CatB ransomware, known for its DLL hijacking capabilities and ties to the ChamelGang group, poses a significant threat by encrypting files and stealing sensitive data. Its use of sophisticated evasion techniques marks a shift in the blending of criminal and espionage tactics in cyber operations. Affected: high-profile organizations, cybersecurity sector
Keypoints :
- CatB ransomware emerged in late 2022 as a potential rebranding of Pandora ransomware.
- It employs DLL hijacking through Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MSDTC) to execute its payload.
- CatB is adept at detecting and bypassing virtual machine environments.
- The ransomware is linked to ChamelGang, recognized for cyber espionage activities.
- CatB targets high-profile organizations, aiming to obscure its espionage goals.
- AttackIQ has developed an attack graph to help validate security controls against CatB ransomware behavior.
- Security teams can evaluate their controls and improve defenses against ransomware threats using the attack graph.
- The CatB ransomware execution stage involves DLL search order hijacking and data encryption routines.
MITRE Techniques :
- Ingress Tool Transfer (T1105): CatB downloads its payload to test network controls.
- System Information Discovery (T1082): Retrieves hardware and memory information to adjust behaviors and detect sandboxes.
- Hijack Execution Flow: DLL Search Order Hijacking (T1574.001): Loads a rogue DLL using Microsoft DLL search order to execute malicious code.
- Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools (T1562.001): Uses taskkill command to terminate security processes.
- Browser Information Discovery (T1217): Enumerates browser bookmarks for sensitive user information.
- Data Encrypted for Impact (T1486): Encrypts files matching specific extensions using common ransomware algorithms.
Indicator of Compromise :
- [Malware] CatB Ransomware
Full Story: https://www.attackiq.com/2025/04/09/emulating-catb-ransomware/
Views: 29