Analysis

  • max time kernel
    148s
  • max time network
    141s
  • platform
    windows11-ltsc_2024_x64
  • resource
    win11ltsc2024-20260710-en
  • resource tags

    arch:x64arch:x86image:win11ltsc2024-20260710-enlocale:en-usos:windows11-ltsc_2024-x64systemwindows
  • submitted
    18/08/2026, 14:59

General

  • Target
    2026-08-18_68a29f8a57592253833c929bf351aa63_amadey_darkgate_elex_smoke-loader_stop.exe
  • Size 1.9MB
  • Sample260818-sc8jzavanf
  • SHA256 bb61c05dcf517a1b1652b355bb5381fe52aae106e9bf7209cf939c1b612c8ec3
  • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

Malware Config

Signatures

  • 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.

  • Checks whether UAC is enabled 1 TTPs 1 IoCs
  • Drops file in Program Files directory 64 IoCs
  • Enumerates physical storage devices 1 TTPs

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

  • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery 1 TTPs 4 IoCs

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

  • Modifies registry class 1 IoCs
  • Suspicious use of SetWindowsHookEx 5 IoCs
  • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory 3 IoCs

Processes

  • C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-08-18_68a29f8a57592253833c929bf351aa63_amadey_darkgate_elex_smoke-loader_stop.exe
    "C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-08-18_68a29f8a57592253833c929bf351aa63_amadey_darkgate_elex_smoke-loader_stop.exe"
    1⤵
    • Drops file in Program Files directory
    • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
    • Suspicious use of SetWindowsHookEx
    • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
    PID:6024
    • C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-08-18_68a29f8a57592253833c929bf351aa63_amadey_darkgate_elex_smoke-loader_stop.exe.exe
      C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp/2026-08-18_68a29f8a57592253833c929bf351aa63_amadey_darkgate_elex_smoke-loader_stop.exe.exe
      2⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Checks whether UAC is enabled
      • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
      • Suspicious use of SetWindowsHookEx
      • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
      PID:3852
      • C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\Reader_sl.exe
        "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
        3⤵
        • Executes dropped EXE
        • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
        • Suspicious use of SetWindowsHookEx
        • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
        PID:2440
        • C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\Reader_sl.exe.exe
          "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader/Reader_sl.exe.exe"
          4⤵
          • Executes dropped EXE
          • System Location Discovery: System Language Discovery
          • Modifies registry class
          PID:2700

Network

        MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v16

        Replay Monitor

        Loading Replay Monitor...

