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December 4, 2024

Phishing Attacks Surge Over 600% in the Buildup to Black Friday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are prime targets for cyber-attacks, as consumer spending rises and threat actors flock to take advantage. Darktrace analysis reveals a surge in retail cyber scams at the opening of the peak 2024 shopping period, and the top brands that scammers love to impersonate. Plus, don’t forget to check out our top tips for holiday-proofing your SOC before you clock off for the festive season.
Inside the SOC
Darktrace cyber analysts are world-class experts in threat intelligence, threat hunting and incident response, and provide 24/7 SOC support to thousands of Darktrace customers around the globe. Inside the SOC is exclusively authored by these experts, providing analysis of cyber incidents and threat trends, based on real-world experience in the field.
Written by
Nathaniel Jones
VP, Security & AI Strategy, Field CISO
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04
Dec 2024

Defenders are accustomed now to an uptick in cyber-attacks around the holiday period. The festive shopping season creates ideal conditions for cybercriminals. Consumers are inundated with time-sensitive deals, while retailers handle record-breaking transaction volumes at speed. This environment makes it harder than ever to identify suspicious activity.

An investigation conducted by Darktrace’s global analyst team revealed that Christmas-themed phishing attacks leapt 327%1 around the world and Black Friday and Cyber Monday themed phishing attacks soared to 692% last week compared to the beginning of November2 (4th - 9th November), as threat actors seek to take advantage of the busy holiday shopping period.

The United States retail sector saw the most marked increase in threat actors crafting convincing emails purporting to be from well-known brands, mimicking promotional emails. Attacks designed to look like they came from major brands including Walmart – which was easily the most mimicked US brand – Macy’s, Target, Old Navy, and Best Buy3 increased by more than 2000% during peak shopping periods.

Darktrace analysis also highlighted a redistribution of scammers’ resources to take advantage of the festive shopping season, moving from targeting businesses to consumers. The impersonation of major consumer brands, dominated by Amazon and PayPal4, increased by 92% globally between analyzed periods, while the spoofing of workplace-focused brands, like Adobe, Zoom and LinkedIn, decreased by 9%.

Major retail brands invest heavily in safeguarding themselves and their customers from scams and cyberattacks, particularly during the holiday season. However, phishing and website spoofing occur outside the retailers' legitimate infrastructure and security controls, making it difficult to catch and prevent every instance due to their sheer volume. While advancements like AI are helping security teams narrow the gap, brand impersonation remains a persistent challenge.

Multiple attack methods exploit trust during holiday rush

Darktrace’s findings demonstrate some of the most common brand spoofing strategies used by attackers during the holiday season:

Domain spoofing, which sees attackers create near perfect replicas of retail websites, complete with lookalike domain names and branding, to trick consumers into handing over personal and payment details.  

Brand spoofing, where attackers send a phishing email designed to look like a favorite retailer, enticing their target to click a link for a discount, when in fact the link downloads malware to their device.  

Safelink smuggling, which involves an attacker intentionally getting their malicious payload rewritten by a security solution’s Safelink capability to then propagate the rewritten URL to others. This not only evades detection but also undermines trust in email security tools. Darktrace observed over 300,000 cases of Safelinks being included in unexpected and suspicious contexts over a period of 3 months.

Multi-stage attacks which combine these tactics into a single attack: brand spoofing emails lead unsuspecting shoppers directly to domain spoofed websites that harvest login or payment details, creating a seamless deception that hands personal and financial data directly to attackers. This coordinated approach exploits the chaos of holiday sales, when shoppers are primed to expect high volumes of retail emails and website traffic promoting significant savings.

A spike in cyber-criminal activity which extends beyond email

While email often serves as the front door to an organization and the initial avenue of attack, Darktrace frequently observes a surge in cyber-attacks during public holidays5. These “off-peak” attacks exploit common organizational practices and human vulnerabilities with greater ease.

When staff numbers are reduced, and employees mentally and physically disconnect from work, the speed of detection and response has the potential to slow. This creates opportunities for threat actors to infiltrate undetected. Without real-time autonomous systems in place, such attacks can have a far more severe impact on an organization’s ability to respond and recover effectively.

Ransomware is among the most common threats targeting organizations after hours. In 76% of cases, the encryption process begins during off-hours or on weekends6. For instance, Darktrace identified a ransomware attack launched in the early hours of Christmas Day on a client’s network, taking advantage of the period when most employees were offline.

