SYMBOLCOMMON_NAMEaka. SYNONYMS
win.dadjoke (Back to overview)

DADJOKE

Actor(s): Leviathan

VTCollection    

DADJOKE was discovered as being distributed via email, targeting a South-East Asian Ministry of Defense. It is delivered as an embedded EXE file in a Word document using remote templates and a unique macro using multiple GET requests. The payload is deployed using load-order hijacking with a benign Windows Defender executable. Stage 1 has only beacon+download functionality, made to look like a PNG file. Additional analysis by Kaspersky found 8 campaigns over 2019 and no activity prior to January 2019, DADJOKE is attributed with medium confidence to APT40.

References
2020-02-07 ⋅ Medium Sebdraven ⋅ Sébastien Larinier
APT 40 in Malaysia
DADJOKE
2020-01-03 ⋅ Youtube (BSides Belfast) ⋅ Brian Bartholomew
Nice One, Dad: Dissecting A Rare Malware Used By Leviathan
DADJOKE
2019-11-05 ⋅ Brian Bartholomew
DADJOKE
DADJOKE
2019-08-13 ⋅ ⋅ 奇安信威胁情报中心
洞察人性:一起利用政治人物桃色丑闻的诱饵攻击活动披露
DADJOKE
2019-07-26 ⋅ Twitter (@a_tweeter_user) ⋅ a_tweeter_user
Tweet on Malware
DADJOKE
2019-03-27 ⋅ Twitter (@ClearskySec) ⋅ ClearSky Cyber Security
Tweet on "Timelines - ECRL.docx"
DADJOKE
Yara Rules
[TLP:WHITE] win_dadjoke_auto (20260917 | Detects win.dadjoke.)
rule win_dadjoke_auto {

    meta:
        author = "Felix Bilstein - yara-signator at cocacoding dot com"
        date = "2026-09-17"
        version = "1"
        description = "Detects win.dadjoke."
        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.dadjoke"
        malpedia_rule_date = "20260916"
        malpedia_hash = "53a643781c18e08f4a50949af60172d837a0b6f6"
        malpedia_version = "20260917"
        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 = { 56 57 6800081000 6a00 }
            // n = 4, score = 500
            //   56                   | push                esi
            //   57                   | push                edi
            //   6800081000           | push                0x100800
            //   6a00                 | push                0

        $sequence_1 = { 8855f4 8345b801 807df400 75ed 8b7db8 8bb568ffffff }
            // n = 6, score = 400
            //   8855f4               | mov                 byte ptr [ebp - 0xc], dl
            //   8345b801             | add                 dword ptr [ebp - 0x48], 1
            //   807df400             | cmp                 byte ptr [ebp - 0xc], 0
            //   75ed                 | jne                 0xffffffef
            //   8b7db8               | mov                 edi, dword ptr [ebp - 0x48]
            //   8bb568ffffff         | mov                 esi, dword ptr [ebp - 0x98]

        $sequence_2 = { 8b4df0 e8???????? 8945e8 837df810 732a }
            // n = 5, score = 400
            //   8b4df0               | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [ebp - 0x10]
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8945e8               | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 0x18], eax
            //   837df810             | cmp                 dword ptr [ebp - 8], 0x10
            //   732a                 | jae                 0x2c

        $sequence_3 = { 8945f8 837df800 740a ff15???????? 32c0 eb02 b001 }
            // n = 7, score = 400
            //   8945f8               | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 8], eax
            //   837df800             | cmp                 dword ptr [ebp - 8], 0
            //   740a                 | je                  0xc
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   32c0                 | xor                 al, al
            //   eb02                 | jmp                 4
            //   b001                 | mov                 al, 1

        $sequence_4 = { c745fcffffffff 8d4da8 e8???????? 8b4594 e9???????? 8d4dc0 }
            // n = 6, score = 400
            //   c745fcffffffff       | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 4], 0xffffffff
            //   8d4da8               | lea                 ecx, [ebp - 0x58]
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8b4594               | mov                 eax, dword ptr [ebp - 0x6c]
            //   e9????????           |                     
            //   8d4dc0               | lea                 ecx, [ebp - 0x40]

        $sequence_5 = { 8b4dfc 81c104010000 394d10 722e 33d2 8b4508 }
            // n = 6, score = 400
            //   8b4dfc               | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [ebp - 4]
            //   81c104010000         | add                 ecx, 0x104
            //   394d10               | cmp                 dword ptr [ebp + 0x10], ecx
            //   722e                 | jb                  0x30
            //   33d2                 | xor                 edx, edx
            //   8b4508               | mov                 eax, dword ptr [ebp + 8]

        $sequence_6 = { 8b5508 52 6a00 6a00 ff15???????? 6808020000 6a00 }
            // n = 7, score = 400
            //   8b5508               | mov                 edx, dword ptr [ebp + 8]
            //   52                   | push                edx
            //   6a00                 | push                0
            //   6a00                 | push                0
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   6808020000           | push                0x208
            //   6a00                 | push                0

