KeyBoy

MITRE ATT&CK: S0387 View on attack.mitre.org

Aliases: TSSL, KeyBoy

First seen
2013-03-01 00:00:00
Malware type
backdoor
Family
Malware family
Operating systems
windows
Last IoC activity
2026-07-22 00:35:37
Profile updated
2026-07-07 12:40:19

Targeted industries: government-and-public-sector

Targeted regions: country_code:cn country_code:in

Context

KeyBoy is malware that has been used in targeted campaigns against members of the Tibetan Parliament in 2016.

Detection coverage

  • 1 YARA rules
  • 441 Sigma rules

Malware & tools used

  • System Network Configuration Discovery (attack-pattern)
  • System Information Discovery (attack-pattern)
  • Windows Service (attack-pattern)
  • Python (attack-pattern)
  • Hidden Window (attack-pattern)
  • Protocol or Service Impersonation (attack-pattern)
  • Keylogging (attack-pattern)
  • Encrypted/Encoded File (attack-pattern)
  • Timestomp (attack-pattern)
  • Ingress Tool Transfer (attack-pattern)
  • File and Directory Discovery (attack-pattern)
  • Visual Basic (attack-pattern)
  • Dynamic Data Exchange (attack-pattern)
  • PowerShell (attack-pattern)
  • Screen Capture (attack-pattern)
  • Windows Command Shell (attack-pattern)
  • Credentials from Web Browsers (attack-pattern)
  • Winlogon Helper DLL (attack-pattern)

Used by threat actors

Detection rules

  • MALPEDIA_Win_Keyboy_Auto (yara-rule)

Reports & references

  • blog.rapid7.com — Keyboy Targeted Attacks Against Vietnam And India (report)
  • Trend Micro — Tropic Trooper New Strategy (report)
  • secureworks.com — Bronze Hobart (report)
  • malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de — Win.Keyboy (report)
  • pwc.co.uk — The Keyboys Are Back In Town (report)
  • citizenlab.ca — Parliament Keyboy (report)
  • MITRE ATT&CK — S0387 (report)
  • web.archive.org — The Keyboys Are Back In Town (report)

External references