An analysis of reported Equation Group IP ranges and domains

There has been a lot of buzz this morning about "The Equation Group", a possible state actor involved in placing malware on hard disks [1] [2] [3] [4].

Securelist (in conjunction with Kaspersky) published a list of domains and IPs to do with this malware, but with very little information about where they were hosted. After all, if they a hosted in a shed next to the bus station in Tiraspol or some underground complex buried under Wutong Mountain, then it's a rather different proposition from some secretive organisation in Washington DC.

Securelist post a number of hardcoded IPs as well as some domain names. Kaspersky have sinkholed some of the domains, and I can see one other active sinkhole. At least one of the domains is parked. Some of the domains look like they are not in use.

The data I collected can be found here, but before you use any of it, I will explain in more detail so you can use it prudently.

There are several web hosts and networks involved, all over the world. Some seem to have a higher certainty of involvement than others. In most cases, the Equation Group have rented a bunch of servers with contiguous IP addresses (I call this the "Equation Range") which is the one that I recommend you monitor. Some web hosts have other suspect IP addresses in the same neighbourhood, but in order to keep things simple I am not going into that.

(Updated 18/2/15 to remove an OpenDNS sinkhole and add 41.222.35.70)

FLAG Telecom / Reliance Globalcom

62.216.152.64/28
80.77.2.160/27
80.77.4.0/26

Allegedly a partner of the NSA and GCHQ, these IP addresses appear to be in the UK, US and Egypt (I would doubt the accuracy of the WHOIS data for the last one). In addition to apparently hardcoded IPs, they also host:

team4heat.net
forgotten-deals.com
phoneysoap.com
cigape.net
mimicrice.com
charmedno1.com
functional-business.com
rehabretie.com
advancing-technology.com
crisptic01.net
tropiccritics.com
cribdare2no.com
following-technology.com
teatac4bath.com

Verizon

194.229.238.80/28
195.108.238.128/30
195.128.235.225/28
202.95.84.32/27
210.81.52.96/27
212.177.108.192/27

Another company with a long history with the NSA, these Verizon IPs are all located outside the United States, specfically the Netherlands, Singaporre, Japana and Italy. In addition to hardcoded IPs, they are hosting:

honarkhaneh.net
meevehdar.com
parskabab.com
ad-noise.net
ad-void.com
aynachatsrv.com
damavandkuh.com
fnlpic.com
monster-ads.net
nowruzbakher.com
sherkhundi.com
quickupdateserv.com
goodbizez.com
www.dt1blog.com
www.forboringbusinesses.com
timelywebsitehostesses.com
technicads.com
darakht.com
ghalibaft.com
adservicestats.com
downloadmpplayer.com
honarkhabar.com
techsupportpwr.com
webbizwild.com
zhalehziba.com

Global Telecom & Technology Americas Inc. / Cogent / PSInet

149.12.71.0/26

This Cogent customer has at least four different IPs hosting Equation Group servers. The following domains are hosted:

avidnewssource.com
rubi4edit.com
listennewsnetwork.com
unite3tubes.com

Colombia: Alfan Empaques Flexibles S.A. / Columbus Networks / IFX Networks / Terremark

64.76.82.48/28
190.242.96.208/28
190.60.202.0/28
190.60.202.0/28
190.60.202.0/28

The relationship between the US and Colombia is difficult, with the former spying on the latter extensively. Why there should be a cluster of servers in Colombia connected with this is a mystery. In addition to hardcoded IPs, the following domains are hosted in Colombia:

selective-business.com
technicalconsumerreports.com
technicaldigitalreporting.com
technology-revealed.com
melding-technology.com

Czech Republic: Master Internet / IT-PRO / 4D Praha

81.31.36.160/28
81.31.34.174
81.31.34.175
81.31.38.160/27

A group of three internet companies (possibly using the same infrastructure) also appear to be involved. All these IPs appear to be in the city of Brno, which is also home to the Czech National Cyber Security Center. Coincidence? The following domains can be found on Czech IPs in addition to hardcoded addresses:

islamicmarketing.net
noticiasftpsrv.com
coffeehausblog.com
platads.com
nickleplatedads.com
arabtechmessenger.net

