CYBERSECURITYTRACKER
Incidents

Blackshadow

Review this actor's tracked leak-site claims, published reporting, and attributed threat evidence.

ransomware3 leak-site claims, all timeLatest observed leak-site post 2021-12-18

Portable threat brief

Blackshadow

Facts from stored data only; no AI-written text.

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Executive facts

Actor
Blackshadow
Kind
ransomware
Latest observed
2021-12-18
Leak-site claims
3
ATT&CK group
G1030
Catalogued techniques
22
How linked to MITRE:
MITRE's name or alias matches this group

Scope

Tracked sectors
Insurance
Claim records
2021-12-18 to 2021-12-18
Suspected origin
Iran
Motivation
Information theft and espionage, Sabotage and destruction
Targeted countries
Hong Kong, Israel, South Africa

Vulnerability events linked to this group

No dated vulnerability events are attached to this group's linked vulnerabilities.

Verified techniques

Derived only from this actor's stored verified ATT&CK group-to-technique mappings (ATT&CK 20.0); phases are not scored. MITRE group provenance.

Defensive actions

  • M1018User Account Management7 techniques
  • M1026Privileged Account Management5 techniques
  • M1027Password Policies5 techniques
  • M1047Audit5 techniques
  • M1017User Training4 techniques
  • M1028Operating System Configuration4 techniques
  • M1032Multi-factor Authentication4 techniques
  • M1042Disable or Remove Feature or Program4 techniques
  • M1030Network Segmentation3 techniques
  • M1031Network Intrusion Prevention3 techniques

Ransomware claim data is unverified: RansomLook (CC BY 4.0).

MITRE ATT&CK names and links © The MITRE Corporation.

© Electronic Transactions Development Agency, 2019-2026. ETDA/ThaiCERT Threat Group Cards, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0; source card. The tracker uses an exact name-or-alias join and reformats the attributed fields. All information contained herein is provided on an “As Is” basis with no warranty whatsoever.

Most-claimed sectorsInsurance
Activity window in this site's data

This is only the dates observed by this site. It is not this actor's lifetime or evidence of dormancy outside these dates.

Claim records
First observed Latest observed
Verified ATT&CK phases represented

Derived only from this actor's stored verified ATT&CK group-to-technique mappings (ATT&CK 20.0); phases are not scored.

Origin and motivation
Suspected origin
Iran
Motivation
Information theft and espionage, Sabotage and destruction
Targeted countries
Hong Kong, Israel, South Africa

Attributed by ETDA Threat Group Cards (Source last updated: ), by an exact name or alias match.

Sourced threat-actor profile: MISP Galaxy (Malware Information Sharing Platform)
Also known as
AMERICIUM, BlackShadow, DEV-0022, Agrius, Agonizing Serpens, UNC2428, Black Shadow, SPECTRAL KITTEN
Suspected country
IR

Source: MISP Galaxy, CC0 1.0 Universal or BSD-2-Clause, by an exact match on the name or one of its listed alternate names.

Cited references: https://www.oodaloop.com/archive/2024/01/02/critical-infrastructure-remains-the-brass-ring-for-cyber-attackers-in-2024/, https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/agonizing-serpens-targets-israeli-tech-higher-ed-sectors/, https://socprime.com/blog/agonizing-serpens-attack-detection-iran-backed-hackers-target-israeli-tech-firms-and-educational-institutions/, https://therecord.media/iran-linked-hackers-target-israel-education-tech-sectors, https://www.enigmasoftware.com/moneybirdransomware-removal/, https://research.checkpoint.com/2023/agrius-deploys-moneybird-in-targeted-attacks-against-israeli-organizations/, https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/m-trends-2025-en.pdf

Claims posted under this group's name or leak-site brand
3 on this site
View all on Breaches →
Leak-site claim activity

Claims per month, 2021-12 to 2021-12. Peak 3 in 2021-12.

2021-122021-12
Show monthly counts as a table
MonthClaims
2021-123

0 additional claims without a disclosure date

Defensive actions

The MITRE ATT&CK mitigations countering the most of this group's known techniques, derived automatically from MITRE's own group and mitigation data. Each links to the full guidance with NIST 800-53 controls and authoritative configuration sources.