        Downloads

        RdrCEF.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroCEF\RdrCEF.exe
        • Size 10.1MB
        • SHA256 05090fd000b5143a30df0309ce104ad24fdf9bc372bdbf4d5dbaf5684f29c98d
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        AcroRd32.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe
        • Size 3.2MB
        • SHA256 03ee823ac261cd2a6196b04c0a018c8110827d16f27054d4b31454ae4012c0c0
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        Reader_sl.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\Reader_sl.exe
        • Size 812KB
        • SHA256 f73ba557e383f216a55b68da257a59d3d924bab4b1208248add7f1fd0b4dd57f
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        Reader_sl.exe.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\Reader_sl.exe.exe
        • Size 60KB
        • SHA256 9c6ffc796569f34dbe376c2b1c13d519d0f9ca1ef80fa59021c52920f48eb81d
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        32BitMAPIBroker.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\plug_ins\pi_brokers\32BitMAPIBroker.exe
        • Size 862KB
        • SHA256 386b9f613f43653599d2bc9ec530e0ff7a02c7baa1ece393b49818f6a7b94667
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        AdobeARM.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe
        • Size 1.9MB
        • SHA256 898260b40044e3caebd1d506253a76c90ccc2548c791e8db87faee8606945037
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        pwahelper.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeCore\122.0.2365.106\pwahelper.exe
        • Size 1.9MB
        • SHA256 0f4ade335f12fd6b35ad154c5f9bb3c2226fa5cfa1323f8539b9fb5e8eecd81a
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        cookie_exporter.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeCore\139.0.3405.125\cookie_exporter.exe
        • Size 874KB
        • SHA256 32fa88488d85f2ebbfa4da0d35059c81ccf80a57d19ca05aa759b4dbcccd48f3
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        msedge_proxy.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeCore\139.0.3405.125\msedge_proxy.exe
        • Size 2.2MB
        • SHA256 97fdaed3c066f5eef50d8b7bead6a40aa7b1eb64a38290550ae3c75ddffff2e3
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate_bk\MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe
        • Size 961KB
        • SHA256 a6e76ec693f6e9605d06752850afce826b1d0d0b2de80fdeba2955e382136e82
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate_bk\MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 2e039a7ce5af3783a3d522d27112bfe7a1dac319ed5061de3bef89790d5ad63e
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        setup.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\139.0.3405.125\Installer\setup.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 3d275500cf3ebda5e878d81dcbbaa53528397ccbe631aae8fae60de1ffefccf7
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        elevated_tracing_service.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\139.0.3405.125\elevated_tracing_service.exe
        • Size 4.5MB
        • SHA256 cd3712eb6386a2d55df6967ea599e40c77bb3b02fc3e64e94de7477f65b2f7da
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        msedge.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\139.0.3405.125\msedge.exe
        • Size 4.7MB
        • SHA256 8c37d203cf4334e12284a7beeb603098cc8dae604881ceb7f45853da300ce5ba
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        msedge_pwa_launcher.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\139.0.3405.125\msedge_pwa_launcher.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 4785d266a2c476e0948100ea80f927d16389f7718b540daf0488457ba01958b0
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        Uninstall.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Maintenance Service\Uninstall.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 44ae793c391e8578709e181e83cb820caaa10c08844440885d969a6c839b8a2b
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        MpCmdRun.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 02221d573edefa486ba8fe5aee3c8a10c8c7e3188914c0f22df06bb1338db790
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        OfficeClickToRun.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ClickToRun\OfficeClickToRun.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 19306f3f899e8bae15a744924f1ebf2ce88624f5dd297e3993645fe8453adaa9
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        appvcleaner.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ClickToRun\appvcleaner.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 463b6e99198762de39ea3c9156504527673355f452c17063d0fcc34caa3cfded
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        iexplore.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 dd8074940b2a1e8d0ad513e7c6e2a0d0b11a857893f11dc77387800ca272e970
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        javaws.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-1.8\bin\javaws.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 6c3d33a5119708abbf19b802f0908183037cd57a6394e45b7b234a76ef4b46c5
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        XLICONS.EXE.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\XLICONS.EXE.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 6454633b8c6a69aad48c3fc556c5e81cb5362db0c449b3f543bddfa41eba8d6b
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        joticon.exe

        • Path C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\joticon.exe
        • Size 1.4MB
        • SHA256 a45acc0de153cfd9daf1a661241bec90473aec5eb097271fa3e6453f61dadd54
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        misc.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\misc.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 df2cca9b322f9432b3f3aa7b91a12dd5f22fd50e589e3107e066d99bdb071176
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        ohub32.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\ohub32.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 063c8f44d23e1ebbe390ea320eee672c449f47333120b7abbd4a78094c613113
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        pptico.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\pptico.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 3b07d1aaa1c9c27082d7811d694aae3d422d5d965a91b2d4b8ecda3a79f760a2
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        sscicons.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\sscicons.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 b2a350ffac5074add67fe974467351777915de5a319be7879ba15d1f6915a092
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        wordicon.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\Windows\Installer\{90160000-000F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}\wordicon.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 5bd706a18e0cf54197df7f1d5239f3e058652bfde372afcab230ee9b95ba14a5
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        RCXAD4D.tmp

        • Path C:\Program Files\RCXAD4D.tmp
        • Size 756KB
        • SHA256 448ef4a604be0567bcb8f5abcf7fb6de83fc2ba076ca1e4ee38bbed48d7a273a
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        vlc.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 3b17b29b6c4e39fc36571f8e0795eae6559637529602ae7a37d5f8f6254d0500
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        OfflineScannerShell.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\Offline\OfflineScannerShell.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 9e3f1f8e5166514df44b02a1e0bf7474708dafba161e263cff087af62ba89ae5
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        wmplayer.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 a32208cf5c16d7223999e6ecf1c185bc88d519483ff56ad5ca5f2cc00e677307
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        ArmReport.ini

