ClickFix Deno Abuse to CastleRAT
Source AlienVault OTX General
Description
Activity began with a ClickFix-style social engineering chain that led to MSI execution, PowerShell staging, and installation/use of Deno to run attacker-controlled JavaScript. Follow-on activity downloaded a portable Python runtime, `install.pyc`, and an encrypted `.MOa` container, which was later decrypted to recover a 64-bit Windows PE payload. Analysis of the recovered payload showed Steam Community being used as a dead-drop resolver for C2, with the profile title resolving to `smokeenew[.]com`, while `ip-api.com` was used for victim network/geolocation profiling. The payload also contained logic for browser/wallet data collection, clipboard/keylogging-related capabilities, Defender exclusions, UAC bypass/relaunch behavior through `ComputerDefaults.exe`, and a C2-tasked mechanism to receive and install an additional `Krutyak.zip` / `usbmmidd_v2` component. Recommendations: Block artifacts where applicable.
Indicators of compromise
Domains 5
- lkczkqweca.com
- smokeenew.com
- ibewfszvehhb.lkczkqweca.com
- webstizkgao.com
- nicenicc.com
URLs 4
- http://webstizkgao.com/v02c4fd90de22ee0677.js
- http://webstizkgao.com/v2c4fd90de22ee0677.js
- http://162.33.177.16/CFBatFIX/install.pyc
- http://162.33.177.16/CFBatFIX/7sjVtn0zPVjMZzkxZ.MOa
IP addresses 1
- 162.33.177.16