Threat Actor Characterization
XWorm
ID: 2f2ce2f96b8f4264e72cedfd03572a3381555| XWorm RAT | — | — | — |
Actor Network Graph
Open Network GraphMITRE ATT&CK®
XWorm is a modular MaaS-style Remote Access Trojan ecosystem active since ~2022, sold via underground channels and used across diverse campaigns. It supports remote control, credential and crypto wallet theft, keylogging, clipboard monitoring, and plugin-based extensibility (including in-memory DLL plugins). Recent reporting documents evolving delivery chains: phishing campaigns with document exploitation (e.g., Excel CVE-2018-0802 leading to HTA staging), shellcode-based multi-stage loaders with injection, and v6.0 enhancements including AMSI bypass and anti-analysis features. Persistence commonly includes Run key and Startup folder techniques. Due to multi-operator usage, defenders should prioritize behavior-first detections, time-bounded IOC operations, and campaign clustering rather than single-actor attribution. Late-2025 operator release notes for versions 7.1-7.3 additionally suggest active commercial upkeep and feature work around UAC control/bypass, credential-recovery modules, plugin refurbishment, and a maintained ransomware component; these claims should be treated as version-scoped and marketing-influenced until independently reversed.
| Technique | Technique name | Tactics | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1566.001 | Spearphishing Attachment | TA0001 |
|
| T1203 | Exploitation for Client Execution | TA0002 |
|
| T1218.005 | Mshta | TA0005 |
|
| T1055 | Process Injection | TA0004 TA0005 |
|
| T1071.001 | Web Protocols | TA0011 |
|
| T1547.001 | Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder | TA0003 TA0004 |
|
| T1056.001 | Keylogging | TA0006 TA0009 |
|
| T1125 | Video Capture | TA0009 |
|
| T1123 | Audio Capture | TA0009 |
|
| T1105 | Ingress Tool Transfer | TA0011 |
|
| T1059.003 | Windows Command Shell | TA0002 |
|
| T1548.002 | Bypass User Account Control | TA0004 TA0005 |
|
| T1486 | Data Encrypted for Impact | TA0040 |
|