MiniDuke

MiniDuke is malware that was used by APT29 from 2010 to 2015. The MiniDuke toolset consists of multiple downloader and backdoor components. The loader has been used with other MiniDuke components as well as in conjunction with CosmicDuke and PinchDuke. [1]

ID: S0051
Type: MALWARE
Platforms: Windows
Version: 1.3
Created: 31 May 2017
Last Modified: 14 October 2021

Techniques Used

Domain ID Name Use
Enterprise T1071 .001 Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols

MiniDuke uses HTTP and HTTPS for command and control.[1][2]

Enterprise T1568 .002 Dynamic Resolution: Domain Generation Algorithms

MiniDuke can use DGA to generate new Twitter URLs for C2.[2]

Enterprise T1008 Fallback Channels

MiniDuke uses Google Search to identify C2 servers if its primary C2 method via Twitter is not working.[3]

Enterprise T1083 File and Directory Discovery

MiniDuke can enumerate local drives.[2]

Enterprise T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer

MiniDuke can download additional encrypted backdoors onto the victim via GIF files.[3][2]

Enterprise T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information

MiniDuke can use control flow flattening to obscure code.[2]

Enterprise T1090 .001 Proxy: Internal Proxy

MiniDuke can can use a named pipe to forward communications from one compromised machine with internet access to other compromised machines.[2]

Enterprise T1082 System Information Discovery

MiniDuke can gather the hostname on a compromised machine.[2]

Enterprise T1102 .001 Web Service: Dead Drop Resolver

Some MiniDuke components use Twitter to initially obtain the address of a C2 server or as a backup if no hard-coded C2 server responds.[1][3][2]

Groups That Use This Software

ID Name References
G0016 APT29

[1][2][4]

Campaigns

ID Name Description
C0023 Operation Ghost

For Operation Ghost, APT29 used MiniDuke as a second-stage backdoor.[2]

References