        $sequence_7 = { 7504 32c0 eb24 8b4508 8b08 51 ff15???????? }
            // n = 7, score = 400
            //   7504                 | jne                 6
            //   32c0                 | xor                 al, al
            //   eb24                 | jmp                 0x26
            //   8b4508               | mov                 eax, dword ptr [ebp + 8]
            //   8b08                 | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [eax]
            //   51                   | push                ecx
            //   ff15????????         |                     

        $sequence_8 = { 5e c3 8bff 55 8bec 83ec10 33c0 }
            // n = 7, score = 300
            //   5e                   | pop                 esi
            //   c3                   | ret                 
            //   8bff                 | mov                 edi, edi
            //   55                   | push                ebp
            //   8bec                 | mov                 ebp, esp
            //   83ec10               | sub                 esp, 0x10
            //   33c0                 | xor                 eax, eax

        $sequence_9 = { 0f94c1 8bc1 c3 a1???????? }
            // n = 4, score = 300
            //   0f94c1               | sete                cl
            //   8bc1                 | mov                 eax, ecx
            //   c3                   | ret                 
            //   a1????????           |                     

        $sequence_10 = { 6a02 ff15???????? 85c0 7417 b920000000 }
            // n = 5, score = 300
            //   6a02                 | push                2
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   85c0                 | test                eax, eax
            //   7417                 | je                  0x19
            //   b920000000           | mov                 ecx, 0x20

        $sequence_11 = { e8???????? c3 6a04 e8???????? 59 c3 6a0c }
            // n = 7, score = 300
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   c3                   | ret                 
            //   6a04                 | push                4
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   59                   | pop                 ecx
            //   c3                   | ret                 
            //   6a0c                 | push                0xc

        $sequence_12 = { 3bd0 72f4 80fb5c 75af }
            // n = 4, score = 200
            //   3bd0                 | cmp                 edx, eax
            //   72f4                 | jb                  0xfffffff6
            //   80fb5c               | cmp                 bl, 0x5c
            //   75af                 | jne                 0xffffffb1

        $sequence_13 = { 8d4901 88440d8f 84c0 75ef b82f000000 }
            // n = 5, score = 200
            //   8d4901               | lea                 ecx, [ecx + 1]
            //   88440d8f             | mov                 byte ptr [ebp + ecx - 0x71], al
            //   84c0                 | test                al, al
            //   75ef                 | jne                 0xfffffff1
            //   b82f000000           | mov                 eax, 0x2f

        $sequence_14 = { 51 e8???????? 8bf0 83c404 85f6 740d }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   51                   | push                ecx
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8bf0                 | mov                 esi, eax
            //   83c404               | add                 esp, 4
            //   85f6                 | test                esi, esi
            //   740d                 | je                  0xf

        $sequence_15 = { 50 8b08 ff511c 8b85e4faffff }
            // n = 4, score = 200
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   8b08                 | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [eax]
            //   ff511c               | call                dword ptr [ecx + 0x1c]
            //   8b85e4faffff         | mov                 eax, dword ptr [ebp - 0x51c]

        $sequence_16 = { 33f6 85c9 741d 8d4588 50 6800100000 8d041e }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   33f6                 | xor                 esi, esi
            //   85c9                 | test                ecx, ecx
            //   741d                 | je                  0x1f
            //   8d4588               | lea                 eax, [ebp - 0x78]
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   6800100000           | push                0x1000
            //   8d041e               | lea                 eax, [esi + ebx]

        $sequence_17 = { c7458c00000000 ff15???????? 50 e8???????? 83c404 bf3e000000 }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   c7458c00000000       | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 0x74], 0
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   83c404               | add                 esp, 4
            //   bf3e000000           | mov                 edi, 0x3e

        $sequence_18 = { ff15???????? 8bf0 8975f4 85f6 7431 }
            // n = 5, score = 200
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   8bf0                 | mov                 esi, eax
            //   8975f4               | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 0xc], esi
            //   85f6                 | test                esi, esi
            //   7431                 | je                  0x33

        $sequence_19 = { 6a00 57 ff15???????? 85c0 7524 8b35???????? }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   6a00                 | push                0
            //   57                   | push                edi
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   85c0                 | test                eax, eax
            //   7524                 | jne                 0x26
            //   8b35????????         |                     

        $sequence_20 = { 50 56 68???????? 53 ff15???????? 83c410 57 }
            // n = 7, score = 100
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   56                   | push                esi
            //   68????????           |                     
            //   53                   | push                ebx
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   83c410               | add                 esp, 0x10
            //   57                   | push                edi

        $sequence_21 = { 00f8 e401 00ec e401 00dc e401 00ca }
            // n = 7, score = 100
            //   00f8                 | add                 al, bh
            //   e401                 | in                  al, 1
            //   00ec                 | add                 ah, ch
            //   e401                 | in                  al, 1
            //   00dc                 | add                 ah, bl
            //   e401                 | in                  al, 1
            //   00ca                 | add                 dl, cl

        $sequence_22 = { 0f8241ffffff 68???????? e8???????? 8b75fc 83c404 }
            // n = 5, score = 100
            //   0f8241ffffff         | jb                  0xffffff47
            //   68????????           |                     
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8b75fc               | mov                 esi, dword ptr [ebp - 4]
            //   83c404               | add                 esp, 4

    condition:
        7 of them and filesize < 344064
}
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