{
  "metadata": {
    "report_title": "chromelevator.exe - Browser Credential Extraction Tool IOC Feed",
    "analysis_date": "2026-01-26",
    "malware_family": "Arsenal-237 Ransomware Toolkit",
    "confidence_level": "DEFINITE (Technical findings)",
    "report_type": "Indicators of Compromise",
    "feed_version": "1.0"
  },
  "file_hashes": {
    "sha256": [
      {
        "hash": "92c4f4b7748f23d6dcd5af43595f34e4bb8e284a85d2c1647b189c1bb59a784a",
        "filename": "chromelevator.exe",
        "file_size": 1463808,
        "file_type": "PE64 Console Application",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Browser credential extraction tool from Arsenal-237 campaign"
      }
    ],
    "md5": [
      {
        "hash": "bc376c951eacb36bf0909a43588e6444",
        "filename": "chromelevator.exe",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Primary sample identifier"
      }
    ],
    "sha1": [
      {
        "hash": "78c8ab4a9932805f5fb32f4a19367642ea8ac6f6",
        "filename": "chromelevator.exe",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Secondary sample identifier"
      }
    ]
  },
  "file_indicators": {
    "suspicious_filenames": [
      {
        "name": "chromelevator.exe",
        "type": "Malware executable",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "detection_note": "Block execution of this file by hash and filename"
      },
      {
        "name": "PAYLOAD_DLL",
        "type": "Embedded resource",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "detection_note": "Reflective DLL payload embedded in chromelevator.exe resource section"
      }
    ],
    "suspicious_locations": [
      {
        "path": "%TEMP%\\chromelevator.exe",
        "type": "Temporary directory execution",
        "confidence": "HIGHLY LIKELY",
        "detection_note": "Malware often executed from temporary directories"
      },
      {
        "path": "%APPDATA%\\chromelevator.exe",
        "type": "AppData directory execution",
        "confidence": "HIGHLY LIKELY",
        "detection_note": "Alternative execution location for persistence-less operation"
      },
      {
        "path": "C:\\Windows\\Temp\\chromelevator.exe",
        "type": "Windows temp directory",
        "confidence": "LIKELY",
        "detection_note": "Common malware staging location"
      }
    ]
  },
  "network_indicators": {
    "domains": [],
    "ips": [],
    "urls": [],
    "named_pipes": [
      {
        "name": "\\\\.*\\pipe\\*",
        "type": "Inter-process communication",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "detection_note": "Dynamic named pipe names used for C2 communication with injected payload. Pattern: CreateNamedPipeW with dynamic identifiers",
        "detection_method": "Monitor for named pipe creation by chromelevator.exe; establish baseline for normal pipe usage"
      }
    ],
    "c2_notes": "No direct network C2 observed; communication occurs via named pipes to injected payloads. Data exfiltration likely handled by other Arsenal-237 components (enc_c2.exe)"
  },
  "host_indicators": {
    "registry_keys": [
      {
        "key": "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Google\\Chrome\\InstallPath",
        "type": "Browser detection",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Queried to locate Chrome installation directory",
        "detection_note": "Monitor for unusual registry queries by suspicious processes"
      },
      {
        "key": "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\BraveSoftware\\Brave-Browser",
        "type": "Browser detection",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Queried to locate Brave Browser installation directory"
      },
      {
        "key": "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Edge",
        "type": "Browser detection",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Queried to locate Microsoft Edge installation directory"
      }
    ],
    "file_paths": [
      {
        "path": "%APPDATA%\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Login Data",
        "type": "Browser credential database",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Chrome password store (SQLite encrypted with DPAPI)"
      },
      {
        "path": "%APPDATA%\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Cookies",
        "type": "Browser session data",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Chrome session cookies and authentication tokens"
      },
      {
        "path": "%APPDATA%\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Default\\Web Data",
        "type": "Browser data storage",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Chrome autofill, payment cards, and form data"
      },
      {
        "path": "%APPDATA%\\BraveSoftware\\Brave-Browser\\User Data\\Default\\Login Data",
        "type": "Browser credential database",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Brave Browser password store"
      },
      {
        "path": "%APPDATA%\\Microsoft\\Edge\\User Data\\Default\\Login Data",
        "type": "Browser credential database",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "Microsoft Edge password store"
      },
      {
        "path": "%APPDATA%\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\Profile *\\*",
        "type": "Multi-profile targeting",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "notes": "chromelevator.exe enumerates and extracts from all Chrome profiles (Profile 1, Profile 2, etc.)"
