The source code for the KPot information stealer was put up for auction, with the REvil ransomware operators apparently being the sole bidders, threat intelligence provider Cyjax reports.
Initially spotted in 2018 and offered as a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS), KPot was designed to steal account information, as well as other types of data from browsers (e.g. cookies and autofill forms), messaging and email applications, and other software, including VPNs, RDP and FTP tools, cryptocurrency apps, and gaming software.
Written in C/C++, the malware relies on HTTP for command and control (C&C) communication and includes support for a variety of commands, to steal desired information and files from the victim machine, to remove itself, or take screenshots.
The KPot developers announced a couple of weeks ago that they were auctioning the malware’s source code, with a starting price of $6,500. They were also offering the source code for $10,000 upfront.
This week, Cyjax revealed that a representative of the REvil (Sodinokibi) ransomware gang was the only bidder in the auction. They also note that the auction was closed soon after the group made the bid.
“While the closed nature of these sales makes it impossible to definitively state REvil are now the owner of the KPot stealer, this seems highly likely. They were the only public bidder for this product and could almost certainly outbid other interested parties,” Cyjax notes.
First observed in early 2019 and offered as a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS), REvil is believed to be operated by the gang behind the GandCrab ransomware, which retired in June 2019.
In a recent interview, the REvil gang said they top $100 million in annual earnings from the ransomware business. The GandCrab group claimed it managed to earn over $2 billion.
“If REvil has purchased the source code for KPot stealer, then this will likely be incorporated into future ransomware attacks,” Cyjax also says.
The move would not be surprising, considering that many ransomware gangs have been observed stealing victim data in an effort to convince them to pay the ransom by threatening to make the information public.
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