RansomHub Affiliate Deploys New Custom Backdoor “Betruger” for Persistent Access

Symantec’s Threat Hunter team has identified a sophisticated custom backdoor named “Betruger” linked to a RansomHub affiliate.

This newly discovered backdoor appears to be purpose-built for ransomware operations, consolidating multiple attack functions into a single tool, likely to minimize the attacker’s footprint during campaigns.

Advanced Multi-Function Malware Discovered

The backdoor incorporates an extensive array of capabilities typically distributed across multiple tools in ransomware attacks.

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These include screen capture functionality, credential theft mechanisms, keylogging capabilities, network scanning features, and privilege escalation techniques.

Security researchers believe this consolidated approach represents a tactical evolution designed to reduce the number of distinct tools needed during an attack, thereby lowering detection probability.

Protection and Detection Mechanisms

Symantec has implemented comprehensive protection against this threat through multiple detection layers.

The security vendor’s adaptive-based protections include signatures such as ACM.Ps-RgPst!g1, ACM.Ps-SvcReg!g1, and ACM.Untrst-RunSys!g1, while behavior-based detection identifies the threat as SONAR.TCP!gen1.

File-based detections have been established under various classifications including Backdoor.Betruger, Backdoor.Cobalt, Backdoor.SystemBC, and Ransom.Ransomhub!g1.

Additionally, machine learning algorithms have been deployed to identify the threat through heuristic analysis with signatures like Heur.AdvML.A!300 through Heur.AdvML.C.

VMware Carbon Black products are also effective against this threat, with existing policies blocking associated malicious indicators.

Security experts recommend implementing policies that block all malware types (Known, Suspect, and PUP) and delay execution for cloud scanning to maximize protection.

The discovery of Betruger highlights the ongoing evolution of ransomware tactics, with threat actors increasingly developing custom tools to enhance their operational efficiency.

RansomHub, operating as a Ransomware-as-a-Service platform, continues to demonstrate sophisticated capabilities through its affiliates’ use of advanced custom malware.

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