New Windows RATs E4del and PINHOLE Hide Commands Inside FTP Server Banners

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Security researchers at SOCRadar Threat Research Unit have identified two new Windows remote access trojans, E4del and PINHOLE, that use an unusual technique of embedding PowerShell commands inside FTP server pre-login banners to initiate infection. Victims are compromised when they open an LNK shortcut file inside a ZIP archive, which silently connects to an attacker-controlled FTP server and retrieves the hidden commands. E4del disguises itself as a Discord application using a signed Electron wrapper, offering capabilities including remote shell access, screen capture, and live streaming via WebSockets. PINHOLE employs a multi-stage loader that resolves encrypted command-and-control server details stored on legitimate platforms like Pinterest and SurveyMonkey, then proxies traffic through Cloudflare Workers before injecting the final payload into a suspended ApplicationFrameHost.exe process. Security teams are advised to block ZIP and LNK files at gateways, restrict outbound FTP traffic, and monitor for abnormal connections to Pinterest, SurveyMonkey, and Cloudflare Workers domains.

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