{
  "family": "satan",
  "sample_count": 26,
  "category": "ransomware",
  "description": "Ransomware:Win32/Satan (also known as DBGer or Iron) is a highly aggressive crypto-ransomware and Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) platform that specifically targets and encrypts databases, web servers, and enterprise file shares to maximize business disruption.<br><br><b>Understanding Satan Ransomware</b><br>To the victim organization, a Satan infection is catastrophic. Critical databases go offline, and files are encrypted with extensions like `.stn` or `.dbger`. For threat intelligence analysts, Satan is notable for its RaaS model. The original developers created a Tor-based web portal allowing affiliate criminals to generate their own custom Satan ransomware payloads, distribute them, and split the ransom profits (usually demanding Bitcoin). Furthermore, Satan variants are explicitly designed to hunt for and terminate database services prior to encryption to ensure the data files are not locked by the OS.<br><br><b>Execution, Evasion, and Database Targeting</b><br>Satan is distributed via spearphishing, exploit kits (like RIG), or by affiliates brute-forcing RDP connections. Upon execution, the malware performs a targeted service stop (`T1489`), aggressively terminating processes associated with SQL, Oracle, Exchange, and IIS (e.g., `sqlservr.exe`, `mysqld.exe`). This ensures the massive database files can be encrypted without error. It deletes Volume Shadow Copies via `vssadmin` (`T1490`) to prevent recovery. Files are encrypted using AES-256 and RSA-2048 (`T1486`). Satan is also known to utilize spreader modules, attempting to copy itself to adjacent network shares (`T1021.002`) and execute via WMI or PsExec.<br><br><b>Indicators of Compromise & Impact</b><br>The impact is a total halt of business operations due to database and file share encryption. EDR platforms must alert immediately on the rapid execution of `vssadmin` or `wbadmin` commands. Network logs may show SMB scanning (`T1046`) as the malware attempts to spread. The most obvious IoC is the sudden termination of critical database services followed immediately by mass file modification events.",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [],
  "enrichment_level": "expert-seo",
  "faq": [],
  "faq_count": 0,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1486",
    "T1105",
    "T1489",
    "T1021.002",
    "T1490"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-06-09",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1486",
      "name": "Data Encrypted for Impact",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1489",
      "name": "Service Stop",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1490",
      "name": "Inhibit System Recovery",
      "tactic": "Impact"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1021.002",
      "name": "Remote Services: SMB/Windows Admin Shares",
      "tactic": "Lateral Movement"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1105",
      "name": "Ingress Tool Transfer",
      "tactic": "Command and Control"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Instantly sever the infected endpoint or server from the network to halt the lateral spread of the ransomware to other databases and file shares.",
    "Do not reboot the server if it is actively encrypting; rebooting can destroy cryptographic material in RAM that might be needed for decryption.",
    "Identify the specific variant of Satan (often by the extension appended to the encrypted files) and check for known decryptors.",
    "Begin the incident response process to restore the databases and file shares from secure, offline, and immutable backups."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not pay the ransom. Paying funds the RaaS ecosystem and there is zero guarantee the affiliates will provide a working decryption tool.",
    "Avoid connecting external hard drives or network shares to the infected machine, as Satan aggressively seeks out attached storage to encrypt."
  ],
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ]
}