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Denis

Denis is a Windows backdoor and Trojan used by APT32. Denis shares several similarities to the SOUNDBITE backdoor and has been used in conjunction with the Goopy backdoor.[1]

ID: S0354
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Type: MALWARE
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Platforms: Windows
Version: 1.2
Created: 30 January 2019
Last Modified: 22 March 2023
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Enterprise Layer
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Techniques Used

Domain ID Name Use
Enterprise T1071 .004 Application Layer Protocol: DNS

Denis has used DNS tunneling for C2 communications.[1][2][3]
Enterprise T1560 .002 Archive Collected Data: Archive via Library

Denis compressed collected data using zlib.[2]
Enterprise T1059 .001 Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell

Denis has a version written in PowerShell.[3]

.003 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell

Denis can launch a remote shell to execute arbitrary commands on the victim’s machine.[1][3]
Enterprise T1132 .001 Data Encoding: Standard Encoding

Denis encodes the data sent to the server in Base64.[3]
Enterprise T1140 Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information

Denis will decrypt important strings used for C&C communication.[3]
Enterprise T1083 File and Directory Discovery

Denis has several commands to search directories for files.[1][3]
Enterprise T1574 Hijack Execution Flow

Denis replaces the nonexistent Windows DLL "msfte.dll" with its own malicious version, which is loaded by the SearchIndexer.exe and SearchProtocolHost.exe.[3]
.002 DLL Side-Loading

Denis exploits a security vulnerability to load a fake DLL and execute its code.[1]
Enterprise T1070 .004 Indicator Removal: File Deletion

Denis has a command to delete files from the victim’s machine.[1][3]
Enterprise T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer

Denis deploys additional backdoors and hacking tools to the system.[3]
Enterprise T1106 Native API

Denis used the IsDebuggerPresent, OutputDebugString, and SetLastError APIs to avoid debugging. Denis used GetProcAddress and LoadLibrary to dynamically resolve APIs. Denis also used the Wow64SetThreadContext API as part of a process hollowing process.[3]

Enterprise T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information

Denis obfuscates its code and encrypts the API names.[3]
.010 Command Obfuscation

Denis has encoded its PowerShell commands in Base64.[3]
Enterprise T1055 .012 Process Injection: Process Hollowing

Denis performed process hollowing through the API calls CreateRemoteThread, ResumeThread, and Wow64SetThreadContext.[3]
Enterprise T1012 Query Registry

Denis queries the Registry for keys and values.[3]
Enterprise T1082 System Information Discovery

Denis collects OS information and the computer name from the victim’s machine.[2][3]
Enterprise T1016 System Network Configuration Discovery

Denis uses ipconfig to gather the IP address from the system.[3]
Enterprise T1033 System Owner/User Discovery

Denis enumerates and collects the username from the victim’s machine.[2][3]
Enterprise T1497 .001 Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion: System Checks

Denis ran multiple system checks, looking for processor and register characteristics, to evade emulation and analysis.[3]

Groups That Use This Software

ID Name References
G0050 APT32

[1][3]

References

  1. Dahan, A. (2017, May 24). OPERATION COBALT KITTY: A LARGE-SCALE APT IN ASIA CARRIED OUT BY THE OCEANLOTUS GROUP. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  2. Shulmin, A., Yunakovsky, S. (2017, April 28). Use of DNS Tunneling for C&C Communications. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  1. Dahan, A. (2017). Operation Cobalt Kitty. Retrieved December 27, 2018.