SYMBOLCOMMON_NAMEaka. SYNONYMS
win.sakula_rat (Back to overview)

Sakula RAT

aka: Sakurel

Actor(s): APT 26, Hurricane Panda

VTCollection    

Sakula / Sakurel is a trojan horse that opens a back door and downloads potentially malicious files onto the compromised computer.

References
2022-05-24 ⋅ Malwarebytes ⋅ Threat Intelligence Team
Unknown APT group has targeted Russia repeatedly since Ukraine invasion
Sakula RAT
2018-11-16 ⋅ CyberThreatIntelligence Blog ⋅ Action09
(C)0ld Case : From Aerospace to China’s interests.
Sakula RAT
2016-07-14 ⋅ Github (nccgroup) ⋅ NCC Group PLC
Technical Notes on Sakula
Sakula RAT
2015-08-06 ⋅ Symantec ⋅ Jon DiMaggio
The Black Vine cyberespionage group
Sakula RAT APT19
2015-07-30 ⋅ Secureworks ⋅ Dell Secureworks CTU
Sakula Malware Family
Sakula RAT
2015-02-06 ⋅ CrowdStrike ⋅ CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike Global Threat Intel Report 2014
BlackPOS CryptoLocker Derusbi Elise Enfal EvilGrab Gameover P2P HttpBrowser MedusaHTTP Mirage Naikon NetTraveler pirpi PlugX Poison Ivy Sakula RAT Sinowal sykipot taidoor
2014-02-23 ⋅ Symantec ⋅ Symantec
Trojan.Sakurel
Sakula RAT
2014-02-21 ⋅ SonicWall ⋅ Ed Miles
CVE 2014-0322 Malware - Sakurel (Feb 21, 2014)
Sakula RAT
Yara Rules
[TLP:WHITE] win_sakula_rat_auto (20260504 | Detects win.sakula_rat.)
rule win_sakula_rat_auto {

    meta:
        author = "Felix Bilstein - yara-signator at cocacoding dot com"
        date = "2026-05-04"
        version = "1"
        description = "Detects win.sakula_rat."
        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.sakula_rat"
        malpedia_rule_date = "20260422"
        malpedia_hash = "a182e35da64e6d71cb55f125c4d4225196523f14"
        malpedia_version = "20260504"
        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 = { 6a00 6800010000 6a00 6a00 68???????? }
            // n = 5, score = 300
            //   6a00                 | inc                 ecx
            //   6800010000           | mov                 eax, 0x104
            //   6a00                 | cmp                 eax, 1
            //   6a00                 | test                eax, eax
            //   68????????           |                     

        $sequence_1 = { 6a00 56 e8???????? 8b3d???????? 83c410 6a00 }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   6a00                 | push                esi
            //   56                   | push                0
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8b3d????????         |                     
            //   83c410               | push                1
            //   6a00                 | push                esi

        $sequence_2 = { 83f81e 7cf4 eb05 41 3bce 72dd }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   83f81e               | lea                 edi, [esi + 0x10]
            //   7cf4                 | mov                 bl, al
            //   eb05                 | push                edi
            //   41                   | mov                 eax, edi
            //   3bce                 | push                ebx
            //   72dd                 | push                -1

        $sequence_3 = { 56 6a01 8bd8 57 53 e8???????? 56 }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   56                   | push                0
            //   6a01                 | push                0x100
            //   8bd8                 | push                0
            //   57                   | push                0
            //   53                   | cmp                 eax, 4
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   56                   | jge                 0x10

        $sequence_4 = { 83f804 7d07 b803000000 eb1b e8???????? 83f801 7507 }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   83f804               | xor                 eax, eax
            //   7d07                 | inc                 eax
            //   b803000000           | jmp                 0xa
            //   eb1b                 | jmp                 0xf
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   83f801               | jmp                 0xf
            //   7507                 | push                0x3e8

        $sequence_5 = { 7407 b801000000 eb2c e8???????? 83f804 7d07 }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   7407                 | mov                 eax, 3
            //   b801000000           | jmp                 0x2b
            //   eb2c                 | cmp                 eax, 1
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   83f804               | jne                 0x1c
            //   7d07                 | push                esi

