The DarkHydrus threat actor group has been observed delivering a new Trojan malware variant known as RogueRobin, which uniquely leverages Google Drive as a command and control (C2) communication channel. This Trojan is part of the DarkHydrus intrusion set (G0079) and is designed to evade traditional network detection by using a legitimate cloud storage service for C2 operations. By abusing Google Drive, the malware can receive commands and exfiltrate data covertly, blending malicious traffic with normal user activity. This technique complicates detection and mitigation efforts since traffic to Google Drive is typically allowed and trusted within enterprise environments. The Trojan’s use of Google Drive for C2 communications indicates a sophisticated approach to persistence and stealth, enabling the threat actor to maintain long-term access to compromised systems. Although the reported severity is low and no known exploits in the wild have been documented, the malware’s capability to utilize a widely trusted cloud platform for malicious purposes represents a notable evolution in attacker tactics. The certainty of this intelligence is moderate (50%), and the threat level is assessed at 3 on a scale that likely ranges higher, suggesting limited but credible risk. The Trojan is categorized as malicious code with no specific affected versions or patches available, indicating it may target a broad range of systems without exploiting a particular vulnerability. The use of OSINT and MISP galaxy tags links this malware to the RogueRobin family and the DarkHydrus actor, both known for targeted espionage campaigns primarily in the Middle East but with potential global reach.

For European organizations, the use of Google Drive as a C2 channel poses significant challenges. Many enterprises rely on Google Workspace or allow access to Google Drive for productivity, making it difficult to distinguish malicious traffic from legitimate use. This can lead to prolonged undetected intrusions, data exfiltration, and potential intellectual property theft. The Trojan’s stealthy communication method could facilitate espionage, especially targeting sectors with sensitive data such as government, defense, research institutions, and critical infrastructure. The impact on confidentiality is high due to potential data leakage, while integrity and availability impacts are likely medium to low given the Trojan’s focus on covert communications rather than destructive payloads. The low reported severity may underestimate the operational risk in environments where Google Drive is heavily used and network monitoring is insufficiently granular. Additionally, the lack of known exploits in the wild suggests this threat is currently limited but could evolve or be adopted by other actors, increasing risk over time.

European organizations should implement advanced monitoring of cloud service usage, focusing on anomalous patterns in Google Drive access such as unusual file creation, modification, or access times inconsistent with user behavior. Deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying suspicious processes that interact with cloud storage APIs can help detect Trojan activity. Network segmentation and strict access controls should be enforced to limit the spread of malware if an endpoint is compromised. Organizations should also employ threat intelligence feeds to stay updated on indicators of compromise related to DarkHydrus and RogueRobin. User education about phishing and social engineering, common infection vectors for Trojans, remains critical. Where possible, organizations should restrict or monitor the use of personal cloud storage accounts on corporate devices. Finally, leveraging Google Workspace’s security features such as Data Loss Prevention (DLP), audit logs, and anomaly detection can help identify and mitigate misuse of Google Drive for C2 communications.