{
  "family": "alman",
  "sample_count": 43,
  "category": "trojan",
  "description": "Virus:Win32/Alman is a highly destructive, polymorphic file infector and backdoor that aggressively appends malicious code to legitimate executable files (`.exe`) across local drives and network shares, while simultaneously opening a port to allow remote attackers full control over the compromised system.<br><br><b>Understanding Alman</b><br>To the end-user, an Alman infection manifests as severe system instability. Legitimate applications crash, fail to open, or trigger antivirus alerts constantly. For incident responders, Alman is a worst-case scenario. Unlike modern trojans that simply drop a payload, Alman is a true virus; it physically modifies and corrupts thousands of legitimate, benign files (`T1027.001`). Furthermore, its polymorphic engine ensures that every infection results in a different file signature, making traditional AV scanning extremely difficult. Finally, the inclusion of a backdoor component turns the corrupted machine into an attacker-controlled staging ground.<br><br><b>Execution and Evasion Strategies</b><br>Alman is typically introduced via an infected executable downloaded by a user or dropped by another threat. Upon execution, the virus decrypts its core payload in memory. It searches the local hard drive for `.exe` files. It modifies the entry point of the target executable and appends its polymorphic viral code to the end of the file. It establishes a hidden background service or injects into `explorer.exe` to maintain the backdoor listener, typically on a high-numbered TCP port (`T1090`). Alman actively attempts to terminate AV processes and delete security-related registry keys (`T1562.001`).<br><br><b>Indicators of Compromise & Impact</b><br>The impact is massive file corruption, widespread system failure, and interactive attacker access. EDR platforms will flag a single process rapidly reading and modifying hundreds of executable files across the system (`T1485`). Network logs will show anomalous inbound connections attempting to access the backdoor listener. Security analysts will notice that the file sizes of standard Windows utilities (like `notepad.exe` or `calc.exe`) have increased, and their cryptographic hashes no longer match known-good baselines.",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [],
  "enrichment_level": "expert-seo",
  "faq": [],
  "faq_count": 0,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1562.001",
    "T1485",
    "T1027.001",
    "T1090",
    "T1055"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-06-09",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1027.001",
      "name": "Obfuscated Files or Information: Indicator Removal from Tools",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1485",
      "name": "Data Destruction",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1562.001",
      "name": "Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1090",
      "name": "Proxy",
      "tactic": "Command and Control"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1055",
      "name": "Process Injection",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Instantly sever the infected endpoint from the network to halt the backdoor access and prevent the virus from spreading via network shares.",
    "Do NOT attempt to simply delete the infected files; because Alman infects legitimate system binaries, deleting them will destroy the OS.",
    "Capture a forensic memory image to extract the active backdoor configuration and identify any C2 IP addresses.",
    "Due to the polymorphic file corruption of core system binaries, a complete, bare-metal rebuild of the operating system is strictly required."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not execute any files from a network share while Alman is active; you will instantly execute the virus on your local machine.",
    "Avoid assuming standard file deletion works; the virus code is physically merged into the legitimate applications."
  ],
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ]
}