Cybersecurity researchers from Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 have uncovered a new post-exploitation red team tool called Splinter, developed using the Rust programming language. While not as sophisticated as well-known tools like Cobalt Strike, Splinter possesses standard features commonly found in penetration testing tools, potentially posing a threat to organizations if misused.
Splinter operates on a task-based model, typical of post-exploitation frameworks, and communicates with a command-and-control (C2) server using HTTPS. Its capabilities include executing Windows commands, remote process injection, file manipulation, cloud service account information gathering, and self-deletion. The tool's artifacts are notably large, around 7 MB, due to the inclusion of 61 Rust crates.
Although no threat actor activity has been associated with Splinter yet, its discovery highlights the ongoing evolution of cybersecurity tools and the importance of staying updated on prevention and detection capabilities. The researchers emphasize that criminals are likely to adopt any effective techniques for compromising organizations, underscoring the need for vigilance.
This revelation comes amid other recent disclosures of potential attack methods, including stealthy code injection and privilege escalation techniques in Microsoft Office and Windows systems. These developments collectively emphasize the dynamic nature of cybersecurity threats and the continuous need for robust defense strategies.
Splinter operates on a task-based model, typical of post-exploitation frameworks, and communicates with a command-and-control (C2) server using HTTPS. Its capabilities include executing Windows commands, remote process injection, file manipulation, cloud service account information gathering, and self-deletion. The tool's artifacts are notably large, around 7 MB, due to the inclusion of 61 Rust crates.
Although no threat actor activity has been associated with Splinter yet, its discovery highlights the ongoing evolution of cybersecurity tools and the importance of staying updated on prevention and detection capabilities. The researchers emphasize that criminals are likely to adopt any effective techniques for compromising organizations, underscoring the need for vigilance.
This revelation comes amid other recent disclosures of potential attack methods, including stealthy code injection and privilege escalation techniques in Microsoft Office and Windows systems. These developments collectively emphasize the dynamic nature of cybersecurity threats and the continuous need for robust defense strategies.