Festive cheer: giving your SOC team the break they deserve

Staff burnout is increasingly top of mind, with 74% of cybersecurity leaders reporting that they’ve had employees resign due to stress7. And the numbers stack up – almost 60% of security analysts report feeling burnt out, and many are choosing to leave their jobs and even security altogether.8

At a human level, the holiday season should be a time of relaxation and merriment rather than anxiety. For SOC leaders, giving teams time to prioritize recharging during the holidays is crucial for sustaining long-term resilience and productivity, balanced with the importance of maintaining rigorous defenses with a reduced workforce.  

So… how can cybersecurity leaders ensure peace of mind during the holidays?

Step 1: Cover yourself from every angle. It’s no longer enough for your email solution to only catch known threats. Security leaders need to invest in multi-layered email defenses that can combat novel and advanced attacks – such as the multi-stage brand personation attacks that lead shoppers to domain-spoofed websites.  

Darktrace / EMAIL – the fastest growing email security solution – has been proven to detect up to 56% more threats than other email solutions.9  It is uniquely capable of catching novel attacks on the first encounter, rather than waiting the 13 days it takes for other solutions to take action10 – by which time your decorations might be coming down, along with your business.

Step 2: Avoid an overwhelming deluge of alerts raining (or snowing) down on your L1 SOC analysts. Lining up people to manage the grunt work over the holidays is an easy pattern to fall into, but consider technology that can automate that initial triage. For example, Darktrace’s Cyber AI Analyst automatically investigates every alert detected by Darktrace’s core real-time detection engine. It does an additional layer of AI analysis – establishing whether an alert is unusual but benign, or part of a more serious security incident. Rather than looking at hundreds of alerts, your team is presented with just a handful of overall incidents. They can use that new free time to do more strategic work, or take some much-needed time off.

Step 3: Make sure someone – or something – is keeping guard in those super off-peak hours. Enter Autonomous Response. Because it knows what normal looks like for your business it can take action to stop and contain only the unusual and threatening activity. Even if it doesn’t eliminate the threat entirely, it can buy your security team time and space, allowing them to enjoy their holiday in peace.

With Black Friday over and the festive shopping period looming, businesses should act now to protect their brand and ensure they have the cybersecurity measures are in place to enjoy the gift of a stress-free holiday season.  

Interested in how AI-driven email security can protect your organization? Check out the product hub to learn more. Or watch the demo video to see Darktrace / EMAIL in action.

References

[1] Based on analysis of 626 customer deployments and attempted phishing emails mentioning Christmas that were detected by Darktrace / EMAIL.

[2] Emails in the analysis mentioning ‘Black Friday’ or ‘Cyber Monday’.

[3] Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Macy's, Old Navy, 1800-Flowers

[4] Amazon, eBay, Netflix, Alibaba, Paypal, Apple

[5] In 2021, Darktrace observed a 70% average increase in attempted ransomware attacks in November and December compared to January and February. (Darktrace Press Release, 2021)

[6] https://www.zdnet.com/article/most-ransomware-attacks-take-place-during-the-night-or-the-weekend

[7] https://www.scworld.com/perspective/ciso-stress-levels-are-out-of-control

[8] https://www.informationweek.com/cyber-resilience/the-psychology-of-cybersecurity-burnout

[9] 56% of malicious phishing emails detected and analyzed across Darktrace / EMAIL customer deployments from December 2023 – July 2024 passed through all existing security layers. (Darktrace Half Year Report 2024)

[10] 13 days mean average of phishing payloads active in the wild between the response of Darktrace / EMAIL compared to the earliest of 16 independent feeds submitted by other email security technologies. (Darktrace Press Release, 2023)

Inside the SOC
Darktrace cyber analysts are world-class experts in threat intelligence, threat hunting and incident response, and provide 24/7 SOC support to thousands of Darktrace customers around the globe. Inside the SOC is exclusively authored by these experts, providing analysis of cyber incidents and threat trends, based on real-world experience in the field.
Written by
Nathaniel Jones
VP, Security & AI Strategy, Field CISO

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June 27, 2025

Patch and Persist: Darktrace’s Detection of Blind Eagle (APT-C-36)

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What is Blind Eagle?

