Saint Bot Malware

Cybersecurity experts have caught a new recently launched malware dropper that appears to be gaining traction among hacker circles. Named Saint Bot malware, the threat may not exhibit any never-before-seen capabilities but the wide range of techniques used in its creation show that the developer definitely possesses knowledge about malware design. 

The Saint Bot malware attack is a complicated process that goes through several intermediate steps. The initial compromise vector is a phishing email carrying a weaponized attachment. The file - 'bitcoin.zip,' pretends to be a Bitcoin wallet while in fact, it is a PowerShell script. During the next stage, the PowerShell script drops a new malware in a WindowsUpdate.exe executable, which then delivers a second executable named InstallUtil.exe. Finally, the last two executables are brought to the infected system - 'def.exe' is a batch script designed to disable Windows Defender while 'putty.exe' contains the main Saint Bot payload. The malware threat then established a connection with its Command-and-Control (C2, C&C) servers and awaits instructions for further exploitation of the victim. 

Powerful Evasion and Anti-Detection Techniques

Saint Bot malware has three malicious functionalities:

1. Fetch and execute additional malware payloads from the C2 server. So far, these payloads have been mostly for info stealers such as the Taurus Stealer or mid-stage droppers. Saint Bot, however, is capable of dropping any kind of malware payload. 

2. Updating itself

3. Completely removing itself from the compromised machine to cover its tracks

While definitely not the most versatile threat out there, Saint Bot is undeniably effective. Its obfuscation that is present throughout the attack chain is supported with several anti-analysis techniques. As a result, Saint Bot is extremely slippery and can allow the threat actor to exploit the compromised device without being noticed. 

In addition, Saint Bot performs checks for debuggers or if it is being run in a virtual environment. The malware threat is also programmed to stop its execution if the infected victim is from a list of countries within the CIS region (Commonwealth of Independent States) - Romania, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.