SYMBOLCOMMON_NAMEaka. SYNONYMS
win.blackenergy (Back to overview)

BlackEnergy

Actor(s): Sandworm


BlackEnergy, its first version shortened as BE1, started as a crimeware being sold in the Russian cyber underground as early as 2007. Initially, it was designed as a toolkit for creating botnets for conducting DDoS attacks. It supported a variety of flooding commands including protocols like ICMP, TCP SYN, UDP, HTTP and DNS. Among the high profile targets of cyber attacks utilising BE1 were a Norwegian bank and government websites in Georgia three weeks before Russo-Georgian War.

Version 2 of BlackEnergy, BE2, came in 2008 with a complete code rewrite that introduced a protective layer, a kernel-mode rootkit and a modular architecture. Plugins included mostly DDoS attacks, a spam plugin and two banking authentication plugins to steal from Russian nad Ukrainian banks. The banking plugin was paired with a module designed to destroy the filesystem. Moreover, BE2 was able to
- download and execute a remote file;
- execute a local file on the infected computer;
- update the bot and its plugins;

The Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team issued an alert warning that BE2 was leveraging the human-machine interfaces of industrial control systems like GE CIMPLICITY, Advantech/Broadwin WebAccess, and Siemens WinCC to gain access to critical infrastructure networks.

In 2014, the BlackEnergy toolkit, BE3, switched to a lighter footprint with no kernel-mode driver component. Its plugins included:
- operations with victim's filesystem
- spreading with a parasitic infector
- spying features like keylogging, screenshoots or a robust password stealer
- Team viewer and a simple pseudo “remote desktop”
- listing Windows accounts and scanning network
- destroying the system

Typical for distribution of BE3 was heavy use of spear-phishing emails containing Microsoft Word or Excel documents with a malicious VBA macro, Rich Text Format (RTF) documents embedding exploits or a PowerPoint presentation with zero-day exploit CVE-2014-4114.

On 23 December 2015, attackers behind the BlackEnergy malware successfully caused power outages for several hours in different regions of Ukraine. This cyber sabotage against three energy companies has been confirmed by the Ukrainian government. The power grid compromise has become known as the first-of-its-kind cyber warfare attack affecting civilians.

