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Extending AutoFocus Threat Intelligence With New Tag Types ![Clock Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-clock.svg) 6 min read * ![Profile Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-profile-grey.svg) By: * [Mike Scott](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/author/mike-scott/) * ![Published Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-calendar-grey.svg) Published:June 17, 2016 * ![Tags Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-category.svg) Categories: * [Malware](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/malware/) * [Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) * ![Tags Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-tags-grey.svg) Tags: * [COVID](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/covid/) * [Dridex](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/dridex/) * [![Download Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-download.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/unit42-extending-autofocus-threat-intelligence-with-new-tag-types/?pdf=download&lg=en&_wpnonce=64814e76fb "Click here to download") * [![Print Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-print.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/unit42-extending-autofocus-threat-intelligence-with-new-tag-types/?pdf=print&lg=en&_wpnonce=64814e76fb "Click here to print") Share![Down arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/down-arrow.svg) * ![Link Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-share-link.svg) * [![Link Email](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-sms.svg)](mailto:?subject=Extending%20AutoFocus%20Threat%20Intelligence%20With%20New%20Tag%20Types&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%20https%3A%2F%2Funit42.paloaltonetworks.com%2Funit42-extending-autofocus-threat-intelligence-with-new-tag-types%2F "Share in email") * [![Facebook Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-fb-share.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Funit42.paloaltonetworks.com%2Funit42-extending-autofocus-threat-intelligence-with-new-tag-types%2F "Share in Facebook") * [![LinkedIn Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-linkedin-share.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Funit42.paloaltonetworks.com%2Funit42-extending-autofocus-threat-intelligence-with-new-tag-types%2F&title=Extending%20AutoFocus%20Threat%20Intelligence%20With%20New%20Tag%20Types "Share in LinkedIn") * [![Twitter Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-twitter-share.svg)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Funit42.paloaltonetworks.com%2Funit42-extending-autofocus-threat-intelligence-with-new-tag-types%2F&text=Extending%20AutoFocus%20Threat%20Intelligence%20With%20New%20Tag%20Types "Share in Twitter") * [![Reddit Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-reddit-share.svg)](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com//www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Funit42.paloaltonetworks.com%2Funit42-extending-autofocus-threat-intelligence-with-new-tag-types%2F&ts=markdown "Share in Reddit") * [![Mastodon Icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-mastodon-share.svg)](https://mastodon.social/share?text=Extending%20AutoFocus%20Threat%20Intelligence%20With%20New%20Tag%20Types%20https%3A%2F%2Funit42.paloaltonetworks.com%2Funit42-extending-autofocus-threat-intelligence-with-new-tag-types%2F "Share in Mastodon") In [previous posts](https://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/2016/05/unit42-autofocus-lenz-taking-the-blue-team-pill/) we have discussed how [AutoFocus](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/products/secure-the-network/subscriptions/autofocus) accelerates the analysis, hunting, and incident response workflows by providing full context for threat events seen on your network, as well as high-level visibility into how targeted a threat is against you or your industry peers. This visibility into the threat landscape enables teams to move away from chasing alerts, instead prioritizing response activities for the most critical threats, and proactively implementing new defensive measures. The real power of AutoFocus is its ability to not only consolidate billions of indicators from WildFire customers around the globe, but more importantly to provide a platform for deriving intelligence and context around those indicators through crowd-sourced tags. AutoFocus customers can develop their own private [tags](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/documentation/autofocus/autofocus/autofocus_admin_guide/autofocus-tags) for internal company use, or they can choose to share them publicly for the benefit of all AutoFocus users. And of course, all AutoFocus customers benefit from the expertise of Unit 42, our threat intelligence team, which is constantly monitoring the front lines and dark recesses of the web to identify new malware families and attack campaigns, publish research, and develop new tags. Previously, AutoFocus tags were targeted in two areas: * Malware Family tags, based on any combination of behavioral and atomic characteristics of a malware family. These are highly durable, and allow security teams to detect and gain context on new variants and other tweaks the malware authors make to avoid detection. * Campaign tags, which provide a way to "bucketize" atomic indicators such as hashes and domains related to a threat campaign or Unit 42 report, providing responders with the additional context to know that an alert is not just bad but related to a known adversary or campaign. These Campaign tags can also be used proactively to implement defenses in advance of an actual attack on your company or industry. AutoFocus is constantly evolving, and with [the release of the 1.0.7 version of AutoFocus today](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/documentation/autofocus/autofocus/autofocus-release-notes/new-features/features-introduced-in-june-2016#85417), we have further enhanced our ability to provide context into events and facilitate speedy educated response. AutoFocus tags can now differentiate between tag classes, such as Malware Family and Campaigns (See Figure 1), which helps responders know immediately if an