SYMBOLCOMMON_NAMEaka. SYNONYMS
win.sality (Back to overview)

Sality

Actor(s): Salty Spider

VTCollection    

F-Secure states that the Sality virus family has been circulating in the wild as early as 2003. Over the years, the malware has been developed and improved with the addition of new features, such as rootkit or backdoor functionality, and so on, keeping it an active and relevant threat despite the relative age of the malware.

Modern Sality variants also have the ability to communicate over a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, allowing an attacker to control a botnet of Sality-infected machines. The combined resources of the Sality botnet may also be used by its controller(s) to perform other malicious actions, such as attacking routers.

Infection
Sality viruses typically infect executable files on local, shared and removable drives. In earlier variants, the Sality virus simply added its own malicious code to the end of the infected (or host) file, a technique known as prepending. The viral code that Sality inserts is polymorphic, a form of complex code that is intended to make analysis more difficult.

Earlier Sality variants were regarded as technically sophisticated in that they use an Entry Point Obscuration (EPO) technique to hide their presence on the system. This technique means that the virus inserts a command somewhere in the middle of an infected file's code, so that when the system is reading the file to execute it and comes to the command, it forces the system to 'jump' to the malware's code and execute that instead. This technique was used to make discovery and disinfection of the malicious code harder.

Payload
Once installed on the computer system, Sality viruses usually also execute a malicious payload. The specific actions performed depend on the specific variant in question, but generally Sality viruses will attempt to terminate processes, particularly those related to security programs. The virus may also attempt to open connections to remote sites, download and run additional malicious files, and steal data from the infected machine.

References
2022-07-14 ⋅ Dragos ⋅ Sam Hanson
The Trojan Horse Malware & Password “Cracking” Ecosystem Targeting Industrial Operators
Sality
2022-04-20 ⋅ CISA ⋅ Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), CISA, FBI, Government Communications Security Bureau, National Crime Agency (NCA), NCSC UK, NSA
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
2022-04-20 ⋅ CISA ⋅ CISA
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
2021-10-27 ⋅ Mandiant ⋅ Corey Hildebrandt, Daniel Kapellmann Zafra, Ken Proska, Nathan Brubaker
Portable Executable File Infecting Malware Is Increasingly Found in OT Networks
CCleaner Backdoor Floxif neshta Ramnit Sality Virut
2020-05-24 ⋅ Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 ⋅ Ajaya Neupane, Stefan Achleitner
Using AI to Detect Malicious C2 Traffic
Emotet Sality
2017-10-29 ⋅ quangnh89
Sality Configuration Extractor (sality_extractor.py)
Sality
2017-05-03 ⋅ IEEE ⋅ Alok Tongaonkar, Gaspar Modelo-Howard, Lorenzo De Carli, Ruben Torres, Somesh Jha
Botnet Protocol Inference in the Presence of Encrypted Traffic
Ramnit Sality ZeroAccess
2015-12-02 ⋅ Botconf ⋅ Peter Kleissner
Sality: 2003 - Today
Sality
2011-07-01 ⋅ Symantec ⋅ Nicolas Falliere
Sality: Story of a Peerto-Peer Viral Network
Sality
Yara Rules
[TLP:WHITE] win_sality_auto (20251219 | Detects win.sality.)
rule win_sality_auto {

    meta:
        author = "Felix Bilstein - yara-signator at cocacoding dot com"
        date = "2026-01-05"
        version = "1"
        description = "Detects win.sality."
        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.sality"
        malpedia_rule_date = "20260105"
        malpedia_hash = "19b79e7cab4eaf532122e5b45a77dd8f6bb5cc79"
        malpedia_version = "20251219"
        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 = { 81f201a00000 668955f8 eb0b 668b45f8 66d1e8 668945f8 }
            // n = 6, score = 400
            //   81f201a00000         | xor                 edx, 0xa001
            //   668955f8             | mov                 word ptr [ebp - 8], dx
            //   eb0b                 | jmp                 0xd
            //   668b45f8             | mov                 ax, word ptr [ebp - 8]
            //   66d1e8               | shr                 ax, 1
            //   668945f8             | mov                 word ptr [ebp - 8], ax

