SPECTR (Trojan) – Malware

Overview

The realm of cybersecurity has recently been shaken by the emergence of SPECTR, a sophisticated strain of malware that has been making waves due to its targeted and malicious activities. First detected in late 2023, SPECTR is a potent information stealer that has become a significant concern for cybersecurity professionals and organizations, particularly in Ukraine. Developed to exploit vulnerabilities through spear-phishing techniques, SPECTR exemplifies the increasing sophistication of modern cyber threats.

SPECTR operates primarily through spear-phishing emails that carry a decoy PDF file along with a trojanized version of the SyncThing application. This application is embedded with the SPECTR payload, which, when executed, activates a series of malicious activities aimed at compromising the target’s system. Once inside, SPECTR performs a range of nefarious tasks, including taking frequent screenshots, harvesting files, and extracting credentials from various applications and web browsers. The malware’s ability to use legitimate software for its operations further complicates detection and mitigation efforts.

Targets

Ukrainian Government Institutions: SPECTR has been notably used to compromise various state bodies within Ukraine, aiming to steal critical information and disrupt operations.

Defense Forces: The malware is also directed at military and defense sectors in Ukraine, reflecting its strategic intent to undermine national security.

High-Profile Individuals: While less documented, the malware could potentially target high-profile individuals or officials within these institutions, aiming to obtain sensitive personal and professional data.

How they operate

Initial Access and Execution

The SPECTR infection chain begins with a carefully crafted spear-phishing campaign. Targets receive emails containing a RAR self-extracting archive. This archive is particularly deceptive as it includes a seemingly benign PDF file, alongside a trojanized version of the SyncThing application embedded with the SPECTR payload. The SyncThing application, when executed, is accompanied by a batch script designed to launch the malware. This initial stage is critical as it relies on social engineering to trick users into activating the payload, thereby facilitating the initial infection.

Malware Functionality and Data Exfiltration

Once activated, SPECTR operates primarily as an information stealer. It employs a variety of techniques to extract sensitive information from the compromised system. The malware captures screenshots every ten seconds, providing a continuous visual record of the user’s activities. Additionally, SPECTR collects files from the system and any connected removable USB drives, further expanding its data collection capabilities.

Credential harvesting is another significant function of SPECTR, targeting credentials from web browsers and applications such as Element, Signal, Skype, and Telegram. This functionality highlights the malware’s ability to compromise a wide range of communication platforms, thereby broadening its scope of impact.

One of the more insidious features of SPECTR is its use of the legitimate SyncThing application for data exfiltration. By leveraging SyncThing’s synchronization capabilities, the malware uploads stolen data to remote servers controlled by the attackers. This method not only blends the malicious activity with legitimate traffic, thus evading detection, but also ensures that the stolen data is efficiently transferred to the attacker’s infrastructure.

Persistence and Defense Evasion

To maintain persistence, SPECTR utilizes various methods. Although the specific details of its persistence mechanisms are not always publicly disclosed, malware of this nature typically employs techniques such as creating scheduled tasks or modifying system startup scripts to ensure it remains active across reboots. Additionally, SPECTR incorporates obfuscation techniques to avoid detection. The initial payload, including the SyncThing application, is designed to be obfuscated, making analysis and detection more challenging. This obfuscation is complemented by the use of encoded data within the malware, which adds another layer of complexity for defenders attempting to uncover its activities.

MITRE Tactics and Techniques

Initial Access

Spear Phishing (T1566): SPECTR initially infects targets through spear-phishing emails containing a RAR self-extracting archive with a trojanized SyncThing application and a batch script.

Execution

User Execution (T1203): The batch script in the RAR archive executes the malicious payload when the user launches the SyncThing application.

Persistence

Scheduled Task/Job (T1053): Although not explicitly mentioned, malware like SPECTR often employs scheduled tasks or startup scripts to maintain persistence.

Privilege Escalation

Exploitation of Vulnerabilities (T1203): SPECTR itself may not directly exploit vulnerabilities for privilege escalation, but the initial trojanized application may leverage software vulnerabilities.

Defense Evasion

Obfuscated Files or Information (T1027): The malware uses obfuscation techniques, including an obfuscated version of the SyncThing application and encoded data in its payload.
Credential Access

Credential Dumping (T1003): SPECTR harvests credentials from applications and web browsers like Element, Signal, Skype, and Telegram.

Discovery

System Information Discovery (T1082): The malware collects information about the victim’s system and connected USB drives.

Collection

Data from Information Repositories (T1213): SPECTR gathers files and credentials from the system and removable USB drives.

Exfiltration

Exfiltration Over C2 Channel (T1041): Stolen data is exfiltrated using the legitimate SyncThing application’s synchronization functionality to upload the data.

Impact

Data Manipulation (T1565): The malware can manipulate data by exfiltrating files and credentials, impacting the victim’s information security.

References

• SPECTR Malware Targets Ukraine Defense Forces in SickSync Campaign
• June 9-6 SPECTR Malware Targets Ukraine Defense Forces In Sicksync Campaign