Hackers Exploit Legitimate Packer Software to Spread Malware Undetected

Threat actors are increasingly abusing legitimate packer/protector tools (BoxedApp, an NSIS-based NSIXloader, and a Linux packer named Kiteshield) to obfuscate and deliver a wide range of malware — including RATs, information stealers, and ransomware — targeting financial institutions and government organizations; the report notes a spike in packed samples (notably on VirusTotal), the commodification of packers on the dark web, and observed use by both cybercriminals and APTs such as Winnti and DarkMosquito.