All defensive actions for Blackshadow →
Detection rules

SigmaHQ detection rules mapped to this group's MITRE ATT&CK techniques. One technique maps to many rules, so this shows the top few by status and severity, with a link to the full set on SigmaHQ.

Detection rules for BlackshadowShowing 8 of 223
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Arnim Rupp

Detection prerequisites: Log source: antivirus

False positives: Unlikely

Show rule YAML
title: Antivirus - Password Dumper Signature
id: 78cc2dd2-7d20-4d32-93ff-057084c38b93
status: stable
description: |
    Detects a highly relevant Antivirus alert that reports password dumpers and stealers.
    This event must not be ignored just because the AV has blocked the malware but investigate, how it came there in the first place and check if passwords need to be reset.
references:
    - https://www.nextron-systems.com/?s=antivirus
    - https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/5fcda49ee7f202559a6cbbb34edb65c33c9a1e0bde9fa2af06a6f11b55ded619
    - https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/a4edfbd42595d5bddb442c82a02cf0aaa10893c1bf79ea08b9ce576f82749448
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Arnim Rupp
date: 2018-09-09
modified: 2026-06-15
tags:
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.t1003
    - attack.t1558
    - attack.t1003.001
    - attack.t1003.002
logsource:
    category: antivirus
detection:
    selection:
        - Signature|startswith: 'PWS'
        - Signature|contains:
              - 'Certify'
              - 'DCSync'
              - 'Creddump'
              - 'DumpCreds'
              - 'DumpLsass'
              - 'DumpPert'
              - 'FormBook'
              - 'HTool/WCE'
              - 'Kekeo'
              - 'Lazagne'
              - 'LsassDump'
              - 'Lummast'
              - 'Mimikatz'
              - 'MultiDump'
              - 'Multiverze'
              - 'Nanodump'
              - 'NativeDump'
              - 'Outflank'
              - 'PShlSpy'
              - 'PSWTool'
              - 'PWCrack'
              - 'PWDump'
              - 'PWS.'
              - 'PWSX'
              - 'pypykatz'
              - 'Rubeus'
              - 'SafetyKatz'
              - 'SecurityTool'
              - 'SharpChrome'
              - 'SharpDPAPI'
              - 'SharpDump'
              - 'SharpKatz'
              - 'SharpS.' # Sharpsploit, e.g. 530ea2ff9049f5dfdfa0a2e9c27c2e3c0685eb6cbdf85370c20a7bfae49f592d
              - 'ShpKatz'
              - 'Steal'
              - 'TrickDump'
              - 'wsass'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unlikely
level: critical
View this rule on SigmaHQ ↗
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)

Detection prerequisites: Platform: windows · Log source: process_creation

False positives: Unknown

Show rule YAML
title: Exploit for CVE-2015-1641
id: 7993792c-5ce2-4475-a3db-a3a5539827ef
status: stable
description: Detects Winword starting uncommon sub process MicroScMgmt.exe as used in exploits for CVE-2015-1641
references:
    - https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/5567408950b744c4e846ba8ae726883cb15268a539f3bb21758a466e47021ae8/analysis/
    - https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/5567408950b744c4e846ba8ae726883cb15268a539f3bb21758a466e47021ae8?environmentId=100
author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems)
date: 2018-02-22
modified: 2021-11-27
tags:
    - attack.stealth
    - attack.t1036.005
    - cve.2015-1641
    - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        ParentImage|endswith: '\WINWORD.EXE'
        Image|endswith: '\MicroScMgmt.exe'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: critical
View this rule on SigmaHQ ↗
Author: Sittikorn S

Detection prerequisites: Platform: aws · Service: cloudtrail

False positives: System or Network administrator behaviors; DEV, UAT, SAT environment. You should apply this rule with PROD environment only.

