Analysis

  • max time kernel
    150s
  • max time network
    122s
  • platform
    windows10-2004_x64
  • resource
    win10v2004-20260130-en
  • resource tags

    arch:x64arch:x86image:win10v2004-20260130-enlocale:en-usos:windows10-2004-x64systemwindows
  • submitted
    18/04/2026, 03:58

General

  • Target
    2026-04-18_952198952c70cba2c653a546566e8e29_akira_cobalt-strike_elex_hijackloader.exe
  • Size 770KB
  • Sample260418-ejl3naav8l
  • SHA256 c6fcc03df11a6ed7ca2b2d4ab739c7e5306d6781c8c84824b1d4700854637f35
  • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

Malware Config

Signatures

  • Renames multiple (255) files with added filename extension

    This suggests ransomware activity of encrypting all the files on the system.

  • Drops file in Drivers directory 3 IoCs
  • Executes dropped EXE 3 IoCs
  • Reads user/profile data of web browsers 3 TTPs

    Infostealers often target stored browser data, which can include saved credentials etc.

  • Adds Run key to start application 2 TTPs 2 IoCs
  • Enumerates connected drives 3 TTPs 21 IoCs

    Attempts to read the root path of hard drives other than the default C: drive.

  • Drops file in Program Files directory 64 IoCs
  • Drops file in Windows directory 4 IoCs
  • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery 1 TTPs 10 IoCs

    Attempt gather information about the system language of a victim in order to infer the geographical location of that host.

  • Runs net.exe
  • Suspicious behavior: EnumeratesProcesses 64 IoCs
  • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory 9 IoCs

Processes

  • C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-04-18_952198952c70cba2c653a546566e8e29_akira_cobalt-strike_elex_hijackloader.exe
    "C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-04-18_952198952c70cba2c653a546566e8e29_akira_cobalt-strike_elex_hijackloader.exe"
    1⤵
    • Drops file in Drivers directory
    • Adds Run key to start application
    • Drops file in Windows directory
    • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
    • Suspicious behavior: EnumeratesProcesses
    • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
    PID:568
    • C:\Windows\SysWOW64\net.exe
      net stop "Kingsoft AntiVirus Service"
      2⤵
      • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
      • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
      PID:3252
      • C:\Windows\SysWOW64\net1.exe
        C:\Windows\system32\net1 stop "Kingsoft AntiVirus Service"
        3⤵
        • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
        PID:1884
    • C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cmd.exe
      C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /c C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\$$aE9B4.bat
      2⤵
      • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
      • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
      PID:2904
      • C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-04-18_952198952c70cba2c653a546566e8e29_akira_cobalt-strike_elex_hijackloader.exe
        "C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-04-18_952198952c70cba2c653a546566e8e29_akira_cobalt-strike_elex_hijackloader.exe"
        3⤵
        • Executes dropped EXE
        PID:3912
    • C:\Windows\Logo1_.exe
      C:\Windows\Logo1_.exe
      2⤵
      • Drops file in Drivers directory
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Adds Run key to start application
      • Enumerates connected drives
      • Drops file in Program Files directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
      • Suspicious behavior: EnumeratesProcesses
      • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
      PID:2852
      • C:\Windows\SysWOW64\net.exe
        net stop "Kingsoft AntiVirus Service"
        3⤵
        • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
        • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
        PID:3532
        • C:\Windows\SysWOW64\net1.exe
          C:\Windows\system32\net1 stop "Kingsoft AntiVirus Service"
          4⤵
          • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
          PID:1460
      • C:\Windows\SysWOW64\net.exe
        net stop "Kingsoft AntiVirus Service"
        3⤵
        • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
        • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
        PID:1740
        • C:\Windows\SysWOW64\net1.exe
          C:\Windows\system32\net1 stop "Kingsoft AntiVirus Service"
          4⤵
          • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
          PID:1896
  • C:\Windows\uninstall\rundl132.exe
    C:\Windows\uninstall\rundl132.exe
    1⤵
    • Drops file in Drivers directory
    • Executes dropped EXE
    • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
    PID:5072

Network

        MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v16

        Replay Monitor

        Loading Replay Monitor...

