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Gafgyt (also known as Bashlite) is a type of malware that targets Internet of Things (IoT) devices. First seen in 2014 it compromises routers and IP cameras to form botnets used for DDoS attacks. Over time Gafgyt has evolved and expanded to include cloud environments and Docker platforms.
Gafgyt initially targeted IoT devices with weak or default credentials. Recent developments show it has expanded to target misconfigured Docker Remote API servers. By exploiting these vulnerabilities attackers deploy Gafgyt variants within Docker containers, increasing the malware’s spread and impact.
Technical Capabilities
Gafgyt can launch TCP, UDP, and HTTP floods. Some variants have incorporated Mirai botnet code and have commands like ALPHA, GAME, GRE, ICMP, etc to perform multiple types of attacks. Some versions have been seen to exploit GPU for cryptocurrency mining, indicating a move towards more resource-intensive malicious activities.
Impact and Implications
Gafgyt evolving from targeting simple IoT devices to cloud-native environments is a worrying trend. Its ability to adapt and add new features is a big risk to individuals and organizations and can lead to service disruption, unauthorized data access, and financial loss.
Gafgyt has several variants, some of which have incorporated Mirai code to boost their attack capabilities. Some are written in different languages like Rust to improve performance and evade detection. Some variants are targeting Docker environments, showing the malware’s ability to adapt to new platforms.
Update and patch IoT devices and software to fix known vulnerabilities.
Use strong and unique passwords and disable default credentials on all devices.
Secure Docker environments by configuring Remote API with authentication and limit exposure.
Monitor network traffic for unusual patterns of DDoS and unauthorized access.
Gafgyt initially targeted consumer grade IoT devices but has expanded to cloud service providers and enterprises using Docker containers. This is a broader threat landscape that affects industries that use cloud native technologies.
No specific threat actors have been linked to Gafgyt. The source code has been leaked and is being used by many cybercriminals. This has led to many variations and deployments by different malicious actors.
