LightNeuron is controlled via commands that are embedded into PDFs and JPGs using steganographic methods.2
tool
LightNeuron S0395
- Type
- malware
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux
- Created
- 28 June 2019
- Last modified
- 11 April 2024
LightNeuron is a sophisticated backdoor that has targeted Microsoft Exchange servers since at least 2014. LightNeuron has been used by Turla to target diplomatic and foreign affairs-related organizations. The presence of certain strings in the malware suggests a Linux variant of LightNeuron exists.[1]
22
TechniquesTop 16%
8
TacticsTop 20%
1
Threat groupunranked
0
CampaignsNone recorded
Enterprise ATT&CK only. Any Mobile or ICS rows on the same ATT&CK page are not carried.
MITRE reference S0395
LightNeuron can collect files from a local system.3
LightNeuron gathers information about network adapters using the Win32 API call GetAdaptersInfo.4
LightNeuron can be configured to automatically exfiltrate files under a specified directory.5
LightNeuron encrypts its configuration files with AES-256.6
LightNeuron can be configured to exfiltrate data during nighttime or working hours.7
Standing S0395
Reach is how much of ATT&CK this tool touches. Coverage is how well defended each thing it does is, as a median per technique rather than a total — a total would just restate the reach. Each figure is ranked against all 825 ATT&CK software entries only where that population actually spreads. Where most of the population shares one value, a percentile would rank the tie instead of the entity, so the raw value is shown and no rank is claimed.
Reach
Techniques22Top 16%
84th percentile · 84% of 825 ATT&CK software entries have this many Enterprise techniques or fewer.
Tactics8Top 20%
80th percentile · 80% of 825 ATT&CK software entries have this many tactics spanned or fewer.
Threat group161% tie · 22 values
61% of the population shares a single value across only 22 distinct values, so a percentile here would rank the tie, not the entity.
Campaigns085% tie · 8 values
85% of the population shares a single value across only 8 distinct values, so a percentile here would rank the tie, not the entity.
Coverage
Rules / technique12.5medBottom 22%
22nd percentile · 78% of 825 ATT&CK software entries have more detection rules per technique.
Tests / technique3med
Detection coverage S0395
439 distinct rules cover the 22 techniques recorded for this tool. The 455 technique-to-rule mappings resolve to 439 distinct rules, because one rule can cover several techniques. 291 Sigma · 148 Splunk.
19 covered by at least one rule3 with no coverage439 distinct rules in total
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