        Downloads

        RCX84E0.tmp

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroCEF\RCX84E0.tmp
        • Size 156KB
        • SHA256 261f73cebbe70145f24d9cc48a1c648f66f56a97edcdab2c3b1ef90658b242a0
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        AdobeARM.exe.Exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe.Exe
        • Size 1.2MB
        • SHA256 76fb425ac99b4632bcdf91d4ecb04c6c1a2eaaf67bdccd1c499bf4cf805c40c3
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        RCX8B4D.tmp

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeCore\139.0.3405.125\RCX8B4D.tmp
        • Size 103KB
        • SHA256 2d784053d359a9948031bae341b422d017fca087c02fc210b5c70acc4ddb06ac
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        RCX8A0E.tmp

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\139.0.3405.125\RCX8A0E.tmp
        • Size 118KB
        • SHA256 0b1e293088e353e6038ced2a44c4b8d5d624c86cda75e5b56776b7b00263c813
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        RCX8CC8.tmp

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Maintenance Service\RCX8CC8.tmp
        • Size 100KB
        • SHA256 2755f8e3d8d567a84e8de7fac5e94a394c23ab67024940fc2ce51a69ca6aff56
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        RCX7760.tmp

        • Path C:\Program Files\7-Zip\RCX7760.tmp
        • Size 91KB
        • SHA256 8430c75dbd7750a357121146751eaeb08d61607d7cc5f77f1cce912bdc3c632f
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        javaw.exe.Exe

        • Path C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\javaw.exe.Exe
        • Size 377KB
        • SHA256 e0a957ea8e9d45db3d297383b66ec483707255fcf8275c1b39d18efa88754fa2
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        SPREADSHEETCOMPARE.EXE.Exe

        • Path C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesX86\Microsoft Office\Office16\DCF\SPREADSHEETCOMPARE.EXE.Exe
        • Size 554KB
        • SHA256 6516e49f14682c226b1e9a37320c412d8651dbfe1f451635c0ed0c2b396ff148
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        RCX7CA0.tmp

        • Path C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\RCX7CA0.tmp
        • Size 92KB
        • SHA256 5763243c18abcceb3049866e622cc8de4c3ada20de75ead9e5cde6069bcf5899
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        RCX910F.tmp

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Setup\{AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-AC0F074E4100}\RCX910F.tmp
        • Size 92KB
        • SHA256 8764356caf703bf9711a0da29d19149ecb8031fefe1a1e7143e422c68095a87f
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        $$aE9B4.bat

        • Path C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\$$aE9B4.bat
        • Size 824B
        • SHA256 18fd4459cf857c931101141747e6cf2638ea32ea638cc1baeb1ae857faba6952
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        2026-04-18_952198952c70cba2c653a546566e8e29_akira_cobalt-strike_elex_hijackloader.exe.exe

        • Path C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-04-18_952198952c70cba2c653a546566e8e29_akira_cobalt-strike_elex_hijackloader.exe.exe
        • Size 677KB
        • SHA256 fb6c0990e4976b9a98320e0912842ec11aa380a0f237affd35ef9ad2e7667905
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        Logo1_.exe

        • Path C:\Windows\Logo1_.exe
        • Size 93KB
        • SHA256 8aa497a0a7af922eed43bd4f367a5e81ccc2a8615562b80d827da7b212603252
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        hosts

        • Path C:\Windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
        • Size 842B
        • SHA256 d9704dab05e988be3e5e7b7c020bb9814906d11bb9c31ad80d4ed1316f6bc94e
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        memory/568-9-0x0000000000400000-0x0000000000429000-memory.dmp

        memory/2852-710-0x0000000000400000-0x0000000000429000-memory.dmp

        memory/2852-19-0x0000000000400000-0x0000000000429000-memory.dmp

        memory/2852-1252-0x0000000000400000-0x0000000000429000-memory.dmp

        memory/5072-16-0x0000000000400000-0x0000000000429000-memory.dmp