{
  "family": "zanoza",
  "sample_count": 1,
  "category": "trojan",
  "description": "<h3>Executive Summary</h3>\nZanoza (Russian for \"splinter\") is a malicious Trojan designed to covertly infiltrate Windows systems, establish deep persistence, and act as a reliable backdoor and downloader for remote threat actors. It is frequently utilized in the initial stages of a cyberattack to gather system intelligence and facilitate the automated deployment of secondary, highly destructive malware payloads.\n\n<h3>Infection Vector and Technical Capabilities</h3>\nZanoza is predominantly distributed through socially engineered spam campaigns containing malicious attachments (often weaponized PDFs or Microsoft Office documents) or via compromised software installers downloaded from untrustworthy web portals.\n\nUpon successful execution, Zanoza operates with a focus on stealth and payload delivery:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>System Reconnaissance:</strong> The trojan immediately collects detailed system information, including the OS version, installed software, network configuration, and active antivirus solutions. This fingerprint is transmitted to a command-and-control (C2) server.</li>\n<li><strong>Persistence (The \"Splinter\"):</strong> Living up to its name, Zanoza is designed to be difficult to remove. It ensures it survives system reboots by modifying deep Windows Registry keys (e.g., adding entries to the `Run` key or injecting into legitimate `svchost.exe` startup routines) or by dropping a hidden shortcut into the Windows Startup folder.</li>\n<li><strong>Payload Delivery:</strong> Acting as a downloader, Zanoza receives instructions from the C2 server to download and execute secondary malware. This frequently includes info-stealers (to harvest credentials) or botnet agents.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3>Threat Assessment</h3>\nA Zanoza infection represents a significant breach of the endpoint perimeter. Because it provides remote attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary code, a compromised machine can quickly be utilized to pivot laterally across the corporate network.\n\n<h3>Remediation and Eradication</h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR):</strong> Configure EDR solutions to monitor for anomalous registry modifications and unauthorized outbound network connections to unknown IP addresses.</li>\n<li><strong>Network Isolation and Sweeps:</strong> Immediately isolate the infected endpoint. Conduct a thorough forensic sweep to identify not only the Zanoza executable but also any secondary payloads it may have successfully downloaded.</li>\n<li><strong>Credential Reset:</strong> Because Zanoza often facilitates the deployment of info-stealers, all user credentials associated with the compromised endpoint should be treated as compromised and immediately reset.</li>\n</ul>",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [
    "Trojan.Zanoza",
    "Downloader.Zanoza",
    "Win32/Zanoza"
  ],
  "enrichment_level": "insufficient_information",
  "faq": [],
  "faq_count": 0,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1105",
    "T1547.001",
    "T1059"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-07-01T16:40:53Z",
  "type": "Trojan",
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ]
}