{"id":57470,"date":"2024-10-22T05:30:14","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T05:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/pixel-perfect-ghostpulse-malware-loader-hides-inside-png-image-files\/"},"modified":"2024-10-22T05:30:14","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T05:30:14","slug":"pixel-perfect-ghostpulse-malware-loader-hides-inside-png-image-files","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/pixel-perfect-ghostpulse-malware-loader-hides-inside-png-image-files\/","title":{"rendered":"Pixel perfect Ghostpulse malware loader hides inside PNG image files"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Ghostpulse malware strain now retrieves its main payload via a PNG image file&#8217;s pixels. This development, security experts say, is &#8220;one of the most significant changes&#8221; made by the crooks behind it since launching in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>The image file format is popularly used for web graphics and is often picked in preference to a lossy compression JPG file because it is a lossless format and retains key details such as smooth text outlines.<\/p>\n<p>Elastic Security Labs&#8217; Salim Bitam noted that Ghostpulse is often used in campaigns as a loader for more dangerous types of malware such as the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theregister.com\/2024\/07\/25\/crowdstrike_lumma_infostealer\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Lumma infostealer<\/a>, and that the latest change makes it even more difficult to detect.<\/p>\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"adun\" data-pos=\"top\" data-raptor=\"condor\" data-xsm=\",fluid,mpu,\" data-sm=\",fluid,mpu,\" data-md=\",fluid,mpu,\"> <noscript> <a href=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/jump?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=2&amp;c=2Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/ad?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=2&amp;c=2Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0\" alt> <\/a> <\/noscript> <\/div>\n<p>Previous versions of Ghostpulse were also difficult to detect and used sneaky methods such as hiding payloads in a PNG file&#8217;s IDAT chunk. However, it now parses the image&#8217;s pixels, embedding the malicious data within the structure.<\/p>\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"adun\" data-pos=\"top\" data-raptor=\"falcon\" data-xmd=\",fluid,mpu,leaderboard,\" data-lg=\",fluid,mpu,leaderboard,\" data-xlg=\",fluid,billboard,superleaderboard,mpu,leaderboard,\" data-xxlg=\",fluid,billboard,superleaderboard,brandwidth,brandimpact,leaderboard,mpu,\"> <noscript> <a href=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/jump?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=4&amp;c=44Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/ad?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=4&amp;c=44Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D426raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0\" alt> <\/a> <\/noscript> <\/div>\n<div class=\"adun_eagle_desktop_story_wrapper\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"adun\" data-pos=\"mid\" data-raptor=\"eagle\" data-xxlg=\",mpu,dmpu,\"> <noscript> <a href=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/jump?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=3&amp;c=33Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/ad?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=3&amp;c=33Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0\" alt> <\/a> <\/noscript> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;The malware constructs a byte array by extracting each pixel&#8217;s red, green, and blue (RGB) values sequentially using standard Windows APIs from the GdiPlus(GDI+) library,&#8221; Bitam said. &#8220;Once the byte array is built, the malware searches for the start of a structure that contains the encrypted Ghostpulse configuration, including the XOR key needed for decryption.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It does this by looping through the byte array in 16-byte blocks. For each block, the first four bytes represent a CRC32 hash, and the next 12 bytes are the data to be hashed. The malware computes the CRC32 of the 12 bytes and checks if it matches the hash. If a match is found, it extracts the offset of the encrypted Ghostpulse configuration, its size, and the four-byte XOR key, and then XOR decrypts it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"adun\" data-pos=\"top\" data-raptor=\"falcon\" data-xsm=\",fluid,mpu,\" data-sm=\",fluid,mpu,\" data-md=\",fluid,mpu,\"> <noscript> <a href=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/jump?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=4&amp;c=44Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/ad?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=4&amp;c=44Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D426raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0\" alt> <\/a> <\/noscript> <\/div>\n<p>Ghostpulse is far from the first malware strain to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theregister.com\/2014\/12\/11\/your_data_stolen_through_pixels\/\" rel=\"noopener\">hide its malicious files within pixels<\/a>. However, the finding speaks to the consistent craftiness exhibited by those behind it.<\/p>\n<p>The technique goes hand-in-hand with the social engineering techniques used to download the file in the first place. Bitam said victims are tricked into visiting an attacker-controlled website and validating what appears to be a routine <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theregister.com\/2024\/07\/24\/googles_recaptchav2_labor\/\" rel=\"noopener\">CAPTCHA<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>However, instead of checking a box or a series of images matching a prompt, victims are instructed to enter specific keyboard shortcuts that copy malicious <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theregister.com\/2024\/09\/17\/oracle_urged_to_surrender_javascript_trademark\/\" rel=\"noopener\">JavaScript<\/a> to the user&#8217;s clipboard. From there, a PowerShell script is run that downloads and executes the Ghostpulse payload.