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YARA · Signature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)

SIGNATURE_BASE_MAL_ELF_SALTWATER_Jun23_1

Detects SALTWATER malware used in Barracuda ESG exploitations (CVE-2023-2868)

MalwareSignature Base (Florian Roth / Nextron)Detection Rule License 1.1Compiles with YARA-X
Author
Florian Roth
Date
2023-06-07
Modified
2023-12-05
Score / Quality
80 / 85

What this rule detects

Detects SALTWATER malware used in Barracuda ESG exploitations (CVE-2023-2868)

It defines 8 patterns (8 text, 0 hex, 0 regex).

Summary generated from the rule's metadata and condition.

Rule source

mal-elf-saltwater-jun23-1.yarDetection Rule License 1.1
rule SIGNATURE_BASE_MAL_ELF_SALTWATER_Jun23_1 : CVE_2023_2868 FILE
{
	meta:
		description = "Detects SALTWATER malware used in Barracuda ESG exploitations (CVE-2023-2868)"
		author = "Florian Roth"
		id = "10a038f6-6096-5d3a-aaf5-db441685102b"
		date = "2023-06-07"
		modified = "2023-12-05"
		reference = "https://www.barracuda.com/company/legal/esg-vulnerability"
		source_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/yara/mal_lnx_barracuda_cve_2023_2868.yar#L21-L46"
		license_url = "https://github.com/Neo23x0/signature-base/blob/94a1c48d7ab499879287ff611dfe7f9c56376030/LICENSE"
		hash = "601f44cc102ae5a113c0b5fe5d18350db8a24d780c0ff289880cc45de28e2b80"
		logic_hash = "cb35898c0ee726170da93b4364920ac065f083f9f02db8eb5d293b1ce127cb78"
		score = 80
		quality = 85
		tags = "CVE-2023-2868, FILE"

	strings:
		$x1 = "libbindshell.so"
		$s1 = "ShellChannel"
		$s2 = "MyWriteAll"
		$s3 = "CheckRemoteIp"
		$s4 = "run_cmd"
		$s5 = "DownloadByProxyChannel"
		$s6 = "[-] error: popen failed"
		$s7 = "/home/product/code/config/ssl_engine_cert.pem"

	condition:
		uint16( 0 ) == 0x457f and filesize < 6000KB and ( ( 1 of ( $x* ) and 2 of them ) or 3 of them ) or all of them
}

Strings (8 patterns)

IdentifierTypeValueModifiers
$x1text"libbindshell.so"
$s1text"ShellChannel"
$s2text"MyWriteAll"
$s3text"CheckRemoteIp"
$s4text"run_cmd"
$s5text"DownloadByProxyChannel"
$s6text"[-] error: popen failed"
$s7text"/home/product/code/config/ssl_engine_cert.pem"

Condition

uint16( 0 ) == 0x457f and filesize < 6000KB and ( ( 1 of ( $x* ) and 2 of them ) or 3 of them ) or all of them

In plain words (Heuristic)

  • The file must be smaller than 6000KB (a cheap guard that skips large files).
  • All patterns in the rule must match.
  • At least 1 patterns in ( $x* ) must match.
  • At least 2 patterns in the rule must match.
  • At least 3 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).

  • 601f44cc102ae5a113c0b5fe5d18350db8a24d780c0ff289880cc45de28e2b80

Licence & attribution

Author: Florian Roth

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: 10a038f6-6096-5d3a-aaf5-db441685102b

Tags:CVE_2023_2868FILE