Detecting Virtual Environment Artefacts

Qemu registers some artifacts into the registry. A malware can detect the Qemu installation with a look at the registry key HARDWARE\DEVICEMAP\Scsi\Scsi Port 0\Scsi Bus 0\Target Id 0\Logical Unit Id 0 with the value of Identifier and the data of QEMU or HARDWARE\Description\System with a value of SystemBiosVersion and data of QEMU.

The Virtualbox Guest addition leaves many artifacts in the registry. A search for VBOX in the registry might find some keys.

The VMware installation directory C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools may also contain artifacts, as can the registry. A search for VMware in the registry might find some keys that include information about the virtual hard drive, adapters, and virtual mouse.

VMware leaves many artefacts in memory. Some are critical processor structures, which, because they are either moved or changed on a virtual machine, leave recognisable footprints. Malware can search through physical memory for the strings VMware, commonly used to detect memory artifacts.

U1332

Code Snippets

Thomas Roccia

Description

This is a snippet to detect most common registry keys created by virtual machines.

#include <iostream>
#include<Windows.h>
#include<stdio.h>

using namespace std;

int reg_value_exist(HKEY hKey, char * regkey_s, char * value_s, char * lookup) {
	HKEY regkey;
	LONG ret;
	DWORD size;
	char value[1024];


	if (RegOpenKeyEx(hKey, regkey_s, 0, KEY_READ, &regkey))
    {
        if (RegQueryValueEx(regkey, value_s, NULL, NULL, (BYTE*)value, &size))
        {
            cout << " [-] Reg value doesn't exist: " << (regkey) << endl;
        }
        else
        {
            cout << " [*] Reg value exist: " << (value) << endl;
        }
	}

    else
    {
        if (RegQueryValueEx(regkey, value_s, NULL, NULL, (BYTE*)value, &size))
        {
            cout << " [-] Reg value doesn't exist: " << (regkey) << endl;
        }
        else
        {
            cout << " [*] Reg value exist: " << (value) << endl;
        }
    }
}

int RegistryArtifacts()
{
    HKEY hKey;

    // list of registry key related virutal machines
    LPCTSTR RegValuePath[] = { "HARDWARE\\DEVICEMAP\\Scsi\\Scsi Port 0\\Scsi Bus 0\\Target Id 0\\Logical Unit Id 0",
                               "HARDWARE\\DEVICEMAP\\Scsi\\Scsi Port 1\\Scsi Bus 0\\Target Id 0\\Logical Unit Id 0",
                               "HARDWARE\\DEVICEMAP\\Scsi\\Scsi Port 2\\Scsi Bus 0\\Target Id 0\\Logical Unit Id 0",
                               "SOFTWARE\\VMware, Inc.\\VMware Tools",
                               "HARDWARE\\Description\\System",
                               "SOFTWARE\\Oracle\\VirtualBox Guest Additions",
                               "SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\Disk\\Enum",
                               "HARDWARE\\ACPI\\DSDT\\VBOX__",
                               "HARDWARE\\ACPI\\FADT\\VBOX__",
                               "HARDWARE\\ACPI\\RSDT\\VBOX__",
                               "SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\VBoxGuest",
                               "SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\VBoxMouse",
                               "SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\VBoxService",
                               "SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\VBoxSF",
                               "SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Services\\VBoxVideo",
                               };


    for (int i = 0; i < (sizeof(RegValuePath) / sizeof(LPCWSTR)); i++)
    {

        if (RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, RegValuePath[i], 0, KEY_READ, &hKey))
        {
            cout << " [-] Reg key doesn't exist: " << (RegValuePath[i]) << endl;
        }
        else
        {
            cout << " [*] Reg key exist: " << (RegValuePath[i]) << endl;
        }

    }

    // Check for registry Value
    reg_value_exist(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "HARDWARE\\DEVICEMAP\\Scsi\\Scsi Port 0\\Scsi Bus 0\\Target Id 0\\Logical Unit Id 0", "Identifier", "VMware");
    reg_value_exist(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "HARDWARE\\DEVICEMAP\\Scsi\\Scsi Port 1\\Scsi Bus 0\\Target Id 0\\Logical Unit Id 0", "Identifier", "VMware");
    reg_value_exist(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "HARDWARE\\DEVICEMAP\\Scsi\\Scsi Port 2\\Scsi Bus 0\\Target Id 0\\Logical Unit Id 0", "Identifier", "VMware");
    reg_value_exist(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "HARDWARE\\DEVICEMAP\\Scsi\\Scsi Port 0\\Scsi Bus 0\\Target Id 0\\Logical Unit Id 0", "Identifier", "VBOX");
    reg_value_exist(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "HARDWARE\\Description\\System", "SystemBiosVersion", "VBOX");
    reg_value_exist(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "HARDWARE\\Description\\System", "VideoBiosVersion", "VIRTUALBOX");
    reg_value_exist(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "HARDWARE\\DESCRIPTION\\System", "SystemBiosDate", "06/23/99");
    reg_value_exist(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "HARDWARE\\DEVICEMAP\\Scsi\\Scsi Port 0\\Scsi Bus 0\\Target Id 0\\Logical Unit Id 0", "Identifier", "QEMU");
    reg_value_exist(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "HARDWARE\\Description\\System", "SystemBiosVersion", "QEMU");
}

int main()
{
    RegistryArtifacts();
    return 0;
}

Detection Rules

rule:
  meta:
    name: check for windows sandbox via process name
    namespace: anti-analysis/anti-vm/vm-detection
    author: "@_re_fox"
    scope: function
    att&ck:
      - Defense Evasion::Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion::System Checks [T1497.001]
    mbc:
      - Anti-Behavioral Analysis::Virtual Machine Detection [B0009]
    references:
      - https://github.com/LloydLabs/wsb-detect
    examples:
      - 773290480d5445f11d3dc1b800728966:0x140001140
  features:
    - and:
      - match: enumerate processes
      - string: CExecSvc.exe

