A recent cyberattack campaign has been uncovered, involving a KGB-linked keylogger targeting companies with emails designed to impersonate the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade (Минпромторг России). The emails, sent in the second half of December 2024, include a malicious .scr file disguised as a PDF viewer. Upon execution, the file opens a document with official Russian government branding and content, referencing the ISTC (International Science and Technology Center) and technical discussions related to industrial automation. However, unbeknownst to the user, the file starts a series of harmful actions aimed at compromising the victim’s system.
Once activated, the malicious .scr file begins by creating a folder at C:\Intel and drops multiple files, including rezet.cmd and down.exe, a tool resembling the legitimate curl utility. The malware then proceeds to download additional files from a malicious server, including a customized 7zip utility (driver.exe) and a range of other potentially harmful tools. Among these files is the KGB keylogger, which is designed to track user keystrokes, along with modified versions of software such as AnyDesk, which allows remote access to the compromised system.
The malware not only exfiltrates sensitive data from the victim’s system, focusing on Telegram Messenger-related documents, but also establishes persistence by modifying the Windows registry to ensure that the malware components are executed on system startup. It further disrupts the normal operation of the system by disabling power-saving settings and creating scheduled tasks, such as shutting down the system daily at 5:00 AM. This ensures that the malware remains undetected and continuously operational.
Symantec and VMware Carbon Black products provide protections against this threat, detecting the malicious files and behaviors associated with the attack. The campaign underscores the growing sophistication of cyberattacks that use social engineering and malware to exfiltrate data, conduct keylogging, and provide remote access. Organizations are urged to remain vigilant, monitor their systems for suspicious activities, and ensure their security solutions are up to date to mitigate the risks posed by these types of threats.