Since 2018, APT-C-36, also known as Blind Eagle, has been observed performing cyber-attacks targeting various sectors across multiple countries in Latin America, with a particular focus on Colombian organizations.

Blind Eagle characteristically targets government institutions, financial organizations, and critical infrastructure [1][2].

Attacks carried out by Blind Eagle actors typically start with a phishing email and the group have been observed utilizing various Remote Access Trojans (RAT) variants, which often have in-built methods for hiding command-and-control (C2) traffic from detection [3].

What we know about Blind Eagle from a recent campaign

Since November 2024, Blind Eagle actors have been conducting an ongoing campaign targeting Colombian organizations [1].

In this campaign, threat actors have been observed using phishing emails to deliver malicious URL links to targeted recipients, similar to the way threat actors have previously been observed exploiting CVE-2024-43451, a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that allows the disclosure of a user’s NTLMv2 password hash upon minimal interaction with a malicious file [4].

Despite Microsoft patching this vulnerability in November 2024 [1][4], Blind Eagle actors have continued to exploit the minimal interaction mechanism, though no longer with the intent of harvesting NTLMv2 password hashes. Instead, phishing emails are sent to targets containing a malicious URL which, when clicked, initiates the download of a malicious file. This file is then triggered by minimal user interaction.

Clicking on the file triggers a WebDAV request, with a connection being made over HTTP port 80 using the user agent ‘Microsoft-WebDAV-MiniRedir/10.0.19044’. WebDAV is a transmission protocol which allows files or complete directories to be made available through the internet, and to be transmitted to devices [5]. The next stage payload is then downloaded via another WebDAV request and malware is executed on the target device.

Attackers are notified when a recipient downloads the malicious files they send, providing an insight into potential targets [1].

Darktrace’s coverage of Blind Eagle

In late February 2025, Darktrace observed activity assessed with medium confidence to be  associated with Blind Eagle on the network of a customer in Colombia.

Within a period of just five hours, Darktrace / NETWORK detected a device being redirected through a rare external location, downloading multiple executable files, and ultimately exfiltrating data from the customer’s environment.

Since the customer did not have Darktrace’s Autonomous Response capability enabled on their network, no actions were taken to contain the compromise, allowing it to escalate until the customer’s security team responded to the alerts provided by Darktrace.

Darktrace observed a device on the customer’s network being directed over HTTP to a rare external IP, namely 62[.]60[.]226[.]112, which had never previously been seen in this customer’s environment and was geolocated in Germany. Multiple open-source intelligence (OSINT) providers have since linked this endpoint with phishing and malware campaigns [9].

The device then proceeded to download the executable file hxxp://62[.]60[.]226[.]112/file/3601_2042.exe.

Darktrace’s detection of the affected device connecting to an unusual location based in Germany.
Figure 1: Darktrace’s detection of the affected device connecting to an unusual location based in Germany.
Darktrace’s detection of the affected device downloading an executable file from the suspicious endpoint.
Figure 2: Darktrace’s detection of the affected device downloading an executable file from the suspicious endpoint.

The device was then observed making unusual connections to the rare endpoint 21ene.ip-ddns[.]com and performing unusual external data activity.

This dynamic DNS endpoint allows a device to access an endpoint using a domain name in place of a changing IP address. Dynamic DNS services ensure the DNS record of a domain name is automatically updated when the IP address changes. As such, malicious actors can use these services and endpoints to dynamically establish connections to C2 infrastructure [6].

Further investigation into this dynamic endpoint using OSINT revealed multiple associations with previous likely Blind Eagle compromises, as well as Remcos malware, a RAT commonly deployed via phishing campaigns [7][8][10].

Darktrace’s detection of the affected device connecting to the suspicious dynamic DNS endpoint, 21ene.ip-ddns[.]com.
Figure 3: Darktrace’s detection of the affected device connecting to the suspicious dynamic DNS endpoint, 21ene.ip-ddns[.]com.

Shortly after this, Darktrace observed the user agent ‘Microsoft-WebDAV-MiniRedir/10.0.19045’, indicating usage of the aforementioned transmission protocol WebDAV. The device was subsequently observed connected to an endpoint associated with Github and downloading data, suggesting that the device was retrieving a malicious tool or payload. The device then began to communicate to the malicious endpoint diciembrenotasenclub[.]longmusic[.]com over the new TCP port 1512 [11].