      }
    ],
    "mutex_names": [],
    "service_names": [],
    "process_behavior": [
      {
        "behavior": "Process injection into browser processes",
        "processes": ["chrome.exe", "brave.exe", "msedge.exe"],
        "method": "Reflective DLL injection via direct syscalls",
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "detection_note": "Monitor for suspicious memory allocation, protection changes, and thread creation in browser processes"
      },
      {
        "behavior": "Direct syscall usage bypassing Windows API",
        "syscalls": [
          "ZwAllocateVirtualMemory",
          "ZwWriteVirtualMemory",
          "ZwReadVirtualMemory",
          "ZwProtectVirtualMemory",
          "ZwCreateThreadEx",
          "ZwOpenProcess",
          "ZwQueryInformationProcess",
          "ZwGetContextThread",
          "ZwSetContextThread",
          "ZwResumeThread",
          "ZwFreeVirtualMemory",
          "ZwTerminateProcess",
          "ZwUnmapViewOfSection",
          "ZwFlushInstructionCache",
          "ZwClose",
          "ZwOpenKey",
          "ZwQueryValueKey",
          "ZwEnumerateKey"
        ],
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "detection_note": "Modern EDR with syscall tracing (ETW) can detect direct syscall patterns"
      },
      {
        "behavior": "Registry enumeration for browser installation paths",
        "registry_keys": [
          "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Google\\Chrome",
          "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\BraveSoftware",
          "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Edge"
        ],
        "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
        "detection_note": "Unusual registry queries by non-system processes should trigger alerts"
      }
    ]
  },
  "behavioral_indicators": [
    {
      "behavior": "Named pipe server creation by suspicious process",
      "indicator": "CreateNamedPipeW API call with PIPE_ACCESS_DUPLEX",
      "process": "chromelevator.exe",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "detection": "Monitor process creation events for chromelevator.exe; alert on named pipe creation by non-system processes"
    },
    {
      "behavior": "Chrome database access by non-browser process",
      "indicator": "File access to %APPDATA%\\Google\\Chrome\\User Data\\*",
      "process": "chromelevator.exe",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "detection": "Alert on non-browser processes accessing Chrome/Brave/Edge credential databases"
    },
    {
      "behavior": "Reflective DLL injection pattern",
      "indicator": "VirtualAllocEx + WriteProcessMemory + VirtualProtectEx + CreateRemoteThread sequence",
      "process": "chromelevator.exe",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "detection": "EDR memory scanning and injection detection; syscall tracing for direct syscall injection attempts"
    },
    {
      "behavior": "Embedded resource extraction and decryption",
      "indicator": "PAYLOAD_DLL resource access and PE header parsing",
      "process": "chromelevator.exe",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
      "severity": "HIGH",
      "detection": "Monitor for suspicious resource access patterns; check for embedded malicious payloads in PE files"
    },
    {
      "behavior": "Large data read from browser credential databases",
      "indicator": "Bulk read operations from SQLite databases containing credentials",
      "process": "injected PAYLOAD_DLL in browser process",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "detection": "Monitor for unusual database read operations by browser processes; alert on credential database access"
    }
  ],
  "api_calls": {
    "critical_apis": [
      "CreateNamedPipeW",
      "ConnectNamedPipe",
      "WriteFile",
      "ReadFile",
      "FindResourceW",
      "LoadResource",
      "LockResource",
      "SizeofResource",
      "CreateRemoteThread",
      "WriteProcessMemory",
      "VirtualAllocEx",
      "VirtualProtectEx",
      "OpenProcess",
      "GetCurrentProcess",
      "CloseHandle",
      "RegOpenKeyExW",
      "RegQueryValueExW",
      "RegEnumKeyExW"
    ],
    "detection_note": "Direct syscall usage bypasses these API hooks; syscall tracing required for detection"
  },
  "command_line_indicators": [
    {
      "argument": "--verbose",
      "type": "Logging configuration",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
      "detection_note": "Enable detailed logging during extraction"
    },
    {
      "argument": "--fingerprint",
      "type": "System profiling mode",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
      "detection_note": "Collect system fingerprinting information"
    },
    {
      "argument": "--output-path",
      "type": "Output directory specification",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
      "detection_note": "Specify custom directory for extracted credential output; unusual output paths (D:\\, E:\\) suggest intentional deployment"
    },
    {
      "argument": "--help",
      "type": "Help documentation",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED",
      "detection_note": "Display usage information"
    }
  ],
  "critical_strings": [
    {
      "string": "chromelevator.exe",
      "context": "Filename/process name",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "PAYLOAD_DLL",
      "context": "Embedded resource name",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "chrome.exe",
      "context": "Browser process targeting",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "brave.exe",
      "context": "Browser process targeting",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "msedge.exe",
      "context": "Browser process targeting",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "ReflectiveLoader",
      "context": "DLL injection entry point",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "Named pipe server created",
      "context": "Logging/debugging message",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "Extracted",
      "context": "Credential extraction confirmation",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "cookies",
