Analysis
- max time kernel
150s - max time network
146s - platform
windows10-2004_x64 - resource
win10v2004-20260130-en - resource tags
arch:x64arch:x86image:win10v2004-20260130-enlocale:en-usos:windows10-2004-x64systemwindows - submitted
23/04/2026, 14:07
Static task
static1
1 signatures
Behavioral task
behavioral1
Sample
2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe
Resource
win10v2004-20260130-en
windows10-2004-x64
8 signatures
150 seconds
Behavioral task
behavioral2
Sample
2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe
Resource
win11-20260130-en
windows11-21h2-x64
8 signatures
150 seconds
General
- Target 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe
- Size 2.7MB
- Sample260423-rfaxfaev8q
- SHA256 c81182fc5cd1bfbb2a91e6a3fd40daeffe7b7478c927aeb640e1fc4c6535d86c
- MD5 43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00
- SHA1 1976754b1f6768dce3fce48d45b0e032c6b30602
- SHA512 0a6b0a820cc9cb771f71a56adf8208ffc2c14aba7f45725b5b0b459d188704f0c37487d4ce11495948546d1a7ee37ba83f7e7b0d4bcb6cfa8adca615923c0318
- SSDEEP 24576:lXt1sXt1sXt1g6B/H35DMw2n/qIjtAT3GjDNzPP/xw:B++VBf35DMnCIjtAyd7u
- TLSH T13AD51923A59806DCDD0E2D70C949A630F525BC9F3E0EF55B5D1C7B2A5973EE0382A263
- MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH
Score
7/10
Malware Config
Signatures
- Executes dropped EXE 1 IoCs
pid Process 2580 patcher.exe - Adds Run key to start application 2 TTPs 2 IoCs
description ioc Process Set value (str) \REGISTRY\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\WinFirewall = "C:\\905c0769f9a06c95a24ddf945\\patcher.exe" 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe Set value (str) \REGISTRY\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\WinFirewall = "C:\\905c0769f9a06c95a24ddf945\\patcher.exe" patcher.exe - Drops autorun.inf file 1 TTPs 2 IoCs
Malware can abuse Windows Autorun to spread further via attached volumes.
description ioc Process File opened for modification C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\:\autorun.inf 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Windows\SysWOW64\:\autorun.inf patcher.exe - Drops file in System32 directory 1 IoCs
description ioc Process File opened for modification C:\Windows\SysWOW64\:\autorun.inf patcher.exe - Drops file in Program Files directory 64 IoCs
description ioc Process File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\wordicon.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File created C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\jre\bin\policytool.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub_18.1903.1152.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalBridge.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_3.6.73.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Microsoft.Notes.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ClickToRun\MavInject32.exe$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\jre\bin\jjs.exe patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\jre\bin\rmid.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\SkypeSrv\SKYPESERVER.EXE 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\WORDICON.EXE 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\IEContentService.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ClickToRun\AppVShNotify.exe$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\javapackager.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\VSTO\10.0\VSTOInstaller.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\msoev.exe$ patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSQRY32.EXE 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\VPREVIEW.EXE 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesX86\Microsoft Office\Office16\DCF\Common.DBConnection.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File created C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc-cache-gen.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\xjc.exe$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\jre\bin\policytool.exe$ patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\pubs.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\jdeps.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\Wordconv.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesX86\Microsoft Office\Office16\MSOHTMED.EXE$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmpnscfg.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-001F-0409-1000-0000000FF1CE}\misc.exe$ 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\java-rmi.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\jrunscript.exe$ patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\schemagen.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Client\AppVLP.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\msoia.exe patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\xlicons.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\updater.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jre-1.8\bin\klist.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSOSYNC.EXE$ 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\SDXHelperBgt.exe$ patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\Source Engine\OSE.EXE patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Java\jre-1.8\bin\javacpl.exe patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Java\jre-1.8\bin\ktab.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\ADDINS\Microsoft Power Query for Excel Integrated\bin\Microsoft.Mashup.Container.Loader.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\jre\bin\java-rmi.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesCommonX64\Microsoft Shared\Source Engine\OSE.EXE 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\accicons.exe$ 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File created C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\accicons.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jre-1.8\bin\javacpl.exe$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmlaunch.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesCommonX64\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE16\MSOXMLED.EXE patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Windows.Photos_2019.19071.12548.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Microsoft.Photos.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\Source Engine\OSE.EXE patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\jre\bin\klist.exe$ 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\jre\bin\servertool.exe$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.YourPhone_0.19051.7.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\YourPhone.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\7-Zip\Uninstall.exe$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\jre\bin\java.exe$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\SELFCERT.EXE$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\WINWORD.EXE$ patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\kinit.exe patcher.exe File created C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\wsimport.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\jre\bin\javaw.exe patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\wsimport.exe$ patcher.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe File opened for modification C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\javaw.exe$ 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe - System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery 1 TTPs 2 IoCs
Attempt gather information about the system language of a victim in order to infer the geographical location of that host.