Show rule YAML
title: AWS SecurityHub Findings Evasion
id: a607e1fe-74bf-4440-a3ec-b059b9103157
status: stable
description: Detects the modification of the findings on SecurityHub.
references:
    - https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/securityhub/
author: Sittikorn S
date: 2021-06-28
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1685
logsource:
    product: aws
    service: cloudtrail
detection:
    selection:
        eventSource: securityhub.amazonaws.com
        eventName:
            - 'BatchUpdateFindings'
            - 'DeleteInsight'
            - 'UpdateFindings'
            - 'UpdateInsight'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - System or Network administrator behaviors
    - DEV, UAT, SAT environment. You should apply this rule with PROD environment only.
level: high
View this rule on SigmaHQ ↗
Author: Bhabesh Raj, Jonhnathan Ribeiro

Detection prerequisites: Platform: windows · Log source: process_access

False positives: Unknown

Show rule YAML
title: Credential Dumping Activity By Python Based Tool
id: f8be3e82-46a3-4e4e-ada5-8e538ae8b9c9
related:
    - id: 4b9a8556-99c4-470b-a40c-9c8d02c77ed0
      type: obsolete
    - id: 7186e989-4ed7-4f4e-a656-4674b9e3e48b
      type: obsolete
status: stable
description: Detects LSASS process access for potential credential dumping by a Python-like tool such as LaZagne or Pypykatz.
references:
    - https://twitter.com/bh4b3sh/status/1303674603819081728
    - https://github.com/skelsec/pypykatz
author: Bhabesh Raj, Jonhnathan Ribeiro
date: 2023-11-27
modified: 2023-11-29
tags:
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.t1003.001
    - attack.s0349
logsource:
    category: process_access
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        TargetImage|endswith: '\lsass.exe'
        CallTrace|contains|all:
            - '_ctypes.pyd+'
            - ':\Windows\System32\KERNELBASE.dll+'
            - ':\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll+'
        CallTrace|contains:
            - 'python27.dll+'
            - 'python3*.dll+'
        GrantedAccess: '0x1FFFFF'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high
View this rule on SigmaHQ ↗
Author: Thomas Patzke

Detection prerequisites: Platform: windows · Log source: process_creation

False positives: Unknown

Show rule YAML
title: HackTool - CrackMapExec Execution Patterns
id: 058f4380-962d-40a5-afce-50207d36d7e2
status: stable
description: Detects various execution patterns of the CrackMapExec pentesting framework
references:
    - https://github.com/byt3bl33d3r/CrackMapExec
author: Thomas Patzke
date: 2020-05-22
modified: 2023-11-06
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.persistence
    - attack.execution
    - attack.t1047
    - attack.t1053
    - attack.t1059.003
    - attack.t1059.001
    - attack.s0106
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        CommandLine|contains:
            # cme/protocols/smb/wmiexec.py (generalized execute_remote and execute_fileless)
            - 'cmd.exe /Q /c * 1> \\\\*\\*\\* 2>&1'
            # cme/protocols/smb/atexec.py:109 (fileless output via share)
            - 'cmd.exe /C * > \\\\*\\*\\* 2>&1'
            # cme/protocols/smb/atexec.py:111 (fileless output via share)
            - 'cmd.exe /C * > *\\Temp\\* 2>&1'
            # https://github.com/byt3bl33d3r/CrackMapExec/blob/d8c50c8cbaf36c29329078662473f75e440978d2/cme/helpers/powershell.py#L136 (PowerShell execution with obfuscation)
            - 'powershell.exe -exec bypass -noni -nop -w 1 -C "'
            # https://github.com/byt3bl33d3r/CrackMapExec/blob/d8c50c8cbaf36c29329078662473f75e440978d2/cme/helpers/powershell.py#L160 (PowerShell execution without obfuscation)
            - 'powershell.exe -noni -nop -w 1 -enc '
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high
View this rule on SigmaHQ ↗
Author: Bhabesh Raj, Nasreddine Bencherchali

Detection prerequisites: Platform: windows · Service: windefend

False positives: Administrator might try to disable defender features during testing (must be investigated)

