Phantom Stealer Unmasked: Shellcode, Steganography, and Credential Theft
Source AlienVault OTX General
Description
Phantom Stealer is a .NET-based credential-harvesting malware that collects browser credentials, saved passwords, session cookies, cryptocurrency wallet files, and system fingerprints from infected machines. Distributed through phishing emails, cracked software, and malicious links on Discord and Telegram, it employs multiple loader variants including steganography-based delivery and PowerShell shellcode injection. The malware uses extensive anti-analysis techniques including virtualization detection, API patching to disable AMSI and ETW, and timing-based sandbox evasion. It targets Chromium and Gecko-based browsers, cryptocurrency wallets, FileZilla credentials, WinSCP configurations, and Outlook profiles. Additional capabilities include keylogging, screen capture, clipboard monitoring with cryptocurrency address replacement, and Wi-Fi credential theft. The malware achieves persistence through registry Run keys or Startup folder entries.