        $sequence_1 = { 6a67 e8???????? 83c410 8b4dfc 03c8 894dfc }
            // n = 6, score = 400
            //   6a67                 | push                0x67
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   83c410               | add                 esp, 0x10
            //   8b4dfc               | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [ebp - 4]
            //   03c8                 | add                 ecx, eax
            //   894dfc               | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 4], ecx

        $sequence_2 = { 51 ff15???????? e9???????? 68581b0000 }
            // n = 4, score = 400
            //   51                   | push                ecx
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   e9????????           |                     
            //   68581b0000           | push                0x1b58

        $sequence_3 = { 51 ff15???????? eb14 8d95f0fdffff }
            // n = 4, score = 400
            //   51                   | push                ecx
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   eb14                 | jmp                 0x16
            //   8d95f0fdffff         | lea                 edx, [ebp - 0x210]

        $sequence_4 = { 81ec88010000 57 c78578feffff00000000 c685fcfeffff00 b940000000 33c0 8dbdfdfeffff }
            // n = 7, score = 400
            //   81ec88010000         | sub                 esp, 0x188
            //   57                   | push                edi
            //   c78578feffff00000000     | mov    dword ptr [ebp - 0x188], 0
            //   c685fcfeffff00       | mov                 byte ptr [ebp - 0x104], 0
            //   b940000000           | mov                 ecx, 0x40
            //   33c0                 | xor                 eax, eax
            //   8dbdfdfeffff         | lea                 edi, [ebp - 0x103]

        $sequence_5 = { 6a66 e8???????? 83c410 8b55fc 03d0 8955fc eb37 }
            // n = 7, score = 400
            //   6a66                 | push                0x66
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   83c410               | add                 esp, 0x10
            //   8b55fc               | mov                 edx, dword ptr [ebp - 4]
            //   03d0                 | add                 edx, eax
            //   8955fc               | mov                 dword ptr [ebp - 4], edx
            //   eb37                 | jmp                 0x39

        $sequence_6 = { 0f8447010000 d1ea 7307 4e }
            // n = 4, score = 400
            //   0f8447010000         | je                  0x14d
            //   d1ea                 | shr                 edx, 1
            //   7307                 | jae                 9
            //   4e                   | dec                 esi

        $sequence_7 = { 51 ff15???????? e8???????? 25ffff0000 }
            // n = 4, score = 400
            //   51                   | push                ecx
            //   ff15????????         |                     
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   25ffff0000           | and                 eax, 0xffff

        $sequence_8 = { 7513 8bc2 83e804 8b00 8906 }
            // n = 5, score = 200
            //   7513                 | jne                 0x15
            //   8bc2                 | mov                 eax, edx
            //   83e804               | sub                 eax, 4
            //   8b00                 | mov                 eax, dword ptr [eax]
            //   8906                 | mov                 dword ptr [esi], eax

        $sequence_9 = { 8920 896804 8d9dba114000 895808 }
            // n = 4, score = 200
            //   8920                 | mov                 dword ptr [eax], esp
            //   896804               | mov                 dword ptr [eax + 4], ebp
            //   8d9dba114000         | lea                 ebx, [ebp + 0x4011ba]
            //   895808               | mov                 dword ptr [eax + 8], ebx

        $sequence_10 = { 035c240c 33c0 8b3b 037c240c 8b742410 }
            // n = 5, score = 200
            //   035c240c             | add                 ebx, dword ptr [esp + 0xc]
            //   33c0                 | xor                 eax, eax
            //   8b3b                 | mov                 edi, dword ptr [ebx]
            //   037c240c             | add                 edi, dword ptr [esp + 0xc]
            //   8b742410             | mov                 esi, dword ptr [esp + 0x10]

        $sequence_11 = { 8bf2 8bf8 50 ff95c5144000 8bc8 f3a6 61 }
            // n = 7, score = 200
            //   8bf2                 | mov                 esi, edx
            //   8bf8                 | mov                 edi, eax
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   ff95c5144000         | call                dword ptr [ebp + 0x4014c5]
            //   8bc8                 | mov                 ecx, eax
            //   f3a6                 | repe cmpsb          byte ptr [esi], byte ptr es:[edi]
            //   61                   | popal               

