August 2025 Infostealer Trend Report

SUMMARY :

This analysis examines Infostealer trends in August 2025, focusing on distribution volume, methods, and disguises. AhnLab's automated systems collect and analyze malware, providing real-time IOC services. Infostealers, often disguised as cracks, are distributed through SEO poisoning. Notable variants include LummaC2, ACRStealer, and Rhadamanthys. Distribution methods evolved from personal blogs to legitimate websites, bypassing search engine restrictions. Malware is primarily distributed as EXE files (89.7%) or through DLL-SideLoading (10.3%). Two significant trends emerged: mass distribution via Slack Marketplace and ACRStealer's domain masquerading technique, which now targets security company domains to evade detection.

OPENCTI LABELS :

infostealer,seo poisoning,rhadamanthys,lummac2,acrstealer,dll-sideloading,slack,domain masquerading


AI COMMENTARY :

1. In the [report] August 2025 Infostealer Trend Report, AhnLab dives deep into the evolving landscape of infostealer activity. Leveraging automated collection and analysis pipelines, AhnLab’s systems gather real-time indicators of compromise to paint a comprehensive picture of malware distribution patterns. This report underscores how threat actors continue to innovate, blending traditional tactics with novel channels to slip past defenses and capitalize on user trust.

2. The report highlights a clear evolution in delivery methods that began with personal blogs and has since migrated to legitimate websites. Threat actors exploit SEO poisoning to inflate page rankings and lure unsuspecting visitors into downloading trojanized software. By embedding infostealer payloads within cracked application installers, attackers have successfully concealed malicious code under the guise of free software, dramatically increasing infection rates without raising immediate suspicions.

3. Distribution volumes remain heavily skewed toward executable files, with EXE packages accounting for 89.7 percent of all observed infostealer samples. A smaller yet significant share of 10.3 percent employs DLL-SideLoading, wherein benign applications are tricked into loading malicious dynamic link libraries. This technique not only bypasses certain endpoint protections but also enables threat actors to piggyback their malware on trusted processes, effectively evading heuristic detection.

4. Among the myriad of infostealer families tracked this August, three variants stand out. LummaC2 continues to leverage modular architectures that support remote command execution, enabling flexible post-infection operations. ACRStealer has refined a domain masquerading technique that spoofs security company domains, masking its command-and-control infrastructure behind seemingly legitimate addresses. Rhadamanthys, recognized for its rapid exfiltration routines, specializes in harvesting browser credentials and cryptocurrency wallets at breakneck speed, ensuring minimal exposure time on compromised endpoints.

5. Two significant trends dominate this period’s threat landscape. The first is mass distribution via the Slack Marketplace, where malicious integrations exploit the platform’s trust-based ecosystem to spread infostealer installers. The second is ACRStealer’s continued use of domain masquerading, which now specifically targets security vendor domains. By impersonating these trusted sites, attackers reduce the likelihood of user suspicion and evade detection by security tools that whitelist known good domains.

6. As we move into the final quarter of 2025, organizations must remain vigilant against these nuanced infostealer tactics. Continuous monitoring of IOC feeds, rigorous patch management, and user education on the risks of downloading cracked software are crucial. Adopting advanced threat intelligence solutions and validating domain authenticity can help thwart SEO poisoning and domain masquerading attacks. The insights from this report serve as a call to action: infostealer campaigns will not relent, and defenders must evolve alongside their adversaries to safeguard sensitive data against the next wave of threats.


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August 2025 Infostealer Trend Report