Hiding Mechanisms

Created the Saturday 23 March 2019. Updated 6 months, 2 weeks ago.

Malware often uses various techniques to hide its presence on a system and avoid detection. One common method is to modify or create entries in the system registry, which is a database of configuration settings for the operating system and installed applications. By modifying these settings, malware can hide itself from security software or other programs that might detect its presence.

Another technique is to modify or create critical system files, such as system DLLs or driver files. This can allow the malware to gain access to system resources and remain hidden from security software. Similarly, malware can hide itself in temporary folders or other locations on the system that are not routinely scanned for malicious activity. By using these and other techniques, malware can avoid detection and continue to operate on a compromised system.

Technique Identifier

U1003

Technique Tags

hide presence system registry critical system files temporary folders operating system installed applications

Featured Windows API's

Below, you will find a list of the most commonly used Windows API's that are currently utilized by malware authors for current evasion technique. This list is meant to provide an overview of the API's that are commonly used for this purpose. If there are any API's that you feel should be included on this list, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to update the list and provide any additional information or documentation that may be helpful.

RegCloseKey

Code Snippets

Description

The code uses the Windows API to open a registry key and create a new value within that key. The value is set to a binary data type, which could be used to store the malware itself. This code would need to be compiled and executed on a system to hide the malware in the registry.

#include <Windows.h>

int main()
{
  // Open the registry key where the malware will be hidden
  HKEY hKey;
  RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\\MyMalware", 0, KEY_WRITE, &hKey);
  
  // Create a new value in the registry key to store the malware
  DWORD dwValue = 1;
  RegSetValueEx(hKey, "HiddenValue", 0, REG_DWORD, (LPBYTE)&dwValue, sizeof(dwValue));
  
  // Close the registry key
  RegCloseKey(hKey);
  
  // Return success
  return 0;
}

Additional Resources

External Links

The resources provided below are associated links that will give you even more detailed information and research on current evasion technique. It is important to note that, while these resources may be helpful, it is important to exercise caution when following external links. As always, be careful when clicking on links from unknown sources, as they may lead to malicious content.

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