BlackByte
BlackByte is a ransomware threat actor and ransomware operation also referred to in the provided content as hecamede. The content associates BlackByte with ransomware deployment, data theft, and mature ransomware-as-a-service tradecraft, including use of a custom exfiltration tool called Exbyte. Observed behavior includes use of Registry Run keys for persistence; scheduled tasks for payload execution, including execution of remotely deployed ransomware payloads; Registry modifications to escalate privileges and disable security tools; PowerShell with concatenated Base64-encoded command sections to disable Windows Defender; execution of ransomware via the Windows command shell; collection of victim device information and transmission of that information to command-and-control infrastructure via HTTP POST; network service enumeration using tools such as NetScan; lateral movement or remote access to other hosts via RDP; staging of encryption keys on adversary-operated virtual private servers; injection of Cobalt Strike into wuauclt.exe; injection of ransomware into svchost.exe prior to encryption; and deletion of ransomware executables after encryption, including self-deletion behavior noted for BlackByte 2.0. The content also states that the BlackByte ransomware gang used a BYOVD technique involving the MSI Afterburner RTCore64.sys driver to bypass security products and disable over 1,000 drivers relied upon by security solutions. Separately, Microsoft reported connections between another actor, Fox Tempest, and affiliates associated with BlackByte.
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Tradecraft
50 distinct techniques observed across reporting, grouped by tactic. Hover any cell for the evidence excerpt; click through for MITRE's full description.
Associated malware families
10 malware families attributed to this actor across reporting.
5 additional families tracked in Mallory.
Associated vulnerabilities
5 CVEs this actor has used in observed campaigns. 5 of them exploited in the wild.
This analytic detects attempts to create an "ESX Admins" group using the Windows net.exe or net1.exe commands. This activity may indicate an attempt to exploit the VMware ESXi Active Directory Integration Authentication Bypass vulnerability (CVE-2024-37085). Attackers can use this method to gain unauthorized access to ESXi hosts by recreating the "ESX Admins" group after its deletion from Active Directory.
This detection identifies instances where Windows Explorer.exe spawns PowerShell or cmd.exe processes, particularly focusing on executions initiated by LNK files. This behavior is associated with the ZDI-CAN-25373 Windows shortcut zero-day vulnerability, where specially crafted LNK files are used to trigger malicious code execution through cmd.exe or powershell.exe. This technique has been actively exploited by multiple APT groups in targeted attacks through both HTTP and SMB delivery methods.
BlackByte exploited vulnerabilities such as ProxyLogon and ProxyShell for initial access... Magic Hound has exploited ... on-premises MS Exchange servers via "ProxyShell" (CVE-2021-34473, CVE-2021-34523, CVE-2021-31207)... Ember Bear ... CVE-2022-41040, ProxyShell, and other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange.
The following analytic detects attempts to exploit CVE-2022-26134, an unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in Confluence... This activity is significant as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the Confluence server without authentication, potentially leading to full system compromise.
References include https://www.horizon3.ai/papercut-cve-2023-27350-deep-dive-and-indicators-of-compromise/ and https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-actively-exploit-critical-rce-bug-in-papercut-servers/. The detection identifies potential exploitation attempts on a PaperCut NG server by analyzing its debug log data and searches for specific URIs associated with known exploits.
Observables
41 indicators attributed to this actor: domains, IPs, hashes, and other artifacts pulled from reporting. View more in app.
Recent activity
20 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
Referenced as a ransomware affiliate ecosystem connected to Fox Tempest's malware-signing service.
Listed in the detection annotations as a threat actor associated with exploitation for privilege escalation.
Listed as a threat actor associated with the PowerShell P/Invoke process injection API chain detection and related ATT&CK techniques.
Listed as a threat actor associated with PowerShell execution behavior relevant to this detection analytic.
The version that knows your environment.
Match sector + geo + tech-stack targeting against your real footprint.
Every observed MITRE ATT&CK technique, grouped by tactic.
Families this actor is known to deploy, with IOCs and behavior.
CVEs this actor has used in known campaigns.
YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.
Domains, IPs, and hashes tied to this actor, refreshed continuously.