Spain: Terremark / GTT Global Telecom

84.233.205.96/27
84.233.205.160/28
195.81.34.64/27
84.233.205.32/28
85.112.1.80/28


Terremark also provide hosting services for Equation in Colmbia, and of course Spain is a long-time ally of the United States and United Kingdom. Web sites hosted:

businessedgeadvance.com
business-made-fun.com
rampagegramar.com
unwashedsound.com
businessdealsblog.com
industry-deals.com
itemagic.net
posed2shade.com
slayinglance.com
rubiccrum.com
rubriccrumb.com

Netherlands: Tripartz-Atrato / IX Reach / Claranet / FiberRing

212.61.54.224/27
87.255.34.240/28
87.255.38.0/28
89.18.177.0/27
80.94.78.53
80.94.78.109

In addition to Verizon, four other Netherlands companies are hosting Equation Group servers. The Netherlands is another long-time ally of the US and UK.

arm2pie.com
businessdirectnessource.com
housedman.com
taking-technology.com
micraamber.net
charging-technology.com
brittlefilet.com
dowelsobject.com
speedynewsclips.com

Malaysia: Piradius NET

124.217.228.56/29
124.217.250.128/27
124.217.253.61
124.217.253.64/29

Often appearing to be a "go-to" company if you want to set up a Black Hat reseller, these domains and IPs look like they have been picked up as part of a commercial offering.

roshanavar.com
adsbizsimple.com
bazandegan.com
amazinggreentechshop.com
foroushi.net
technicserv.com
afkarehroshan.com
thesuperdeliciousnews.com
sherkatkonandeh.com
mashinkhabar.com

Other ranges and hosts

• RACSA in Costa Rica hosts customerscreensavers.com and xlivehost.com on 196.40.84.8/29.
• EasySpeed in Denmark hosts  quik-serv.com and goldadpremium.com on 82.103.134.48/30.
• Cyber Cast International in Panama hosts havakhosh.com and toofanshadid.com on 200.115.174.254.
• EM Technologies in Panama hosts technicupdate.com and rapidlyserv.com on 201.218.238.128/26.
• INET in Thailand hosts globalnetworkanalys.com on 203.150.231.49 with an apparently hardcoded IP of 203.150.231.73 in use as well.
• American Internet Services hosts suddenplot.com on 207.158.58.102.
• GoDaddy hosts serv-load.com and wangluoruanjian.com on 97.74.104.208.
• Quadranet / GZ Systems hosts fliteilex.com plus some other questionable domains on 67.215.237.104/29.
• Vegas Linkup LLC hosts standardsandpraiserepurpose.com on 209.59.42.97.
• Vox Telecom in South Africa hosts mysaltychocolateballs.com on 41.222.35.70 having previously hosted forboringbusinesses.com.

In all the following network blocks and IPs appear to be hosting servers connected to the Equation Group:

64.76.82.48/28
190.242.96.208/28
190.60.202.0/28
69.42.114.96/28
196.40.84.8/29
81.31.36.160/28
81.31.34.174
81.31.34.175
81.31.38.160/27
82.103.134.48/30
80.77.2.160/27
84.233.205.96/27
84.233.205.160/28
195.81.34.64/27
84.233.205.32/28
85.112.1.80/28
212.177.108.192/27
210.81.52.96/27
124.217.228.56/29
124.217.250.128/27
124.217.253.61
124.217.253.64/29
212.61.54.224/27
87.255.34.240/28
87.255.38.0/28
89.18.177.0/27
80.94.78.53
80.94.78.109
194.229.238.80/28
195.108.238.128/30
195.128.235.225/28
200.115.174.254
201.218.238.128/26
202.95.84.32/27
203.150.231.49
203.150.231.73
62.216.152.64/28
207.158.58.102
149.12.71.0/26
80.77.4.0/26
97.74.104.208
67.215.237.104/29
209.59.42.97
41.222.35.70

I recommend that you look at the data before you do drastic things with these IP ranges.

