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Zebrocy

Zebrocy is a Trojan that has been used by APT28 since at least November 2015. The malware comes in several programming language variants, including C++, Delphi, AutoIt, C#, VB.NET, and Golang. [1][2][3][4]

ID: S0251
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Associated Software: Zekapab
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Type: MALWARE
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Platforms: Windows
Contributors: Emily Ratliff, IBM
Version: 3.0
Created: 17 October 2018
Last Modified: 23 April 2021
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Associated Software Descriptions

Name Description
Zekapab

[5][6]
Enterprise Layer
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Techniques Used

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

Zebrocy uses HTTP for C2.[1][2][7][3][8][6]
.003 Application Layer Protocol: Mail Protocols

Zebrocy uses SMTP and POP3 for C2.[1][2][7][3][8]
Enterprise T1560 Archive Collected Data

Zebrocy has used a method similar to RC4 as well as AES for encryption and hexadecimal for encoding data before exfiltration. [9][7][4]

Enterprise T1119 Automated Collection

Zebrocy scans the system and automatically collects files with the following extensions: .doc, .docx, ,.xls, .xlsx, .pdf, .pptx, .rar, .zip, .jpg, .jpeg, .bmp, .tiff, .kum, .tlg, .sbx, .cr, .hse, .hsf, and .lhz.[7][8]
Enterprise T1547 .001 Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder

Zebrocy creates an entry in a Registry Run key for the malware to execute on startup.[7][8][6]
Enterprise T1037 .001 Boot or Logon Initialization Scripts: Logon Script (Windows)

Zebrocy performs persistence with a logon script via adding to the Registry key HKCU\Environment\UserInitMprLogonScript.[7]
Enterprise T1059 .003 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell

Zebrocy uses cmd.exe to execute commands on the system.[8][4]

Enterprise T1555 .003 Credentials from Password Stores: Credentials from Web Browsers

Zebrocy has the capability to upload dumper tools that extract credentials from web browsers and store them in database files.[8]
Enterprise T1132 .001 Data Encoding: Standard Encoding

Zebrocy has used URL/Percent Encoding on data exfiltrated via HTTP POST requests.[6]
Enterprise T1074 .001 Data Staged: Local Data Staging

Zebrocy stores all collected information in a single file before exfiltration.[7]
Enterprise T1140 Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information

Zebrocy decodes its secondary payload and writes it to the victim’s machine. Zebrocy also uses AES and XOR to decrypt strings and payloads.[2][7]
Enterprise T1573 .002 Encrypted Channel: Asymmetric Cryptography

Zebrocy uses SSL and AES ECB for encrypting C2 communications.[7][8][4]

Enterprise T1041 Exfiltration Over C2 Channel

Zebrocy has exfiltrated data to the designated C2 server using HTTP POST requests.[6][4]

Enterprise T1083 File and Directory Discovery

Zebrocy searches for files that are 60mb and less and contain the following extensions: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .exe, .zip, and .rar. Zebrocy also runs the echo %APPDATA% command to list the contents of the directory.[9][7][8] Zebrocy can obtain the current execution path as well as perform drive enumeration.[6][4]

Enterprise T1070 .004 Indicator Removal: File Deletion

Zebrocy has a command to delete files and directories.[7][8][4]
Enterprise T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer

Zebrocy obtains additional code to execute on the victim's machine, including the downloading of a secondary payload.[1][2][8][6]
Enterprise T1056 .004 Input Capture: Credential API Hooking

Zebrocy installs an application-defined Windows hook to get notified when a network drive has been attached, so it can then use the hook to call its RecordToFile file stealing method.[9]
Enterprise T1135 Network Share Discovery

Zebrocy identifies network drives when they are added to victim systems.[9]
Enterprise T1027 .002 Obfuscated Files or Information: Software Packing

Zebrocy's Delphi variant was packed with UPX.[3][6]
Enterprise T1120 Peripheral Device Discovery

Zebrocy enumerates information about connected storage devices.[2]
Enterprise T1057 Process Discovery

Zebrocy uses the tasklist and wmic process get Capture, ExecutablePath commands to gather the processes running on the system.[2][7][3][8][6]
Enterprise T1012 Query Registry

Zebrocy executes the reg query command to obtain information in the Registry.[8]
Enterprise T1053 .005 Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task

Zebrocy has a command to create a scheduled task for persistence.[4]
Enterprise T1113 Screen Capture

A variant of Zebrocy captures screenshots of the victim’s machine in JPEG and BMP format.[2][7][3][8][6][4]
Enterprise T1082 System Information Discovery

Zebrocy collects the OS version, computer name and serial number for the storage volume C:. Zebrocy also runs the systeminfo command to gather system information. [1][2][7][3][8][6][4]
Enterprise T1016 System Network Configuration Discovery

Zebrocy runs the ipconfig /all command.[8]
Enterprise T1049 System Network Connections Discovery

Zebrocy uses netstat -aon to gather network connection information.[8]
Enterprise T1033 System Owner/User Discovery

Zebrocy gets the username from the system.[7][4]
Enterprise T1124 System Time Discovery

Zebrocy gathers the current time zone and date information from the system.[7][4]
Enterprise T1047 Windows Management Instrumentation

One variant of Zebrocy uses WMI queries to gather information.[3]

Groups That Use This Software

ID Name References
G0007 APT28

[1][2][9][3][8]

References

  1. Lee, B., Falcone, R. (2018, June 06). Sofacy Group’s Parallel Attacks. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  2. Falcone, R., Lee, B. (2018, November 20). Sofacy Continues Global Attacks and Wheels Out New ‘Cannon’ Trojan. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  3. Lee, B., Falcone, R. (2018, December 12). Dear Joohn: The Sofacy Group’s Global Campaign. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  4. CISA. (2020, October 29). Malware Analysis Report (AR20-303B). Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  5. Shoorbajee, Z. (2018, November 29). Accenture: Russian hackers using Brexit talks to disguise phishing lures. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  1. Accenture Security. (2018, November 29). SNAKEMACKEREL. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  2. ESET. (2018, November 20). Sednit: What’s going on with Zebrocy?. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  3. ESET Research. (2019, May 22). A journey to Zebrocy land. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  4. Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2018, February 20). A Slice of 2017 Sofacy Activity. Retrieved November 27, 2018.