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MITRE ATT&CK® Malware

S0144: ChChes

ChChes is a Trojan that appears to be used exclusively by menuPass. It was used to target Japanese organizations in 2016. Its lack of persistence methods suggests it may be intended as a first-stage tool. [1] [2] [3]

EnterpriseS0144MalwareObject v1.1Modified
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Glexia's Take · Automated analysis

Security context for executives and security teams

Automation confidenceMedium

S0144: ChChes describes [ChChes](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0144) is a Trojan that appears to be used exclusively by [menuPass](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0045). It was used to target Japanese organizations in 2016. Its lack of persistence methods suggests it may be intended as a first-stage tool. (Citation: Palo Alto menuPass Feb 2017) (Citation: JPCERT ChChes Feb 2017) (Citation: PWC Cloud Hopper Technical Annex April 2017)

Executive priority

S0144: ChChes 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 S0144: ChChes 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 S0144: ChChes 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.

Official MITRE ATT&CK definition

ChChes

ChChes is a Trojan that appears to be used exclusively by menuPass. It was used to target Japanese organizations in 2016. Its lack of persistence methods suggests it may be intended as a first-stage tool. [1] [2] [3]

View the same entry on attack.mitre.org (MITRE-hosted reference; in-page links above use the Glexia ATT&CK library.)

Glexia analysis

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.

ATT&CK relationship table

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.

12 rows
DomainIDNameRelationship / procedure
EnterpriseT1071.001Web ProtocolsSub-technique

ChChes communicates to its C2 server over HTTP and embeds data within the Cookie HTTP header.[1][2]

EnterpriseT1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup FolderSub-technique

ChChes establishes persistence by adding a Registry Run key.[3]

EnterpriseT1132.001Standard EncodingSub-technique

ChChes can encode C2 data with a custom technique that utilizes Base64.[1][2]

EnterpriseT1105Ingress Tool Transfer

ChChes is capable of downloading files, including additional modules.[1][2][4]

EnterpriseT1685Disable or Modify Tools

ChChes can alter the victim's proxy configuration.[3]

EnterpriseT1555.003Credentials from Web BrowsersSub-technique

ChChes steals credentials stored inside Internet Explorer.[3]

EnterpriseT1082System Information Discovery

ChChes collects the victim hostname, window resolution, and Microsoft Windows version.[1][3]

EnterpriseT1083File and Directory Discovery

ChChes collects the victim's %TEMP% directory path and version of Internet Explorer.[4]

EnterpriseT1573.001Symmetric CryptographySub-technique

ChChes can encrypt C2 traffic with AES or RC4.[1][2]

EnterpriseT1036.005Match Legitimate Resource Name or LocationSub-technique

ChChes copies itself to an .exe file with a filename that is likely intended to imitate Norton Antivirus but has several letters reversed (e.g. notron.exe).[3]

EnterpriseT1057Process Discovery

ChChes collects its process identifier (PID) on the victim.[1]

EnterpriseT1553.002Code SigningSub-technique

ChChes samples were digitally signed with a certificate originally used by Hacking Team that was later leaked and subsequently revoked.[1][2][3]

Associated objects

Groups, software, and campaigns

GroupEnterprise

G0045: menuPass

menuPass is a threat group that has been active since at least 2006. Individual members of menuPass are known to have acted in association with the Chinese Ministry of State Security's (MSS) Tianjin State Security Bureau and worked for the Huaying Haitai Science and Technology Development Company.[1][2]

menuPass has targeted healthcare, defense, aerospace, finance, maritime, biotechnology, energy, and government sectors globally, with an emphasis on Japanese organizations. In 2016 and 2017, the group is known to have targeted managed IT service providers (MSPs), manufacturing and mining companies, and a university.[3][4][5][6][7][1][2]

Relationship explorer

All related ATT&CK context

uses · GroupG0045: menuPassEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1071.001: Web ProtocolsEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1547.001: Registry Run Keys / Startup FolderEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1132.001: Standard EncodingEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1105: Ingress Tool TransferEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1685: Disable or Modify ToolsEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1555.003: Credentials from Web BrowsersEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1082: System Information DiscoveryEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1083: File and Directory DiscoveryEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1573.001: Symmetric CryptographyEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1036.005: Match Legitimate Resource Name or LocationEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1057: Process DiscoveryEnterpriseuses · TechniqueT1553.002: Code SigningEnterprise
Change history

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.

ATT&CK release
19.2
Object version
1.1
Created
Modified
Raw hash
d6278cd927aa5fc4...
Imported snapshots across ATT&CK releases(3)
ReleaseBundle importedObject versionModifiedStatusRaw hash
20.01.1Older bundled6278cd927aa…
19.21.1Current bundled6278cd927aa…
19.11.1Older bundled6278cd927aa…
Raw source

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.

Open mirrored raw JSONOpen MITRE-hosted copy
Source references

External references and citations

MITRE external references are preserved separately from Glexia analysis so citations remain traceable to their original source records.

  1. [1]
    Palo Alto menuPass Feb 2017

    Miller-Osborn, J. and Grunzweig, J.. (2017, February 16). menuPass Returns with New Malware and New Attacks Against Japanese Academics and Organizations. Retrieved March 1, 2017.

  2. [2]
    JPCERT ChChes Feb 2017

    Nakamura, Y.. (2017, February 17). ChChes - Malware that Communicates with C&C Servers Using Cookie Headers. Retrieved November 17, 2024.

    Open source URL
  3. [3]
    PWC Cloud Hopper Technical Annex April 2017

    PwC and BAE Systems. (2017, April). Operation Cloud Hopper: Technical Annex. Retrieved April 13, 2017.

    Open source URL
  4. [4]
    FireEye APT10 April 2017

    FireEye iSIGHT Intelligence. (2017, April 6). APT10 (MenuPass Group): New Tools, Global Campaign Latest Manifestation of Longstanding Threat. Retrieved June 29, 2017.

    Open source URL
  5. [5]
    ChChes

    (Citation: Palo Alto menuPass Feb 2017) (Citation: JPCERT ChChes Feb 2017) (Citation: PWC Cloud Hopper Technical Annex April 2017)

  6. [6]
    HAYMAKER

    Based on similarities in reported malware behavior and open source reporting, it is assessed that the malware named HAYMAKER by FireEye is likely the same as the malware ChChes. (Citation: FireEye APT10 April 2017) (Citation: Twitter Nick Carr APT10)

  7. [7]
    Scorpion

    (Citation: PWC Cloud Hopper Technical Annex April 2017)

  8. [8]
    Twitter Nick Carr APT10

    Carr, N.. (2017, April 6). Retrieved September 12, 2024.

    Open source URL
  9. [9]
    mitre-attackS0144
    Open source URL
Source and licensing

Source: MITRE ATT&CK®. © 2026 The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation. MITRE ATT&CK and ATT&CK are registered trademarks of The MITRE Corporation. Glexia is not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE.

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