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Adobe\ARM\ArmReport.ini
        • Size 566B
        • SHA256 2ca8b171e8df3786600eac9ae034fd948b3aef47f43cad0659a739acb29b042c
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        ArmReport.ini

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Adobe\ARM\ArmReport.ini
        • Size 782B
        • SHA256 8395f93b0e0240f5c79ce70bc2257f9cb0d92227b15f7724ba65b1c5c0b19625
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        AdobeARMHelper.exe

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Adobe\ARM\S\18939\AdobeARMHelper.exe
        • Size 1.1MB
        • SHA256 5acf58c579f77cd5c6f1faca2ea895a6b5c191509e8ddc325400bf199eff7560
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        AdobeARMHelper.exe.ico

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Adobe\ARM\S\18939\AdobeARMHelper.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 2f33dacaebb8bdf6d2d88550cce349c09b51dfeb4f499796f32bd30e14aab86c
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        RdrManifest2.msi

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Adobe\ARM\{291AA914-A987-4CE9-BD63-AC0A92D435E5}\RdrManifest2.msi
        • Size 18KB
        • SHA256 0abcb8b7c0bda3128316b3e4f4a5857e9c8194105043a0c0e9801a1a96105d01
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        VC_redist.x86.exe

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{4d8dcf8c-a72a-43e1-9833-c12724db736e}\VC_redist.x86.exe
        • Size 1.4MB
        • SHA256 f0508aa21d60be2715b528d1770d075d6b3d88cff5efcc67bb709e864eb75bd3
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        VC_redist.x86.exe.ico

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{4d8dcf8c-a72a-43e1-9833-c12724db736e}\VC_redist.x86.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 6ed1664d7718a68084ea1a4abb1d9621a6ae8da8e19db35cfca13aaa4c05eb33
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        vcredist_x86.exe

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{61087a79-ac85-455c-934d-1fa22cc64f36}\vcredist_x86.exe
        • Size 1.2MB
        • SHA256 ddc0dfe445776a40cad9a74a0e3ff14d48f04049dddefa8774e0bea4bf1f59ff
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        vcredist_x64.exe

        • Path C:\ProgramData\Package Cache\{ef6b00ec-13e1-4c25-9064-b2f383cb8412}\vcredist_x64.exe
        • Size 1.2MB
        • SHA256 b6c92b7eeaa0ef1bc0e977201032ab3facf438f856e4a6892fb061d34105fae3
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        OneDriveSetup.exe.ico

        • Path C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive\18.151.0729.0013\OneDriveSetup.exe.ico
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 3a2d7fd9799178af58fbd08a2fffc56398cbf289c7ddd5c5f0fb2e241395261e
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        2026-08-18_68a29f8a57592253833c929bf351aa63_amadey_darkgate_elex_smoke-loader_stop.exe.exe

        • Path C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\2026-08-18_68a29f8a57592253833c929bf351aa63_amadey_darkgate_elex_smoke-loader_stop.exe.exe
        • Size 1.1MB
        • SHA256 ddfc32ea96c251a1c46d09e004c5305ee6169a4f81b2bdb90d8c33d003306d6e
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        ArmUI.ini

        • Path C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\ArmUI.ini
        • Size 251KB
        • SHA256 b4d4dcd9594d372d7c0c975d80ef5802c88502895ed4b8a26ca62e225f2f18b0
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

        Tmp22ED.tmp

        • Path C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\Tmp22ED.tmp
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 19fe53c801ad7edc635f61e9e28d07da31780c2480e6f37ecfc63fffe1b250fe
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        Tmp230D.tmp

        • Path C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\Tmp230D.tmp
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 dcc9d2695125406282ba990fec39403c44b12964acf51b5e0dc7f2080d714398
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        TmpE5F1.tmp

        • Path C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\TmpE5F1.tmp
        • Size 3KB
        • SHA256 ff9b4cf04e3202f150f19c1711767361343935da7841c98b876c42fd2cabce9b
        • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

        memory/2440-2740-0x0000000000400000-0x00000000004E0000-memory.dmp

        memory/2440-2747-0x0000000000400000-0x00000000004E0000-memory.dmp

        memory/6024-897-0x0000000000400000-0x00000000004DF000-memory.dmp

        memory/6024-0-0x0000000000400000-0x00000000004DF000-memory.dmp