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YARA · Signature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)

SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_APT29_NOBELIUM_LNK_Samples_May21_1

Detects link file characteristics as described in APT29 NOBELIUM report

APT / threat actorSignature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)Detection Rule License 1.1Compiles with YARA-X
Author
Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
Date
2021-05-27
Modified
2025-03-21
Score / Quality
85 / 85

What this rule detects

Detects link file characteristics as described in APT29 NOBELIUM report

It defines 10 patterns (10 text, 0 hex, 0 regex).

Summary generated from the rule's metadata and condition.

Rule source

apt-apt29-nobelium-lnk-samples-may21-1.yarDetection Rule License 1.1
rule SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_APT29_NOBELIUM_LNK_Samples_May21_1 : FILE
{
	meta:
		description = "Detects link file characteristics as described in APT29 NOBELIUM report"
		author = "Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)"
		id = "c807ab5a-f66a-5622-81b1-6e69b6df8446"
		date = "2021-05-27"
		modified = "2025-03-21"
		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#L99-L128"
		license_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/LICENSE"
		hash = "24caf54e7c3fe308444093f7ac64d6d520c8f44ea4251e09e24931bdb72f5548"
		logic_hash = "32d76bb1af76f0fc2afb76d9726bc8ec99c4be34c9d46cebab7356d8c68af11c"
		score = 85
		quality = 85
		tags = "FILE"

	strings:
		$a1 = "rundll32.exe" wide
		$sa1 = "IMGMountingService.dll" wide
		$sa2 = "MountImgHelper" wide
		$sb1 = "diassvcs.dll" wide
		$sb2 = "InitializeComponent" wide
		$sc1 = "MsDiskMountService.dll" wide
		$sc2 = "DiskDriveIni" wide
		$sd1 = "GraphicalComponent.dll" wide
		$sd2 = "VisualServiceComponent" wide
		$se1 = "data/mstu.dll,MicrosoftUpdateService" wide

	condition:
		uint16( 0 ) == 0x004c and filesize < 4KB and $a1 and ( all of ( $sa* ) or all of ( $sb* ) or all of ( $sc* ) or all of ( $sd* ) or all of ( $se* ) )
}

Strings (10 patterns)

IdentifierTypeValueModifiers
$a1text"rundll32.exe"wide
$sa1text"IMGMountingService.dll"wide
$sa2text"MountImgHelper"wide
$sb1text"diassvcs.dll"wide
$sb2text"InitializeComponent"wide
$sc1text"MsDiskMountService.dll"wide
$sc2text"DiskDriveIni"wide
$sd1text"GraphicalComponent.dll"wide
$sd2text"VisualServiceComponent"wide
$se1text"data/mstu.dll,MicrosoftUpdateService"wide

Condition

uint16( 0 ) == 0x004c and filesize < 4KB and $a1 and ( all of ( $sa* ) or all of ( $sb* ) or all of ( $sc* ) or all of ( $sd* ) or all of ( $se* ) )

In plain words (Heuristic)

  • The file must be smaller than 4KB (a cheap guard that skips large files).
  • All patterns in ( $sa* ) must match.
  • All patterns in ( $sb* ) must match.
  • All patterns in ( $sc* ) must match.
  • All patterns in ( $sd* ) must match.
  • All patterns in ( $se* ) must match.
  • Pattern $a1 must be present.

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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).

  • 24caf54e7c3fe308444093f7ac64d6d520c8f44ea4251e09e24931bdb72f5548

Licence & attribution

Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)

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: c807ab5a-f66a-5622-81b1-6e69b6df8446

Tags:FILE