        $sequence_6 = { 53 6aff 56 6a00 6a01 }
            // n = 5, score = 200
            //   53                   | push                eax
            //   6aff                 | push                0x10
            //   56                   | jmp                 0x16
            //   6a00                 | jmp                 0x11
            //   6a01                 | jmp                 0xd

        $sequence_7 = { 56 e8???????? 8d7e10 8ad8 57 8bc7 e8???????? }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   56                   | push                dword ptr [ebp - 0xc]
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8d7e10               | add                 eax, 4
            //   8ad8                 | mov                 ebx, dword ptr [ebp - 8]
            //   57                   | mov                 dword ptr [eax], ebx
            //   8bc7                 | add                 eax, 4
            //   e8????????           |                     

        $sequence_8 = { ff15???????? 85c0 0f84ae000000 488bcb }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   85c0                 | dec                 eax
            //   0f84ae000000         | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [esp + 0x58]
            //   488bcb               | dec                 eax

        $sequence_9 = { 83c410 31c0 40 eb02 }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   83c410               | mov                 ecx, eax
            //   31c0                 | inc                 esp
            //   40                   | mov                 eax, edi
            //   eb02                 | dec                 eax

        $sequence_10 = { 8903 83c304 e8???????? 8903 83c304 53 }
            // n = 6, score = 100
            //   8903                 | je                  0xb6
            //   83c304               | dec                 eax
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8903                 | mov                 ecx, ebx
            //   83c304               | xor                 edx, edx
            //   53                   | dec                 eax

        $sequence_11 = { e8???????? eb88 ff75e4 ff75e4 e8???????? }
            // n = 5, score = 100
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   eb88                 | push                0
            //   ff75e4               | mov                 dword ptr [ebx], eax
            //   ff75e4               | add                 ebx, 4
            //   e8????????           |                     

        $sequence_12 = { ff15???????? 488b4c2458 8d53f1 ff15???????? 488b4c2458 ff15???????? 488b9c24c0080000 }
            // n = 7, score = 100
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   488b4c2458           | inc                 esp
            //   8d53f1               | mov                 ecx, eax
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   488b4c2458           | xor                 ecx, ecx
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   488b9c24c0080000     | mov                 dword ptr [esp + 0x28], edi

        $sequence_13 = { 31c0 8a040b 3c00 7409 38d0 7405 }
            // n = 6, score = 100
            //   31c0                 | lea                 edx, [esp + 0x58]
            //   8a040b               | dec                 eax
            //   3c00                 | mov                 ecx, eax
            //   7409                 | dec                 eax
            //   38d0                 | mov                 esi, dword ptr [eax + 8]
            //   7405                 | dec                 eax

        $sequence_14 = { eb0d eb0b ff35???????? e8???????? 68e8030000 e8???????? ff75f4 }
            // n = 7, score = 100
            //   eb0d                 | jmp                 5
            //   eb0b                 | xor                 eax, eax
            //   ff35????????         |                     
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   68e8030000           | mov                 al, byte ptr [ebx + ecx]
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   ff75f4               | cmp                 al, 0

        $sequence_15 = { 83c004 8b5df8 8918 83c004 50 6a10 68???????? }
            // n = 7, score = 100
            //   83c004               | je                  0xd
            //   8b5df8               | cmp                 al, dl
            //   8918                 | je                  0xd
            //   83c004               | cmp                 eax, 0
            //   50                   | je                  0x17f
            //   6a10                 | push                2
            //   68????????           |                     

        $sequence_16 = { 83f800 0f8476010000 6a02 6a00 }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   83f800               | mov                 ecx, esi
            //   0f8476010000         | push                0
            //   6a02                 | push                0x100
            //   6a00                 | push                0

        $sequence_17 = { 4c8bc6 448bc8 33d2 33c9 ff15???????? 8bf8 }
            // n = 6, score = 100
            //   4c8bc6               | dec                 esp
            //   448bc8               | mov                 eax, esi
            //   33d2                 | inc                 esp
            //   33c9                 | mov                 ecx, eax
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   8bf8                 | xor                 edx, edx

