Pteranodon

MITRE ATT&CK: S0147 View on attack.mitre.org

Aliases: Pterodo, Pteranodon

First seen
2016-01-01 00:00:00
Malware type
backdoor
Family
Malware family
Operating systems
windows
Profile updated
2026-07-07 15:45:11

Targeted industries: government-and-public-sector

Targeted regions: country_code:ua

Context

Pteranodon is a custom backdoor used by Gamaredon Group.

Detection coverage

  • 1 YARA rules
  • 322 Sigma rules

Malware & tools used

  • Screen Capture (attack-pattern)
  • Windows Command Shell (attack-pattern)
  • Native API (attack-pattern)
  • Ingress Tool Transfer (attack-pattern)
  • Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder (attack-pattern)
  • Web Protocols (attack-pattern)
  • File and Directory Discovery (attack-pattern)
  • Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information (attack-pattern)
  • Dynamic API Resolution (attack-pattern)
  • Visual Basic (attack-pattern)
  • Rundll32 (attack-pattern)
  • Exfiltration Over C2 Channel (attack-pattern)
  • File Deletion (attack-pattern)
  • Local Data Staging (attack-pattern)
  • Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion (attack-pattern)
  • Mshta (attack-pattern)
  • Scheduled Task (attack-pattern)

Used by threat actors

Detection rules

  • MALPEDIA_Win_Pteranodon_Auto (yara-rule)

Reports & references

  • Palo Alto Unit 42 — Unit 42 Title Gamaredon Group Toolset Evolution (report)
  • MITRE ATT&CK — G0047 (report)
  • Broadcom/Symantec — Shuckworm Gamaredon Espionage Ukraine (report)
  • Microsoft — Actinium Targets Ukrainian Organizations (report)
  • ESET — Gamaredon Group Grows Its Game (report)
  • Palo Alto Unit 42 — Gamaredon Primitive Bear Ukraine Update 2021 (report)
  • Microsoft — Actinium Targets Ukrainian Organizations (report)
  • researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com — Unit 42 Title Gamaredon Group Toolset Evolution (report)
  • secureworks.com — Iron Tilden (report)
  • ssu.gov.ua — Technical%20Report%20Armagedon (report)
  • blog.synapticsystems.de — Inside Gamaredon 2025 Zero Click Espionage At Scale (report)
  • threatmon.io — Beyond Bullets And Bombs An Examination Of Armageddon Groups Cyber Warfare Against Ukraine (report)
  • threatstop.com — Gamaredon Group Understanding The Russian Apt (report)
  • malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de — Win.Pteranodon (report)
  • vkremez.com — Lets Learn Deeper Dive Into Gamaredon (report)
  • blogs.blackberry.com — Gamaredon Leverages Microsoft Office Docs To Target Ukraine Government (report)
  • CERT-UA — 42 (report)
  • bleepingcomputer.com — Russian Gamaredon Hackers Use 8 New Malware Payloads In Attacks (report)
  • rnbo.gov.ua — Gamaredon Activity (report)
  • threatrecon.nshc.net — Sectorc08 Multi Layered Sfx Recent Campaigns Target Ukraine (report)
  • Broadcom/Symantec — Shuckworm Intense Campaign Ukraine (report)
  • elastic.co — Playing Defense Against Gamaredon Group (report)
  • labs.sentinelone.com — Pro Russian Cyberspy Gamaredon Intensifies Ukrainian Security Targeting (report)
  • threatmon.io — Cybergun Technical Analysis Of The Armageddons Infostealer (report)
  • CERT-UA — 46 (report)

External references