tagged event is based on internal intelligence or from Unit 42 researchers. In this release of AutoFocus, Unit 42 researchers have also added an additional class of tag, Malicious Behavior, to provide additional insight into the capabilities or intent of a piece of malware. Even if a malware sample is unique enough that an existing Malware Family tag has not been developed, it very likely will match an existing Malicious Behavior tag that provides the responder immediate insight into what a piece of malware is trying to do. Additionally, because the Malicious Behavior tags are behavior-based, they can even apply to benign samples that may exhibit some questionable behavior, thus warranting further research. [![mal behavior](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behavior-500x30.png)](https://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behavior.png) Figure 1 Malicious Behavior and Malware Family tags represented in AutoFocus. To showcase the power and flexibility of the Malicious Behavior tags, we have selected a range of new Malicious Behavior tags to help you visualize the wide range of capabilities this new tag class provides. [![mal behav modify](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-modify.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.ModifyWindowsFirewall) Since malware normally has to communicate to an external server for command and control or to download additional malware, it frequently takes steps to lower the security posture of the affected system by modifying the Windows Firewall settings or even disabling it altogether. This tag detects a wide variety of mechanisms malware can utilize to modify the firewall, including the legitimate command line utilities and changes to the system registry. [![mal behav access sms](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-access-sms.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.AccessSMS) A common goal of Android malware is to intercept, read, or delete SMS messages from an infected device. Not only are there privacy and data theft implications, but also this tactic can be used to prevent detection or hide ongoing activity. (Note that this behavior does not include sending SMS messages, which is a different tag.)[](https://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-powershell.png) [![mal behav access digital](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-access-digital.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.AccessDigitalCurrency) There are a wide variety of malware families that attempt to steal digital currency such as Bitcoin, and often this capability is bundled with other common malware families that may normally lack that "feature". This tag highlights the common approaches taken to access or steal the most prevalent digital currencies. [![mal behav powershell](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-powershell.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.PowerShellQueryAntivirus) PowerShell is a powerful command-line shell with an associated scripting language, commonly used for administrative activities and automation. Of course our adversaries also leverage this tool to perform a wide range of nefarious activities. One capability that PowerShell provides is the ability to query the system to identify installed Antivirus software, which obviously is useful information for avoiding detection, taking steps to disable AV, or otherwise gaining insight into the system or environment for reconnaissance purposes. [![mal behav processinject](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-processinject.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.ProcessInjection) Malicious software is often injected into legitimate running processes on affected systems to make identification and recovery of the malware more difficult. There are a wide variety of mechanisms for injecting code, and more often than not this is indicative of malicious activity that warrants further investigation. [![mal behav addbho](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-addbho.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.AddBHO) Browser Helper Objects (BHO) were designed by Microsoft to provide a way to add third-party extensions to Internet Explorer to enhance functionality, but BHO have also been leveraged for malicious intent. The addition of a BHO to a system could be a legitimate activity, or it could be more nefarious such as an adware toolbar or even malware designed to hijack or intercept internet browsing. [![mal behav accesslocal](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-accesslocal.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.AccessLocalAdminSAM) One of the primary goals of Advanced threat actors is credential theft, and normally this starts with the local system credentials which are then used to attempt to spread laterally across the network. Legitimate software should rarely, if ever, attempt to access the local SAM database. [![mal behav disablefile](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-disablefile.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.DisableFileOpenWarning) Microsoft Windows has security measures to prompt the user before executing files downloaded from the internet, and malware often tries to avoid this prompt, which would alert the user that something malicious was potentially happening and help prevent it. Unfortunately there are system changes that malware can implement to prevent the "Open File -- Security Warning" dialog box from appearing. [![mal behav deletevolume](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-deletevolume.