Metador

G1013

Threat group.View on attack.mitre.org

About this group

Metador is a suspected cyber espionage group that was first reported in September 2022. Metador has targeted a limited number of telecommunication companies, internet service providers, and universities in the Middle East and Africa. Security researchers named the group Metador based on the "I am meta" string in one of the group's malware samples and the expectation of Spanish-language responses from C2 servers.

Techniques used9

Procedure examples9

TechniqueProcedure example
T1027.013
Encrypted/Encoded File

Metador has encrypted their payloads.

T1059.003
Windows Command Shell

Metador has used the Windows command line to execute commands.

T1070.004
File Deletion

Metador has quickly deleted `cbd.exe` from a compromised host following the successful deployment of their malware.

T1071.001
Web Protocols

Metador has used HTTP for C2.

T1095
Non-Application Layer Protocol

Metador has used TCP for C2.

T1105
Ingress Tool Transfer

Metador has downloaded tools and malware onto a compromised system.

T1546.003
Windows Management Instrumentation Event Subscription

Metador has established persistence through the use of a WMI event subscription combined with unusual living-off-the-land binaries such as `cdb.exe`.

T1588.001
Malware

Metador has used unique malware in their operations, including metaMain and Mafalda.

T1588.002
Tool

Metador has used Microsoft's Console Debugger in some of their operations.

Software2

Campaigns0

None recorded.

References1

  1. SentinelLabs Metador Sept 2022 Open source
    Ehrlich, A., et al. (2022, September). THE MYSTERY OF METADOR | AN UNATTRIBUTED THREAT HIDING IN TELCOS, ISPS, AND UNIVERSITIES. Retrieved January 23, 2023.

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