Concrete signature match: Trojan Downloader - Downloads additional malware for O97M platform, family MsiexecAbu
This malware is a Lotus 1-2-3/Office 97 macro-based downloader that abuses the Windows Installer (msiexec) to silently install malicious components. It embeds multiple auxiliary payloads such as rundll32, PowerShell, and scheduled tasks within its macro strings, enabling remote execution and persistence.
Relevant strings associated with this threat: - msiexec (MACROHSTR_EXT) - 0http (MACROHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForMshta.A!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForHooking.C!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForHooking.D!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForHooking.L!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForHooking.O!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForRegsvr32.A!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForRundll32.A!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - rundll32 (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForBITSJobs.A!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForPowerShell.G!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForScheduledTask.A!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForDataEncoding.D!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForHooking.J!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForHooking.K!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForRemoteFileCopy.B!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForFileDeletion.A!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForHooking.M!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForNetshHelperDLL.A!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForRemoteServices.A!pli (PEHSTR_EXT) - !#HSTR:StringCodeForSoftwarePacking.C!pli (PEHSTR_EXT)
rule TrojanDownloader_O97M_MsiexecAbuse_B_2147735593_0
{
meta:
author = "threatcheck.sh"
detection_name = "TrojanDownloader:O97M/MsiexecAbuse.B"
threat_id = "2147735593"
type = "TrojanDownloader"
platform = "O97M: Office 97, 2000, XP, 2003, 2007, and 2010 macros - those that affect Word, Excel, and PowerPoint"
family = "MsiexecAbuse"
severity = "Critical"
signature_type = "SIGNATURE_TYPE_MACROHSTR_EXT"
threshold = "6"
strings_accuracy = "Low"
strings:
$x_6_1 = {6d 73 69 65 78 65 63 [0-48] 68 74 74 70} //weight: 6, accuracy: Low
condition:
(filesize < 20MB) and
(all of ($x*))
}Block and quarantine the macro-enabled document, deploy an up-to-date Office macro security policy disabling all macros unless signed, enforce application whitelisting for msiexec, rundll32, and PowerShell, and monitor for unauthorized installer or scheduled task creation.