      "context": "Data extraction type",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "passwords",
      "context": "Data extraction type",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "payments",
      "context": "Data extraction type",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "--verbose",
      "context": "Command-line argument",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "--fingerprint",
      "context": "Command-line argument",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    },
    {
      "string": "--output-path",
      "context": "Command-line argument",
      "confidence": "CONFIRMED"
    }
  ],
  "mitre_attack_mapping": [
    {
      "tactic": "Credential Access",
      "technique": "T1555.003",
      "name": "Credentials from Web Browsers",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "evidence": "Targeted extraction of cookies, passwords, and payment data from Chrome/Brave/Edge"
    },
    {
      "tactic": "Execution",
      "technique": "T1055.001",
      "name": "Process Injection - Dynamic-link Library Injection",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "evidence": "Reflective DLL injection into browser processes"
    },
    {
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion",
      "technique": "T1622",
      "name": "Debugger Evasion",
      "severity": "HIGH",
      "evidence": "Analysis environment detection and behavior modification"
    },
    {
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion",
      "technique": "T1027",
      "name": "Obfuscated Files or Information",
      "severity": "HIGH",
      "evidence": "Memory encryption of syscall stubs and embedded payloads"
    },
    {
      "tactic": "Collection",
      "technique": "T1005",
      "name": "Data from Local System",
      "severity": "HIGH",
      "evidence": "Extraction of browser SQLite databases and credential stores"
    },
    {
      "tactic": "Discovery",
      "technique": "T1083",
      "name": "File and Directory Discovery",
      "severity": "MEDIUM",
      "evidence": "Browser installation detection and profile enumeration"
    },
    {
      "tactic": "Command and Control",
      "technique": "T1071.001",
      "name": "Application Layer Protocol - Web Protocols",
      "severity": "MEDIUM",
      "evidence": "Named pipe C2 communication with injected payloads"
    },
    {
      "tactic": "Execution",
      "technique": "T1059.003",
      "name": "Command and Scripting Interpreter - Windows Command Shell",
      "severity": "MEDIUM",
      "evidence": "Command-line interface with multiple operational modes"
    }
  ],
  "detection_rules": [
    {
      "rule_type": "YARA",
      "rule_name": "Chromelevator_Browser_Extraction",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "description": "Detection of chromelevator.exe browser credential extraction tool"
    },
    {
      "rule_type": "Sigma",
      "rule_name": "Process_Creation_Chromelevator",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "description": "Detects execution of chromelevator.exe with suspicious command-line arguments"
    },
    {
      "rule_type": "Sigma",
      "rule_name": "Named_Pipe_Injection_C2",
      "severity": "HIGH",
      "description": "Detects named pipe creation patterns associated with reflective DLL injection"
    },
    {
      "rule_type": "EDR Behavioral",
      "rule_name": "Process_Injection_Memory_Pattern",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "description": "Detects VirtualAllocEx + WriteProcessMemory + VirtualProtectEx + CreateRemoteThread injection pattern"
    },
    {
      "rule_type": "EDR Memory",
      "rule_name": "Reflective_DLL_Injection_Detection",
      "severity": "CRITICAL",
      "description": "Detects reflective DLL injection through memory scanning and PE header validation in process memory"
    }
  ],
  "campaign_context": {
    "campaign_name": "Arsenal-237",
    "infrastructure": "109.230.231.37",
    "malware_toolkit": [
      "lpe.exe - Privilege escalation",
      "chromelevator.exe - Browser credential extraction",
      "killer.dll - Defense evasion",
      "rootkit.dll - Kernel-level persistence",
      "enc_c2.exe - Ransomware deployment",
      "new_enc.exe - Offline encryption",
      "dec_fixed.exe - Decryption tool"
    ],
    "attack_chain": "Privilege Escalation → Credential Harvesting → Defense Evasion → Ransomware Deployment",
    "threat_actor_profile": "Organized ransomware-as-a-service operation",
    "confidence": "MODERATE (75% - Technical patterns consistent; direct infrastructure correlation required)"
  },
  "remediation_guidance": {
    "immediate_actions": [
      "Isolate infected systems from network",
      "Preserve forensic evidence (memory dumps, disk images)",
      "Terminate chromelevator.exe and child processes",
      "Force credential rotation for potentially compromised accounts",
      "Alert incident response, CISO, legal, and executive leadership"
    ],
    "detection_deployment": [
      "Deploy YARA rules for signature-based detection",
      "Implement Sigma rules for process monitoring",
      "Configure EDR for syscall tracing and memory scanning",
      "Enable named pipe monitoring and alerting",
      "Monitor browser credential database access patterns"
    ],
    "system_hardening": [
      "Implement application control to block unsigned executables",
      "Deploy Windows Credential Guard for credential protection",
      "Enable EDR with advanced memory scanning capabilities",
      "Implement browser security policies and isolation technologies",
      "Segment networks to isolate critical systems",
      "Disable unnecessary browser data caching"
    ]
  },
  "references": {
    "analysis_reports": [
      {
        "title": "chromelevator.exe - Browser Credential Extraction Tool - Technical Analysis",
        "format": "Markdown",
        "path": "/reports/chromelevator-exe.md"
      }
    ],
    "detection_rules": [
      {
        "title": "chromelevator.exe Detection Rules and Hunting Queries",
        "format": "Markdown",
        "path": "/hunting-detections/chromelevator-exe.md"
      }
    ]
  }
}