Notable Changes Observed in Malicious LNK Files Distributed by Kimsuky Group
Article Summary: The North Korean Kimsuky hacker group recently used malicious LNK files disguised as HWP documents to launch multi-stage attacks. They extended the attack chain by adding intermediate stages such as XML, VBS, and PS1 files to evade detection. The attack creates hidden folders, registers scheduled tasks for persistence, and finally deploys a Python backdoor that supports remote command execution, file theft, and other capabilities. Data is exfiltrated through Dropbox to blend in with normal traffic.
Categories: Malware, Threat Intelligence, Incident Response, Vulnerability Analysis, Red Team
Recently, a clear evolution has been detected in the malicious LNK files being distributed by the Kimsuky group. While the overall flow leading to the execution of a Python-based backdoor or downloader remains similar to previous campaigns, the actual execution process now employs a significantly more complex multi-layered structure. The group is also abusing legitimate cloud services and attempting to evade detection through Python-based malware. Because these files are difficult to identify by appearance alone, user vigilance has become even more critical. In this article, we examine the changed delivery method, key characteristics, and the full attack flow.
[Table 1] Comparison of Past and Recent Delivery Methods
1. Past LNK Delivery Method
1-1. Initial Execution
Previous LNK files operated by executing a PowerShell script that downloaded a BAT file from an external URL.
- URL:
hxxps://qugesr[.]online/m/bDw
[Figure 1] Malicious BAT Script File
1-2. Intermediate Stage
The downloaded BAT file further downloads additional ZIP files and decoy files. It then downloads split ZIP fragments individually, merges them into a single archive, and extracts it. The resulting archive contains a Python script, Python interpreter, and an XML scheduled task file (sch.db). Based on the XML file, a scheduled task named Microsoft_Upgrade{10-9903-09-821392134} is registered. The Python script is then executed via the task scheduler, ultimately leading to the download and execution of the Python-based backdoor.
[Table 2] Additional File Downloads
[Figure 2] Legitimate Decoy File
2. Recent LNK Delivery Method
2-1. Initial Execution
The recently distributed LNK files — “Resume (Park Seong-min).hwp.lnk” and “Guidelines for Establishing Data Backup and Recovery Procedures (Reference).lnk” — execute a PowerShell script just like previous versions. They create a folder at C:\windirr with hidden and system attributes. This is presumed to be an anti-forensic measure to prevent the path from appearing in normal user file exploration. The LNK then drops and executes the files it contains into this folder. Among them is a legitimate decoy file, and an HWP document using the exact same filename as the LNK is created to fool the victim.
[Figure 3] Legitimate Decoy File
[Table 3] File Functions
2-2. Intermediate Stage
A scheduled task is created based on an XML file. The task name is set to GoogleUpdateTaskMachineCGI__{56C6A980-91A1-4DB2-9812-5158E7E97388}. Inside the XML, a task is defined that repeatedly runs the command wscript.exe /b "C:\windirr\11.vbs" every 17 minutes starting from 2025-08-26 15:17. When the VBS file executes via the scheduler, it launches C:\windirr\pp.ps1.
[Figure 4] Registered Scheduled Task
The pp.ps1 script creates C:\Users\Public\Documents\tmp.ini and saves the information listed in [Table 4] into it. The attackers are using Dropbox as a C2 channel for data exfiltration. Stolen data is uploaded with filenames in the format <userdomain>_<date>_info.ini. Additionally, the file zzz09_test.db_sent from the attacker’s Dropbox is downloaded and saved as C:\Users\Public\Music\hh.bat, then executed with cmd.exe /c C:\Users\Public\Music\hh.bat.
[Table 4] Exfiltrated Information
[Figure 5] Partial Code from pp.ps1
The hh.bat file downloads two split ZIP fragments from the URLs below, merges them into a single ZIP at %TEMP%\G9081234.zip, and extracts it to C:\winii. Inside the archive are an XML scheduled task file (norton.db) and the Python backdoor (beauty.py).
[Table 5] Additional File Downloads
[Figure 6] Partial Code from hh.bat
The final Python backdoor is executed through the XML scheduled task. The hh.bat registers a new task named GoogleExtension{02-2032121-098} to run C:\winii\beauty.py.
3. Python Malware
Two types of Python-based malicious code were identified: a downloader that fetches additional payloads from an external server, and a backdoor that remotely executes attacker commands.
3-1. Backdoor
The backdoor sends a packet containing the string “HAPPY” to the C2 server at 45.95.186[.]232:8080 to signal successful infection. It then communicates using a custom protocol with fixed 4096-byte packets starting with magic bytes 0x99 0x0A 0xBD 0x99. Depending on the command code, it performs the following functions:
- Shell command execution
- Drive list enumeration
- File upload and download
- File deletion (with random data overwrite before deletion) and execution (.exe, .bat, .vbs)
During analysis, actions such as collecting drive information, network configuration (via ipconfig), and running processes (via tasklist) were observed.
[Figure 7] Function Branching Based on Attacker Commands
[Table 6] Functions by Command
[Table 7] Commands Sent by Attacker
3-2. Downloader
The downloader connects to the attacker-controlled server, saves VBS and BAT files to the %TEMP% path, and executes them in the background using the CREATE_NO_WINDOW (0x08000000) flag without showing a console window. After 180 seconds, it deletes both files to erase traces.
[Figure 8] Partial Python Downloader Code
4. Kimsuky Group Characteristics
4-1. XML-Based Scheduled Task Registration
The task names used in this backdoor campaign are similar to those previously used by Kimsuky when distributing RAT malware.
[Table 8] Similarity in Scheduled Task Names
4-2. Similar XML Filenames
Kimsuky has historically used XML files in the sch_*.db format for scheduled task registration.
[Table 9] Similarity in XML Filenames
4-3. Reuse of Previously Used Decoy Files
Decoy files used in past Kimsuky campaigns are being reused in these new LNK attacks.
[Figure 9] Legitimate Decoy File Used in Previous Kimsuky Campaigns
5. Conclusion
In this campaign, Kimsuky maintained a similar overall attack flow while introducing structural changes in the intermediate execution stages. The abuse of legitimate cloud services like Dropbox for both data exfiltration and file download, along with the use of Python to bypass detection, are notable features. These changes demonstrate the group’s tactic of keeping the broad attack framework intact while continuously modifying implementation details to evade detection.
LNK files disguised as document files are extremely difficult to identify as malicious based on appearance alone. Therefore, users should always be cautious with files from unknown sources and never execute them recklessly.
Source: AhnLab
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