S0091: Epic
Security context for executives and security teams
Epic is a Windows backdoor documented by ATT&CK as used by Turla. Its decision value is not just the malware name: the related behaviors show a toolset that can profile a host and network, look for users, services, accounts, security tools, files, storage, and connections, then use stealth, web-based command-and-control, encryption, archiving, and file deletion. For leaders, this makes Epic relevant to readiness questions: can the organization prove it can detect suspicious discovery and C2 activity on Windows endpoints before an intrusion becomes broader incident response work?
Executive priority
Treat this as a coverage-validation item for high-consequence Windows environments, especially where espionage-style intrusions would affect business continuity, sensitive data, regulated evidence, or operational resilience. Because ATT&CK provides no official detection text for Epic, priority should be placed on validating telemetry and controls against the related techniques rather than assuming malware-name detection is sufficient. Ask whether endpoint, network, identity, and incident response teams can reconstruct discovery, security-tool enumeration, collection preparation, and web-protocol C2 from retained evidence.
Technical view
SOC and detection teams should map Epic-related coverage to the supplied ATT&CK relationships: Windows registry queries, service/process/user/account/group discovery, network configuration and remote-system discovery, file/directory/storage discovery, security software discovery, web-protocol C2, symmetric cryptography, obfuscation, file deletion, code signing abuse, Extra Window Memory Injection, and archive creation via libraries. Since the object is a Windows malware entry and official detection is not provided, validation should focus on behavior chains and host/network correlation rather than a single signature. IR teams should confirm they can timeline suspicious discovery commands or API activity, unexpected archive creation, deletion of staging artifacts, abnormal web traffic, and code/process anomalies on Windows systems.
Likely telemetry
- Windows endpoint process creation and command-line telemetry
- Windows registry access/query events
- Service, process, local user, and local group enumeration evidence
- File system events for discovery, archive creation, and deletion
- Endpoint security tool and sensor health/status telemetry
Detection direction
- Build detections around clustered discovery behaviors rather than isolated administration commands, because many related techniques overlap with legitimate troubleshooting and inventory activity.
- Tune for unusual combinations: security software discovery followed by obfuscated payload activity, archive creation, file deletion, or web-protocol external communications.
- Validate Windows registry, service, process, account, group, network, file, and storage discovery visibility on endpoints where business impact would be high.
- Correlate endpoint events with proxy/DNS/network metadata for web-protocol C2, especially where traffic patterns are inconsistent with the host role.
- Review code-signing trust decisions; signed binaries should not be automatically treated as benign when behavior aligns with discovery, collection, or C2.
Mitigation priorities
- Prioritize endpoint visibility and retention on Windows systems before relying on malware-specific detections.
- Harden least-privilege access and local administrator membership to reduce the value of account and group discovery.
- Restrict and monitor outbound web traffic from servers and sensitive workstations according to expected business need.
- Maintain tamper-resistant security tooling and alert on attempts to discover or disable defensive products where telemetry supports it.
- Use application control, code-signing policy review, and execution controls to reduce trust in unknown or unexpected binaries.
Additional notes and limits
The most useful defensive interpretation is relationship-driven: ATT&CK links Epic to a broad set of discovery techniques plus stealth, command-and-control, collection preparation, and defense-impairment behaviors. This supports a managed detection and incident response focus on behavior correlation and evidence completeness, not a claim that any single analytic will identify Epic by name.
ATT&CK lists Epic as a Windows backdoor used by Turla and provides one cited external reporting source, but no official detection guidance and no object-level tactics. The relationship context supplies technique associations, but local validation is required to determine whether those behaviors are visible, suspicious, or already covered in a specific environment. This summary does not assert current activity, customer exposure, or guaranteed detection.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Epic
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.
Groups, software, and campaigns
G0010: Turla
Turla is a cyber espionage threat group that has been attributed to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). They have compromised victims in over 50 countries since at least 2004, spanning a range of industries including government, embassies, military, education, research and pharmaceutical companies. Turla is known for conducting watering hole and spearphishing campaigns, and leveraging in-house tools and malware, such as Uroburos.[1][2][3][4][5]
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(1)
| Release | Bundle imported | Object version | Modified | Status | Raw hash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.1 | 1.4 | Current bundle | 7760cd30b787… |
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]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [2]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [3]ESET Recon Snake Nest
Boutin, J. and Faou, M. (2018). Visiting the snake nest. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
Open source URL - [4]Secureworks IRON HUNTER Profile
Secureworks CTU. (n.d.). IRON HUNTER. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
- [5]Epic
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [6]Epic
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [7]Epic
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [8]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [9]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [10]TadjMakhal
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [11]TadjMakhal
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [12]TadjMakhal
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [13]Tavdig
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [14]Tavdig
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [15]Tavdig
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [16]Wipbot
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [17]Wipbot
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [18]Wipbot
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [19]WorldCupSec
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [20]WorldCupSec
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [21]WorldCupSec
(Citation: Kaspersky Turla)
- [22]mitre-attackS0091Open source URL
- [23]mitre-attackS0091Open source URL
- [24]mitre-attackS0091Open source URL
- [25]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [26]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [27]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [28]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [29]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [30]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [31]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [32]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [33]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [34]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [35]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [36]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [37]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [38]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [39]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [40]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [41]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [42]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [43]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [44]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [45]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [46]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [47]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [48]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [49]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [50]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [51]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [52]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [53]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [54]ESET Recon Snake Nest
Boutin, J. and Faou, M. (2018). Visiting the snake nest. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
Open source URL - [55]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [56]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [57]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [58]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [59]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [60]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [61]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [62]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [63]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [64]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [65]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [66]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [67]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [68]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [69]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [70]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [71]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [72]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [73]Kaspersky Turla Aug 2014
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & Analysis Team. (2014, August 06). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroboros. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
Open source URL - [74]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL - [75]Kaspersky Turla
Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis Team. (2014, August 7). The Epic Turla Operation: Solving some of the mysteries of Snake/Uroburos. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
Open source URL
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