BlackLocks

MITRE ATT&CK does not currently catalogue BlackLocks, so this is our assessment of the techniques it uses, drawn from public reporting. The techniques themselves, and every "what that means" definition below, come from MITRE ATT&CK v19.2. Confidence: low. Treat it as orientation, not attribution.

1. T1059.001 PowerShell Execution

   What they do: BlackLocks executes malicious payloads via PowerShell scripts to stage ransomware operations on the targeted IT systems.

   What that means: Adversaries may abuse PowerShell commands and scripts for execution.

2. T1685 Disable or Modify Tools Defense Impairment

   What they do: BlackLocks disables security tools like antivirus software to prevent detection and hinder system recovery efforts.

   What that means: Adversaries may disable, degrade, or tamper with security tools or applications (e.g., endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools, intrusion detection systems (IDS), antivirus, logging agents, sensors, etc.) to impair or reduce visibility of defensive capabilities.

3. T1070.004 File Deletion Stealth

   What they do: BlackLocks deletes Volume Shadow Copies and backup directories via system commands to eliminate recovery options.

   What that means: Adversaries may delete files left behind by the actions of their intrusion activity.

4. T1083 File and Directory Discovery Discovery

   What they do: BlackLocks uses file and directory discovery to identify critical data paths and configuration files for subsequent encryption.

   What that means: Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.

5. T1560.001 Archive via Utility Collection

   What they do: BlackLocks archives stolen data using utility tools prior to exfiltration to maximize financial theft potential.

   What that means: Adversaries may use utilities to compress and/or encrypt collected data prior to exfiltration.

6. T1486 Data Encrypted for Impact Impact

   What they do: BlackLocks encrypts victim files using its ransomware payload to hold data hostage for ransom demands.

   What that means: Adversaries may encrypt data on target systems or on large numbers of systems in a network to interrupt availability to system and network resources.

7. T1489 Service Stop Impact

   What they do: BlackLocks stops critical Windows services related to security and backup solutions using net stop commands to disrupt defenses.

   What that means: Adversaries may stop or disable services on a system to render those services unavailable to legitimate users.

8. T1490 Inhibit System Recovery Impact

   What they do: BlackLocks runs commands to inhibit system recovery processes, ensuring victims cannot restore operations without payment.

   What that means: Adversaries may delete or remove built-in data and turn off services designed to aid in the recovery of a corrupted system to prevent recovery.