description ioc Process Key opened \REGISTRY\MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\NLS\Language 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe Key opened \REGISTRY\MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\NLS\Language patcher.exe - NTFS ADS 1 IoCs
description ioc Process File opened for modification C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\:\autorun.inf 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe - Suspicious use of SetWindowsHookEx 2 IoCs
pid Process 4872 2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe 2580 patcher.exe
Processes
-
C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe"C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-04-23_43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00_cobalt-strike_darkgate_elex_hijackloader_rhadamanthys_smoke-loader.exe"1⤵
- Adds Run key to start application
- Drops autorun.inf file
- Drops file in Program Files directory
- System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
- NTFS ADS
- Suspicious use of SetWindowsHookEx
PID:4872
-
C:\905c0769f9a06c95a24ddf945\patcher.exeC:\905c0769f9a06c95a24ddf945\patcher.exe1⤵
- Executes dropped EXE
- Adds Run key to start application
- Drops autorun.inf file
- Drops file in System32 directory
- Drops file in Program Files directory
- System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
- Suspicious use of SetWindowsHookEx
PID:2580
Network
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v16
Replay Monitor
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Downloads
- Path C:\905c0769f9a06c95a24ddf945\patcher.exe
- Size 2.7MB
- SHA256 c81182fc5cd1bfbb2a91e6a3fd40daeffe7b7478c927aeb640e1fc4c6535d86c
- MD5 43467af15cbf59a9e80afc90739f2b00
- SHA1 1976754b1f6768dce3fce48d45b0e032c6b30602
- SHA512 0a6b0a820cc9cb771f71a56adf8208ffc2c14aba7f45725b5b0b459d188704f0c37487d4ce11495948546d1a7ee37ba83f7e7b0d4bcb6cfa8adca615923c0318
- SSDEEP 24576:lXt1sXt1sXt1g6B/H35DMw2n/qIjtAT3GjDNzPP/xw:B++VBf35DMnCIjtAyd7u
- TLSH T13AD51923A59806DCDD0E2D70C949A630F525BC9F3E0EF55B5D1C7B2A5973EE0382A263
- MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH
- Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroCEF\RdrCEF.exe$
- Size 3.0MB
- SHA256 6d44d5c4a03deb41c55c0ccbb4ac870a0702166280b061fef2d286d32f8d84be
- MD5 68fdbf812bb7ff6e29cc728b5a83b2a4
- SHA1 668aa56a3ccf0db61362c17e0230f1953400ae0e
- SHA512 839ea4e5204a62bacda2330d811bc3f497d24ec4b1903a9420e9e8f4b4185ab45572401bd11318997b54c4148d8206ba04a0755cdf5ff717e7ba1ba61222ebd9
- SSDEEP 24576:lXt1sXt1sXt1g6B/H35DMw2n/qIjtAT3GjDNzPP/xO3UNUpEisI:B++VBf35DMnCIjtAyd7WUN+Eir
- TLSH T1BAE5F822A59805D9DD1E2D30C949A230F621BC5F3F1EF6CB5D5C772E5973AE0383A262
- MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH
- Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\GoogleUpdater\141.0.7340.0\disabledupdater.exe$
- Size 3.2MB
- SHA256 8df410ae70c33bf6051907a55c53f47e939cde353b02b9413abdbf27afb13cea
- MD5 7199a056cb8c2f22a455209718b95fc8
- SHA1 302db90aec634f7f11a9a0ac5341f1cfab93f01a
- SHA512 f3536bdae2e9a6b63867fdb5540ca08382f8e72d57080c917286fa3f155afd7163d75ea8929a54baea3ea0cc54d5b26a929e41b812257354e79934ff180c3abb
- SSDEEP 24576:lXt1sXt1sXt1g6B/H35DMw2n/qIjtAT3GjDNzPP/xM3Td9CHKy7GZO:B++VBf35DMnCIjtAyd7sTd9CHKyao
- TLSH T141E54B23A59402D8ED1E1D30C959A630F525BC9F3E1EF98B1E5C771A5973EE0383A623
- MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH
- Path C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe$
- Size 3.2MB
- SHA256 0029aeb9d7956ca4a2bbee6a48e15e9d49d61900c1234e1c2b45003b50f27ab2
- MD5 1d35b6bf098980a186583650e2323e60
- SHA1 c65aa2b419c7cd377ee8c117f215f674e1ec72e3
- SHA512 22644934e506dfd5eaa5c91cdbd121189022bce46c580de05a1347ab05117cbb129959d3214191b4665560458d5e543235a1152673ffbd819d0076bedb7738a1
- SSDEEP 24576:lXt1sXt1sXt1g6B/H35DMw2n/qIjtAT3GjDNzPP/xI0Le5ji0hmxNrM:B++VBf35DMnCIjtAyd7ePji0Aj
- TLSH T10DF53922B5940298DC1E5D70C985A235F531BC9F3F2DF98B1E5CB7295973AE1383A223
- MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH
- Path C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\uninstall\helper.exe$
- Size 2.8MB
- SHA256 5d5bfc468a8ede0c7ce94a8a716557abc83093a50d9b863205e5dd7f191f57e8
- MD5 c087ebf500a154ca228f4959617e3c24
- SHA1 44e3f5d924c182fa2da39c6051bddbb504697c54
- SHA512 6f9c0a4d43b2d725159dce543edd9247bf84cab6c94ec9e06783ca74a25c0aeaaae6156cd65565963f38cc3b045aa47042a4da2a3f5a68714a5b7fa570ddc2ff
- SSDEEP 24576:lXt1sXt1sXt1g6B/H35DMw2n/qIjtAT3GjDNzPP/xqF:B++VBf35DMnCIjtAyd7m
- TLSH T18ED53B23A59406CDDD0E2D30C949A630F525BD9F3E0EF95B5D1C7B2A5973EE0382A263
- MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH