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 Malware

Nitrogen (Trojan) – Malware

March 2, 2025
Reading Time: 4 mins read
in Malware
Nitrogen (Trojan) – Malware

Nitrogen

Type of Malware

Trojan

Targeted Countries

United States

Date of Initial Activity

2023

Motivation

Data Theft
Financial Gain

Attack Vectors

Phishing

Targeted Systems

Windows

Type of Information Stolen

Login Credentails
Financial Information

Overview

Nitrogen malware is a sophisticated and stealthy piece of malicious software that has recently gained attention due to its involvement in targeted cyberattacks. Known for its ability to evade detection and employ a variety of post-exploitation tools, Nitrogen has proven to be a formidable weapon in the hands of cybercriminals. This malware is part of an increasingly concerning trend where attackers leverage legitimate software, such as network utilities and remote management tools, to conceal malicious activities, making detection significantly more challenging for defenders. The Nitrogen malware is particularly notable for its use in multi-stage attack chains, often starting with a seemingly innocuous download that is delivered through social engineering techniques like malvertising or phishing. Once executed, it acts as a backdoor, granting threat actors persistent access to compromised systems. The malware’s ability to drop additional payloads, such as Sliver and Cobalt Strike, further escalates its impact, enabling attackers to carry out complex post-exploitation activities. These include lateral movement, credential theft, data exfiltration, and, in some cases, the deployment of ransomware, as demonstrated in recent campaigns.

Targets

Information Individuals

How they operate

The initial access point for Nitrogen malware often begins with a drive-by download facilitated through malvertising or phishing campaigns. The attackers use fraudulent websites or tampered versions of legitimate software, such as network utilities like Advanced IP Scanner, to deliver a malicious ZIP file. This file typically contains an executable designed to exploit the victim’s trust in the legitimate software. Once the ZIP file is extracted and the executable is run, the malware installs itself on the system, often masquerading as a legitimate Python binary. This executable side-loads a specially crafted Python Dynamic Link Library (DLL) that triggers the execution of Nitrogen’s malicious code. Upon execution, Nitrogen drops additional payloads to escalate the attack. One of the key components that Nitrogen deploys is the Sliver beacon, a post-exploitation framework commonly used by cybercriminals to maintain control over the compromised system. This beacon, along with Cobalt Strike, is loaded into memory using a technique known as “Py-Fuscate.” Py-Fuscate obfuscates Python scripts, making them difficult for traditional antivirus tools to detect. By hiding its payloads in memory and avoiding traditional file-based detection methods, Nitrogen can establish a persistent foothold on the compromised system without raising suspicion. Once the malware is active, it performs extensive discovery and enumeration of the compromised environment. Nitrogen utilizes a combination of Windows utilities, including net, ipconfig, and nltest, along with more advanced tools like PowerSploit and SharpHound, to map out the network and gather valuable information about the domain controllers, local and domain administrators, and other network configurations. By doing so, the attackers can identify key systems and escalate their privileges, allowing them to move laterally within the network and access more sensitive assets. The malware’s lateral movement is facilitated by tools such as Impacket’s wmiexec, which allows the attacker to execute commands remotely on other machines within the network. After compromising additional machines, the attackers repeat the same persistence techniques—creating scheduled tasks and modifying registry keys—ensuring that the malware remains active and undetected across the environment. Nitrogen also performs credential dumping, often targeting LSASS (Local Security Authority Subsystem Service) memory, to harvest login credentials for high-privilege accounts, further expanding the attacker’s control over the compromised network. Once the attackers have sufficient access to critical infrastructure, Nitrogen deploys other tools to exfiltrate data or prepare for final stages of the attack. One such tool is the open-source backup software, Restic, which is used to exfiltrate files from file shares to remote servers controlled by the attackers. This phase often involves significant stealth, as the attackers may lay low for days, monitoring backup systems and network configurations before executing their ultimate objective. The final phase of the attack involves the deployment of BlackCat ransomware, which is distributed across the network once the attackers have gained full control. Using tools like PsExec and the Windows copy utility, the ransomware binary is executed on compromised hosts. The malware’s final payload is designed to encrypt files on infected systems and display ransom notes, demanding payment for decryption keys. The attackers also take measures to ensure that the ransomware runs in a safe mode environment, making it harder for users to intervene and stop the encryption process. Overall, Nitrogen malware is a highly advanced and multi-faceted threat that leverages a combination of social engineering, obfuscation, and post-exploitation tools to maintain persistence and achieve its objectives. Its ability to evade traditional detection methods and move laterally within networks makes it a dangerous threat for organizations, particularly those lacking advanced threat detection capabilities. Organizations must implement robust security measures, including behavioral monitoring, network segmentation, and regular credential audits, to defend against such sophisticated attacks.  
References
  • Nitrogen Campaign Drops Sliver and Ends With BlackCat Ransomware
Tags: CyberattacksMalwareNitrogenNitrogen malwarePythonTrojansUnited States
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Iranian Phishing Campaign (Scam) – Malware

Iranian Phishing Campaign (Scam) – Malware

March 2, 2025
Fake WalletConnect (Infostealer) – Malware

Fake WalletConnect (Infostealer) – Malware

March 2, 2025
SilentSelfie (Infostealer) – Malware

SilentSelfie (Infostealer) – Malware

March 2, 2025
Sniper Dz (Scam) – Malware

Sniper Dz (Scam) – Malware

March 2, 2025
TikTok Malware Scam (Trojan) – Malware

TikTok Malware Scam (Trojan) – Malware

March 2, 2025
Zombinder (Exploit Kit) – Malware

Zombinder (Exploit Kit) – Malware

March 2, 2025

Latest Alerts

GitLab Patch Stops Service Disruption Risks

3AM Ransomware Email Bomb and Vishing Threat

Function Confusion Hits Serverless Clouds

Venom Spiders More Eggs Malware Hits Hiring

Hazy Hawk Hijacks Cloud DNS For Web Scams

Fake Kling AI Sites Spread Malware To Users

Subscribe to our newsletter

    Latest Incidents

    Cyberattack Paralyzes French Hauts de Seine

    Santa Fe City Loses $324K In Hacker Scam

    Belgium Housing Hit by Ransomware Attack

    UK Peter Green Chilled Hit By Ransomware

    Cellcom Cyberattack Causes Service Outage

    Ohio Kettering Health Faces Cyberattack

    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