Ave Maria Trojan

First observed in late 2018, Ave Maria (stylised as AVE_MARIA) is an advanced information stealing trojan with similarities to the Orcus and Revenge remote access trojans.

Threat ID:: CC-2969
Category:: Trojan
Threat Severity:: Medium
Threat Vector:: Phishing, Email spam
Published:: 11 March 2019 12:00 AM

Report a cyber attack: call 0300 303 5222 or email [email protected]

Summary

First observed in late 2018, Ave Maria (stylised as AVE_MARIA) is an advanced information stealing trojan with similarities to the Orcus and Revenge remote access trojans.

Affected platforms

The following platforms are known to be affected:

PHP

Microsoft Windows - All versions

Threat details

Ave Maria is delivered via spam or phishing campaigns using a multi-stage infection process. A small Visual Basic script contained in the emails executes a PowerShell command to download an initial reconnaissance module. This module collects a range of information on the user and system before installing a second stage dropper. This second module will create an instance of a running process before downloading the final payload and injecting it into the process.

Once installed, Ave Maria will connect to a command and control (C2) server before attempting to bypass User Access Controls using a known PkgMgr.exe vulnerability. It will then extract user credentials from Microsoft Exchange or Outlook clients and send these back to the C2 server. Ave Maria is also able to decrypt credentials stored by the Mozilla Firefox browser using code taken from the KeePass open-source password manager plugin.

Remediation steps

Type	Step
	To prevent and detect a trojan infection, ensure that: A robust program of education and awareness training is delivered to users to ensure they don’t open attachments or follow links within unsolicited emails. All operating systems, anti-virus and other security products are kept up-to-date. Regular anti-virus and security scans are performed on your organisation’s estate. All day-to-day computer activities such as email and internet are performed using non-administrative accounts. Strong password policies are in place. Network, proxy and firewall logs should be monitored for suspicious activity. User accounts accessed from affected devices should be reset on a clean computer. Your organisation adopts a holistic all-round approach to Cyber Security as advocated by the 10 Steps to Cyber Security.

Type

Step

To prevent and detect a trojan infection, ensure that:

A robust program of education and awareness training is delivered to users to ensure they don’t open attachments or follow links within unsolicited emails.
All operating systems, anti-virus and other security products are kept up-to-date.
Regular anti-virus and security scans are performed on your organisation’s estate.
All day-to-day computer activities such as email and internet are performed using non-administrative accounts.
Strong password policies are in place.
Network, proxy and firewall logs should be monitored for suspicious activity.
User accounts accessed from affected devices should be reset on a clean computer.
Your organisation adopts a holistic all-round approach to Cyber Security as advocated by the 10 Steps to Cyber Security.

Last edited: 14 February 2020 2:53 pm