S0050: CosmicDuke
CosmicDuke is malware that was used by APT29 from 2010 to 2015. [1]
Security context for executives and security teams
S0050: CosmicDuke describes [CosmicDuke](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0050) is malware that was used by [APT29](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0016) from 2010 to 2015. (Citation: F-Secure The Dukes)
Executive priority
S0050: CosmicDuke is an official MITRE ATT&CK software. Glexia treats it as defensive behavior context for prioritizing monitoring, control validation, and response planning without using the object by itself as an attribution claim.
Technical view
Security teams should validate S0050: CosmicDuke by reviewing the official ATT&CK relationships, mapped tactics (the mapped ATT&CK tactic context), supported platforms (Windows), and available local telemetry before making detection or mitigation decisions.
Likely telemetry
- Official ATT&CK relationships and object metadata
- Network, endpoint, and security-tool telemetry
Detection direction
- Validate whether S0050: CosmicDuke appears in your detection coverage and tabletop scenarios.
- Use the object to align executive risk language with SOC, incident response, and detection engineering work.
- Do not treat ATT&CK relationship context as attribution without corroborating evidence.
Mitigation priorities
- Map the object to existing controls and identify missing telemetry or response ownership.
- Prioritize mitigations that reduce exposure on the listed platforms and tactics.
- Review adjacent ATT&CK relationships before changing policy, detections, or reporting language.
Additional notes and limits
Baseline Glexia take generated from the official MITRE ATT&CK STIX object, source hash, tactics, platforms, and detection fields. It is safe to replace with a richer model-generated take for the same source hash later.
This baseline take is source-grounded and schema-validated, but it does not include environment-specific telemetry, incident evidence, or threat-intelligence corroboration.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
CosmicDuke
CosmicDuke is malware that was used by APT29 from 2010 to 2015. [1]
How security teams should use this page
Treat this object as behavior context, not an attribution claim. Validate the related groups, software, data sources, and mitigations against official ATT&CK relationships and your own telemetry before making control-coverage decisions.
Techniques used
This mirrors the MITRE pattern of making group, software, campaign, and technique relationships scannable. Relationship notes come from mirrored ATT&CK relationship text when available.
| Domain | ID | Name | Relationship / procedure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | T1543.003 | Windows ServiceSub-technique | CosmicDuke uses Windows services typically named "javamtsup" for persistence.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1003.004 | LSA SecretsSub-technique | CosmicDuke collects LSA secrets.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1048.003 | Exfiltration Over Unencrypted Non-C2 ProtocolSub-technique | CosmicDuke exfiltrates collected files over FTP or WebDAV. Exfiltration servers can be separately configured from C2 servers.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1039 | Data from Network Shared Drive | CosmicDuke steals user files from network shared drives with file extensions and keywords that match a predefined list.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1555 | Credentials from Password Stores | CosmicDuke collects user credentials, including passwords, for various programs including popular instant messaging applications and email clients as well as WLAN keys.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1083 | File and Directory Discovery | CosmicDuke searches attached and mounted drives for file extensions and keywords that match a predefined list.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1555.003 | Credentials from Web BrowsersSub-technique | CosmicDuke collects user credentials, including passwords, for various programs including Web browsers.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1068 | Exploitation for Privilege Escalation | CosmicDuke attempts to exploit privilege escalation vulnerabilities CVE-2010-0232 or CVE-2010-4398.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1115 | Clipboard Data | CosmicDuke copies and exfiltrates the clipboard contents every 30 seconds.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1056.001 | KeyloggingSub-technique | CosmicDuke uses a keylogger.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1113 | Screen Capture | CosmicDuke takes periodic screenshots and exfiltrates them.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1071.001 | Web ProtocolsSub-technique | CosmicDuke can use HTTP or HTTPS for command and control to hard-coded C2 servers.[1]CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1114.001 | Local Email CollectionSub-technique | CosmicDuke searches for Microsoft Outlook data files with extensions .pst and .ost for collection and exfiltration.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1003.002 | Security Account ManagerSub-technique | CosmicDuke collects Windows account hashes.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1020 | Automated Exfiltration | CosmicDuke exfiltrates collected files automatically over FTP to remote servers.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1005 | Data from Local System | CosmicDuke steals user files from local hard drives with file extensions that match a predefined list.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1053.005 | Scheduled TaskSub-technique | CosmicDuke uses scheduled tasks typically named "Watchmon Service" for persistence.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1573.001 | Symmetric CryptographySub-technique | CosmicDuke contains a custom version of the RC4 algorithm that includes a programming error.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
| Enterprise | T1025 | Data from Removable Media | CosmicDuke steals user files from removable media with file extensions and keywords that match a predefined list.CitationF-Secure Cosmicduke |
Groups, software, and campaigns
G0016: APT29
APT29 is threat group that has been attributed to Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).[1][2] They have operated since at least 2008, often targeting government networks in Europe and NATO member countries, research institutes, and think tanks. APT29 reportedly compromised the Democratic National Committee starting in the summer of 2015.[3][4][5][6]
In April 2021, the US and UK governments attributed the SolarWinds Compromise to the SVR; public statements included citations to APT29, Cozy Bear, and The Dukes.[7][8] Industry reporting also referred to the actors involved in this campaign as UNC2452, NOBELIUM, StellarParticle, Dark Halo, and SolarStorm.[9][10][11][12][13][14]
All related ATT&CK context
Object version and sync metadata
The fields below describe the current mirrored snapshot. When Glexia retains multiple ATT&CK source imports, you can open the table to compare the same object across releases (hashes and MITRE timestamps). For MITRE’s own release notes and roadmap, see ATT&CK resources — Updates.
Imported snapshots across ATT&CK releases(2)
| Release | Bundle imported | Object version | Modified | Status | Raw hash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.2 | 1.1 | Current bundle | 748bb62a7826… | ||
| 19.1 | 1.1 | Older bundle | 748bb62a7826… |
Mirrored ATT&CK source object
The raw object is retained through the mirrored ATT&CK source bundle and object hash. The raw endpoint returns the exact object from the mirrored bundle when available.
External references and citations
MITRE external references are preserved separately from Glexia analysis so citations remain traceable to their original source records.
- [1]F-Secure The Dukes
F-Secure Labs. (2015, September 17). The Dukes: 7 years of Russian cyberespionage. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
Open source URL - [2]mitre-attackS0050Open source URL
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