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Mallory
13 malware families

UNC2891

Also known asunc2891

UNC2891 is a financially motivated threat cluster active since at least 2017 that primarily targets banking infrastructure, especially ATM and ATM switching environments. Reporting in the provided content attributes to UNC2891 a covert intrusion in which operators physically implanted a 4G-enabled Raspberry Pi on the same network switch as a targeted ATM to gain remote access into a bank’s internal network, bypass perimeter defenses, and facilitate fraudulent cash withdrawals. The group used the TINYSHELL backdoor with Dynamic DNS-based command and control, maintained persistence through a backdoor on an internet-connected mail server, and used Linux bind mounts to hide malicious processes masquerading as LightDM; this anti-forensic technique is referenced as MITRE ATT&CK T1564.013. The content states UNC2891’s apparent objective was to reach the ATM switching server and deploy CAKETAP, a rootkit described as manipulating HSM responses and spoofing authorization messages to enable unauthorized ATM withdrawals. Additional malware and tooling directly associated with UNC2891 in the content include CAKETAP, SLAPSTICK, TINYSHELL, WINGHOOK, WINGCRACK, STEELCORGI, STEELHOUND, BINBASH, WIPERIGHT, and LOGBLEACH/MIGLOGCLEANER. The content also describes UNC2891 as demonstrating expertise across Linux, Unix, and Oracle Solaris environments. Mandiant is cited in the content as associating UNC2891 with UNC1945, also known as LightBasin, though the content also notes overlaps with other reported groups and activity clusters.

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OPERATIONAL PROFILE

Targeting

Who, where, and (when attributed) which flag flies behind the operation. Pulled from open-source reporting and Mallory's analyst review.

Who they target

Sectors the actor has been observed targeting.

  • Banks
MITRE ATT&CK

Tradecraft

43 distinct techniques observed across reporting, grouped by tactic. Hover any cell for the evidence excerpt; click through for MITRE's full description.

11 of 15 tactics66 techniques×N= number of intelligence reports citing this technique
MITRE ATT&CK
TA0001
Initial Access
2 techniques
T1133×3
External Remote Services
T1200×4
Hardware Additions
TA0002
Execution
2 techniques
T1059
Command and Scripting Interpreter
T1059.004
Unix Shell
T1574
Hijack Execution Flow
T1574.013
KernelCallbackTable
TA0003
Persistence
4 techniques
T1133×3
External Remote Services
T1543
Create or Modify System Process
T1543.002
Systemd Service
T1547
Boot or Logon Autostart Execution
T1547.006
Kernel Modules and Extensions
T1556
Modify Authentication Process
T1556.003
Pluggable Authentication Modules
TA0004
Privilege Escalation
3 techniques
T1543
Create or Modify System Process
T1543.002
Systemd Service
T1547
Boot or Logon Autostart Execution
T1547.006
Kernel Modules and Extensions
T1548
Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism
T1548.001
Setuid and Setgid
TA0005
Stealth
9 techniques
T1014×6
Rootkit
T1027
Obfuscated Files or Information
T1036×3
Masquerading
T1070
Indicator Removal
T1070.002
Clear Linux or Mac System Logs
T1070.004
File Deletion
T1070.006×2
Timestomp
T1140
Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information
T1480
Execution Guardrails
T1480.001
Environmental Keying
T1564
Hide Artifacts
T1564.001
Hidden Files and Directories
T1564.009
Resource Forking
T1564.013×3
Bind Mounts
T1574
Hijack Execution Flow
T1574.013
KernelCallbackTable
T1620
Reflective Code Loading
TA0112
Defense Impairment
1 technique
T1556
Modify Authentication Process
T1556.003
Pluggable Authentication Modules
TA0006
Credential Access
4 techniques
T1003
OS Credential Dumping
T1003.008
/etc/passwd and /etc/shadow
T1056
Input Capture
T1056.001
Keylogging
T1552
Unsecured Credentials
T1552.003
Shell History
T1552.004
Private Keys
T1556
Modify Authentication Process
T1556.003
Pluggable Authentication Modules
TA0007
Discovery
6 techniques
T1016
System Network Configuration Discovery
T1018
Remote System Discovery
T1049
System Network Connections Discovery
T1082
System Information Discovery
T1083
File and Directory Discovery
T1135
Network Share Discovery
TA0008
Lateral Movement
1 technique
T1021
Remote Services
T1021.004
SSH
TA0009
Collection
2 techniques
T1056
Input Capture
T1056.001
Keylogging
T1560
Archive Collected Data
TA0011
Command and Control
7 techniques
T1071×2
Application Layer Protocol
T1090
Proxy
T1095
Non-Application Layer Protocol
T1105
Ingress Tool Transfer
T1568×4
Dynamic Resolution
T1572
Protocol Tunneling
T1573
Encrypted Channel
T1573.001
Symmetric Cryptography
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Target overlap

Match sector + geo + tech-stack targeting against your real footprint.

Tradecraft mapping43

Every observed MITRE ATT&CK technique, grouped by tactic.

Malware arsenal13

Families this actor is known to deploy, with IOCs and behavior.

Exploited CVEs

CVEs this actor has used in known campaigns.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Observables

Domains, IPs, and hashes tied to this actor, refreshed continuously.

UNC2891 | Mallory