<\/p>\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"adun\" id=\"story_eagle_xsm_sm_md_xmd_lg_xlg\" data-pos=\"mid\" data-raptor=\"eagle\" data-xsm=\",mpu,dmpu,\" data-sm=\",mpu,dmpu,\" data-md=\",mpu,dmpu,\" data-xmd=\",mpu,dmpu,\" data-lg=\",mpu,dmpu,\" data-xlg=\",mpu,dmpu,\"> <noscript> <a href=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/jump?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=3&amp;c=33Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/ad?co=1&amp;iu=\/6978\/reg_specialfeatures\/cybersecuritymonth&amp;sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&amp;tile=3&amp;c=33Zxc9oQMXSkSISX8kuVOWGQAAABE&amp;t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0\" alt> <\/a> <\/noscript> <\/div>\n<p>McAfee recently spotted the same method being used to drop Lumma, but didn&#8217;t reference Ghostpulse&#8217;s involvement. Its researchers <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/other-blogs\/mcafee-labs\/behind-the-captcha-a-clever-gateway-of-malware\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">noted<\/a> that GitHub users were being targeted specifically using emails purportedly asking them to fix a non-existent security vulnerability.<\/p>\n<p>The sophistication here is far greater than what the cybercriminals behind Ghostpulse demonstrated in early versions, which relied on victims downloading dodgy executables following SEO poisoning or malvertising efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Using these techniques, the malware does a good job of evading simple, file-based malware scanning methods and, given how pervasive Lumma is among cybercriminals, it&#8217;s a good idea to ensure defenses are ready to block it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"boxout\" readability=\"30.131826741996\">\n<p>Cyfirma&#8217;s experts <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyfirma.com\/research\/lumma-stealer-tactics-impact-and-defense-strategies\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">describe<\/a> Lumma as a &#8220;potent&#8221; and &#8220;sophisticated&#8221; malware-as-a-service offering that&#8217;s been around since 2022. It targets all kinds of data including sensitive types and sources such as cryptocurrency wallets, web browsers, email clients, and two-factor authentication browser extensions.<\/p>\n<p>According to Darktrace, access to Lumma can be purchased for as little as $250 \u2013 a price that can rise to $20,000 for the source code.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s often distributed via trojanized downloads for popular software, and the myriad campaigns using it have posed as various organizations from ChatGPT to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theregister.com\/2024\/07\/25\/crowdstrike_lumma_infostealer\/\" rel=\"noopener\">CrowdStrike<\/a> just days after its update nightmare.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Mirroring the general emergence and rise of information stealers across the cyber threat landscape, Lumma stealer continues to represent a significant concern to organizations and individuals alike,&#8221; Darktrace <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/darktrace.com\/blog\/the-rise-of-the-lumma-info-stealer\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Reg<\/em> readers may also remember that Lumma was also fingered as one of the infostealers that exploited a Google zero-day to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theregister.com\/2024\/01\/02\/infostealer_google_account_exploit\/\" rel=\"noopener\">maintain access to compromised accounts<\/a> even after passwords were changed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>If you implemented the YARA rules Elastic released last year, these will still be enough to keep your organization safe from the malware&#8217;s final infection stage, Bitam said, although it recently <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.elastic.co\/security-labs\/tricks-and-treats\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">released some updated ones<\/a> to catch Ghostpulse in the act sooner.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In summary, the Ghostpulse malware family has evolved since its release in 2023, with this recent update marking one of the most significant changes,&#8221; said Bitam. &#8220;As attackers continue to innovate, defenders must adapt by utilizing updated tools and techniques to mitigate these threats effectively.&#8221; \u00ae<\/p>\n<p> READ MORE <a href=\"https:\/\/go.theregister.com\/feed\/www.theregister.com\/2024\/10\/22\/ghostpulse_malware_loader_png\/\">HERE<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Miscreants combine it with an equally tricky piece of social engineering The Ghostpulse malware strain now retrieves its main payload via a PNG image file&#8217;s pixels. This development, security experts say, is &#8220;one of the most significant changes&#8221; made by the crooks behind it since launching in 2023.\u2026 READ MORE HERE&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-register"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Pixel perfect Ghostpulse malware loader hides inside PNG image files 2026 | ThreatsHub Cybersecurity News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"ThreatsHub Cybersecurity News | ThreatsHub.org | Cloud Security &amp; Cyber Threats Analysis Hub. 100% Free OSINT Threat Intelligent and Cybersecurity News.\" \/>\n<meta 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