Now, I don't know for certain that this malware is a government actor, but the IP address indicate that whoever it is has a relationship with these companies (especially Verizon). That certainly feels like a state actor to me..

cars4cashuk.com scam and Cyber Cast International (CCIHosting), Panama [190.97.160.0/21]

I spotted this scam warning on the Autotrader website:

We have received reports of customers receiving a text message asking them to visit www.cars4cashuk.com to sell their cars quickly for cash. Customers are asked to pay a deposit in order to secure the sale of their vehicle. This website is not genuine and in no way affiliated with AutoTrader. We are currently working to have this website shut down.

For more information please contact our Customer Security team on 0330 303 9001.

The site is a crude attempt to extract money from unsuspecting people trying to trade their car, but it does feature the AutoTrader logo prominently.

If you're trying to sell your car then probably all you need to know is that it's a scam, and you probably don't need to read any further. But if you read my blog regularly then you might want to read on..

The site has no ownership information, but a check of the WHOIS details show the following contacts:

Domain Name: CARS4CASHUK.COM
Registry Domain ID:
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.1api.net
Registrar URL: http://www.1api.net
Updated Date: 2014-08-10T15:31:12Z
Creation Date: 2014-08-10T15:31:12Z
Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2015-08-10T15:31:12Z
Registrar: 1API GmbH
Registrar IANA ID: 1387
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: abuse@1api.net
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +49.68416984x200
Reseller: www.sky-ip.com http://www.sky-ip.com/
Domain Status: ok - http://www.icann.org/epp#OK
Registry Registrant ID:
Registrant Name: José Castrellón
Registrant Organization: CyberCast
Registrant Street: Ricardo J. Alfaro, El Dorado
Registrant City: Panama
Registrant State/Province: Panama
Registrant Postal Code: 0819-06448
Registrant Country: PA
Registrant Phone: +507.3014841
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax:
Registrant Fax Ext:
Registrant Email: domains@sky-ip.com
Registry Admin ID:
Admin Name: José Castrellón
Admin Organization: CyberCast
Admin Street: Ricardo J. Alfaro, El Dorado
Admin City: Panama
Admin State/Province: Panama
Admin Postal Code: 0819-06448
Admin Country: PA
Admin Phone: +507.3014841
Admin Phone Ext:
Admin Fax:
Admin Fax Ext:
Admin Email: domains@sky-ip.com
Registry Tech ID:
Tech Name: José Castrellón
Tech Organization: CyberCast
Tech Street: Ricardo J. Alfaro, El Dorado
Tech City: Panama
Tech State/Province: Panama
Tech Postal Code: 0819-06448
Tech Country: PA
Tech Phone: +507.3014841
Tech Phone Ext:
Tech Fax:
Tech Fax Ext:
Tech Email: domains@sky-ip.com
Name Server: ns1.cybercastco.com
Name Server: ns2.cybercastco.com

So who are José Castrellón and CyberCast (aka CyberCast International). Are they the scammers? Well, no.. CyberCast (through their website at ccihosting.com) offer anonymous offshore hosting and domain registrations. The sort of things that scammers love, although of course there are legitimate uses for such things. CyberCast presumably are not doing the actual scamming, but I'd suggest that they could be accused of some level of complicity.

So.. you can buy a domain and web hosting using an anonymous payment system like Bitcoin or Perfect Money and it seems more-or-less do what you like with it. Now, that's great if you are running a web site dedicated to overthrowing an oppressive regime (for example) but the bulk of the sites hosted by CyberCast are a lot less savoury, including phishing sites, sites selling DDOS services, counterfeit goods, trading stolen credit card information, piracy sites, spam, cybersquatting, illegal or fake pharmacies, hacking sites and a little bit of porn as well.

There may well be some legitimate sites hosted by this company, I spotted some local Panamanian sites for example, but the overwhelming majority of the CyberCast / CCIHosting address space is completely toxic, therefore I would strongly recommend that you block access to the 190.97.160.0/21 range from your network.

There is not a lot of reputation data for the sites in this /21, but I have compiled a list of sites, IPs, WOT ratings and Google and SURBL prognoses here [csv].