Summary: CISA and international partners released an updated report on the BRICKSTORM backdoor, identifying new Rust-based samples. This malware, used by PRC state-sponsored actors, features advanced persistence and encrypted WebSocket C2 channels.
Business Impact: Rust-based malware is notoriously difficult for traditional antivirus to detect due to its memory-safe properties and efficient compilation. This increases the likelihood of long-term “dwell time” inside government and critical infrastructure networks.
Why It Happened: Threat actors are pivoting to modern programming languages like Rust and Go to evade legacy security controls. The move to encrypted WebSocket connections allows the malware to blend into legitimate web traffic.
Recommended Executive Action: Direct your SOC to deploy the updated BRICKSTORM detection signatures (YARA/IOCs) provided by CISA. Prioritize behavior-based monitoring over file-based signatures to catch anomalous background services.
Hashtags: #CISA #BRICKSTORM #RustMalware #Persistence #ThreatIntel #NationalSecurity