References
2022-05-09cocomelonccocomelonc
@online{cocomelonc:20220509:malware:1cdee23, author = {cocomelonc}, title = {{Malware development: persistence - part 4. Windows services. Simple C++ example.}}, date = {2022-05-09}, organization = {cocomelonc}, url = {https://cocomelonc.github.io/tutorial/2022/05/09/malware-pers-4.html}, language = {English}, urldate = {2022-12-01} } Malware development: persistence - part 4. Windows services. Simple C++ example.
Anchor AppleJeus Attor BBSRAT BlackEnergy Carbanak Cobalt Strike DuQu
2022-04-20CISACISA, NSA, FBI, Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), Government Communications Security Bureau, NCSC UK, National Crime Agency (NCA)
@techreport{cisa:20220420:aa22110a:4fde5d6, author = {CISA and NSA and FBI and Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS) and Government Communications Security Bureau and NCSC UK and National Crime Agency (NCA)}, title = {{AA22-110A Joint CSA: Russian State-Sponsored and Criminal Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure}}, date = {2022-04-20}, institution = {CISA}, url = {https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/sites/default/files/publications/AA22-110A_Joint_CSA_Russian_State-Sponsored_and_Criminal_Cyber_Threats_to_Critical_Infrastructure_4_20_22_Final.pdf}, language = {English}, urldate = {2022-04-25} } AA22-110A Joint CSA: Russian State-Sponsored and Criminal Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure
VPNFilter BlackEnergy DanaBot DoppelDridex Emotet EternalPetya GoldMax Industroyer Sality SmokeLoader TrickBot Triton Zloader
2022-04-20cocomelonccocomelonc
@online{cocomelonc:20220420:malware:b20963e, author = {cocomelonc}, title = {{Malware development: persistence - part 1. Registry run keys. C++ example.}}, date = {2022-04-20}, organization = {cocomelonc}, url = {https://cocomelonc.github.io/tutorial/2022/04/20/malware-pers-1.html}, language = {English}, urldate = {2022-12-01} } Malware development: persistence - part 1. Registry run keys. C++ example.
Agent Tesla Amadey BlackEnergy Cobian RAT COZYDUKE Emotet Empire Downloader Kimsuky
2022-04-20CISACISA
@online{cisa:20220420:alert:529e28c, author = {CISA}, title = {{Alert (AA22-110A): Russian State-Sponsored and Criminal Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure}}, date = {2022-04-20}, organization = {CISA}, url = {https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/alerts/aa22-110a}, language = {English}, urldate = {2022-04-25} } Alert (AA22-110A): Russian State-Sponsored and Criminal Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure
VPNFilter BlackEnergy DanaBot DoppelDridex Emotet EternalPetya GoldMax Industroyer Sality SmokeLoader TrickBot Triton Zloader Killnet
2022-02-24TesorionTESORION
@techreport{tesorion:20220224:report:e2f2082, author = {TESORION}, title = {{Report OSINT: Russia/ Ukraine Conflict Cyberaspect}}, date = {2022-02-24}, institution = {Tesorion}, url = {https://www.tesorion.nl/en/resources/pdfstore/Report-OSINT-Russia-Ukraine-Conflict-Cyberaspect.pdf}, language = {English}, urldate = {2022-03-01} } Report OSINT: Russia/ Ukraine Conflict Cyberaspect
Mirai VPNFilter BlackEnergy EternalPetya HermeticWiper Industroyer WhisperGate
2021-09-09Recorded FutureInsikt Group
@techreport{group:20210909:dark:cd6bb6a, author = {Insikt Group}, title = {{Dark Covenant: Connections Between the Russian State and Criminal Actors}}, date = {2021-09-09}, institution = {Recorded Future}, url = {https://go.recordedfuture.com/hubfs/reports/cta-2021-0909.pdf}, language = {English}, urldate = {2021-09-10} } Dark Covenant: Connections Between the Russian State and Criminal Actors
BlackEnergy EternalPetya Gameover P2P Zeus
2021-08-05SymantecThreat Hunter Team
@techreport{team:20210805:attacks:c2d7348, author = {Threat Hunter Team}, title = {{Attacks Against Critical Infrastructure: A Global Concern}}, date = {2021-08-05}, institution = {Symantec}, url = {https://symantec.broadcom.com/hubfs/Attacks-Against-Critical_Infrastructrure.pdf}, language = {English}, urldate = {2021-08-06} } Attacks Against Critical Infrastructure: A Global Concern
