Analysis

  • user interaction
    yes
  • max time kernel
    749s
  • max time network
    751s
  • platform
    windows11-21h2_x64
  • resource
    win11-20260911-en
  • resource tags

    arch:x64arch:x86image:win11-20260911-enlocale:en-usos:windows11-21h2-x64systemwindows
  • submitted
    02/10/2026, 12:03

General

  • Target
    smokelauncherinstaller.exe
  • Size 922KB
  • Sample261002-n736hsvtht
  • SHA256 adc23a4b0db7dfea4afebfc0d310797ffdec7082500b90cea5938d2017e3d577
  • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

Malware Config

Signatures

  • Modifies WinLogon for persistence 2 TTPs 1 IoCs
  • Event Triggered Execution: AppInit DLLs 1 TTPs

    Adversaries may establish persistence and/or elevate privileges by executing malicious content triggered by AppInit DLLs loaded into processes.

  • Executes dropped EXE 15 IoCs
  • Loads dropped DLL 17 IoCs
  • Looks up external IP address via web service 1 TTPs 17 IoCs

    Uses a legitimate IP lookup service to find the infected system's external IP.

  • Drops file in System32 directory 17 IoCs
  • Drops file in Windows directory 19 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.

  • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry 1 TTPs 32 IoCs

    The configured hostname and DNS domain identify the machine and are commonly collected to profile a host before it reports in.

  • Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task 1 TTPs 2 IoCs

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

  • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken 17 IoCs
  • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory 6 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\smokelauncherinstaller.exe
    "C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp\smokelauncherinstaller.exe"
    1⤵
    • Modifies WinLogon for persistence
    • Drops file in System32 directory
    • Drops file in Windows directory
    • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
    • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
    • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
    PID:2076
    • C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\CMD.exe
      "CMD" netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="W*M-\[+]\Mkm\$" dir=in action=allow program="C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe" enable=yes & exit
      2⤵
        PID:3748
      • C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\cmd.exe
        "cmd" /c schtasks /create /f /sc minute /mo 1 /tn "Microsoft\Windows\WAppCrashNvTew" /tr "C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe" /RL HIGHEST & exit
        2⤵
        • Executes a command shell one-liner
        • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
        PID:2784
        • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
          schtasks /create /f /sc minute /mo 1 /tn "Microsoft\Windows\WAppCrashNvTew" /tr "C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe" /RL HIGHEST
          3⤵
          • Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task
          PID:1960
      • C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\cmd.exe
        "cmd" /c schtasks /create /f /sc minute /mo 30 /tn "Microsoft\MachineCore" /tr "C:\Windows\Web\xdwdMalwareDef.exe" /RL HIGHEST & exit
        2⤵
        • Executes a command shell one-liner
        • Suspicious use of WriteProcessMemory
        PID:1516
        • C:\Windows\system32\schtasks.exe
          schtasks /create /f /sc minute /mo 30 /tn "Microsoft\MachineCore" /tr "C:\Windows\Web\xdwdMalwareDef.exe" /RL HIGHEST
          3⤵
          • Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task
          PID:4080
      • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
        "C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe"
        2⤵
        • Executes dropped EXE
        • Loads dropped DLL
        • Drops file in System32 directory
        • Drops file in Windows directory
        • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
        • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
        PID:4716
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:2492
    • C:\Windows\Web\xdwdMalwareDef.exe
      C:\Windows\Web\xdwdMalwareDef.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:1624
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:1076
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:420
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:844
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:1320
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:5096
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:424
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:4656
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:2140
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:2348
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:4732
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:1020
    • C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
      1⤵
      • Executes dropped EXE
      • Loads dropped DLL
      • Drops file in System32 directory
      • Drops file in Windows directory
      • Reads the TCP/IP host and domain name from the registry
      • Suspicious use of AdjustPrivilegeToken
      PID:3304

    Network

          MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v16

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          Downloads

          xdwdDefender.exe.log

          • Path C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Microsoft\CLR_v4.0\UsageLogs\xdwdDefender.exe.log
          • Size 1KB
          • SHA256 8b410de677f095f88c42c69c716a9383b94ceb86ca90666188fcd4f4df7fc9fa
          • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 TLSH

          xdwdDefender.exe

          • Path C:\Windows\System32\xdwdDefender.exe
          • Size 922KB
          • SHA256 adc23a4b0db7dfea4afebfc0d310797ffdec7082500b90cea5938d2017e3d577
          • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

          xdwd.dll

          • Path C:\Windows\xdwd.dll
          • Size 136KB
          • SHA256 35c8d022e1d917f1aabdceae98097ccc072161b302f84c768ca63e4b32ac2b66
          • MD5 SHA1 SHA512 SSDEEP TLSH

          memory/2076-0-0x0000000000DF0000-0x0000000000EDC000-memory.dmp

          memory/2076-1-0x000000001DF90000-0x000000001DFA0000-memory.dmp