Saitama Malware Uses DNS for Stealthy C2 Communications
- Actor Motivations: Espionage,Exfiltration
- Attack Vectors: Backdoor,Malware,Phishing
- Attack Complexity: Medium
- Threat Risk: High Impact/Low Probability
Threat Overview
The Saitama implant, uncovered by Malwarebytes, uses DNS for Command and Control (C2) communications. Targeting the Jordan government, this malware employs domain randomization and long sleep times to evade detection. It encodes data using a shared key and a pseudo-random number generator, making detection challenging. The implant’s hardcoded sleep values and unique DNS queries ensure stealth, though the data transfer rate is slow.
Detected Targets
| Type | Description | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Government Agencies and Services | Verified |
| Region | Jordan | Verified |
FAQs
Understanding the Saitama DNS Malware
Security researchers discovered a new piece of malicious software (malware) called "Saitama" hidden inside a weaponized document. This malware is designed to secretly communicate with attackers by hiding its messages inside DNS traffic, the standard protocol computers use to look up website addresses, making it very difficult to spot.
The report does not name a specific hacker group but notes that the attack was likely targeted toward the government of Jordan. The threat actors are sophisticated enough to write custom malware that specifically avoids common detection methods.
The primary goal is to establish a covert "Command and Control" channel. This allows the attackers to send instructions to an infected computer and receive data back (stealing information) without triggering security alarms that usually watch for suspicious web traffic.
The malware hides data inside "random-looking" web addresses (subdomains) that it requests. To stay hidden, it doesn't send data quickly; instead, it sleeps for random periods (between 40 and 80 seconds) between every message. This slow speed makes it look like normal background noise on a network.
DNS traffic is almost never blocked because it is essential for the internet to work. By using this open lane for their data, attackers can bypass many firewalls. Additionally, the randomization and slow speed make it hard for security software to recognize the pattern as malicious.
Organizations should tune their network security tools (like Suricata or SIEMs) to look for specific patterns of "random" DNS queries that happen in slow bursts. Security teams should also "allow-list" known safe domains to make it easier to spot the strange, random ones used by this malware.
The report describes DNS tunneling as a "relatively rare technique," and this specific malware appears to be a targeted tool rather than a mass-market virus. However, because it is so stealthy, it is important for high-value targets (like governments or large enterprises) to be aware of it.