How Does It Work?
Tofsee is distributed via various methods. It might be attached to a phishing email, delivered by an exploit kit, bundled with other programs, or downloaded from a malicious site.
Once executed on an infected computer, the malware copies itself to various directories to make it more difficult to remediate the infection. Additionally, the malware will modify the Windows Registry to ensure that it is automatically executed when the system starts, providing persistence across system reboots.
The core functions of Tofsee are to collect information about the user and to use their computer to send spam emails. However, the malware operator can also send other modules to the malware with various capabilities.
Tofsee Malware Capabilities
Tofsee malware is a trojan whose primary purpose is to send spam emails. Once installed on a computer, the malware will change settings in the browser and DNS configuration as well as collect and exfiltrate information about the user, including tracking their activities on the Internet.
Beyond these core capabilities, Tofsee is also modular malware, meaning that the malware can download and execute additional malicious functionality on an infected computer. Some of the most commonly used Tofsee modules have the following functions:
- DDoS Attacks: Computers infected with Tofsee might be used as part of a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) botnet. These infected systems will send traffic to a target system, degrading its ability to provide services to legitimate users.
- Cryptojacking: Cryptomining malware uses the processing power of infected systems to mine cryptocurrency on a Proof of Work blockchain such as Bitcoin or Litecoin. This involves performing numerous computations while looking for a valid version of the next block on the blockchain.
- Proxy Server: Tofsee can configure an infected system as a proxy server based on configuration information provided by the malware operator. This allows an attacker to route traffic through the infected system, which may be used to evade defenses or make attacks more difficult to trace.
The modularity of the Tofsee malware means that its capabilities can change at any time. Malware developers can create and deploy additional modules or modify the functionality of existing ones.
Impact of a Tofsee Infection
The primary impacts of a Tofsee infection are that a computer is used to send spam email and that information about the user and their web browsing activities may be collected and sent to the attacker. This information could be used in follow-up attacks or for blackmail purposes.
The modular nature of Tofsee means that it can have other impacts both on an infected system and other computers. For example, if an infected computer is used by a DDoS or cryptomining botnet, then its network bandwidth or computational resources are being used for the attacker’s benefit. This also affects other parties due to the impacts of the DDoS attack on its victims and the attacker’s earning of rewards for mining cryptocurrency.
How to Protect Against Tofsee Malware
Tofsee malware uses various methods to infect a computer and can be used for numerous malicious purposes. Some security best practices that can help to protect against Tofsee infections include:
- Email Scanning: Phishing emails are one of the methods by which Tofsee malware is distributed. Email scanning solutions can identify and block emails carrying the malware from reaching their intended recipients.
- Secure Browsing: Tofsee malware can also be distributed as a trojan downloaded from malicious websites. Secure browsing solutions that block traffic to known-bad URLs and that scan downloads can help to prevent Tofsee infections.
- Configuration Management: Tofsee modifies configuration settings on infected computers. Checking these configurations against a baseline can help to identify these malicious modifications and a Tofsee infection.
- Endpoint Security Solutions: Tofsee is a known malware variant that performs various anomalous activities on an infected system. Endpoint security solutions can help to identify and remediate Tofsee infections on a computer.
- Network Traffic Analysis: A Tofsee infection can result in numerous forms of unusual network traffic, including spam emails, DDoS attacks, and the use of an infected computer as a proxy server. Monitoring traffic within an organization’s network can help to identify infected systems.
Tofsee Malware Protection with Check Point
Tofsee is a powerful, modular trojan that offers a wide range of malicious capabilities. However, it is only one of several cyber threats that organizations face. Learn more about the leading cyber threats to the business in Check Point’s 2023 Cyber Security Report.
Check Point Harmony Endpoint provides comprehensive protection against Tofsee and other malware variants, including robust zero day protection. Learn more about how Harmony Endpoint can protect your organization’s systems by signing up for a free demo today.
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