Redline Stealer Masquerades as Photo Editing Software
By eSentire Threat Response Unit (TRU)
Archived: 2026-04-05 19:43:23 UTC
Adversaries don’t work 9-5 and neither do we. At eSentire, our 24/7 SOCs are staffed with Elite Threat Hunters
and Cyber Analysts who hunt, investigate, contain and respond to threats within minutes.
We have discovered some of the most dangerous threats and nation state attacks in our space – including the
Kaseya MSP breach and the more_eggs malware.
Our Security Operations Centers are supported with Threat Intelligence, Tactical Threat Response and Advanced
Threat Analytics driven by our Threat Response Unit – the TRU team.
In TRU Positives, eSentire’s Threat Response Unit (TRU) provides a summary of a recent threat investigation. We
outline how we responded to the confirmed threat and what recommendations we have going forward.
Here’s the latest from our TRU Team…
What did we find?
Redline Stealer malware impacting a customer in the software industry.
The malware was disguised as an installer for a photo editing software and was inadvertently
executed by the user.
When executed, the fake installer communicated with the command-and-control, performed anti-analysis
checks and then injected code into the legitimate Windows binary MSBuild.exe using the process
hollowing technique. Using the hollowed process, the malware retrieves additional files hosted on the
Discord chat service and configures a scheduled task for persistence.
How did we find it?
eSentire MDR for Endpoint identified the process-hollowing activity.
What did we do?
Our 24/7 SOC Cyber Analysts investigated and confirmed the activity was malicious.
We also provided remediation recommendations and support to the customer.
What can you learn from this TRU positive?
eSentire has observed an increase in Redline Stealer infections since March 2022.
Redline Stealer is a general-purpose information stealer capable of collecting credentials and sensitive data
from compromised systems.
https://www.esentire.com/blog/redline-stealer-masquerades-as-photo-editing-software
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It was initially advertised on various hacking forums in early 2020 for $150 and $200 USD for a “lite” and
pro version respectively (Figure 1).
Credentials stolen by information stealing malware can be used to further infiltrate networks or monetized
through sale on various underground markets.
It’s well-established that extortion groups such as LAPSUS$ use stolen credentials or session
cookies purchased from these markets.
According to Microsoft, LAPSUS$ has used Redline Stealer directly as part of their initial access
phase.
Figure 1 Early advertisement for Redline Stealer
Recommendations from our Threat Response Unit (TRU) Team:
Protecting against information stealers requires a multi-layered defense approach to defend endpoints from
malware and detect or block unauthorized login activity against applications and remote access services.
Therefore, we recommend:
Protect all endpoints against malware.
Ensure antivirus signatures are up-to-date.
Use a Next-Gen AV (NGAV) or Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) product to detect and
contain threats.
In the event information stealing malware is identified, reset user credentials and terminate logon
sessions.
Restrict access to enterprise applications from personal devices outside the scope of security monitoring.
Ensure adequate logging is in place for remote access services such as VPN and use modern authentication
methods which support MFA and conditional access.
Ask Yourself...
Can you identify Redline Stealer in time to minimize credential compromise?
Do you have the visibility to identify use of compromised credentials in your organization?
https://www.esentire.com/blog/redline-stealer-masquerades-as-photo-editing-software
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eSentire’s Threat Response Unit (TRU) is a world-class team of threat researchers who develop new detections
enriched by original threat intelligence and leverage new machine learning models that correlate multi-signal data
and automate rapid response to advanced threats.
If you are not currently engaged with an MDR provider, eSentire MDR can help you reclaim the advantage and
put your business ahead of disruption.
Learn what it means to have an elite team of Threat Hunters and Researchers that works for you. Connectwith an
eSentire Security Specialist.
To learn how your organization can build cyber resilience and prevent business disruption with eSentire’s Next
Level MDR, connect with an eSentire Security Specialist now.
https://www.esentire.com/blog/redline-stealer-masquerades-as-photo-editing-software
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ABOUT ESENTIRE’S THREAT RESPONSE UNIT (TRU)
The eSentire Threat Response Unit (TRU) is an industry-leading threat research team committed to helping your
organization become more resilient. TRU is an elite team of threat hunters and researchers that supports our 24/7
Security Operations Centers (SOCs), builds threat detection models across the eSentire XDR Cloud Platform, and
works as an extension of your security team to continuously improve our Managed Detection and Response
service. By providing complete visibility across your attack surface and performing global threat sweeps and
proactive hypothesis-driven threat hunts augmented by original threat research, we are laser-focused on defending
your organization against known and unknown threats.
https://www.esentire.com/blog/redline-stealer-masquerades-as-photo-editing-software
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What did we find?How did we find it?What did we do?What can you learn from this TRU positive?
Recommendations from our Threat Response Unit (TRU) Team:
https://www.esentire.com/blog/redline-stealer-masquerades-as-photo-editing-software
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Source: https://www.esentire.com/blog/redline-stealer-masquerades-as-photo-editing-software
https://www.esentire.com/blog/redline-stealer-masquerades-as-photo-editing-software
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