Potential Ke3chang/TidePool Malware Activity

title: Potential Ke3chang/TidePool Malware Activity
id: 7b544661-69fc-419f-9a59-82ccc328f205
status: test
description: Detects registry modifications potentially related to the Ke3chang/TidePool malware as seen in campaigns running in 2019 and 2020
references:
    - https://web.archive.org/web/20200618080300/https://www.verfassungsschutz.de/embed/broschuere-2020-06-bfv-cyber-brief-2020-01.pdf
    - https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/operation-ke3chang-resurfaces-with-new-tidepool-malware/
author: Markus Neis, Swisscom
date: 2020-06-18
modified: 2023-03-10
tags:
    - attack.defense-impairment
    - attack.g0004
    - attack.t1685
    - detection.emerging-threats
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        # Ke3chang and TidePool both modify the IEHarden registry key, as well as the following list of keys.
        # Setting these registry keys is unique to the Ke3chang and TidePool malware families.
        # HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Check_Associations
        # HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\DisableFirstRunCustomize
        # HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ZoneMap\IEharden
        CommandLine|contains:
            - '-Property DWORD -name DisableFirstRunCustomize -value 2 -Force'
            - '-Property String -name Check_Associations -value'
            - '-Property DWORD -name IEHarden -value 0 -Force'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Unknown
level: high