Crypted Hearts: Exposing the HeartCrypt Packer-as-a-Service Operation

Category	Details
Threat Actors	Unknown actors offering the HeartCrypt PaaS targeting various regions and industries.
Campaign Overview	HeartCrypt is a Packer-as-a-Service (PaaS) launched in February 2024, used to protect malware by obfuscating code within legitimate binaries. Advertised in underground forums and Telegram, it supports 32-bit Windows payloads for $20 per file.
Target Regions (Victims)	Observed campaigns in Latin America and other global regions. Specific targets include industries and individuals.
Methodology	HeartCrypt injects malicious code into legitimate executables. Techniques include: ➡ Control flow hijacking ➡ Obfuscation (stack strings, junk bytes, etc.) ➡ Anti-sandboxing methods (loop emulation and Windows Defender evasion)
Product Targeted	Windows systems, particularly 32-bit binaries.
Malware Reference	Associated with LummaStealer, Remcos RAT, XWorm, Quasar RAT, RedLine Stealer, and others.
Tools Used	➡ Telegram ➡ Underground forums (e.g., XSS.is, Exploit.in, BlackHatForums) ➡ API abuse (e.g., LoadResource, VirtualProtect)
Vulnerabilities Exploited	Anti-sandbox evasion techniques targeting: ➡ Windows Defender’s VDLL ➡ VM detection with d3d9 library ➡ Dependency emulation checks
TTPs	➡ Packer services for malware ➡ Use of legitimate binaries for obfuscation ➡ Extensive use of control flow obfuscation (jmp instructions, PIC) ➡ Dynamic API resolution ➡ Tailored payload injection into binaries
Attribution	Development observed since July 2023 by unknown operators, possibly cybercriminal syndicates.
Recommendations	➡ Implement robust sandboxing to detect obfuscated code ➡ Monitor suspicious use of LoadResource and other API calls ➡ Enhance behavioral analysis to detect unusual control flow manipulations ➡ Educate users about risks of downloading executables from unverified sources
Source	Palo Alto Networks (Unit 42)

Read full article: https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/packer-as-a-service-heartcrypt-malware/

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