Malware

Seasalt

SeaSalt is a Windows backdoor used for remote command execution and host management on compromised systems. Documented functionality includes enumerating running processes, deleting specified files, and spawning a reverse shell through the Windows command interpreter, indicating a post-compromise implant oriented toward operator-driven control. It communicates with command-and-control infrastructure over HTTP. SeaSalt also establishes persistence through Windows autorun mechanisms and service installation, including creation of Registry Run entries and installation as a Windows service. Its service-based persistence has been observed using names and display text crafted to resemble legitimate system components, reflecting an effort to evade casual inspection and blend into normal administration artifacts. The observed tradecraft is consistent with a lightweight backdoor focused on persistence, command execution, reconnaissance, and defense evasion on Windows hosts.

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MITRE ATT&CK

Techniques & procedures

12 distinct techniques documented for this family, organized by ATT&CK tactic.

Execution

1 technique

T1059.003Windows Command ShellEvidence4

Numerous entries state malware can create a remote shell or reverse shell, for example 4H RAT, BLACKCOFFEE, DarkComet, PlugX, QuasarRAT, and others. | The content repeatedly describes threat actors and malware using cmd.exe, the Windows command shell, to execute commands, launch payloads, run batch files, and automate actions on compromised hosts.

Persistence

2 techniques

T1543.003Windows ServiceEvidence3

During the 2016 Ukraine Electric Power Attack, Sandworm Team used an arbitrary system service to load at system boot for persistence for Industroyer. They also replaced the ImagePath registry value of a Windows service with a new backdoor binary.

T1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup FolderEvidence7

The content repeatedly describes malware and threat actors establishing persistence by adding values under Registry Run keys such as HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, and by placing shortcuts or files in Startup folders.

Privilege Escalation

2 techniques

T1543.003Windows ServiceEvidence3

T1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup FolderEvidence7

Stealth

4 techniques

T1027Obfuscated Files or InformationEvidence5

The content repeatedly describes payloads, strings, configuration files, scripts, URLs, and binaries being obfuscated or encoded using Base64, XOR, RC4, AES, RSA, hex encoding, custom algorithms, and other methods across many malware families and threat actors.

T1027.013Encrypted/Encoded FileEvidence1

T1036.004Masquerade Task or ServiceEvidence1

T1070.004File DeletionEvidence8

The content repeatedly describes malware and threat actors deleting files, directories, droppers, logs, scripts, temporary files, exfiltrated archives, and uninstalling themselves to cover tracks or reduce forensic artifacts.

Discovery

2 techniques

T1057Process DiscoveryEvidence5

Tasklist can be used to discover processes running on a system. Numerous malware families and threat groups are described as listing running processes, collecting PIDs, checking for specific process names, or enumerating loaded modules.

T1083File and Directory DiscoveryEvidence5

The content is a long ATT&CK-style listing of groups and malware that can 'list files and directories,' 'search for files,' 'enumerate drives,' 'gather file metadata,' or 'browse file systems' on compromised hosts.

Command and Control

3 techniques

T1071.001Web ProtocolsEvidence5

The content is a long ATT&CK-style listing showing numerous malware families and threat groups that 'use HTTP,' 'use HTTPS,' 'HTTP POST requests,' 'HTTP GET requests,' or 'HTTP/S' for command and control communications.

T1105Ingress Tool TransferEvidence2

The content repeatedly describes malware and threat actors that can "download files from C2," "download additional payloads," "upload and download files," "retrieve payloads from the C2 server," and "copy files to remote machines."

T1219Remote Access ToolsEvidence1

4H RAT has the capability to create a remote shell. AuditCred can open a reverse shell on the system to execute commands. PlugX allows actors to spawn a reverse shell on a victim. QuasarRAT can launch a remote shell to execute commands on the victim’s machine.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

10 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

10 SOURCESView more in app

mitre attack websiteNews

Oct 21, 2021

Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, Sub-technique T1547.001 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Malware that persists by creating an HKLM Run registry entry.

mitre attack websiteNews

Oct 21, 2021

Indicator Removal on Host: File Deletion, Sub-technique T1070.004 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Backdoor malware with a command to delete specified files.

mitre attack websiteNews

Oct 21, 2021

Process Discovery, Technique T1057 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Backdoor malware with a command to perform process listing.

mitre attack websiteNews

Jan 1, 2021

Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, Sub-technique T1547.001 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Backdoor malware that persists by creating an HKLM Run registry entry.

+6 more in the timeline

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IOC matching

Match every observed IP, domain, and hash against your live telemetry.

Threat actor attribution

Named campaigns wielding this family, with evidence pinned to each claim.

Exploited vulnerabilities

CVEs this family uses for access and lateral movement.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

MITRE ATT&CK mapping12

Every documented technique, ranked by evidence weight.

Researcher chatter

Reddit, Mastodon, and CTI community discussion around this family.

Seasalt