Menu

  • Alerts
  • Incidents
  • News
  • APTs
  • Cyber Decoded
  • Cyber Hygiene
  • Cyber Review
  • Cyber Tips
  • Definitions
  • Malware
  • Threat Actors
  • Tutorials

Useful Tools

  • Password generator
  • Report an incident
  • Report to authorities
No Result
View All Result
CTF Hack Havoc
CyberMaterial
  • Education
    • Cyber Decoded
    • Definitions
  • Information
    • Alerts
    • Incidents
    • News
  • Insights
    • Cyber Hygiene
    • Cyber Review
    • Tips
    • Tutorials
  • Support
    • Contact Us
    • Report an incident
  • About
    • About Us
    • Advertise with us
Get Help
Hall of Hacks
  • Education
    • Cyber Decoded
    • Definitions
  • Information
    • Alerts
    • Incidents
    • News
  • Insights
    • Cyber Hygiene
    • Cyber Review
    • Tips
    • Tutorials
  • Support
    • Contact Us
    • Report an incident
  • About
    • About Us
    • Advertise with us
Get Help
No Result
View All Result
Hall of Hacks
CyberMaterial
No Result
View All Result
Home Alerts

HijackLoader Malware Adopts New Tactics

May 8, 2024
Reading Time: 3 mins read
in Alerts
HijackLoader Malware Adopts New Tactics

HijackLoader, a modular malware loader first observed in 2023, has continued to evolve by incorporating sophisticated evasion and delivery techniques. This malware variant is now using PNG images as a conduit to deliver next-stage payloads such as Amadey and Racoon Stealer. The new functionalities include process creation, User Account Control (UAC) bypass, and the use of anti-hooking techniques like Heaven’s Gate, which allows it to operate more stealthily. Additionally, it employs dynamic API resolution and employs blacklisting methods to evade detection by security software, making it a potent threat in the cyber landscape.

The malware’s execution process begins with its first stage dynamically resolving APIs through the traversal of the Portable Executable (PE) header using the SDBM hashing algorithm. This is primarily to locate and utilize WinHTTP APIs to check for internet connectivity. Once connectivity is established, the loader uses a simple mathematical addition to decrypt the embedded shellcode, preparing the system for the subsequent execution stages. This initial phase is critical as it sets the stage for the deeper infiltration of the infected system.

In the second stage of its operation, HijackLoader checks for predefined conditions within the malware’s code. If certain conditions are met, it utilizes an embedded PNG file containing encrypted modules. If not, it downloads a PNG file, scanning for specific headers to locate the necessary modules. These encrypted modules within the PNG are then decrypted using a specific key and decompressed using LZNT1 compression technique. Subsequently, a designated DLL is loaded, and a specific module named “ti” is injected for execution, indicating a highly methodical and multi-layered attack strategy.

Researchers, particularly those from Zscaler, have analyzed HijackLoader samples to identify the malware distributed through its channels. The findings show that Amadey was the most prevalent payload, detected in 52.9% of instances, followed by information stealers like Lumma Stealer, Racoon Stealer v2, and Meta Stealer. These payloads are primarily aimed at stealing sensitive information such as passwords, crypto wallets, and browser data. Furthermore, Remcos, a Remote Access Trojan (RAT), was also identified among the payloads, providing backdoor access to the infected systems. This diverse array of distributed malware underlines the multifunctional capability of HijackLoader as a delivery platform for various cyber threats.

Reference:
  • HijackLoader Malware Evolves with Advanced Evasion Techniques

Tags: Cyber AlertCyber Alerts 2024Cyber RiskCyber threatHijackLoaderMalwareMay 2024Remcos
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Fake Firms Push Malware on Crypto Users

Fake Sites Push Investment Scams

July 11, 2025
Fake Firms Push Malware on Crypto Users

Severe WordPress Flaw 200K Sites at Risk

July 11, 2025
Fake Firms Push Malware on Crypto Users

Fake Firms Push Malware on Crypto Users

July 11, 2025
Hackers Revive SEO Poisoning

Hackers Revive SEO Poisoning

July 10, 2025
Hackers Revive SEO Poisoning

RondoDox Botnet Exploits Router Flaws

July 10, 2025
Hackers Revive SEO Poisoning

ServiceNow Data Exposure via ACLs

July 10, 2025

Latest Alerts

Fake Sites Push Investment Scams

Fake Firms Push Malware on Crypto Users

Severe WordPress Flaw 200K Sites at Risk

RondoDox Botnet Exploits Router Flaws

ServiceNow Data Exposure via ACLs

Hackers Revive SEO Poisoning

Subscribe to our newsletter

    Latest Incidents

    Microsoft’s Outlook Long Outage

    Avantic Lab Affected By Ransomware

    $40M+ Stolen from GMX Crypto Platform

    Bitcoin Depot Breach Exposes Data

    McDonald’s AI Hiring Bot Exposes Data

    Nippon Steel Solutions Data Breach

    CyberMaterial Logo
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Jobs
    • Legal and Privacy Policy
    • Site Map

    © 2025 | CyberMaterial | All rights reserved

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In

    Add New Playlist

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Alerts
    • Incidents
    • News
    • Cyber Decoded
    • Cyber Hygiene
    • Cyber Review
    • Definitions
    • Malware
    • Cyber Tips
    • Tutorials
    • Advanced Persistent Threats
    • Threat Actors
    • Report an incident
    • Password Generator
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us

    Copyright © 2025 CyberMaterial