Carbanak Malware: Analysis, Detection, Removal

What is Carbanak malware?

Carbanak is a banking trojan designed primarily for financial theft on an enterprise scale. First identified in 2014, it is associated with FIN7, a notorious cybercriminal group. Carbanak executes remote commands, monitors systems, and exfiltrates sensitive data. Its complex design and adaptability make it one of the most dangerous malware families in the cybercrime landscape.

When was Carbanak first discovered?

Carbanak was first discovered in 2014 by Kaspersky Lab researchers. It is believed to have been active since late 2013. The malware’s operations quickly raised global awareness due to unprecedented financial damages exceeding $1 billion across multiple countries.

Who created Carbanak?

Carbanak was developed and deployed by the FIN7 cybercriminal group, also known as Carbanak Group. FIN7 is a highly skilled group known for orchestrating targeted attacks against financial institutions and corporations worldwide.

What does Carbanak target?

Carbanak primarily targets financial institutions, including banks, ATMs, payment systems, and other entities in the financial sector. Its campaigns have spanned geographies, aiming at organizations across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Carbanak distribution method

Carbanak is delivered through spear-phishing emails containing malicious attachments, often disguised as legitimate documents. These emails aim to lure employees into opening payloads that exploit vulnerabilities, granting attackers access to the organization’s network.

Technical analysis of Carbanak malware

Carbanak operates through several stages. It begins with phishing email delivery, followed by remote access tool (RAT) installation for persistence. Once inside, it enables lateral movement across the network, targeting critical financial systems. Carbanak employs sophisticated tactics to execute fraudulent transactions, including inputting remote ATM commands for cash withdrawals.

Tactics, Techniques & Procedures (TTPs)

Initial Access (Phishing Emails)
Execution (Scheduled Task/Job)
Persistence (Remote Access Tools)
Privilege Escalation (Credential Dumping via Mimikatz)
Defense Evasion (Obfuscation)

Indicators of Compromise (IoCs)

IPs: [example placeholder]
Hashes: [example hash placeholder]
Domains: carbanak[.]malicious-url[.]com

How to know if you’re infected with Carbanak?

Systems compromised by Carbanak may exhibit unusual network activity, unexpected software installations, or unauthorized financial transactions. Frequent system crashes, unfamiliar login activity, and phishing emails targeting employees are also warning signs.

Carbanak removal instructions

Removing Carbanak requires a comprehensive approach. Begin by isolating affected systems to prevent further compromise. Use Huntress-provided endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to identify and neutralize the malware. Critical steps include patching vulnerabilities, revoking stolen credentials, and rebuilding infected systems.

Is Carbanak still active?

Carbanak remains a significant threat, with resemblances found in variations like Cobalt Strike. Although operations have slowed due to arrests, derivative malware from the same group continues in circulation.

Mitigation & prevention strategies

Protect against Carbanak by implementing robust multi-factor authentication (MFA), regularly patching vulnerabilities, and educating employees about phishing tactics. Utilize 24/7 network monitoring services like Huntress to detect advanced threats and mitigate risks. Additionally, ensure your organization employs endpoint protection tools to reduce vulnerabilities.

Carbanak Malware FAQs

Carbanak is a banking trojan used by cybercriminals to steal funds from financial systems. It uses phishing emails to gain access to a network, moves laterally to identify financial data, and executes fraudulent transactions through compromised systems.

Carbanak typically spreads through spear-phishing emails containing malicious attachments or links. Once a user interacts with the payload, the malware exploits vulnerabilities to gain network access and maintain persistence.

While the original Carbanak operations have slowed due to law enforcement action, variations of the malware remain in circulation, posing an ongoing threat to organizations.

Organizations can safeguard against Carbanak by deploying MFA, conducting employee training on phishing threats, maintaining endpoint protection tools, and engaging in constant vulnerability management with services like Huntress.