Malicious IFEO Debugger Hijack of vds.exe by FishMonger

ATT&CK techniques

Persistence → Priv Esc

Recon
Resource Dev
Initial Access
Execution
Persistence
- T1546.012Image File Execution Options Injection
Priv Esc
- T1546.012Image File Execution Options Injection
Defense Evasion
Cred Access
Discovery
Lateral Movement
Collection
C2
Exfiltration
Impact

What it detects

This rule detects registration of an Image File Execution Options Debugger value for vds.exe, a persistence and defense-evasion technique used by the FishMonger group deploying SprySOCKS. The activity abuses the IFEO mechanism so that a malicious binary is launched whenever the Virtual Disk Service is invoked. Detecting this key is important because it silently redirects execution of a legitimate system component to attacker-controlled code.

Reporting behind it

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Malicious IFEO Debugger Hijack of vds.exe by FishMonger

Pivot detection · T1546.012 · 4 related

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