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SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_APT29_NOBELIUM_Boombox_May21_1

Detects BoomBox malware as described in APT29 NOBELIUM report

APT / threat actorSignature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)Detection Rule License 1.1Compiles with YARA-X
Author
Florian Roth
Date
2021-05-27
Modified
2025-03-20
Score / Quality
85 / 85

What this rule detects

Detects BoomBox malware as described in APT29 NOBELIUM report

Targets: Windows PE.

It defines 8 patterns (8 text, 0 hex, 0 regex).

Summary generated from the rule's metadata and condition.

Rule source

apt-apt29-nobelium-boombox-may21-1.yarDetection Rule License 1.1
rule SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_APT29_NOBELIUM_Boombox_May21_1 : FILE
{
	meta:
		description = "Detects BoomBox malware as described in APT29 NOBELIUM report"
		author = "Florian Roth"
		id = "1a14dcf7-81be-5a74-a530-caf6268d1976"
		date = "2021-05-27"
		modified = "2025-03-20"
		reference = "https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/05/27/new-sophisticated-email-based-attack-from-nobelium/"
		source_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/yara/apt_apt29_nobelium_may21.yar#L130-L161"
		license_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/LICENSE"
		hash = "8199f309478e8ed3f03f75e7574a3e9bce09b4423bd7eb08bb5bff03af2b7c27"
		logic_hash = "034ea34eb34ea6de0c65b9a7fc9d16f108ef34cd75294b022371ac17789c3830"
		score = 85
		quality = 85
		tags = "FILE"

	strings:
		$a1 = "]::FromBase64String($" ascii wide
		$xa1 = "123do3y4r378o5t34onf7t3o573tfo73" ascii wide fullword
		$xa2 = "1233t04p7jn3n4rg" ascii wide fullword
		$s1 = "\\Release\\BOOM.pdb" ascii
		$s2 = "/files/upload" ascii
		$s3 = "/tmp/readme.pdf" ascii fullword
		$s4 = "/new/{0}" ascii fullword
		$s5 = "(&(objectClass=user)(objectCategory=person))"

	condition:
		( uint16( 0 ) == 0x5a4d or 1 of ( $a* ) ) and ( 1 of ( $x* ) or 3 of ( $s* ) )
}

Strings (8 patterns)

IdentifierTypeValueModifiers
$a1text"]::FromBase64String($"ascii wide
$xa1text"123do3y4r378o5t34onf7t3o573tfo73"ascii wide fullword
$xa2text"1233t04p7jn3n4rg"ascii wide fullword
$s1text"\\Release\\BOOM.pdb"ascii
$s2text"/files/upload"ascii
$s3text"/tmp/readme.pdf"ascii fullword
$s4text"/new/{0}"ascii fullword
$s5text"(&(objectClass=user)(objectCategory=person))"

Condition

( uint16( 0 ) == 0x5a4d or 1 of ( $a* ) ) and ( 1 of ( $x* ) or 3 of ( $s* ) )

In plain words (Heuristic)

  • The file must start with “MZ” — a Windows executable (PE).
  • At least 1 patterns in ( $a* ) must match.
  • At least 1 patterns in ( $x* ) must match.
  • At least 3 patterns in ( $s* ) must match.

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References

Sample hashes

Hashes of samples the author lists in the rule's meta (look them up in your threat-intelligence platform).

  • 8199f309478e8ed3f03f75e7574a3e9bce09b4423bd7eb08bb5bff03af2b7c27

Licence & attribution

Author: Florian Roth

Source repository: Signature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron) @ 94a1c48d7a

Licence: Detection Rule License 1.1 (repository licence)

Original rule

Mirrored via YARA Forge 20260927, which prefixes rule names with the source and adds normalised meta fields.

Rule id: 1a14dcf7-81be-5a74-a530-caf6268d1976

Tags:FILE