        $sequence_18 = { 41b804010000 48890d???????? ff15???????? ff15???????? 83f801 }
            // n = 5, score = 100
            //   41b804010000         | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [esp + 0x58]
            //   48890d????????       |                     
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   83f801               | lea                 edx, [ebx - 0xf]

        $sequence_19 = { 33d2 488bc8 448bc7 488905???????? }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   33d2                 | mov                 ebx, dword ptr [esp + 0x8c0]
            //   488bc8               | push                ebp
            //   448bc7               | dec                 eax
            //   488905????????       |                     

        $sequence_20 = { 33d2 448bc8 33c9 897c2428 48895c2420 ff15???????? 33d2 }
            // n = 7, score = 100
            //   33d2                 | call                dword ptr [eax + 0xa8]
            //   448bc8               | cmp                 eax, esi
            //   33c9                 | je                  0xe
            //   897c2428             | dec                 eax
            //   48895c2420           | lea                 ecx, [ebp - 0x19]
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   33d2                 | xor                 edx, edx

        $sequence_21 = { 488b4dc7 488b01 ff90a8000000 3bc6 740a 488d4de7 }
            // n = 6, score = 100
            //   488b4dc7             | xor                 ecx, ecx
            //   488b01               | mov                 edi, eax
            //   ff90a8000000         | dec                 eax
            //   3bc6                 | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [ebp - 0x39]
            //   740a                 | dec                 eax
            //   488d4de7             | mov                 eax, dword ptr [ecx]

        $sequence_22 = { 55 488dac2450f8ffff 4881ecb0080000 33d2 }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   55                   | dec                 eax
            //   488dac2450f8ffff     | mov                 dword ptr [esp + 0x20], ebx
            //   4881ecb0080000       | xor                 edx, edx
            //   33d2                 | dec                 eax

    condition:
        7 of them and filesize < 229376
}
[TLP:WHITE] win_sakula_rat_w0   (20170517 | Sakula v1.0)
/*
    This Yara ruleset is under the GNU-GPLv2 license (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html) and open to any user or organization, as    long as you use it under this license.

*/
rule win_sakula_rat_w0 {
    meta:
        description = "Sakula v1.0"
        date = "2015-10-13"
        author = "Airbus Defence and Space Cybersecurity CSIRT - Yoann Francou"
		source = "https://github.com/mattulm/sfiles_yara/blob/master/malware/Sakula.yar"
        malpedia_reference = "https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.sakula_rat"
        malpedia_version = "20170517"
        malpedia_license = "CC BY-NC-SA 4.0"
        malpedia_sharing = "TLP:WHITE"
    strings:
        $m1 = "%d_of_%d_for_%s_on_%s"
        $m2 = "/c ping 127.0.0.1 & del /q \"%s\""
        $m3 = "=%s&type=%d"
        $m4 = "?photoid="
        $m5 = "iexplorer"
                $m6 = "net start \"%s\""
        $v1_1 = "MicroPlayerUpdate.exe"

    condition:
        all of ($m*) and not $v1_1
}
[TLP:WHITE] win_sakula_rat_w1   (20170517 | Sakula v1.1)
/*
    This Yara ruleset is under the GNU-GPLv2 license (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html) and open to any user or organization, as    long as you use it under this license.

*/

rule win_sakula_rat_w1 {
    meta:
        description = "Sakula v1.1"
        date = "2015-10-13"
        author = "Airbus Defence and Space Cybersecurity CSIRT - Yoann Francou"
		source = "https://github.com/mattulm/sfiles_yara/blob/master/malware/Sakula.yar"
        malpedia_reference = "https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.sakula_rat"
        malpedia_version = "20170517"
        malpedia_license = "CC BY-NC-SA 4.0"
        malpedia_sharing = "TLP:WHITE"
    strings:
        $m1 = "%d_of_%d_for_%s_on_%s"
        $m2 = "/c ping 127.0.0.1 & del /q \"%s\""
        $m3 = "=%s&type=%d"
        $m4 = "?photoid="
        $m5 = "iexplorer"
                $m6 = "net start \"%s\""
        $v1_1 = "MicroPlayerUpdate.exe"

    condition:
        all of them
}
[TLP:WHITE] win_sakula_rat_w2   (20170517 | Sakula v1.2)
/*
    This Yara ruleset is under the GNU-GPLv2 license (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html) and open to any user or organization, as    long as you use it under this license.