Show rule YAML
title: Microsoft Defender Tamper Protection Trigger
id: 49e5bc24-8b86-49f1-b743-535f332c2856
status: stable
description: Detects blocked attempts to change any of Defender's settings such as "Real Time Monitoring" and "Behavior Monitoring"
references:
    - https://bhabeshraj.com/post/tampering-with-microsoft-defenders-tamper-protection
    - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-endpoint/troubleshoot-microsoft-defender-antivirus?view=o365-worldwide
author: Bhabesh Raj, Nasreddine Bencherchali
date: 2021-07-05
modified: 2022-12-06
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.t1685
logsource:
    product: windows
    service: windefend
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 5013 # Tamper protection blocked a change to Microsoft Defender Antivirus. If Tamper protection is enabled then, any attempt to change any of Defender's settings is blocked. Event ID 5013 is generated and states which setting change was blocked.
        Value|endswith:
            - '\Windows Defender\DisableAntiSpyware'
            - '\Windows Defender\DisableAntiVirus'
            - '\Windows Defender\Scan\DisableArchiveScanning'
            - '\Windows Defender\Scan\DisableScanningNetworkFiles'
            - '\Real-Time Protection\DisableRealtimeMonitoring'
            - '\Real-Time Protection\DisableBehaviorMonitoring'
            - '\Real-Time Protection\DisableIOAVProtection'
            - '\Real-Time Protection\DisableScriptScanning'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Administrator might try to disable defender features during testing (must be investigated)
level: high
View this rule on SigmaHQ ↗
Author: Nate Guagenti (neu5ron)

Detection prerequisites: Platform: zeek · Service: http

False positives: Exploits that were attempted but unsuccessful.; Scanning attempts with the abnormal use of the HTTP POST method with no indication of code execution within the HTTP Client (Request) body. An example would be vulnerability scanners trying to identify unpatched versions while not actually exploiting the vulnerability. See description for investigation tips.

Show rule YAML
title: OMIGOD HTTP No Authentication RCE - CVE-2021-38647
id: ab6b1a39-a9ee-4ab4-b075-e83acf6e346b
status: stable
description: |
    Detects the exploitation of OMIGOD (CVE-2021-38647) which allows remote execute (RCE) commands as root with just a single unauthenticated HTTP request.
    Verify, successful, exploitation by viewing the HTTP client (request) body to see what was passed to the server (using PCAP).
    Within the client body is where the code execution would occur. Additionally, check the endpoint logs to see if suspicious commands or activity occurred within the timeframe of this HTTP request.
references:
    - https://www.wiz.io/blog/omigod-critical-vulnerabilities-in-omi-azure
    - https://twitter.com/neu5ron/status/1438987292971053057?s=20
author: Nate Guagenti (neu5ron)
date: 2021-09-20
modified: 2025-11-03
tags:
    - attack.privilege-escalation
    - attack.initial-access
    - attack.execution
    - attack.lateral-movement
    - attack.t1068
    - attack.t1190
    - attack.t1203
    - attack.t1021.006
    - attack.t1210
    - detection.emerging-threats
    - cve.2021-38647
logsource:
    product: zeek
    service: http
    definition: Enable the builtin Zeek script that logs all HTTP header names by adding "@load policy/protocols/http/header-names" to your local.zeek config file. The script can be seen here for reference https://github.com/zeek/zeek/blob/d957f883df242ef159cfd846884e673addeea7a5/scripts/policy/protocols/http/header-names.zeek
detection:
    selection:
        status_code: 200
        uri: /wsman
        method: POST
    auth_header:
        client_header_names|contains: 'AUTHORIZATION'
    too_small_http_client_body:
        request_body_len: 0
    # winrm_ports:
    #    id.resp_p:
    #        -  5985
    #        -  5986
    #        -  1270
    condition: selection and not auth_header and not too_small_http_client_body
    # condition: selection and winrm_ports and not auth_header and not too_small_http_client_body # Enable this to only perform search on default WinRM ports, however those ports are sometimes changed and therefore this is disabled by default to give a broader coverage of this rule
falsepositives:
    - Exploits that were attempted but unsuccessful.
    - Scanning attempts with the abnormal use of the HTTP POST method with no indication of code execution within the HTTP Client (Request) body. An example would be vulnerability scanners trying to identify unpatched versions while not actually exploiting the vulnerability. See description for investigation tips.
level: high
View this rule on SigmaHQ ↗
Author: Thomas Patzke