rule:
  meta:
    name: reference anti-VM strings targeting VMWare
    namespace: anti-analysis/anti-vm/vm-detection
    author: michael.hunhoff@fireeye.com
    scope: file
    att&ck:
      - Defense Evasion::Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion::System Checks [T1497.001]
    mbc:
      - Anti-Behavioral Analysis::Virtual Machine Detection [B0009]
    references:
      - https://github.com/LordNoteworthy/al-khaser/blob/master/al-khaser/AntiVM/VMWare.cpp
    examples:
      - al-khaser_x86.exe_
  features:
    - or:
      - string: /VMWare/i
      - string: /VMTools/i
      - string: /SOFTWARE\\VMware, Inc\.\\VMware Tools/i
      - string: /vmnet.sys/i
      - string: /vmmouse.sys/i
      - string: /vmusb.sys/i
      - string: /vm3dmp.sys/i
      - string: /vmci.sys/i
      - string: /vmhgfs.sys/i
      - string: /vmmemctl.sys/i
      - string: /vmx86.sys/i
      - string: /vmrawdsk.sys/i
      - string: /vmusbmouse.sys/i
      - string: /vmkdb.sys/i
      - string: /vmnetuserif.sys/i
      - string: /vmnetadapter.sys/i
      - string: /\\\\.\\HGFS/i
      - string: /\\\\.\\vmci/i
      - string: /vmtoolsd.exe/i
      - string: /vmwaretray.exe/i
      - string: /vmwareuser.exe/i
      - string: /VGAuthService.exe/i
      - string: /vmacthlp.exe/i
      - string: /vmci/i
        description: VMWare VMCI Bus Driver
      - string: /vmhgfs/i
        description: VMWare Host Guest Control Redirector
      - string: /vmmouse/i
      - string: /vmmemctl/i
        description: VMWare Guest Memory Controller Driver
      - string: /vmusb/i
      - string: /vmusbmouse/i
      - string: /vmx_svga/i
      - string: /vmxnet/i
      - string: /vmx86/i
      - string: /VMwareVMware/i
      - string: /vmGuestLib.dll/i

rule:
  meta:
    name: reference anti-VM strings
    namespace: anti-analysis/anti-vm/vm-detection
    author: moritz.raabe@fireeye.com
    scope: file
    att&ck:
      - Defense Evasion::Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion::System Checks [T1497.001]
    mbc:
      - Anti-Behavioral Analysis::Virtual Machine Detection [B0009]
    references:
      - https://github.com/ctxis/CAPE/blob/master/modules/signatures/antivm_*
      - https://github.com/LordNoteworthy/al-khaser/blob/master/al-khaser/AntiVM/Generic.cpp
    examples:
      - Practical Malware Analysis Lab 17-02.dll_
  features:
    - or:
      - string: /HARDWARE\\ACPI\\(DSDT|FADT|RSDT)\\BOCHS/i
      - string: /HARDWARE\\DESCRIPTION\\System\\(SystemBiosVersion|VideoBiosVersion)/i
      - string: /HARDWARE\\DESCRIPTION\\System\\CentralProcessor\\.*ProcessorNameString/i
      - string: /HARDWARE\\DEVICEMAP\\Scsi\\Scsi Port 0\\Scsi Bus 0\\Target Id 0\\Logical Unit Id 0/i
      - string: /SYSTEM\\(CurrentControlSet|ControlSet001)\\Enum\\IDE/i
      - string: /SYSTEM\\(CurrentControlSet|ControlSet001)\\Services\\Disk\\Enum\\/i
      - string: /SYSTEM\\(CurrentControlSet|ControlSet001)\\Control\\SystemInformation\\SystemManufacturer/i
      - string: /A M I/i
      - string: /Hyper-V/i
      - string: /Kernel-VMDetection-Private/i
      # https://github.com/LordNoteworthy/al-khaser/blob/master/al-khaser/AntiVM/Generic.cpp#L699
      - string: /KVMKVMKVM/i
        description: KVM
      - string: /Microsoft Hv/i
        description: Microsoft Hyper-V or Windows Virtual PC
      # https://github.com/LordNoteworthy/al-khaser/blob/master/al-khaser/AntiVM/Generic.cpp#L8
      - string: /avghookx.dll/i
        description: AVG
      - string: /avghooka.dll/i
        description: AVG
      - string: /snxhk.dll/i
        description: Avast
      - string: /pstorec.dll/i
        description: SunBelt Sandbox
      - string: /vmcheck.dll/i
        description: Virtual PC
      - string: /wpespy.dll/i
        description: WPE Pro
      - string: /cmdvrt64.dll/i
        description: Comodo Container
      - string: /cmdvrt32.dll/i
        description: Comodo Container
      # https://github.com/LordNoteworthy/al-khaser/blob/master/al-khaser/AntiVM/Generic.cpp#L46
      - string: /sample.exe/i
      - string: /bot.exe/i
      - string: /sandbox.exe/i
      - string: /malware.exe/i
      - string: /test.exe/i
      - string: /klavme.exe/i
      - string: /myapp.exe/i
      - string: /testapp.exe/i

Additional Resources

Subscribe to our Newsletter

The information entered into this form is mandatory. It will be subjected to computer processing. It is processed by computer in order to support our users and readers. The recipients of the data will be : contact@unprotect.it.

According to the Data Protection Act of January 6th, 1978, you have at any time, a right of access to and rectification of all of your personal data. If you wish to exercise this right and gain access to your personal data, please write to Thomas Roccia at contact@unprotect.it.

You may also oppose, for legitimate reasons, the processing of your personal data.