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YARA · Signature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)

SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_Backdoor_SUNBURST_2

The SUNBURST backdoor uses a domain generation algorithm (DGA) as part of C2 communications. This rule is looking for each branch of the code that checks for which HTTP method is being used. This is in one large conjunction, and all branches are then tied together via disjunction. The grouping is intentionally designed so that if any part of the DGA is re-used in another sample, this signature should match that re-used portion. SUNBURST is a backdoor that has the ability to spawn and kill processes, write and delete files, set and create registry keys, gather system information, and disable a set of forensic analysis tools and services.

APT / threat actorSignature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)Detection Rule License 1.1Compiles with YARA-X
Author
FireEye
Date
2020-12-14
Modified
2023-12-05
Score / Quality
85 / 83

What this rule detects

The SUNBURST backdoor uses a domain generation algorithm (DGA) as part of C2 communications. This rule is looking for each branch of the code that checks for which HTTP method is being used. This is in one large conjunction, and all branches are then tied together via disjunction. The grouping is intentionally designed so that if any part of the DGA is re-used in another sample, this signature should match that re-used portion. SUNBURST is a backdoor that has the ability to spawn and kill processes, write and delete files, set and create registry keys, gather system information, and disable a set of forensic analysis tools and services.

It defines 39 patterns (39 text, 0 hex, 0 regex).

Summary generated from the rule's metadata and condition.

Rule source

apt-backdoor-sunburst-2.yarDetection Rule License 1.1
rule SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_Backdoor_SUNBURST_2
{
	meta:
		description = "The SUNBURST backdoor uses a domain generation algorithm (DGA) as part of C2 communications. This rule is looking for each branch of the code that checks for which HTTP method is being used. This is in one large conjunction, and all branches are then tied together via disjunction. The grouping is intentionally designed so that if any part of the DGA is re-used in another sample, this signature should match that re-used portion. SUNBURST is a backdoor that has the ability to spawn and kill processes, write and delete files, set and create registry keys, gather system information, and disable a set of forensic analysis tools and services."
		author = "FireEye"
		id = "329071d5-c9c6-5ae1-a514-aea9f4037bac"
		date = "2020-12-14"
		modified = "2023-12-05"
		reference = "https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/12/evasive-attacker-leverages-solarwinds-supply-chain-compromises-with-sunburst-backdoor.html"
		source_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/yara/apt_solarwinds_sunburst.yar#L28-L79"
		license_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/LICENSE"
		logic_hash = "2bf0697b110bca88f712cbccaf0d2ba614d6093d6d9595659aefe088848d3826"
		score = 85
		quality = 83
		tags = ""

	strings:
		$a = "0y3Kzy8BAA==" wide
		$aa = "S8vPKynWL89PS9OvNqjVrTYEYqNa3fLUpDSgTLVxrR5IzggA" wide
		$ab = "S8vPKynWL89PS9OvNqjVrTYEYqPaauNaPZCYEQA=" wide
		$ac = "C88sSs1JLS4GAA==" wide
		$ad = "C/UEAA==" wide
		$ae = "C89MSU8tKQYA" wide
		$af = "8wvwBQA=" wide
		$ag = "cyzIz8nJBwA=" wide
		$ah = "c87JL03xzc/LLMkvysxLBwA=" wide
		$ai = "88tPSS0GAA==" wide
		$aj = "C8vPKc1NLQYA" wide
		$ak = "88wrSS1KS0xOLQYA" wide
		$al = "c87PLcjPS80rKQYA" wide
		$am = "Ky7PLNAvLUjRBwA=" wide
		$an = "06vIzQEA" wide
		$b = "0y3NyyxLLSpOzIlPTgQA" wide
		$c = "001OBAA=" wide
		$d = "0y0oysxNLKqMT04EAA==" wide
		$e = "0y3JzE0tLknMLQAA" wide
		$f = "003PyU9KzAEA" wide
		$h = "0y1OTS4tSk1OBAA=" wide
		$i = "K8jO1E8uytGvNqitNqytNqrVA/IA" wide
		$j = "c8rPSQEA" wide
		$k = "c8rPSfEsSczJTAYA" wide
		$l = "c60oKUp0ys9JAQA=" wide
		$m = "c60oKUp0ys9J8SxJzMlMBgA=" wide
		$n = "8yxJzMlMBgA=" wide
		$o = "88lMzygBAA==" wide
		$p = "88lMzyjxLEnMyUwGAA==" wide
		$q = "C0pNL81JLAIA" wide
		$r = "C07NzXTKz0kBAA==" wide
		$s = "C07NzXTKz0nxLEnMyUwGAA==" wide
		$t = "yy9IzStOzCsGAA==" wide
		$u = "y8svyQcA" wide
		$v = "SytKTU3LzysBAA==" wide
		$w = "C84vLUpOdc5PSQ0oygcA" wide
		$x = "C84vLUpODU4tykwLKMoHAA==" wide
		$y = "C84vLUpO9UjMC07MKwYA" wide
		$z = "C84vLUpO9UjMC04tykwDAA==" wide

	condition:
		($a and $b and $c and $d and $e and $f and $h and $i ) or ( $j and $k and $l and $m and $n and $o and $p and $q and $r and $s and ( $aa or $ab ) ) or ( $t and $u and $v and $w and $x and $y and $z and ( $aa or $ab ) ) or ( $ac and $ad and $ae and $af and $ag and $ah and ( $am or $an ) ) or ( $ai and $aj and $ak and $al and ( $am or $an ) )
}

