The DarkGate malware-as-a-service (MaaS) operation has recently made significant changes in its tactics, transitioning from AutoIt scripts to an AutoHotkey mechanism for its final stages. This shift indicates a continuous effort by threat actors to evade detection and stay ahead of security measures. Developed by RastaFarEye and sold on a subscription basis to around 30 customers, DarkGate has been active since at least 2018, demonstrating its longevity and adaptability in the cyber threat landscape.
The latest version of DarkGate, version 6, introduces substantial upgrades to its configuration and evasion techniques, while also altering its list of supported commands. Notably, certain features present in previous versions, such as privilege escalation and cryptomining, have been omitted, potentially as a strategy to avoid detection. Researchers highlight the rapid adaptation of DarkGate to modify components and evade security solutions, showcasing its agility in responding to evolving threats.
DarkGate’s utilization of AutoHotkey was first documented by McAfee Labs in late April 2024, with attack chains leveraging security flaws to bypass Microsoft Defender SmartScreen protections. These attack chains often involve leveraging Excel files with embedded macros to execute Visual Basic Script files, ultimately launching the AutoHotkey script to retrieve and decode the DarkGate payload. The disclosure of DarkGate’s tactics coincides with the increasing abuse of services like Docusign for phishing scams, highlighting the ongoing challenges posed by sophisticated cyber threats in the digital landscape.
