Peflog
Overview
Executive Summary
Peflog (PE File Logger) is a classification for a specific type of Information Stealer (Info-Stealer) focused primarily on monitoring system activity and exfiltrating data. Unlike broader banking trojans, Peflog is designed for targeted espionage, quietly logging keystrokes, capturing screenshots, and aggressively searching the filesystem for specific file types (often source code, documents, or cryptographic keys).Infection Vector and Technical Capabilities
Peflog is typically distributed via spear-phishing campaigns targeting specific individuals or organizations, or it is dropped as a secondary payload by an initial access broker. Upon execution, it performs a highly aggressive, targeted data harvesting operation:- Comprehensive Keylogging: Peflog utilizes advanced API hooking (often `SetWindowsHookEx`) to capture all keystrokes across all applications. This is designed to capture passwords as they are typed, bypassing browser-based password managers or credential vaults.
- Targeted File Exfiltration: The malware continuously scans the local hard drive and mapped network shares for specific file extensions (e.g., `.doc`, `.xls`, `.pdf`, `.key`, `.pem`). It packages these files into hidden, encrypted archives for exfiltration.
- System Profiling and Exfiltration: It collects extensive system details and periodically takes desktop screenshots to monitor user activity. All stolen data is typically exfiltrated via HTTP POST requests or FTP uploads to an attacker-controlled drop server.
Threat Assessment
A Peflog infection is a critical data breach and espionage incident. The malware is designed to operate silently over long periods, continuously bleeding sensitive intellectual property, strategic documents, and user credentials out of the network.Incident Response and Remediation
- Immediate Network Isolation: The highest priority is to physically disconnect the infected machine from the network to halt the active exfiltration of data and prevent the malware from capturing further credentials.
- Global Credential Reset: Because of the pervasive keylogging capabilities, ALL credentials used on that machine—including domain admin passwords, web app logins, and VPN tokens—must be considered compromised and reset immediately.
- Endpoint Eradication: The extent of the data breach and the likelihood of advanced persistence mechanisms necessitate a full forensic review. Re-imaging the machine from a trusted baseline is required to ensure complete eradication.
Known aliases
Threat reports may refer to this family under multiple names:
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
This family has been observed using the following ATT&CK techniques: T1056.001 T1119 T1048 T1113
Tactical Mitigations
Based on the techniques used by this family, consider the following defensive strategies:
- T1056.001: Implement Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) to monitor for suspicious API calls related to keystroke interception. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to render stolen passwords useless.
- T1113: Monitor for frequent or unauthorized screen captures or clipboard reads. Restrict background applications from accessing desktop APIs.
Generated Detections (Boilerplate)
These YARA and Sigma rules are auto-generated based on the family name and aliases. They must be heavily tuned before deployment in a production environment.
YARA Rule
rule MALWARE_WIN_PEFLOG {
meta:
description = "Detects Peflog (trojan)"
author = "SystemHelpdesk Boilerplate Generator"
date = "2026-07-06"
strings:
$s1 = "peflog" ascii wide nocase
$s2 = "trojan.peflog" ascii wide nocase
$s3 = "pws.peflog" ascii wide nocase
$s4 = "trojanspy.peflog" ascii wide nocase
condition:
uint16(0) == 0x5a4d and any of them
}Sigma Rule
title: Suspicious Peflog Activity
id: 02c9aba5c755487d4adc58b1b287c02f
status: experimental
description: Detects generic indicators of the peflog malware family.
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
Image|endswith:
- '\cmd.exe'
- '\powershell.exe'
CommandLine|contains:
- "*peflog*"
- "*trojan.peflog*"
- "*pws.peflog*"
- "*trojanspy.peflog*"
condition: selection
level: mediumReferences & External Analysis
- Search "peflog" on VirusTotal (External Analysis)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove the Peflog Trojan from Windows?
Manual removal of Peflog is highly discouraged as it may leave persistence mechanisms intact. We recommend disconnecting the device from the internet and utilizing a professional incident response service or enterprise-grade EDR software to conduct a full forensic sweep.
Is Peflog a virus or a Trojan?
Peflog is classified as a Trojan. Unlike traditional viruses that infect files, modern malware like Peflog typically operates as a standalone payload designed to compromise systems, steal data, or deploy secondary stage implants.
What are the main symptoms of a Peflog infection?
Symptoms of Peflog can include unexpected system slowness, unauthorized outbound network traffic to unknown IP addresses, disabled security software, and suspicious background processes running from AppData or Temp directories.
Related Families (Category: trojan)
Explore other malware families in the same category:
Protect Your Network Against Trojans
Want to prevent Peflog and similar threats from compromising your organization? Read our comprehensive defensive guide: Banking Trojan Protection.
Machine-readable
Get this profile as JSON: https://jordan123234-malware-families-explorer.static.hf.space/api/peflog.json
Ecosystem & Interactive Environments
This profile is part of the Malware Families Catalog, a public dataset of 2,899 malware families. The catalog is also published across our ecosystem: Hugging Face, Kaggle, Zenodo, Replit, StackBlitz, CodeSandbox, and CodePen.