        $sequence_12 = { 52 ff953a144000 e8???????? 8907 }
            // n = 4, score = 200
            //   52                   | push                edx
            //   ff953a144000         | call                dword ptr [ebp + 0x40143a]
            //   e8????????           |                     
            //   8907                 | mov                 dword ptr [edi], eax

        $sequence_13 = { 646789260000 8b74240c 66813e4d5a 0f858c000000 03763c 813e50450000 }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   646789260000         | mov                 dword ptr fs:[0], esp
            //   8b74240c             | mov                 esi, dword ptr [esp + 0xc]
            //   66813e4d5a           | cmp                 word ptr [esi], 0x5a4d
            //   0f858c000000         | jne                 0x92
            //   03763c               | add                 esi, dword ptr [esi + 0x3c]
            //   813e50450000         | cmp                 dword ptr [esi], 0x4550

        $sequence_14 = { 8b7c2410 b996000000 32c0 f2ae 8bcf }
            // n = 5, score = 200
            //   8b7c2410             | mov                 edi, dword ptr [esp + 0x10]
            //   b996000000           | mov                 ecx, 0x96
            //   32c0                 | xor                 al, al
            //   f2ae                 | repne scasb         al, byte ptr es:[edi]
            //   8bcf                 | mov                 ecx, edi

        $sequence_15 = { 59 83c304 40 3b4218 75e2 3b4218 }
            // n = 6, score = 200
            //   59                   | pop                 ecx
            //   83c304               | add                 ebx, 4
            //   40                   | inc                 eax
            //   3b4218               | cmp                 eax, dword ptr [edx + 0x18]
            //   75e2                 | jne                 0xffffffe4
            //   3b4218               | cmp                 eax, dword ptr [edx + 0x18]

        $sequence_16 = { 010d???????? 83c004 5f 5e }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   010d????????         |                     
            //   83c004               | add                 eax, 4
            //   5f                   | pop                 edi
            //   5e                   | pop                 esi

        $sequence_17 = { 00fb fb 804880bc 280d???????? }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   00fb                 | add                 bl, bh
            //   fb                   | sti                 
            //   804880bc             | or                  byte ptr [eax - 0x80], 0xbc
            //   280d????????         |                     

        $sequence_18 = { 0306 50 8b4e04 8d5608 }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   0306                 | add                 eax, dword ptr [esi]
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   8b4e04               | mov                 ecx, dword ptr [esi + 4]
            //   8d5608               | lea                 edx, [esi + 8]

        $sequence_19 = { 0306 50 8d5604 e8???????? }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   0306                 | add                 eax, dword ptr [esi]
            //   50                   | push                eax
            //   8d5604               | lea                 edx, [esi + 4]
            //   e8????????           |                     

        $sequence_20 = { 0007 7307 c607ff 8ac1 }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   0007                 | add                 byte ptr [edi], al
            //   7307                 | jae                 9
            //   c607ff               | mov                 byte ptr [edi], 0xff
            //   8ac1                 | mov                 al, cl

        $sequence_21 = { 014304 c3 53 56 }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   014304               | add                 dword ptr [ebx + 4], eax
            //   c3                   | ret                 
            //   53                   | push                ebx
            //   56                   | push                esi

        $sequence_22 = { 0202 7466 0fb77202 8b7a04 }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   0202                 | add                 al, byte ptr [edx]
            //   7466                 | je                  0x68
            //   0fb77202             | movzx               esi, word ptr [edx + 2]
            //   8b7a04               | mov                 edi, dword ptr [edx + 4]

        $sequence_23 = { 031e ff7608 ff7604 e8???????? }
            // n = 4, score = 100
            //   031e                 | add                 ebx, dword ptr [esi]
            //   ff7608               | push                dword ptr [esi + 8]
            //   ff7604               | push                dword ptr [esi + 4]
            //   e8????????           |                     

    condition:
        7 of them and filesize < 1523712
}
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