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Sign Up with Facebook
Sign Up with Google
Sign Up with Linked In
OR

Fill the forms below to register

*By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.