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YARA · Signature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)

SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_Webshell_SUPERNOVA_2

This rule is looking for specific strings related to SUPERNOVA. SUPERNOVA is a .NET web shell backdoor masquerading as a legitimate SolarWinds web service handler. SUPERNOVA inspects and responds to HTTP requests with the appropriate HTTP query strings, Cookies, and/or HTML form values (e.g. named codes, class, method, and args).

APT / threat actorSupernovaSignature 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

This rule is looking for specific strings related to SUPERNOVA. SUPERNOVA is a .NET web shell backdoor masquerading as a legitimate SolarWinds web service handler. SUPERNOVA inspects and responds to HTTP requests with the appropriate HTTP query strings, Cookies, and/or HTML form values (e.g. named codes, class, method, and args).

Associated malware family: Supernova.

Targets: Windows PE.

It defines 6 patterns (6 text, 0 hex, 0 regex).

Summary generated from the rule's metadata and condition.

Rule source

apt-webshell-supernova-2.yarDetection Rule License 1.1
rule SIGNATURE_BASE_APT_Webshell_SUPERNOVA_2 : FILE
{
	meta:
		description = "This rule is looking for specific strings related to SUPERNOVA. SUPERNOVA is a .NET web shell backdoor masquerading as a legitimate SolarWinds web service handler. SUPERNOVA inspects and responds to HTTP requests with the appropriate HTTP query strings, Cookies, and/or HTML form values (e.g. named codes, class, method, and args)."
		author = "FireEye"
		id = "c39bf9ba-fd62-5619-92b6-1633375ef197"
		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#L100-L118"
		license_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/LICENSE"
		logic_hash = "96e344bd2ba3ee07784852db3e9935352762c2fa7b6be88f00cac10a90706ffc"
		score = 85
		quality = 83
		tags = "FILE"

	strings:
		$dynamic = "DynamicRun"
		$solar = "Solarwinds" nocase
		$string1 = "codes"
		$string2 = "clazz"
		$string3 = "method"
		$string4 = "args"

	condition:
		uint16( 0 ) == 0x5a4d and uint32( uint32( 0x3C ) ) == 0x00004550 and filesize < 10KB and 3 of ( $string* ) and $dynamic and $solar
}

Strings (6 patterns)

IdentifierTypeValueModifiers
$dynamictext"DynamicRun"
$solartext"Solarwinds"nocase
$string1text"codes"
$string2text"clazz"
$string3text"method"
$string4text"args"

Condition

uint16( 0 ) == 0x5a4d and uint32( uint32( 0x3C ) ) == 0x00004550 and filesize < 10KB and 3 of ( $string* ) and $dynamic and $solar

In plain words (Heuristic)

  • The file must start with “MZ” — a Windows executable (PE).
  • The file must be smaller than 10KB (a cheap guard that skips large files).
  • At least 3 patterns in ( $string* ) must match.
  • Pattern $dynamic must be present.
  • Pattern $solar 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: c39bf9ba-fd62-5619-92b6-1633375ef197

Tags:FILE

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