Around this time, the device was also observed uploading data to the endpoints 21ene.ip-ddns[.]com and diciembrenotasenclub[.]longmusic[.]com, with transfers of 60 MiB and 5.6 MiB observed respectively.

Figure 4: UI graph showing external data transfer activity.

This chain of activity triggered an Enhanced Monitoring model alert in Darktrace / NETWORK. These high-priority model alerts are designed to trigger in response to higher fidelity indicators of compromise (IoCs), suggesting that a device is performing activity consistent with a compromise.

 Darktrace’s detection of initial attack chain activity.
Figure 5: Darktrace’s detection of initial attack chain activity.

A second Enhanced Monitoring model was also triggered by this device following the download of the aforementioned executable file (hxxp://62[.]60[.]226[.]112/file/3601_2042.exe) and the observed increase in C2 activity.

Following this activity, Darktrace continued to observe the device beaconing to the 21ene.ip-ddns[.]com endpoint.

Darktrace’s Cyber AI Analyst was able to correlate each of the individual detections involved in this compromise, identifying them as part of a broader incident that encompassed C2 connectivity, suspicious downloads, and external data transfers.

Cyber AI Analyst’s investigation into the activity observed on the affected device.
Figure 6: Cyber AI Analyst’s investigation into the activity observed on the affected device.
Figure 7: Cyber AI Analyst’s detection of the affected device’s broader connectivity throughout the course of the attack.

As the affected customer did not have Darktrace’s Autonomous Response configured at the time, the attack was able to progress unabated. Had Darktrace been properly enabled, it would have been able to take a number of actions to halt the escalation of the attack.

For example, the unusual beaconing connections and the download of an unexpected file from an uncommon location would have been shut down by blocking the device from making external connections to the relevant destinations.

Conclusion

The persistence of Blind Eagle and ability to adapt its tactics, even after patches were released, and the speed at which the group were able to continue using pre-established TTPs highlights that timely vulnerability management and patch application, while essential, is not a standalone defense.

Organizations must adopt security solutions that use anomaly-based detection to identify emerging and adapting threats by recognizing deviations in user or device behavior that may indicate malicious activity. Complementing this with an autonomous decision maker that can identify, connect, and contain compromise-like activity is crucial for safeguarding organizational networks against constantly evolving and sophisticated threat actors.

Credit to Charlotte Thompson (Senior Cyber Analyst), Eugene Chua (Principal Cyber Analyst) and Ryan Traill (Analyst Content Lead)

Appendices

IoCs

IoC – Type - Confidence
Microsoft-WebDAV-MiniRedir/10.0.19045 – User Agent

62[.]60[.]226[.]112 – IP – Medium Confidence

hxxp://62[.]60[.]226[.]112/file/3601_2042.exe – Payload Download – Medium Confidence

21ene.ip-ddns[.]com – Dynamic DNS Endpoint – Medium Confidence

diciembrenotasenclub[.]longmusic[.]com  - Hostname – Medium Confidence

Darktrace’s model alert coverage

Anomalous File / Suspicious HTTP Redirect
Anomalous File / EXE from Rare External Location
Anomalous File / Multiple EXE from Rare External Location
Anomalous Server Activity / Outgoing from Server
Unusual Activity / Unusual External Data to New Endpoint
Device / Anomalous Github Download
Anomalous Connection / Multiple Connections to New External TCP Port
Device / Initial Attack Chain Activity
Anomalous Server Activity / Rare External from Server
Compromise / Suspicious File and C2
Compromise / Fast Beaconing to DGA
Compromise / Large Number of Suspicious Failed Connections
Device / Large Number of Model Alert

Mitre Attack Mapping:

Tactic – Technique – Technique Name

Initial Access - T1189 – Drive-by Compromise
Initial Access - T1190 – Exploit Public-Facing Application
Initial Access ICS - T0862 – Supply Chain Compromise
Initial Access ICS - T0865 – Spearphishing Attachment
Initial Access ICS - T0817 - Drive-by Compromise
Resource Development - T1588.001 – Malware
Lateral Movement ICS - T0843 – Program Download
Command and Control - T1105 - Ingress Tool Transfer
Command and Control - T1095 – Non-Application Layer Protocol
Command and Control - T1571 – Non-Standard Port
Command and Control - T1568.002 – Domain Generation Algorithms
Command and Control ICS - T0869 – Standard Application Layer Protocol
Evasion ICS - T0849 – Masquerading
Exfiltration - T1041 – Exfiltration Over C2 Channel
Exfiltration - T1567.002 – Exfiltration to Cloud Storage

