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Godzilla Loader Trojan

Godzilla Loader is a newly observed trojan that is intended to be used as a downloader for other malware. It has similar functionality to the Emotet trojan, with its creator advertising it on dark web forums as a cheaper alternative to the more established malware.
Threat ID:
CC-2733
Category:
Trojan
Threat Severity:
Medium
Threat Vector:
Published:
18 October 2018 12:00 AM
Report a cyber attack: call 0300 303 5222 or email [email protected]

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This article no longer conforms to NHS Digital's standards for cyber alerts, and may contain outdated or inaccurate information. Use of this information contained in this page is at your own risk

Summary

Godzilla Loader is a newly observed trojan that is intended to be used as a downloader for other malware. It has similar functionality to the Emotet trojan, with its creator advertising it on dark web forums as a cheaper alternative to the more established malware.

Affected platforms

The following platforms are known to be affected:

Microsoft Windows

  • Microsoft Windows - All versions

Threat details

As it is sold directly to attacker for use in their campaigns, Godzilla Loader can be delivered in whichever way they see fit. However, at the time of publication, there are only unconfirmed reports indicating it is being delivered in spam campaigns as an embedded EXE file contained within Microsoft Office documents.

Once installed, Godzilla Loader will connect to a command and control server specified by the attacker and generate registry entries to maintain persistence. It will then delete Volume Shadow Copies before downloading and installing the intended payload. Newer versions of Godzilla Loader include modules for keylogging, credential theft and network propagation.

Remediation advice

To prevent and detect a trojan infection, ensure that:

Remediation steps

Type Step
  • A robust program of education and awareness training is delivered to users to ensure they don’t open attachments or follow links within unsolicited emails.
  • All operating systems, anti-virus and other security products are kept up-to-date.
  • Regular anti-virus and security scans are performed on your organisation’s estate.
  • All day-to-day computer activities such as email and internet are performed using non-administrative accounts.
  • Strong password policies are in place.
  • Network, proxy and firewall logs should be monitored for suspicious activity.
  • User accounts accessed from affected devices should be reset on a clean computer.
  • Your organisation adopts a holistic all-round approach to Cyber Security as advocated by the 10 Steps to Cyber Security.

Last edited: 17 February 2020 12:43 pm