Exploring a New KimJongRAT Stealer Variant and Its PowerShell Implementation


This article provides a comprehensive analysis of two new variants of the KimJongRAT stealer.

Palo Alto Unit 42 combine new research findings with existing knowledge to provide a comprehensive resource for understanding and combating these new KimJongRAT variants. The KimJongRAT stealer was first described in 2013 by the Malware.lu CERT. Palo Alto researchers documented another variant of this family in 2019. One of the new variants uses a Portable Executable (PE) file and the other uses a PowerShell implementation. The PE and PowerShell variants are both initiated by clicking a Windows shortcut (LNK) file that downloads a dropper file from an attacker-controlled content delivery network (CDN) account.

Read more…
Source: Palo Alto Unit 42


Sign up for our Newsletter
The latest news and insights delivered right to your inbox.


Related:

  • Cookies: What they are for, associated risks, and what session hijacking has to do with it

    September 2, 2025

    When you visit almost any website, you’ll see a pop-up asking you to accept, decline, or customize the cookies it collects. Sometimes, it just tells you that cookies are in use by default. Kaspersky researchers randomly checked 647 websites, and 563 of them displayed cookie notifications. Most of the time, users don’t even pause to think ...

  • Hackers are now hiding malware in the images served up by LLMs

    August 31, 2025

    As AI tools become more integrated into daily work, the security risks attached to them are also evolving in new directions. Researchers at Trail of Bits have demonstrated a method where malicious prompts are hidden inside images and then revealed during processing by large language models. The technique takes advantage of how AI platforms downscale images ...

  • Storm-0501’s evolving techniques lead to cloud-based ransomware

    August 29, 2025

    Microsoft Threat Intelligence has observed financially motivated threat actor Storm-0501 continuously evolving their campaigns to achieve sharpened focus on cloud-based tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). While the threat actor has been known for targeting hybrid cloud environments, their primary objective has shifted from deploying on-premises endpoint ransomware to using cloud-based ransomware tactics. Unlike traditional on-premises ransomware, ...

  • WhatsApp fixes ‘zero-click’ bug used to hack Apple users with spyware

    August 29, 2025

    WhatsApp said on Friday that it fixed a security bug in its iOS and Mac apps that was being used to stealthily hack into the Apple devices of “specific targeted users.” The Meta-owned messaging app giant said in its security advisory that it fixed the vulnerability, known officially as CVE-2025-55177, which was used alongside a separate ...

  • How attackers adapt to built-in macOS protection

    August 29, 2025

    If a system is popular with users, you can bet it’s just as popular with cybercriminals. Although Windows still dominates, second place belongs to macOS. And this makes it a viable target for attackers. With various built-in protection mechanisms, macOS generally provides a pretty much end-to-end security for the end user. This post looks at how ...

  • Free webinar exploring the future of cyber security in critical industries

    August 28, 2025

    On 5 September 2025, cyber security professionals and industry leaders will gather online for a free, expert-led webinar: “Securing systems, data, and people: What are cyber security experts’ concerns for the future?”. This session serves as a precursor to the IET’s Cyber Security for Critical Industries Conference 2025, offering attendees a valuable glimpse into the ...