SilentPrism

According to Trend Micro, SilentPrism is a backdoor malware designed to achieve persistence, dynamically execute shell commands, and maintain unauthorized remote control of compromised systems. It implements persistence mechanisms differently based on user privileges: for non-administrative users, it leverages the Windows registry to create auto-run entries using mshta.exe combined with VBScript to download and execute remote payloads; for administrative users, it deploys scheduled tasks with similar execution methods. SilentPrism retrieves additional payloads and instructions from a C&C server, ensuring modular functionality. The malware communicates with its C&C server using encrypted channels, employing AES encryption and Base64 encoding to obfuscate data. Commands received are decrypted and executed in various ways, including direct PowerShell script execution, dynamic script block creation, or job-based execution. Each task is tracked using unique identifiers, allowing the malware to monitor execution states and return results to the server. SilentPrism incorporates anti-analysis techniques such as virtual machine detection and randomized sleep intervals (ranging from 300 to 700 milliseconds) between operations, making its behavior less predictable. Additionally, it continuously polls the C&C server for commands, enabling operators to dynamically control infected systems.