SYMBOL | COMMON_NAME | aka. SYNONYMS |
UAC-0226 is a cyber-espionage group targeting Ukrainian military, law enforcement, and local government entities—particularly near the eastern border—since February 2025. Initial access is achieved via phishing emails containing malicious .xlsm documents that decode and execute base64-encoded payloads stored in spreadsheet cells. Two main tools are used: a .NET-based reverse shell leveraging PowerShell code from a public GitHub repository (https://github.com/tihanyin/PSSW100AVB), and GIFTEDCROOK, a C/C++ stealer that extracts browser data (cookies, history, credentials), archives it with PowerShell, and exfiltrates via Telegram. The group often abuses compromised webmail accounts for delivery, underlining the importance of detailed email and web server logging. Their activity shows a mix of low development overhead and high operational targeting, consistent with state-aligned espionage.
There are currently no families associated with this actor.
2025-04-07
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SOC Prime
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UAC-0226 Attack Detection: New Cyber-Espionage Campaign Targeting Ukrainian Innovation Hubs and Government Entities with GIFTEDCROOK Stealer GIFTEDCROOK UAC-0219 UAC-0226 |
2025-04-01
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Cert-UA
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UAC-0219: Cyber espionage using PowerShell stealer WRECKSTEEL (CERT-UA#14283) WRECKSTEEL UAC-0219 UAC-0226 |