BlackEnergy DarkSide DistTrack Stuxnet
2020-12-21IronNetAdam Hlavek, Kimberly Ortiz
@online{hlavek:20201221:russian:804662f, author = {Adam Hlavek and Kimberly Ortiz}, title = {{Russian cyber attack campaigns and actors}}, date = {2020-12-21}, organization = {IronNet}, url = {https://www.ironnet.com/blog/russian-cyber-attack-campaigns-and-actors}, language = {English}, urldate = {2021-01-05} } Russian cyber attack campaigns and actors
WellMail elf.wellmess Agent.BTZ BlackEnergy EternalPetya Havex RAT Industroyer Ryuk Triton WellMess
2020-10-19Riskint BlogCurtis
@online{curtis:20201019:revisited:df05745, author = {Curtis}, title = {{Revisited: Fancy Bear's New Faces...and Sandworms' too}}, date = {2020-10-19}, organization = {Riskint Blog}, url = {https://www.riskint.blog/post/revisited-fancy-bear-s-new-faces-and-sandworms-too}, language = {English}, urldate = {2020-10-23} } Revisited: Fancy Bear's New Faces...and Sandworms' too
BlackEnergy EternalPetya Industroyer Olympic Destroyer
2020-10-19UK GovernmentForeignCommonwealth & Development Office, Dominic Raab
@online{office:20201019:uk:7ead390, author = {ForeignCommonwealth & Development Office and Dominic Raab}, title = {{UK exposes series of Russian cyber attacks against Olympic and Paralympic Games}}, date = {2020-10-19}, organization = {UK Government}, url = {https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-exposes-series-of-russian-cyber-attacks-against-olympic-and-paralympic-games}, language = {English}, urldate = {2020-10-23} } UK exposes series of Russian cyber attacks against Olympic and Paralympic Games
VPNFilter BlackEnergy EternalPetya Industroyer
2020-05-21PICUS SecuritySüleyman Özarslan
@online{zarslan:20200521:t1055:4400f98, author = {Süleyman Özarslan}, title = {{T1055 Process Injection}}, date = {2020-05-21}, organization = {PICUS Security}, url = {https://www.picussecurity.com/blog/picus-10-critical-mitre-attck-techniques-t1055-process-injection}, language = {English}, urldate = {2020-06-03} } T1055 Process Injection
BlackEnergy Cardinal RAT Downdelph Emotet Kazuar RokRAT SOUNDBITE
2020SecureworksSecureWorks
@online{secureworks:2020:iron:3c939bc, author = {SecureWorks}, title = {{IRON VIKING}}, date = {2020}, organization = {Secureworks}, url = {https://www.secureworks.com/research/threat-profiles/iron-viking}, language = {English}, urldate = {2020-05-23} } IRON VIKING
BlackEnergy EternalPetya GreyEnergy Industroyer KillDisk TeleBot TeleDoor
2019-05-08Verizon Communications Inc.Verizon Communications Inc.
@techreport{inc:20190508:2019:3c20a3b, author = {Verizon Communications Inc.}, title = {{2019 Data Breach Investigations Report}}, date = {2019-05-08}, institution = {Verizon Communications Inc.}, url = {https://enterprise.verizon.com/resources/reports/2019-data-breach-investigations-report.pdf}, language = {English}, urldate = {2020-05-10} } 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report
BlackEnergy Cobalt Strike DanaBot Gandcrab GreyEnergy Mirai Olympic Destroyer SamSam
2019-01-18Mark Edmondson
@online{edmondson:20190118:black:e66dcec, author = {Mark Edmondson}, title = {{BLACK ENERGY – Analysis}}, date = {2019-01-18}, url = {https://marcusedmondson.com/2019/01/18/black-energy-analysis/}, language = {English}, urldate = {2020-01-08} } BLACK ENERGY – Analysis
BlackEnergy
2017-09-18ThreatConnectPaul Vann
@online{vann:20170918:casting:87b63a9, author = {Paul Vann}, title = {{Casting a Light on BlackEnergy}}, date = {2017-09-18}, organization = {ThreatConnect}, url = {https://threatconnect.com/blog/casting-a-light-on-blackenergy/}, language = {English}, urldate = {2020-01-13} } Casting a Light on BlackEnergy
BlackEnergy
2017-07-03ESET ResearchAnton Cherepanov, Robert Lipovsky
@techreport{cherepanov:20170703:blackenergy:2403feb, author = {Anton Cherepanov and Robert Lipovsky}, title = {{BlackEnergy – what we really know about the notorious cyber attacks}}, date = {2017-07-03}, institution = {ESET Research}, url = {https://www.virusbulletin.com/uploads/pdf/magazine/2016/VB2016-Cherepanov-Lipovsky.pdf}, language = {English}, urldate = {2019-10-14} } BlackEnergy – what we really know about the notorious cyber attacks