References

1)    https://research.checkpoint.com/2025/blind-eagle-and-justice-for-all/

2)    https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmgsites/in/pdf/2025/04/kpmg-ctip-blind-eagle-01-apr-2025.pdf.coredownload.inline.pdf

3)    https://www.checkpoint.com/cyber-hub/threat-prevention/what-is-remote-access-trojan/#:~:text=They%20might%20be%20attached%20to,remote%20access%20or%20system%20administration

4)    https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43451

5)    https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/know-how/webdav/

6)    https://vercara.digicert.com/resources/dynamic-dns-resolution-as-an-obfuscation-technique

7)    https://threatfox.abuse.ch/ioc/1437795

8)    https://www.checkpoint.com/cyber-hub/threat-prevention/what-is-malware/remcos-malware/

9)    https://www.virustotal.com/gui/url/b3189db6ddc578005cb6986f86e9680e7f71fe69f87f9498fa77ed7b1285e268

10) https://www.virustotal.com/gui/domain/21ene.ip-ddns.com

11) https://www.virustotal.com/gui/domain/diciembrenotasenclub.longmusic.com/community

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Charlotte Thompson
Cyber Analyst

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June 18, 2025

Darktrace Collaborates with Microsoft: Unifying Email Security with a Shared Vision

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In today’s threat landscape, email remains the most targeted vector for cyberattacks. Organizations require not only multi-layered defenses but also advanced, integrated systems that work collaboratively to proactively mitigate threats before they cause damage

That’s why we’re proud to announce a new integration between Darktrace / EMAIL and Microsoft Defender for Office 365, delivering a Unified Quarantine experience that empowers security teams with seamless visibility, control, and response across both platforms.

This announcement builds on a strong and growing collaboration. In 2024, Darktrace was honored as Microsoft UK Partner of the Year and recognized as a Security Trailblazer at the annual Microsoft Security 20/20 Awards, a testament to our shared commitment to innovation and customer-centric security.

A Shared Mission: Stopping Threats at Machine Speed

This integration is more than a technical milestone,as it’s a reflection of a shared mission: to protect organizations from both known and unknown threats, with efficiency, accuracy, and transparency.

  • Microsoft Defender for Office 365 delivers a comprehensive security framework that safeguards Microsoft 365 email and collaboration workloads leveraging advanced AI, global threat intelligence and information on known attack infrastructure.
  • Darktrace / EMAIL complements this with Self-Learning AI that understands the unique communication patterns within each organization, detecting subtle anomalies that evade traditional detection methods.

Together, we’re delivering multi-layered, adaptive protection that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

“Our integration with Microsoft gives security teams the tools they need to act faster and more precisely to detect and respond to threats,” said Jill Popelka, CEO of Darktrace. “Together, we’re strengthening defenses where it matters most to our customers: at the inbox.”

Unified Quarantine: One View, Total Clarity

The new Unified Quarantine experience gives customers a single pane of glass to view and manage email threatsregardless of which product took action. This means:

  • Faster investigations with consolidated visibility
  • Clear attribution of actions and outcomes across both platforms
  • Streamlined workflows for security teams managing complex environments

“This integration is a testament to the power of combining Microsoft’s global threat intelligence with Darktrace’s unique ability to understand the ‘self’ of an organization,” said Jack Stockdale, CTO of Darktrace. “Together, we’re delivering a new standard in proactive, adaptive email security.”

A New Era of Collaborative Cyber Defense

This collaboration represents a broader shift in cybersecurity: from siloed tools to integrated ecosystems. As attackers become more sophisticated, defenders must move faster, smarter, and in unison.

Through this integration, Darktrace and Microsoft establish a new standard for collaboration between native and third-party security solutions, enhancing not only threat detection but also comprehensive understanding and proactive measures against threats.

We’re excited to bring this innovation to our customers and continue building a future where AI and human expertise collaborate to secure the enterprise.

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Carlos Gray
Senior Product Marketing Manager, Email
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