YARA · Signature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)

SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_MAL_Ke3Chang_Ketrican_Jun20_1

Detects Ketrican malware

APT / threat actorKetricanSignature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)Detection Rule License 1.1Compiles with YARA-X

Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
Date: 2020-06-18
Modified: 2023-12-05
Score / Quality: 75 / 85

What this rule detects

Detects Ketrican malware

Associated malware family: Ketrican.

Targets: Windows PE.

It defines 3 patterns (0 text, 3 hex, 0 regex).

Summary generated from the rule's metadata and condition.

Rule source

Download .yar

apt-mal-ke3chang-ketrican-jun20-1.yarDetection Rule License 1.1

rule SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_MAL_Ke3Chang_Ketrican_Jun20_1 : FILE
{
	meta:
		description = "Detects Ketrican malware"
		author = "Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)"
		id = "ccd8322e-c822-512a-9ac5-eabc9d09640b"
		date = "2020-06-18"
		modified = "2023-12-05"
		reference = "BfV Cyber-Brief Nr. 01/2020"
		source_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/yara/apt_ke3chang.yar#L23-L42"
		license_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/LICENSE"
		hash = "02ea0bc17875ab403c05b50205389065283c59e01de55e68cee4cf340ecea046"
		hash = "f3efa600b2fa1c3c85f904a300fec56104d2caaabbb39a50a28f60e0fdb1df39"
		logic_hash = "a2806de18432dbab24f08c7c2863fd694c91192cf7df4388dfeb87b237f22257"
		score = 75
		quality = 85
		tags = "FILE"

	strings:
		$xc1 = { 00 59 89 85 D4 FB FF FF 8B 85 D4 FB FF FF 89 45
               FC 68 E0 58 40 00 8F 45 FC E9 }
		$op1 = { 6a 53 58 66 89 85 24 ff ff ff 6a 79 58 66 89 85 }
		$op2 = { 8d 45 bc 50 53 53 6a 1c 8d 85 10 ff ff ff 50 ff }

	condition:
		uint16( 0 ) == 0x5a4d and filesize < 300KB and 1 of ( $x* ) or 2 of them
}

Strings (3 patterns)

Identifier	Type	Value
$xc1	hex	{ 00 59 89 85 D4 FB FF FF 8B 85 D4 FB FF FF 89 45 FC 68 E0 58 40 00 8F 45 FC E9 }
$op1	hex	{ 6a 53 58 66 89 85 24 ff ff ff 6a 79 58 66 89 85 }
$op2	hex	{ 8d 45 bc 50 53 53 6a 1c 8d 85 10 ff ff ff 50 ff }

Condition

uint16( 0 ) == 0x5a4d and filesize < 300KB and 1 of ( $x* ) or 2 of them

In plain words (Heuristic)

The file must start with “MZ” — a Windows executable (PE).
The file must be smaller than 300KB (a cheap guard that skips large files).
At least 1 patterns in ( $x* ) must match.
At least 2 patterns in the rule must match.

Test this rule in your browser

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Drop a file here or click to chooseScanned locally with YARA-X. Files up to 200 MB.

Open in editor

Sample hashes

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

02ea0bc17875ab403c05b50205389065283c59e01de55e68cee4cf340ecea046
f3efa600b2fa1c3c85f904a300fec56104d2caaabbb39a50a28f60e0fdb1df39

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: ccd8322e-c822-512a-9ac5-eabc9d09640b

Tags:FILE

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