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  1. Feed
  2. /Iranian State Hackers Leverage Telegram, CISA Orders iOS Exploit Patches, Chrome ABE Bypass Discovered

Iranian State Hackers Leverage Telegram, CISA Orders iOS Exploit Patches, Chrome ABE Bypass Discovered

March 23, 2026Malware & Threats2 min readcritical

Originally reported by BleepingComputer, Malwarebytes Labs

#iranian-apt#telegram#ios-exploits#cisa-kev#chrome-abe#voidstealer#darksword
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TL;DR

Iranian Ministry of Intelligence-linked hackers are weaponizing Telegram for malware attacks, while CISA has mandated federal agencies patch three iOS vulnerabilities exploited by the DarkSword kit. Meanwhile, researchers discovered VoidStealer malware bypassing Chrome's Application-Bound Encryption through debugger manipulation.

Why critical?

CISA ordering federal agencies to patch actively exploited iOS vulnerabilities used in the DarkSword exploit kit indicates confirmed active exploitation by threat actors, warranting critical severity.

Iranian State Actors Weaponize Telegram Platform

The FBI issued a warning about Iranian hackers linked to the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) incorporating Telegram into their malware attack infrastructure. The advisory highlights how state-sponsored threat actors continue adapting popular communication platforms for malicious operations, expanding their attack surface beyond traditional vectors.

This development represents a concerning evolution in Iranian cyber capabilities, as Telegram's widespread adoption and encrypted messaging features provide an attractive platform for command and control operations while potentially evading traditional network monitoring.

CISA Mandates iOS Vulnerability Patches

CISA ordered federal agencies to patch three iOS vulnerabilities currently being exploited in cryptocurrency theft and cyberespionage campaigns using the DarkSword exploit kit. The directive follows confirmed active exploitation targeting both financial assets and sensitive government data.

The inclusion of these vulnerabilities in active exploitation campaigns demonstrates the critical nature of mobile device security in enterprise environments. Organizations should prioritize iOS updates across all managed devices to prevent compromise through this attack vector.

VoidStealer Bypasses Chrome Security Controls

Security researchers identified a new information stealer called VoidStealer that successfully bypasses Chrome's Application-Bound Encryption (ABE) through a novel debugger-based technique. The malware extracts the browser's master key, enabling decryption of stored passwords, cookies, and other sensitive data.

This technique represents a significant development in credential theft capabilities, as Chrome's ABE was specifically designed to prevent unauthorized access to encrypted browser data. The bypass method could potentially be adopted by other malware families, expanding the threat landscape for Chrome users.

Microsoft Releases Emergency Authentication Fix

Microsoft deployed emergency update KB5085516 to address critical sign-in failures affecting Microsoft accounts across Teams, OneDrive, and other enterprise applications. The widespread authentication issues disrupted business operations until the emergency patch deployment.

While not directly security-related, authentication system failures create potential attack windows and operational disruptions that threat actors may attempt to exploit during recovery periods.

Industry Intelligence Roundup

Malwarebytes Labs published their weekly security digest covering March 16-22, providing additional context on emerging threats and attack trends. The publication also released a podcast episode examining network security vulnerabilities in transportation infrastructure, specifically analyzing how simple network problems can cause major train system outages in urban areas.

These resources provide valuable intelligence for security teams monitoring evolving threat landscapes and infrastructure security concerns.

Sources

  • https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/fbi-warns-of-handala-hackers-using-telegram-in-malware-attacks/
  • https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisa-orders-feds-to-patch-darksword-ios-flaws-exploited-attacks/
  • https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/new-kb5085516-emergency-update-fixes-microsoft-account-sign-in/
  • https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/voidstealer-malware-steals-chrome-master-key-via-debugger-trick/
  • https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/uncategorized/2026/03/a-week-in-security-march-16-march-22
  • https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/podcast/2026/03/this-is-all-it-takes-to-stop-a-train-lock-and-code-s07e06

Originally reported by BleepingComputer, Malwarebytes Labs

Tags

#iranian-apt#telegram#ios-exploits#cisa-kev#chrome-abe#voidstealer#darksword

Tracked Companies

🇦🇪Telegram

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