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.DeleteVolumeSnapshots) The Volume Snapshot Service, also known as Shadow Copy, is a backup and recovery technology in Windows that can be used to restore a system to a previously "known good" state after a system crash or faulty software installation. Shadow copies can also be used to restore from malware infections, so malware, especially ransomware, will often attempt to delete these backups to prevent the user from being able to restore his or her system. [![mal behav initalsystem](http://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/mal-behav-initalsystem.png)](https://autofocus.paloaltonetworks.com/#/tag/Unit42.InitialSystemDataEnumeration) Attackers and malware authors often want to get a quick snapshot of a compromised system, or even a more complete local network recon, which is then uploaded to the command and control server. Usually this reconnaissance is performed with a variety of common built-in Windows commands, which while commonly used by Administrators are rarely executed by benign software. Hopefully this introduction into Malicious Behavior tags gave you some insight into the power of this capability and its ability to provide as much context as possible to responders immediately. The goal of AutoFocus is to empower security teams to protect their organizations from unique and targeted attacks, and the use of real-time, full-context insight into the events happening not only on their network but across the Palo Alto Networks customer base is the first step in that process. Back to top ### Tags * [COVID](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/covid/ "COVID") * [Dridex](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/dridex/ "Dridex") [Threat Research Center](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com "Threat Research") [Next: New Sofacy Attacks Against US Government Agency](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/unit42-new-sofacy-attacks-against-us-government-agency/ "New Sofacy Attacks Against US Government Agency") ### Related Articles * [Intruders in the Library: Exploring DLL Hijacking](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/dll-hijacking-techniques/ "article - table of contents") * [Banking Trojan Techniques: How Financially Motivated Malware Became Infrastructure](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/banking-trojan-techniques/ "article - table of contents") * [Weaponization of Excel Add-Ins Part 2: Dridex Infection Chain Case Studies](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/excel-add-ins-dridex-infection-chain/ "article - table of contents") ## Related Malware Resources ![Pictorial representation of post-exploitation identity misuse in SPIFFE/SPIRE. Close-up of a person wearing glasses, with computer code reflected in the lenses.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/12_Security-Technology_Category_1920x900-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) September 10, 2026 [#### The Machine With Many Faces: Post-Exploitation Identity Misuse in SPIFFE/SPIRE](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/kubernetes-spiffe-spire-identity-spoofing/) * [API](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/api/ "API") * [Cryptographic](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/cryptographic/ "cryptographic") * [JSON](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/json/ "JSON") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/kubernetes-spiffe-spire-identity-spoofing/ "The Machine With Many Faces: Post-Exploitation Identity Misuse in SPIFFE/SPIRE") ![Pictorial representation of a pay-per-install threat group campaign prodiving infection service for spreading malware. A close-up of a computer circuit board with a central microchip is depicted. Red digital data streams in the form of glowing binary numbers and arrows appear to flow in and out of the chip, symbolizing data processing and transfer. The scene is illuminated with a futuristic blue and red glow.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/04_Malware_Category_1920x900-6-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) September 9, 2026 [#### Untracked Nightmares: The Threats Hiding Behind Commodity Infrastructure](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ppi-network-malware-campaign-analysis/) * [ARKTunnel](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/arktunnel/ "ARKTunnel") * [C2](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/c2/ "C2") * [CL-CRI-1171](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/cl-cri-1171/ "CL-CRI-1171") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ppi-network-malware-campaign-analysis/ "Untracked Nightmares: The Threats Hiding Behind Commodity Infrastructure") ![Pictorial representation of attackers using AI tools to target Latin American organizations. A vibrant cityscape with silhouettes of numerous people walking along a bustling street. The scene is illuminated by bright urban lights and digital-like particles, creating a dynamic and futuristic atmosphere.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/AdobeStock_768915868-2-1-786x373.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) September 3, 2026 [#### Attackers Expose Ongoing AI Tool Use Targeting Organizations in Latin America](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ai-tool-use-targeting-latam-orgs/) * [Agentic AI](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/agentic-ai/ "Agentic AI") * [ChatGPT](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/chatgpt/ "ChatGPT") * [CL-CRI-1131](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/cl-cri-1131/ "CL-CRI-1131") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ai-tool-use-targeting-latam-orgs/ "Attackers Expose Ongoing AI Tool Use Targeting Organizations in Latin America") ![Pictorial representation of vishing campaigns in Microsoft Teams. A digital image of a skull formed by blue binary code on a black background, with scattered ones and zeros and digital noise, symbolizes how stealthy prompt injection attacks can exploit AI logic to bypass security controls.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/01_Malware_Category_1920x900-5-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) August 31, 2026 [#### Spring Ring: An Inside Look at Voice Phishing Campaigns in Microsoft Teams](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/spring-ring-voice-phishing-campaigns/) * [Cloaked Ursa](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/cloaked-ursa/ "Cloaked Ursa") * [Entra ID](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/entra-id/ "Entra ID") * [Microsoft Teams](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/microsoft-teams/ "Microsoft Teams") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/spring-ring-voice-phishing-campaigns/ "Spring Ring: An Inside Look at Voice Phishing Campaigns in Microsoft Teams") ![Pictorial representation of AI-enabled malware. A vibrant digital interface displaying various icons and graphs, resembling a futuristic network or data analysis dashboard. The scene is illuminated with glowing lights and patterns.