SYMBOLCOMMON_NAMEaka. SYNONYMS

ComicForm  (Back to overview)


ComicForm is an emerging cyber threat actor tracked since at least April 2025, specializing in targeted phishing campaigns against organizations in Eurasian countries including Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia, often in sectors like banking, production, and critical infrastructure. The group deploys FormBook infostealer malware via sophisticated loaders: an obfuscated .NET executable unpacks MechMatrix Pro.dll, which decrypts and executes Montero.dll dropper in memory to deliver FormBook, establishing persistence through scheduled tasks and antivirus exclusions while evading detection. Malware binaries uniquely embed Tumblr links to innocuous comic superhero GIFs (e.g., Batman), from which the actor derives its name, alongside phishing lures themed around recruitment, quotes, or production facilities using Russian free email services like Rivet_kz. Active through at least September 2025 with no confirmed overlaps to other actors like pro-Russian SectorJ149 despite concurrent Eurasian operations, ComicForm demonstrates proficiency in commodity malware customization and regional targeting.


Associated Families

There are currently no families associated with this actor.


References
2025-12-01Kaspersky LabsKaspersky Lab ICS CERT
APT and financial attacks on industrial organizations in Q3 2025
ComicForm

Credits: MISP Project