BlackEnergy
2017-05-31MITREMITRE ATT&CK
@online{attck:20170531:sandworm:1a9a446, author = {MITRE ATT&CK}, title = {{Sandworm Team}}, date = {2017-05-31}, organization = {MITRE}, url = {https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0034}, language = {English}, urldate = {2022-08-25} } Sandworm Team
CyclopsBlink Exaramel BlackEnergy EternalPetya Exaramel GreyEnergy KillDisk MimiKatz Olympic Destroyer Sandworm
2016-01-28Kaspersky LabsGReAT
@online{great:20160128:blackenergy:3c2a914, author = {GReAT}, title = {{BlackEnergy APT Attacks in Ukraine employ spearphishing with Word documents}}, date = {2016-01-28}, organization = {Kaspersky Labs}, url = {https://securelist.com/blackenergy-apt-attacks-in-ukraine-employ-spearphishing-with-word-documents/73440/}, language = {English}, urldate = {2019-12-20} } BlackEnergy APT Attacks in Ukraine employ spearphishing with Word documents
BlackEnergy
2015-02-17Kaspersky LabsKurt Baumgartner, Maria Garnaeva
@online{baumgartner:20150217:be2:f7ce288, author = {Kurt Baumgartner and Maria Garnaeva}, title = {{BE2 extraordinary plugins, Siemens targeting, dev fails}}, date = {2015-02-17}, organization = {Kaspersky Labs}, url = {https://securelist.com/be2-extraordinary-plugins-siemens-targeting-dev-fails/68838/}, language = {English}, urldate = {2019-12-20} } BE2 extraordinary plugins, Siemens targeting, dev fails
BlackEnergy
2014-11-03Kaspersky LabsKurt Baumgartner, Maria Garnaeva
@online{baumgartner:20141103:be2:ea8544a, author = {Kurt Baumgartner and Maria Garnaeva}, title = {{BE2 custom plugins, router abuse, and target profiles}}, date = {2014-11-03}, organization = {Kaspersky Labs}, url = {https://securelist.com/be2-custom-plugins-router-abuse-and-target-profiles/67353/}, language = {English}, urldate = {2019-12-20} } BE2 custom plugins, router abuse, and target profiles
BlackEnergy
2014-10-14ESET ResearchRobert Lipovsky
@online{lipovsky:20141014:cve20144114:49123f0, author = {Robert Lipovsky}, title = {{CVE‑2014‑4114: Details on August BlackEnergy PowerPoint Campaigns}}, date = {2014-10-14}, organization = {ESET Research}, url = {https://www.welivesecurity.com/2014/10/14/cve-2014-4114-details-august-blackenergy-powerpoint-campaigns/}, language = {English}, urldate = {2019-11-14} } CVE‑2014‑4114: Details on August BlackEnergy PowerPoint Campaigns
BlackEnergy
2010-07-15Kaspersky LabsDmitry Tarakanov
@online{tarakanov:20100715:black:e6d41f9, author = {Dmitry Tarakanov}, title = {{Black DDoS}}, date = {2010-07-15}, organization = {Kaspersky Labs}, url = {https://securelist.com/black-ddos/36309/}, language = {English}, urldate = {2019-12-20} } Black DDoS
BlackEnergy
2010-03-03FireEyeJulia Wolf
@online{wolf:20100303:black:6ee657a, author = {Julia Wolf}, title = {{Black Energy Crypto}}, date = {2010-03-03}, organization = {FireEye}, url = {https://web.archive.org/web/20140428201836/http://www.fireeye.com/blog/technical/malware-research/2010/03/black-energy-crypto.html}, language = {English}, urldate = {2020-02-27} } Black Energy Crypto
BlackEnergy
2010-03-03SecureworksJoe Stewart
@online{stewart:20100303:blackenergy:d3aa259, author = {Joe Stewart}, title = {{BlackEnergy Version 2 Threat Analysis}}, date = {2010-03-03}, organization = {Secureworks}, url = {https://www.secureworks.com/research/blackenergy2}, language = {English}, urldate = {2019-10-15} } BlackEnergy Version 2 Threat Analysis
BlackEnergy
2007-10Arbor NetworksJose Nazario
@techreport{nazario:200710:blackenergy:f414256, author = {Jose Nazario}, title = {{BlackEnergy DDoS Bot Analysis}}, date = {2007-10}, institution = {Arbor Networks}, url = {http://pds15.egloos.com/pds/201001/01/66/BlackEnergy_DDoS_Bot_Analysis.pdf}, language = {English}, urldate = {2022-04-25} } BlackEnergy DDoS Bot Analysis
BlackEnergy
Yara Rules
[TLP:WHITE] win_blackenergy_auto (20230407 | Detects win.blackenergy.)
rule win_blackenergy_auto {

