Kessel

Kessel is an advanced version of OpenSSH which acts as a custom backdoor, mainly acting to steal credentials and function as a bot. Kessel has been active since its C2 domain began resolving in August 2018.[1]

ID: S0487
Type: MALWARE
Platforms: Linux
Version: 1.1
Created: 16 July 2020
Last Modified: 11 April 2024

Techniques Used

Domain ID Name Use
Enterprise T1554 主机软件二进制文件妥协

Kessel has maliciously altered the OpenSSH binary on targeted systems to create a backdoor.[1]

Enterprise T1090 代理

Kessel can use a proxy during exfiltration if set in the configuration.[1]

Enterprise T1556 修改身份验证过程

Kessel has trojanized the ssh_login and user-auth_pubkey functions to steal plaintext credentials.[1]

Enterprise T1140 反混淆/解码文件或信息

Kessel has decrypted the binary's configuration once the main function was launched.[1]

Enterprise T1059 命令与脚本解释器

Kessel can create a reverse shell between the infected host and a specified system.[1]

Enterprise T1560 归档收集数据

Kessel can RC4-encrypt credentials before sending to the C2.[1]

Enterprise T1030 数据传输大小限制

Kessel can split the data to be exilftrated into chunks that will fit in subdomains of DNS queries.[1]

Enterprise T1132 .001 数据编码: Standard Encoding

Kessel has exfiltrated data via hexadecimal-encoded subdomain fields of DNS queries.[1]

Enterprise T1048 .003 替代协议渗出: Exfiltration Over Unencrypted Non-C2 Protocol

Kessel can exfiltrate credentials and other information via HTTP POST request, TCP, and DNS.[1]

Enterprise T1027 .013 混淆文件或信息: Encrypted/Encoded File

Kessel's configuration is hardcoded and RC4 encrypted within the binary.[1]

Enterprise T1082 系统信息发现

Kessel has collected the system architecture, OS version, and MAC address information.[1]

Enterprise T1016 系统网络配置发现

Kessel has collected the DNS address of the infected host.[1]

Enterprise T1105 输入工具传输

Kessel can download additional modules from the C2 server.[1]

Enterprise T1041 通过C2信道渗出

Kessel has exfiltrated information gathered from the infected system to the C2 server.[1]

References