Sardonic

Sardonic is a sophisticated piece of malware, or malicious software, first identified in 2021. It was designed to exploit and damage computer systems, often infiltrating without the user's knowledge through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites. The malware could disrupt operations, steal personal information, or even hold data for ransom. Notably, Sardonic was associated with the cybercrime group FIN8, which has used it as a primary capability in their attack infrastructure. They deployed the malware using PowerShell scripts, often transferring the Sardonic backdoor over HTTP/S or emailing it as a compressed attachment for both infiltration and lateral movement within targeted systems. The malware has since been revamped, maintaining many of its original characteristics but also evolving to avoid detection practices designed for the initial version. This updated variant of Sardonic shares features with the original C++-based backdoor analyzed by Bitdefender but is written in C, demonstrating increased flexibility and capabilities for the hackers. Investigations have uncovered that FIN8 has resurfaced online using this revised version of Sardonic to launch BlackCat ransomware attacks, further expanding its threat potential. Security researchers have also observed another group, known as Syssphinx, deploying a variant of the Sardonic backdoor to deliver Noberus ransomware. However, this variant has been altered to obfuscate its origins, complicating efforts to track and mitigate these cyber threats. Despite these challenges, SafeBreach and other cybersecurity firms continue to monitor and analyze Sardonic and its variants, working to provide effective defenses against these persistent and evolving cyber threats.