PhantomCore
- First seen
- 2023-01-01 00:00:00
- Malware type
- backdoor, ransomware
- Family
- Malware family
- Profile updated
- 2026-07-07 13:13:31
Targeted regions: country_code:ru
Context
According to Cyble, PhantomCore is a backdoor utilized by the hacktivist group Head Mare. It has been active since 2023 and is known for consistently targeting Russia. PhantomCore collects the victim’s information, including the public IP address, to gain detailed insights into the target before deploying the final-stage payload or executing additional commands on the compromised system. PhantomCore is known to deploy ransomware payloads such as LockBit and Babuk, inflicting significant damage on the victim’s systems.
Detection coverage
- 1 YARA rules
Used by threat actors
- MacroPack Payload Delivery Activity (campaign)
Detection rules
- MALPEDIA_Win_Phantomcore_Auto (yara-rule)
Reports & references
- Kaspersky — 113555 (report)
- cyble.com — Head Mare Deploys Phantomcore Against Russia (report)
- intrinsec.com — Intrinsec 2025 Threat Report Trouble In The Air (report)
- malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de — Win.Phantomcore (report)
- global.ptsecurity.com — Phantom Pains A Large Scale Cyber Espionage Campaign And A Possible Split Of The Apt Group Phantomcore (report)