Executive Summary

The Raspberry Robin malware, a sophisticated and evolving threat, actively exploits a new vulnerability in Windows systems. First identified in 2021, this malware, also known as Roshtyak, has moved beyond its initial distribution via infected USB drives. It now incorporates a critical privilege escalation exploit, CVE-2024-38196, to gain elevated access on compromised machines. This development and advanced obfuscation techniques make Raspberry Robin a significant and ongoing threat.

Background on Raspberry Robin

Raspberry Robin is a worm-like malware that downloads and distributes other malicious payloads, including ransomware. It has been linked to various threat actors and is known for its ability to evade detection. The malware has been observed targeting technology and manufacturing sectors and has become one of the most prevalent enterprise threats. Its evolution from a USB-based worm to a multi-faceted malware using various distribution methods, such as Windows Script Files, highlights its continuous development.

Vulnerability Details

CVE-ID	EPSS Score	CVSS v3 Base Score	Vulnerability Type	Affected Systems	Affected Product	Impact
CVE-2024-38196	1.72%	7.8(High)	Local Privilege Escalation	Windows	Windows Common Log File System Driver	Allows malware to gain elevated privileges on a compromised machine, enabling further malicious actions.

Infection Method

The latest campaigns of Raspberry Robin demonstrate a multi-stage attack:

1. Initial Access: While known for spreading through infected USB drives, Raspberry Robin now utilizes other vectors, including Windows Script Files.
2. Execution: Once on a system, the malware executes and begins operations.
3. Privilege Escalation: The malware exploits CVE-2024-38196 to gain higher-level permissions.
4. Payload Delivery: With elevated privileges, Raspberry Robin can be a downloader for other malware, such as ransomware and spyware.

Malware Behavior and Capabilities

Raspberry Robin has demonstrated a range of advanced capabilities designed to avoid detection and analysis:

• Upgraded Obfuscation: The malware uses complex obfuscation techniques, including additional initialization loops and scrambled stack pointers, to make analysis difficult.
• Advanced Encryption: It has shifted from AES-CTR to the more robust ChaCha-20 algorithm for network traffic encryption.
• Corrupted C2 Domains: The malware uses intentionally corrupted TOR onion domains for its command-and-control (C2) communications, with internal algorithms to correct them, complicating the identification of IOCs.
• Evasion Techniques: Raspberry Robin employs various anti-analysis methods and automated tools to frustrate security researchers.

Tactics and Techniques include:

TP ID	Technique / Tactic	Description
TA0001	Initial Access	Raspberry Robin uses infected USB drives containing .lnk files to gain initial access to systems.
T1200	Hardware Additions	Infected USB drives are the primary delivery mechanism for the malware.
T1204.002	User Execution: Malicious Link	Users trigger execution by clicking a disguised .lnk file stored on USB drives.
TA0002	Execution	The malware initiates execution through system binaries like msiexec.exe.
T1218.007	System Binary Proxy Execution: Msiexec	Raspberry Robin uses msiexec.exe to download and execute payloads from C2 infrastructure.
TA0011	Command and Control	Communication is established with C2 servers after infection.
T1071.001	Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols	After installation, msiexec.exe communicates over HTTP/HTTPS to retrieve additional payloads.
T1090.003	Proxy: Multi?hop Proxy	Raspberry Robin is known to use TOR exit nodes to anonymize its command-and-control communications.

Visual: Raspberry Robin Attack Flow

[Infected USB Drive] -> [User Clicks Malicious LNK] -> [Execution via cmd/msiexec] -> [Raspberry Robin DLL Loaded] -> [Exploit for Privilege Escalation (CVE-2024-38196)] -> [C2 Communication via TOR] -> [Persistence / Defense Evasion / Payload Deployment]

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

SHA256 Hashes:

• 5b0476043da365be5325260f1f0811ea81c018a8acc9cee4cd46cb7348c06fc6 (Raspberry Robin DLL)
• 05c6f53118d363ee80989ef37cad85ee1c35b0e22d5dcebd8a6d6a396a94cb65 (Raspberry Robin DLL)

Mitigation Steps

To defend against Raspberry Robin and similar threats, organizations should take the following steps:

1. Patch Management: Keep all systems and software updated to patch vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-38196.
2. User Education: Train users to recognize and avoid phishing attempts and be cautious with removable media like USB drives.
3. Network Monitoring: Monitor network traffic for anomalies and connections to suspicious domains.
4. Endpoint Security: Deploy and maintain endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and block malware like Raspberry Robin.
5. IOC Monitoring: Use the provided IOCs to hunt for potential environmental infections.

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