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VOLEXITY_Apt_Malware_Vbs_Basicstar_A

VBS backdoor which bares architectural similarity to the POWERSTAR malware family.

APT / threat actorVolexity threat-intelBSD 2-Clause LicenseCompiles with YARA-X
Author
threatintel@volexity.com
Date
2024-01-04
Modified
2025-05-21
Score / Quality
75 / 80

What this rule detects

VBS backdoor which bares architectural similarity to the POWERSTAR malware family.

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

Summary generated from the rule's metadata and condition.

Rule source

apt-malware-vbs-basicstar-a.yarBSD 2-Clause License
rule VOLEXITY_Apt_Malware_Vbs_Basicstar_A : CHARMINGCYPRESS FILE MEMORY
{
	meta:
		description = "VBS backdoor which bares architectural similarity to the POWERSTAR malware family."
		author = "threatintel@volexity.com"
		id = "e790defe-2bd5-5629-8420-ce8091483589"
		date = "2024-01-04"
		modified = "2025-05-21"
		reference = "TIB-20240111"
		source_url = "https://github.com/volexity/threat-intel/blob/3a9d0b52459877ee866a9a0ba06e60059b778c77/2024/2024-02-13 CharmingCypress/rules.yar#L69-L99"
		license_url = "https://github.com/volexity/threat-intel/blob/3a9d0b52459877ee866a9a0ba06e60059b778c77/LICENSE.txt"
		hash = "c6f91e5585c2cbbb8d06b7f239e30b271f04393df4fb81815f6556fa4c793bb0"
		logic_hash = "977bb42553bb6585c8d0e1e89675644720ca9abf294eccd797e20d4bca516810"
		score = 75
		quality = 80
		tags = "CHARMINGCYPRESS, FILE, MEMORY"
		os = "win"
		os_arch = "all"
		report2 = "TIB-20240126"
		scan_context = "file,memory"
		severity = "critical"
		license = "See license at https://github.com/volexity/threat-intel/blob/main/LICENSE.txt"
		rule_id = 10037
		version = 8

	strings:
		$s1 = "Base64Encode(EncSess)" ascii wide
		$s2 = "StrReverse(PlainSess)" ascii wide
		$s3 = "ComDecode, \"Module\"" ascii wide
		$s4 = "ComDecode, \"SetNewConfig\"" ascii wide
		$s5 = "ComDecode, \"kill\"" ascii wide
		$magic = "cmd /C start /MIN curl --ssl-no-revoke -s -d " ascii wide

	condition:
		3 of ( $s* ) or $magic
}

Strings (6 patterns)

IdentifierTypeValueModifiers
$s1text"Base64Encode(EncSess)"ascii wide
$s2text"StrReverse(PlainSess)"ascii wide
$s3text"ComDecode, \"Module\""ascii wide
$s4text"ComDecode, \"SetNewConfig\""ascii wide
$s5text"ComDecode, \"kill\""ascii wide
$magictext"cmd /C start /MIN curl --ssl-no-revoke -s -d "ascii wide

Condition

3 of ( $s* ) or $magic

In plain words (Heuristic)

  • At least 3 patterns in ( $s* ) must match.
  • Pattern $magic must be present.

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Sample hashes

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

  • c6f91e5585c2cbbb8d06b7f239e30b271f04393df4fb81815f6556fa4c793bb0

Licence & attribution

Author: threatintel@volexity.com

Source repository: Volexity threat-intel @ 3a9d0b5245

Licence: BSD 2-Clause License (stated in the rule's own meta)

“See license at https://github.com/volexity/threat-intel/blob/main/LICENSE.txt”

Copyright notice: Copyright 2022 by Volexity, Inc.

Original rule

Mirrored via YARA Forge 20260927, which prefixes rule names with the source and adds normalised meta fields.

Rule id: e790defe-2bd5-5629-8420-ce8091483589

Metadata

oswin
os_archall
report2TIB-20240126
scan_contextfile,memory
severitycritical
rule_id10037
version8

Tags:CHARMINGCYPRESSFILEMEMORY