TMChecker Tool Lowers Barrier for Malicious Hacking

A new toolset on the dark web is gaining traction as an attack weapon to target remote access services and popular e-commerce platforms.

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The tool was developed by a threat actor who uses the name “M762” and is available on the XSS cybercrime forum. It is priced at $200 per month and targets corporate VPN gateways, email servers, content management systems and hosting panels, according to a report by Resecurity researchers.

TMChecker helps threat actors seeking to compromise corporate networks and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. Microsoft last year observed that since September 2022, the number of human-operated attacks using compromised remote access tools has tripled. Security experts anticipate this trend will intensify in 2024.

The tool uses a combination of login-checking, brute force attacks and targeting of remote access gateways. “This hybrid brute-force and log-scanning attack kit substantially lowers the barriers to entry for novice threat actors who may otherwise lack the financial resources or connections to purchase higher-value VPN and RDP access offerings on the dark web,” said the researchers. “The tool’s SaaS-friendly user model makes it trivial for less experienced attackers to obtain access to highly coveted remote gateways. In the hands of more experienced threat actors, TMChecker and similar tools introduce added convenience and streamlining of adversarial operations.”

Here is how TMChecker operates:

• Corporate access login checking: TMChecker combines corporate access login checking capabilities with a brute force attack kit. It is capable of scanning for compromised email and social media log data similar to tools such as ParanoidChecker.
• Targeted remote access gateways: Unlike some other tools, TMChecker primarily targets corporate remote access gateways, including VPN gateways from major vendors such as Cisco, Citrix, Pulse Secure, FortiNet and others. It also targets remote desktop protocols and popular hosting panels such as cPanel, DirectAdmin and Plesk.
• Attack vector for ransomware and higher-level attacks: TMChecker’s focus on corporate remote access gateways makes it an attack vector for ransomware. Remote access gateways often serve as primary intrusion vectors for cybercriminals seeking to infiltrate corporate networks.
• Subscription-based model: Because TMChecker is offered on a monthly subscription basis for $200, it is accessible to a wide range of threat actors, including those with limited financial resources. The tool’s affordability and availability on the dark web contribute to its widespread adoption among cybercriminals.

TMChecker is also compatible with a diverse range of systems. It actively targets the following services:

VPNs

• Cisco
• Citrix
• GlobalProtect
• Pulse Secure
• FortiNet
• Big-IP

E-Commerce Sites

• OpenCart
• Magento
• PrestaShop

CMSes

Hosting Panels

Other

• phpMyAdmin
• RDWeb
• OWA – Office 365/Outlook
• FTP

Numerous initial access brokers and ransomware operators use TMChecker to verify compromised data for valid credentials to corporate VPN and email accounts. In one incident, threat actors used TMChecker to target the email server of a government organization in Ecuador.

The developers of TMChecker say they have 3,270 subscribers on the Telegram channel. The number of paying customers among these subscribers remains unclear.