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SIGNATURE_BASE_HKTL_Win_Cobaltstrike

The CobaltStrike malware family.

Hack toolCobalt StrikeSignature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)Detection Rule License 1.1Compiles with YARA-X
Author
threatintel@volexity.com
Date
2021-05-25
Modified
2026-05-26
Score / Quality
75 / 85

What this rule detects

The CobaltStrike malware family.

Associated malware family: Cobalt Strike.

It defines 7 patterns (6 text, 1 hex, 0 regex).

Summary generated from the rule's metadata and condition.

Rule source

hktl-win-cobaltstrike.yarDetection Rule License 1.1
rule SIGNATURE_BASE_HKTL_Win_Cobaltstrike : COMMODITY
{
	meta:
		description = "The CobaltStrike malware family."
		author = "threatintel@volexity.com"
		id = "113ba304-261f-5c59-bc56-57515c239b6d"
		date = "2021-05-25"
		modified = "2026-05-26"
		reference = "https://www.volexity.com/blog/2021/05/27/suspected-apt29-operation-launches-election-fraud-themed-phishing-campaigns/"
		source_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/yara/apt_cobaltstrike.yar#L106-L124"
		license_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/LICENSE"
		hash = "b041efb8ba2a88a3d172f480efa098d72eef13e42af6aa5fb838e6ccab500a7c"
		logic_hash = "1e8a68050ff25f77e903af2e0a85579be1af77c64684e42e8f357eee4ae59377"
		score = 75
		quality = 85
		tags = "COMMODITY"

	strings:
		$s1 = "%s (admin)" fullword
		$s2 = { 48 54 54 50 2F 31 2E 31 20 32 30 30 20 4F 4B 0D 0A 43 6F 6E 74 65 6E 74 2D 54 79 70 65 3A 20 61 70 70 6C 69 63 61 74 69 6F 6E 2F 6F 63 74 65 74 2D 73 74 72 65 61 6D 0D 0A 43 6F 6E 74 65 6E 74 2D 4C 65 6E 67 74 68 3A 20 25 64 0D 0A 0D 0A 00 }
		$s3 = "%02d/%02d/%02d %02d:%02d:%02d" fullword
		$s4 = "%s as %s\\%s: %d" fullword
		$s5 = "%s&%s=%s" fullword
		$s6 = "rijndael" fullword
		$s7 = "(null)"

	condition:
		all of them
}

Strings (7 patterns)

IdentifierTypeValueModifiers
$s1text"%s (admin)"fullword
$s2hex{ 48 54 54 50 2F 31 2E 31 20 32 30 30 20 4F 4B 0D 0A 43 6F 6E 74 65 6E 74 2D 54 79 70 65 3A 20 61 70 70 6C 69 63 61 74 69 6F 6E 2F 6F 63 74 65 74 2D 73 74 72 65 …
$s3text"%02d/%02d/%02d %02d:%02d:%02d"fullword
$s4text"%s as %s\\%s: %d"fullword
$s5text"%s&%s=%s"fullword
$s6text"rijndael"fullword
$s7text"(null)"

Condition

all of them

In plain words (Heuristic)

  • All patterns in the rule 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).

  • b041efb8ba2a88a3d172f480efa098d72eef13e42af6aa5fb838e6ccab500a7c

Licence & attribution

Author: threatintel@volexity.com

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: 113ba304-261f-5c59-bc56-57515c239b6d

Tags:COMMODITY

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