Detection prerequisites: Platform: windows · Log source: create_remote_thread

False positives: Antivirus products

Show rule YAML
title: Password Dumper Remote Thread in LSASS
id: f239b326-2f41-4d6b-9dfa-c846a60ef505
status: stable
description: |
    Detects password dumper activity by monitoring remote thread creation EventID 8 in combination with the lsass.exe process as TargetImage.
    The process in field Process is the malicious program. A single execution can lead to hundreds of events.
references:
    - https://jpcertcc.github.io/ToolAnalysisResultSheet/details/WCE.htm
author: Thomas Patzke
date: 2017-02-19
modified: 2021-06-21
tags:
    - attack.credential-access
    - attack.s0005
    - attack.t1003.001
logsource:
    product: windows
    category: create_remote_thread
detection:
    selection:
        TargetImage|endswith: '\lsass.exe'
        StartModule: ''
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Antivirus products
level: high
View this rule on SigmaHQ ↗
View all detecting rules on SigmaHQ →

Detection rules licensed under Detection Rule License (DRL) 1.1, from SigmaHQ. Each rule retains its author.

Validation tests

Atomic Red Team validating tests mapped to this group's MITRE ATT&CK techniques, shown beside the detection rules so you can validate the detections. This shows the top few, with a link to the full set on GitHub. Descriptive metadata only, never the attack commands.

Validating tests for BlackshadowShowing 8 of 152
Platforms: windows

Adfind tool can be used for reconnaissance in an Active directory environment. This example has been documented by ransomware actors enumerating Active Directory Computer Objects reference- http://www.joeware.net/freetools/tools/adfind/, https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2019/04/pick-six-intercepting-a-fin6-intrusion.html

View this test on GitHub ↗
Platforms: windows

Adfind tool can be used for reconnaissance in an Active directory environment. This example has been documented by ransomware actors enumerating Active Directory Domain Controller Objects reference- http://www.joeware.net/freetools/tools/adfind/, https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2019/04/pick-six-intercepting-a-fin6-intrusion.html

View this test on GitHub ↗
Platforms: windows

Any easy way to bypass AMSI inspection is it patch the dll in memory setting the "amsiInitFailed" function to true. Upon execution, no output is displayed. https://www.mdsec.co.uk/2018/06/exploring-powershell-amsi-and-logging-evasion/

View this test on GitHub ↗
Platforms: windows

Patches AmsiScanBuffer in memory using P/Invoke to resolve the function address via GetModuleHandle/GetProcAddress, then overwrites the prologue with instructions that return AMSI_RESULT_CLEAN immediately (mov al, 1; ret). Reference: https://i.blackhat.com/briefings/asia/2018/asia-18-Tal-Liberman-Documenting-the-Undocumented-The-Rise-and-Fall-of-AMSI.pdf

View this test on GitHub ↗
Platforms: windows

Automated Collection. Upon execution, check the users temp directory (%temp%) for the folder T1119_command_prompt_collection to see what was collected.

View this test on GitHub ↗
Platforms: windows

Automated Collection. Upon execution, check the users temp directory (%temp%) for the folder T1119_powershell_collection to see what was collected.

View this test on GitHub ↗
Platforms: iaas:aws

Creates a new cloudTrail in AWS, Upon successful creation it will Update,Stop and Delete the cloudTrail

View this test on GitHub ↗
Platforms: linux, macos, iaas:aws

This Atomic test will use the Stratus Red Team will first setup a CloudTrail logging into an S3 bucket and will then make an API call to update the lifecycle rule on that S3 bucket with an expiration date of 1 day. This will essentially delete all the logs after one day. Adversaries often do this actiivity to evade detection. Stratus Red Team is a self-contained binary. You can use it to easily detonate offensive attack techniques against a live cloud environment. ref: https://stratus-red-team.cloud/attack-techniques/AWS/aws.defense-evasion.cloudtrail-lifecycle-rule/

View this test on GitHub ↗
View all validating tests on GitHub →

Atomic tests from Atomic Red Team, (c) Red Canary, MIT License. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Red Canary.

Ransomware claim data is unverified: RansomLook (CC BY 4.0).

Glossary