Threat Database Malware Stegoloader

Stegoloader

By GoldSparrow in Malware

Stegoloader is a threat that hides inside an image file. This may be quite harmful since threatening code can now be delivered inside a simple PNG image file. Security analysts have observed Stegoloader at work, infecting computers and collecting data from the victim. Since Stegoloader is a relatively new threat, your security program should be fully updated in order to detect and remove this new threat.

The Dissemination of Stegoloader

There are many kinds of threats. However, computer users do not expect to find a threat inside an image file. A threat may be distributed using executable files that may be disguised in a variety of ways. Computer users have learned to avoid opening executable files, especially EXE and DLL files. Many computer users have also realized that threats may be packaged inside Microsoft Office and PDF documents, taking extra care when dealing with unknown DOC and PDF files. Unfortunately, most computer users may not suspect a simple image file in PNG format.

Stegoloader is packaged using a technique known as steganography. This technique involves hiding data in plain sight. Stegoloader gets its name from the fact that Stegoloader uses steganography to hide its threatening code. Stegoloader is also known as Gatak, Win32/Gatak.dr and TSPY_GATAK.GTK. Stegoloader first appeared in 2013, although Stegoloader did not attract as much attention. PC security analysts, however, have now drawn attention to Stegoloader's sneaky tactics, which allow Stegoloader to avoid detection and removal by many anti-malware applications on the market.

How Stegoloader Works

Like many other threats, Stegoloader uses a modular design. The initial deployment module makes first contact with the victim's computer. It has two functions: to ensure that the victim's computer is vulnerable to attacks (and is not, for example, a virtual environment used by threat researchers) and to connect to its Command and Control server and download other components of the Stegoloader infection. This deployment module makes it difficult for threat researchers to analyze Stegoloader and create defenses against it since Stegoloader is designed to bypass security systems specifically designed to analyze threats. Some ways in which Stegoloader can detect whether Stegoloader is in a real computer or a virtual environment include detecting mouse activity, searching for functions and services, and looking for specific applications that may be used to reverse engineer threats. If Stegoloader detects that is on a virtual machine, Stegoloader will stop its attack and delete itself.

The Stegoloader deployment module downloads the main Stegoloader module, which is contained in a PNG file that may be contained in a reputable, legitimate website as an extra step to ensure that the threat is accepted into the victim's computer. The source code for Stegoloader's main module is encoded in the image file's pixels, contained in the color of each specific pixel. A hard-coded key and decryption algorithm can decode this data and form the Stegoloader loader, all carried out on the affected computer's memory and not saving a file to the disk to avoid traditional threat analysis programs. The main module, once decoded from the image file, will then start carrying out its attack and communicate with its Command and Control server to receive additional instructions.

Stegoloader’s Payload

Stegoloader is used to collect important information from infected computers. Stegoloader may be used to collect data, credit card numbers, banking data and other information. Stegoloader has also been involved in attacks against businesses and government computers, potentially compromising valuable information and data. Stegoloader's modular system may allow third parties to adapt this threat for a variety of needs that may involve the theft of crucial data from the infected computer. If you suspect that Stegoloader has been installed on your computer, malware researchers strongly advise taking action immediately.

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