MBCProject-mbc-markdown/collection/keylogging.md

ID	F0002
Objective(s)	Collection, Credential Access
Related ATT&CK Techniques	Input Capture: Keylogging (T1056.001, T1417.001)
Version	2.3
Created	14 August 2020
Last Modified	27 April 2024

Keylogging

Malware captures user keyboard input.

See ATT&CK: Input Capture: Keylogging (T1056.001, T1417.001)

Methods

Name	ID	Description
Application Hook	F0002.001	Keystrokes are captured with an application hook.
Polling	F0002.002	Keystrokes are captured via polling (e.g., user32.GetAsyncKeyState, user32.GetKeyState).

Use in Malware

Name	Date	Method	Description
Hupigon	2013	--	Certain variants of the malware may have keylogging functionality. [1]
Hupigon	2013	F0002.002	Malware logs keystrokes via polling. [9]
UP007	2016	--	The malware logs keystrokes to a file. [2]
BlackEnergy	2007	--	BlackEnergy's keylogger plugin allows for the collection of keystrokes. [3]
DarkComet	2008	--	DarkComet can capture keystrokes. [4]
Dark Comet	2008	F0002.002	Malware logs keystrokes via polling. [9]
Poison Ivy	2005	--	Poison Ivy can capture keystrokes. [5]
CHOPSTICK	2015	--	CHOPSTICK collects user keystrokes. [6]
Kovter	2016	F0002.002	Malware logs keystrokes via polling. [9]
Redhip	2011	F0002.001	Malware logs keystrokes via application hook. [9]
Redhip	2011	F0002.002	Malware logs keystrokes via polling. [9]
Rombertik	2015	F0002.002	Malware logs keystrokes via polling. [9]
Ursnif	2016	F0002.002	Malware logs keystrokes via polling. [9]
Snake	2004	F0002.001	Malware logs keystrokes via application hook. [10]

Detection

Tool: capa	Mapping	APIs
log keystrokes via polling	Keylogging::Polling (F0002.002)	user32.GetAsyncKeyState, user32.GetKeyState, user32.GetKeyboardState, user32.VkKeyScan, user32.VkKeyScanEx, user32.GetKeyNameText
log keystrokes via application hook	Keylogging::Application Hook (F0002.001)	--

Tool: CAPE	Mapping	APIs
infostealer_keylog	Keylogging (F0002)	SetWindowsHookExA, GetAsyncKeyState, SetWindowsHookExW
infostealer_keylog	Keylogging::Application Hook (F0002.001)	SetWindowsHookExA, GetAsyncKeyState, SetWindowsHookExW
browser_scanbox	Keylogging (F0002)	JsEval, COleScript_ParseScriptText, COleScript_Compile

F0002.002 Snippet

Collection::Keylogging::Polling

SHA256: 000b535ab2a4fec86e2d8254f8ed65c6ebd37309ed68692c929f8f93a99233f6

Location: 0x438af1

push    0x11    ; provide argument for function call.  In this case, 0x11 is the Windows keyboard code for indicating the 'CTRL' key
call    USER32.DLL::GetKeyState ; call function to get the state of the control key
test    ax, 0x8000      ; test to see what the previous function returned.  In this case, we are seeing if the return value's high-order bit is a 1, which would mean the ctrl key is pressed
setnz   al      ; if the previous condition is not met (the zero flag is 1), a 1 is stored in byte al

References

[1] https://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/backdoor_w32_hupigon.shtml

[2] https://citizenlab.ca/2016/04/between-hong-kong-and-burma/

[3] https://securelist.com/be2-custom-plugins-router-abuse-and-target-profiles/67353/

[4] https://blog.malwarebytes.com/threat-analysis/2012/06/you-dirty-rat-part-1-darkcomet/

[5] https://www.cyber.nj.gov/threat-center/threat-profiles/trojan-variants/poison-ivy

[6] https://web.archive.org/web/20210307034415/https://www.fireeye.com/content/dam/fireeye-www/global/en/current-threats/pdfs/rpt-apt28.pdf

[7] capa v4.0, analyzed at MITRE on 10/12/2022

[8] https://www.mandiant.com/sites/default/files/2021-09/rpt-poison-ivy.pdf

[9] capa v4.0, analyzed at MITRE on 10/12/2022

[10] https://www.cybereason.com/blog/research/threat-analysis-report-snake-infostealer-malware