*/


rule win_sakula_rat_w2 {
    meta:
        description = "Sakula v1.2"
        date = "2015-10-13"
        author = "Airbus Defence and Space Cybersecurity CSIRT - Yoann Francou"
		source = "https://github.com/mattulm/sfiles_yara/blob/master/malware/Sakula.yar"
        malpedia_reference = "https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.sakula_rat"
        malpedia_version = "20170517"
        malpedia_license = "CC BY-NC-SA 4.0"
        malpedia_sharing = "TLP:WHITE"
    strings:
        $m1 = "%d_of_%d_for_%s_on_%s"
        $m2 = "/c ping 127.0.0.1 & del /q \"%s\""
        $m3 = "cmd.exe /c rundll32 \"%s\""
        $v1_1 = "MicroPlayerUpdate.exe"
        $v1_2 = "CCPUpdate"

    condition:
        $m1 and $m2 and $m3 and $v1_2 and not $v1_1
}
[TLP:WHITE] win_sakula_rat_w3   (20170517 | Sakula v1.3)
/*
    This Yara ruleset is under the GNU-GPLv2 license (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html) and open to any user or organization, as    long as you use it under this license.

*/


rule win_sakula_rat_w3 {
    meta:
        description = "Sakula v1.3"
        date = "2015-10-13"
        author = "Airbus Defence and Space Cybersecurity CSIRT - Yoann Francou"
		source = "https://github.com/mattulm/sfiles_yara/blob/master/malware/Sakula.yar"
        malpedia_reference = "https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.sakula_rat"
        malpedia_version = "20170517"
        malpedia_license = "CC BY-NC-SA 4.0"
        malpedia_sharing = "TLP:WHITE"
    strings:
        $m1 = "%d_of_%d_for_%s_on_%s"
        $m2 = "/c ping 127.0.0.1 & del /q \"%s\""
        $m3 = "cmd.exe /c rundll32 \"%s\""

        $v1_3 = { 81 3E 78 03 00 00 75 57  8D 54 24 14 52 68 0C 05 41 00 68 01 00 00 80 FF  15 00 F0 40 00 85 C0 74 10 8B 44 24 14 68 2C 31  41 00 50 FF 15 10 F0 40 00 8B 4C 24 14 51 FF 15  24 F0 40 00 E8 0F 09 00 }

    condition:
        all of them
}
[TLP:WHITE] win_sakula_rat_w4   (20170517 | Sakula v1.4)
/*
    This Yara ruleset is under the GNU-GPLv2 license (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html) and open to any user or organization, as    long as you use it under this license.

*/

rule win_sakula_rat_w4 {
    meta:
        description = "Sakula v1.4"
        date = "2015-10-13"
        author = "Airbus Defence and Space Cybersecurity CSIRT - Yoann Francou"
		source = "https://github.com/mattulm/sfiles_yara/blob/master/malware/Sakula.yar"
        malpedia_reference = "https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/win.sakula_rat"
        malpedia_version = "20170517"
        malpedia_license = "CC BY-NC-SA 4.0"
        malpedia_sharing = "TLP:WHITE"
    strings:
        $m1 = "%d_of_%d_for_%s_on_%s"
        $m2 = "/c ping 127.0.0.1 & del /q \"%s\""
        $m3 = "cmd.exe /c rundll32 \"%s\""

        $v1_4 = { 50 E8 CD FC FF FF 83 C4  04 68 E8 03 00 00 FF D7 56 E8 54 12 00 00 E9 AE  FE FF FF E8 13 F5 FF FF }

    condition:
        all of them
}
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