    meta:
        author = "Felix Bilstein - yara-signator at cocacoding dot com"
        date = "2023-03-28"
        version = "1"
        description = "Detects win.blackenergy."
        info = "autogenerated rule brought to you by yara-signator"
        tool = "yara-signator v0.6.0"
        signator_config = "callsandjumps;datarefs;binvalue"
        malpedia_reference = "https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.blackenergy"
        malpedia_rule_date = "20230328"
        malpedia_hash = "9d2d75cef573c1c2d861f5197df8f563b05a305d"
        malpedia_version = "20230407"
        malpedia_license = "CC BY-SA 4.0"
        malpedia_sharing = "TLP:WHITE"

    /* DISCLAIMER
     * The strings used in this rule have been automatically selected from the
     * disassembly of memory dumps and unpacked files, using YARA-Signator.
     * The code and documentation is published here:
     * https://github.com/fxb-cocacoding/yara-signator
     * As Malpedia is used as data source, please note that for a given
     * number of families, only single samples are documented.
     * This likely impacts the degree of generalization these rules will offer.
     * Take the described generation method also into consideration when you
     * apply the rules in your use cases and assign them confidence levels.
     */


    strings:
        $sequence_0 = { 6a40 ff15???????? 8b4d18 8901 3bc7 750c ff75fc }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   6a40                 | push                0x40
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   8b4d18               | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [ebp + 0x18]
            //   8901                 | mov                 dword ptr [ecx], eax
            //   3bc7                 | cmp                 eax, edi
            //   750c                 | jne                 0xe
            //   ff75fc               | push                dword ptr [ebp - 4]

        $sequence_1 = { e8???????? 8945e8 8b7df0 be???????? 8b4de8 f3a4 }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8945e8               | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 0x18], eax
            //   8b7df0               | mov                 edi, dword ptr [ebp - 0x10]
            //   be????????           |                     
            //   8b4de8               | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [ebp - 0x18]
            //   f3a4                 | rep movsb           byte ptr es:[edi], byte ptr [esi]

        $sequence_2 = { 0fb6c9 0fb6c0 2bc1 e9???????? 8b35???????? 8b7de8 ebc5 }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   0fb6c9               | movzx               ecx, cl
            //   0fb6c0               | movzx               eax, al
            //   2bc1                 | sub                 eax, ecx
            //   e9????????           |                     
            //   8b35????????         |                     
            //   8b7de8               | mov                 edi, dword ptr [ebp - 0x18]
            //   ebc5                 | jmp                 0xffffffc7

        $sequence_3 = { 50 50 33c9 41 d1e8 75fb 58 }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   33c9                 | xor                 ecx, ecx
            //   41                   | inc                 ecx
            //   d1e8                 | shr                 eax, 1
            //   75fb                 | jne                 0xfffffffd
            //   58                   | pop                 eax

        $sequence_4 = { 57 8d442438 50 b8???????? e8???????? }
            // n = 5, score = 200
            //   57                   | push                edi
            //   8d442438             | lea                 eax, [esp + 0x38]
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   b8????????           |                     
            //   e8????????           |                     

        $sequence_5 = { 33c0 6689442454 53 56 57 8d7c2462 }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   33c0                 | xor                 eax, eax
            //   6689442454           | mov                 word ptr [esp + 0x54], ax
            //   53                   | push                ebx
            //   56                   | push                esi
            //   57                   | push                edi
            //   8d7c2462             | lea                 edi, [esp + 0x62]

        $sequence_6 = { 75ae 5e 5f c9 }
            // n = 4, score = 200
            //   75ae                 | jne                 0xffffffb0
            //   5e                   | pop                 esi
            //   5f                   | pop                 edi
            //   c9                   | leave               

        $sequence_7 = { 743a 8b16 8bcf e8???????? ba???????? e8???????? 8b5508 }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   743a                 | je                  0x3c
            //   8b16                 | mov                 edx, dword ptr [esi]
            //   8bcf                 | mov                 ecx, edi
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   ba????????           |                     
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8b5508               | mov                 edx, dword ptr [ebp + 8]

        $sequence_8 = { 7502 8bd6 a1???????? 8bc8 85c0 7502 8bce }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   7502                 | jne                 4
            //   8bd6                 | mov                 edx, esi
            //   a1????????           |                     
            //   8bc8                 | mov                 ecx, eax
            //   85c0                 | test                eax, eax
            //   7502                 | jne                 4
            //   8bce                 | mov                 ecx, esi

        $sequence_9 = { c745e06e65742e c745e4646c6c00 3bfb 753e 64a130000000 8b400c 8b400c }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   c745e06e65742e       | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 0x20], 0x2e74656e
            //   c745e4646c6c00       | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 0x1c], 0x6c6c64
            //   3bfb                 | cmp                 edi, ebx
            //   753e                 | jne                 0x40
            //   64a130000000         | mov                 eax, dword ptr fs:[0x30]
            //   8b400c               | mov                 eax, dword ptr [eax + 0xc]
            //   8b400c               | mov                 eax, dword ptr [eax + 0xc]

    condition:
        7 of them and filesize < 98304
}
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