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Machete

Machete is a suspected Spanish-speaking cyber espionage group that has been active since at least 2010. It has primarily focused its operations within Latin America, with a particular emphasis on Venezuela, but also in the US, Europe, Russia, and parts of Asia. Machete generally targets high-profile organizations such as government institutions, intelligence services, and military units, as well as telecommunications and power companies.[1][2][3][4]

ID: G0095
ⓘ
Associated Groups: APT-C-43, El Machete
Contributors: Matias Nicolas Porolli, ESET
Version: 2.0
Created: 13 September 2019
Last Modified: 06 October 2021
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Associated Group Descriptions

Name Description
APT-C-43

[4]
El Machete

[1]
Enterprise Layer
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Techniques Used

Domain ID Name Use
Enterprise T1059 .003 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell

Machete has used batch files to initiate additional downloads of malicious files.[4]
.005 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Visual Basic

Machete has embedded malicious macros within spearphishing attachments to download additional files.[4]
.006 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python

Machete used multiple compiled Python scripts on the victim’s system. Machete's main backdoor Machete is also written in Python.[1][3][4]
Enterprise T1189 Drive-by Compromise

Machete has distributed Machete through a fake blog website.[2]
Enterprise T1036 .005 Masquerading: Match Legitimate Name or Location

Machete's Machete MSI installer has masqueraded as a legitimate Adobe Acrobat Reader installer.[4]
Enterprise T1566 .001 Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment

Machete has delivered spearphishing emails that contain a zipped file with malicious contents.[2][3][4]
.002 Phishing: Spearphishing Link

Machete has sent phishing emails that contain a link to an external server with ZIP and RAR archives.[1][3]
Enterprise T1053 .005 Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task

Machete has created scheduled tasks to maintain Machete's persistence.[4]
Enterprise T1218 .007 System Binary Proxy Execution: Msiexec

Machete has used msiexec to install the Machete malware.[4]
Enterprise T1204 .001 User Execution: Malicious Link

Machete has has relied on users opening malicious links delivered through spearphishing to execute malware.[1][2][3]
.002 User Execution: Malicious File

Machete has relied on users opening malicious attachments delivered through spearphishing to execute malware.[1][2][3][4]

Software

ID Name References Techniques
S0409 Machete [2][3] Application Layer Protocol: File Transfer Protocols, Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, Application Window Discovery, Archive Collected Data: Archive via Custom Method, Archive Collected Data, Audio Capture, Automated Exfiltration, Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, Browser Information Discovery, Clipboard Data, Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python, Credentials from Password Stores: Credentials from Web Browsers, Data Encoding: Standard Encoding, Data from Local System, Data from Removable Media, Data Staged: Local Data Staging, Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information, Encrypted Channel: Symmetric Cryptography, Encrypted Channel: Asymmetric Cryptography, Exfiltration Over C2 Channel, Exfiltration Over Physical Medium: Exfiltration over USB, Fallback Channels, File and Directory Discovery, Hide Artifacts: Hidden Files and Directories, Indicator Removal: File Deletion, Ingress Tool Transfer, Input Capture: Keylogging, Masquerading: Masquerade Task or Service, Masquerading: Match Legitimate Name or Location, Obfuscated Files or Information: Software Packing, Obfuscated Files or Information: Command Obfuscation, Peripheral Device Discovery, Process Discovery, Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task, Scheduled Transfer, Screen Capture, System Information Discovery, System Network Configuration Discovery, System Network Connections Discovery, Unsecured Credentials: Private Keys, Video Capture

References

  1. The Cylance Threat Research Team. (2017, March 22). El Machete's Malware Attacks Cut Through LATAM. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  2. Kaspersky Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 20). El Machete. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  1. ESET. (2019, July). MACHETE JUST GOT SHARPER Venezuelan government institutions under attack. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  2. kate. (2020, September 25). APT-C-43 steals Venezuelan military secrets to provide intelligence support for the reactionaries — HpReact campaign. Retrieved November 20, 2020.