⚠️ Overview

000Stealer is a .NET-based information stealer malware first identified in March 2021 by researchers at Check Point Software Technologies. It is operated as a commodity stealer-for-sale on underground forums, targeting credentials, cryptocurrency wallets, and browser data from infected Windows systems. The malware belongs to the stealer category and shares code similarities with other low‑end stealers like RedLine and Vidar.

🔧 Technical Capabilities

000Stealer collects system information (OS version, installed antivirus, public IP) and targets data from Chromium‑based browsers (stored passwords, cookies, autofill) as well as from Mozilla Firefox. It specifically extracts wallet files from applications such as Electrum, Exodus, and Coinomi, and attempts to steal saved VPN credentials from NordVPN, OpenVPN, and ProtonVPN. The malware communicates over HTTP with a hardcoded command‑and‑control (C2) server, often using a Telegram bot to exfiltrate stolen data as a base64‑encoded archive. It achieves persistence by creating a scheduled task or adding a registry Run key (HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun). Evasion techniques include obfuscated PowerShell downloads, anti‑debugging checks, and the use of compressed (ZIP) payloads to bypass static detection.

📜 History & Notable Incidents

First appearing in March 2021 on Russian‑language cybercrime forums, 000Stealer was promoted as a cheap alternative to more established stealers. In June 2021, a campaign distributed the malware via fake VPN setup guides posted on YouTube, luring victims to download a malicious archive. No high‑profile corporate breaches have been publicly attributed to 000Stealer, but it has been linked to multiple phishing campaigns targeting cryptocurrency users in 2022. No specific CVEs are associated with the stealer itself; it relies on users executing the payload.

🔍 Detection Indicators

Known file hashes include SHA256 3f6c1a2b... (variant‑dependent, see VirusTotal). Behavioral signatures include the creation of a ZIP file named info.zip in the %Temp% folder, followed by an HTTP POST to a C2 endpoint such as /upload.php. Network IOCs include User‑Agent strings like “Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppName/0.0.0” and domains registered on anonymous platforms (e.g., storage.googleapis.com). Registry persistence is indicated by the key HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun00Stealer.

☠️ Risk & Impact

The primary risk is credential theft leading to account compromise and financial loss, particularly from cryptocurrency wallet theft. Affected sectors include individual cryptocurrency users, small businesses, and any organization where employees fall victim to social‑engineering attacks. Financial losses are difficult to quantify but have been reported in community forums and vendor blogs, with some victims losing thousands in digital assets.

🛡️ Mitigation

Defenders should deploy endpoint detection rules isolating outbound HTTP connections to unknown IPs and monitor for the creation of suspicious ZIP archives in temp directories. Recommended security tools include Windows Defender with cloud‑block level enabled, and user education on verifying downloaded software from untrusted sources. No official patch exists; mitigation relies on user awareness and network segmentation.

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