POWERTON

MITRE ATT&CK: S0371 View on attack.mitre.org

Aliases: POWERTON

First seen
2018-01-01 00:00:00
Malware type
backdoor
Family
Malware family
Operating systems
windows
Profile updated
2026-07-07 12:42:39

Targeted industries: defense-and-aerospace energy-and-utilities

Targeted regions: country_code:sa

Context

POWERTON is a custom PowerShell backdoor first observed in 2018. It has typically been deployed as a late-stage backdoor by APT33. At least two variants of the backdoor have been identified, with the later version containing improved functionality.

Detection coverage

  • 280 Sigma rules

Malware & tools used

  • Symmetric Cryptography (attack-pattern)
  • Web Protocols (attack-pattern)
  • PowerShell (attack-pattern)
  • Security Account Manager (attack-pattern)
  • Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder (attack-pattern)
  • Windows Management Instrumentation Event Subscription (attack-pattern)

Used by threat actors

Reports & references

  • secureworks.com — Cobalt Trinity (report)
  • Microsoft — Inside Microsoft Threat Protection Mapping Attack Chains From Cloud To Endpoint (report)
  • malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de — Ps1.Powerton (report)
  • Mandiant — Scandalous External Detection Using Network Scan Data And Automation (report)
  • Mandiant — Overruled Containing A Potentially Destructive Adversary (report)
  • Broadcom/Symantec — 2019 062513 4935 99 (report)
  • blog.telsy.com — Meeting Powerband The Apt33 Net Powerton Variant (report)
  • norfolkinfosec.com — Apt33 Powershell Malware (report)
  • MITRE ATT&CK — S0371 (report)

External references