PULSE NAME
From poisoned search results to GPU mining: A cryptojacking campaign abusing ScreenConnect and Microsoft .NET utilities
WHITE AlienVault 2026-05-27 Modified: 2026-05-27
27
IOCs
MEDIUM VOLUME
Microsoft Defender Experts identified an active cryptojacking campaign leveraging AI-assisted delivery mechanisms alongside traditional SEO poisoning. Attackers create fake download sites impersonating trusted utilities like CrystalDiskInfo, HWMonitor, and FurMark, targeting users with high-performance GPUs. Victims download ZIP archives containing legitimate executables bundled with malicious DLLs that establish persistence via ScreenConnect remote access tools. The operation employs sophisticated techniques including DLL sideloading, process hollowing into Microsoft-signed .NET binaries, and comprehensive defense evasion. Beyond cryptocurrency mining, the campaign establishes persistent remote access that could enable data theft, lateral movement, or ransomware deployment. The threat actors deliberately target PC enthusiasts and hardware-focused users most likely to own discrete GPUs suitable for profitable mining operations.
Indicators of Compromise (5 / 27 total)
All FileHash-MD5 FileHash-SHA1 FileHash-SHA256 IPv4 hostname URL
TYPEINDICATORDESCRIPTIONCREATED
FileHash-MD5 4125681f9276487f4318c7ce9c8b6786 2026-05-27
FileHash-MD5 512b49f441765698c679b5da5f0cc868 2026-05-27
FileHash-MD5 56b75638beabd690f38de434f7efd623 2026-05-27
FileHash-MD5 661d4551df34661f3ffc565e2f4ecdbc 2026-05-27
FileHash-MD5 d58ce78503c60c19926ed642f0eb9d53 2026-05-27