DarkCloud Stealer: Comprehensive Analysis of a New Attack Chain That Employs AutoIt


In January 2025, Unit 42 researchers identified a series of attacks distributing DarkCloud Stealer. The latest attack chain incorporated AutoIt to evade detection and used a file-sharing server to host the malware.

This article explores the chain of events from these recent campaigns and analyzes the characteristics of these attacks. DarkCloud employs multi-stage payloads and obfuscated AutoIt scripting, making its detection challenging with traditional signature-based methods. Its ability to extract sensitive data and establish command and control (C2) communications highlights the importance of thorough detection and assessment.

Read more…
Source: Palo Alto Unit 42


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