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/AdobeStock_1270203474-2-1-786x368.png) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) August 25, 2026 [#### The State of AI-Enabled Malware August 2026: From Brand Abuse to Agentic Execution](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ai-enabled-malware-analysis/) * [Backdoor](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/backdoor/ "backdoor") * [Bitcoin](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/bitcoin/ "Bitcoin") * [DLL hijacking](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/dll-hijacking/ "DLL hijacking") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ai-enabled-malware-analysis/ "The State of AI-Enabled Malware August 2026: From Brand Abuse to Agentic Execution") ![Pictorial representation of identity abuse through trusted communication channels. Close-up view of a digital screen displaying a glitched and pixelated image of a skull-like shape.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/02_Malware_Category_1920x900-2-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) August 20, 2026 [#### Identity Abuse Through Trusted Communication Channels](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/communication-channel-identity-risks/) * [Authentication](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/authentication/ "authentication") * [Identity theft](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/identity-theft/ "identity theft") * [Malware](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/malware/ "malware") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/communication-channel-identity-risks/ "Identity Abuse Through Trusted Communication Channels") ![Pictorial representation of Kimwolf botnet malware family. Digital screen with a warning sign reading "Malware." The background features lines of computer code and graphics, creating a sense of cybersecurity threat.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/07_Malware_Category_1920x900-3-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) August 11, 2026 [#### Kimwolf v7: An Evolution of the Kimwolf Botnet](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/kimwolf-v7-botnet-malware/) * [Android APK](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/android-apk/ "Android APK") * [Ethereum](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/ethereum/ "Ethereum") * [HTTP](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/http/ "HTTP") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/kimwolf-v7-botnet-malware/ "Kimwolf v7: An Evolution of the Kimwolf Botnet") ![Pictorial representatiom pf Aeternum's blockchain C2. A close-up of a computer circuit board with a central microchip is depicted. Red digital data streams in the form of glowing binary numbers and arrows appear to flow in and out of the chip. The scene is illuminated with a futuristic blue and red glow.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/04_Malware_Category_1920x900-4-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) August 10, 2026 [#### The Permanent Threat: Analyzing Aeternum's Blockchain-Based C2 Operations and Communications](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/aeternum-blockchain-c2-analysis/) * [Aeternum](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/aeternum/ "Aeternum") * [Infection chain](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/infection-chain/ "infection chain") * [JSON](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/json/ "JSON") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/aeternum-blockchain-c2-analysis/ "The Permanent Threat: Analyzing Aeternum’s Blockchain-Based C2 Operations and Communications") ![Pictorial representation of ChainDrop, a self-propagating npm worm. An artistic depiction of a digital workspace featuring an open laptop with a red virus on the screen.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/03_Malware_Category_1920x900-7-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/top-threats.svg)High Profile Threats](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/top-cyberthreats/) August 6, 2026 [#### ChainDrop: Inside a Self-Propagating npm Worm](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/chaindrop-npm-worm-analysis/) * [Blockchain](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/blockchain/ "blockchain") * [ChainDrop](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/chaindrop/ "ChainDrop") * [Claude code](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/claude-code/ "Claude code") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/chaindrop-npm-worm-analysis/ "ChainDrop: Inside a Self-Propagating npm Worm") ![Pictorial representation of Token-jacking. A person types on a laptop with multiple digital interface elements projected, including an "AI" icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/AdobeStock_1246251272-2-786x369.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) August 6, 2026 [#### Token Jacking: Cybercriminals Could Be Stealing Your AI Resources](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ai-token-jacking/) * [AI API](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/ai-api/ "AI API") * [AI gateway](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/ai-gateway/ "AI gateway") * [API keys](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/api-keys/ "API keys") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ai-token-jacking/ "Token Jacking: Cybercriminals Could Be Stealing Your AI Resources") * ![Slider arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/slider-arrow-left.svg) * ![Slider arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/slider-arrow-left.svg) ![Close button](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/close-modal.svg) ![Enlarged Image]() ![Newsletter](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/unit42-footer-subscribe-desktop.png) ![UNIT 42 Small Logo](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/palo-alto-logo-small.svg) Get updates from Unit 42 ## Peace of mind comes from staying ahead of threats. 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