Chihuahua Stealer and the New Cybercrime Frontier: Inside the Silent War for Your Data

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  The Chihuahua Stealer is a newly discovered .NET-based infostealer that blends common malware techniques with unusually advanced features. It first came to attention through a Reddit post on April 9, where a user shared an obfuscated PowerShell script they were tricked into executing via a Google Drive document. The script uses multi-stage payloads, achieving persistence through scheduled tasks and leading to the execution of the primary stealer payload. This malware targets browser data and crypto wallet extensions, compresses stolen data into an archive with the file extension “.chihuahua,” encrypts it using AES-GCM via Windows CNG APIs, and exfiltrates it over HTTPS, wiping all local traces to demonstrate its stealth techniques. Infostealer malware is one of the most underrated corporate and consumer information security threats today. These sophisticated remote access Trojans (RATs) silently infect computers and systematically exfiltrate massive amounts of sensitive informa...
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Star Health Hacker Sends Death Threats After Massive Data Leak

 


The data breach at Star Health, India's largest health insurer, has exposed the personal and medical information of over 31 million customers, highlighting significant concerns about data security and corporate accountability in the digital age.

In September 2024, a hacker known as "xenZen" leaked 7.24 terabytes of sensitive data from Star Health. The breach included names, contact details, medical records, and policy information, which were disseminated via Telegram chatbots and websites. Star Health confirmed the breach and reported receiving a $68,000 ransom demand from the hacker.

The situation escalated in March 2025 when xenZen claimed responsibility for sending death threats and bullet cartridges to Star Health's CEO and CFO, citing the company's alleged denial of customer medical claims as the motive. Indian authorities have launched an investigation into these threats, and a man in Telangana was arrested for allegedly assisting in couriering the packages. 

Further complicating matters, xenZen alleged that Star Health's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) sold the customer data for $150,000. Star Health conducted an internal investigation and found no evidence of wrongdoing by the CISO, stating that the alleged communications were fabricated by the hacker. 

This breach underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures and transparent corporate governance. It also raises questions about the adequacy of current data protection regulations and the responsibilities of corporations in safeguarding sensitive customer information.

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