Strings (39 patterns)

IdentifierTypeValueModifiers
$atext"0y3Kzy8BAA=="wide
$aatext"S8vPKynWL89PS9OvNqjVrTYEYqNa3fLUpDSgTLVxrR5IzggA"wide
$abtext"S8vPKynWL89PS9OvNqjVrTYEYqPaauNaPZCYEQA="wide
$actext"C88sSs1JLS4GAA=="wide
$adtext"C/UEAA=="wide
$aetext"C89MSU8tKQYA"wide
$aftext"8wvwBQA="wide
$agtext"cyzIz8nJBwA="wide
$ahtext"c87JL03xzc/LLMkvysxLBwA="wide
$aitext"88tPSS0GAA=="wide
$ajtext"C8vPKc1NLQYA"wide
$aktext"88wrSS1KS0xOLQYA"wide
$altext"c87PLcjPS80rKQYA"wide
$amtext"Ky7PLNAvLUjRBwA="wide
$antext"06vIzQEA"wide
$btext"0y3NyyxLLSpOzIlPTgQA"wide
$ctext"001OBAA="wide
$dtext"0y0oysxNLKqMT04EAA=="wide
$etext"0y3JzE0tLknMLQAA"wide
$ftext"003PyU9KzAEA"wide
$htext"0y1OTS4tSk1OBAA="wide
$itext"K8jO1E8uytGvNqitNqytNqrVA/IA"wide
$jtext"c8rPSQEA"wide
$ktext"c8rPSfEsSczJTAYA"wide
$ltext"c60oKUp0ys9JAQA="wide
$mtext"c60oKUp0ys9J8SxJzMlMBgA="wide
$ntext"8yxJzMlMBgA="wide
$otext"88lMzygBAA=="wide
$ptext"88lMzyjxLEnMyUwGAA=="wide
$qtext"C0pNL81JLAIA"wide
$rtext"C07NzXTKz0kBAA=="wide
$stext"C07NzXTKz0nxLEnMyUwGAA=="wide
$ttext"yy9IzStOzCsGAA=="wide
$utext"y8svyQcA"wide
$vtext"SytKTU3LzysBAA=="wide
$wtext"C84vLUpOdc5PSQ0oygcA"wide
$xtext"C84vLUpODU4tykwLKMoHAA=="wide
$ytext"C84vLUpO9UjMC07MKwYA"wide
$ztext"C84vLUpO9UjMC04tykwDAA=="wide

Condition

($a and $b and $c and $d and $e and $f and $h and $i ) or ( $j and $k and $l and $m and $n and $o and $p and $q and $r and $s and ( $aa or $ab ) ) or ( $t and $u and $v and $w and $x and $y and $z and ( $aa or $ab ) ) or ( $ac and $ad and $ae and $af and $ag and $ah and ( $am or $an ) ) or ( $ai and $aj and $ak and $al and ( $am or $an ) )

In plain words (Heuristic)

  • Pattern $a must be present.
  • Pattern $b must be present.
  • Pattern $c must be present.
  • Pattern $d must be present.
  • Pattern $e must be present.
  • Pattern $f must be present.
  • Pattern $h must be present.
  • Pattern $i must be present.
  • Pattern $j must be present.
  • Pattern $k must be present.
  • Pattern $l must be present.
  • Pattern $m must be present.
  • Pattern $n must be present.
  • Pattern $o must be present.
  • Pattern $p must be present.
  • Pattern $q must be present.
  • Pattern $r must be present.
  • Pattern $s must be present.
  • Pattern $aa must be present.
  • Pattern $ab must be present.
  • Pattern $t must be present.
  • Pattern $u must be present.
  • Pattern $v must be present.
  • Pattern $w must be present.
  • Pattern $x must be present.
  • Pattern $y must be present.
  • Pattern $z must be present.
  • Pattern $ac must be present.
  • Pattern $ad must be present.
  • Pattern $ae must be present.
  • Pattern $af must be present.
  • Pattern $ag must be present.
  • Pattern $ah must be present.
  • Pattern $am must be present.
  • Pattern $an must be present.
  • Pattern $ai must be present.
  • Pattern $aj must be present.
  • Pattern $ak must be present.
  • Pattern $al must be present.

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References

Licence & attribution

Author: FireEye

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: 329071d5-c9c6-5ae1-a514-aea9f4037bac