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MITRE ATT&CK® Malware

S0229: Orz

Orz is a custom JavaScript backdoor used by Leviathan. It was observed being used in 2014 as well as in August 2017 when it was dropped by Microsoft Publisher files. [1] [2]

EnterpriseS0229MalwareObject v2.2Modified
Glexia's Take · Automated analysis

Security context for executives and security teams

Automation confidenceMedium

S0229: Orz describes [Orz](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0229) is a custom JavaScript backdoor used by [Leviathan](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0065). It was observed being used in 2014 as well as in August 2017 when it was dropped by Microsoft Publisher files. (Citation: Proofpoint Leviathan Oct 2017) (Citation: FireEye Periscope March 2018)

Executive priority

S0229: Orz 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 S0229: Orz 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 S0229: Orz 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

Orz

Orz is a custom JavaScript backdoor used by Leviathan. It was observed being used in 2014 as well as in August 2017 when it was dropped by Microsoft Publisher files. [1] [2]

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.

13 rows
DomainIDNameRelationship / procedure
EnterpriseT1083File and Directory Discovery

Orz can gather victim drive information.[1]

EnterpriseT1059.003Windows Command ShellSub-technique

Orz can execute shell commands.[1] Orz can execute commands with JavaScript.[1]

EnterpriseT1218.010Regsvr32Sub-technique

Some Orz versions have an embedded DLL known as MockDll that uses Process Hollowing and regsvr32 to execute another payload.[1]

EnterpriseT1102.002Bidirectional CommunicationSub-technique

Orz has used Technet and Pastebin web pages for command and control.[1]

EnterpriseT1057Process Discovery

Orz can gather a process list from the victim.[1]

EnterpriseT1082System Information Discovery

Orz can gather the victim OS version and whether it is 64 or 32 bit.[1]

EnterpriseT1070Indicator Removal

Orz can overwrite Registry settings to reduce its visibility on the victim.[1]

EnterpriseT1518Software Discovery

Orz can gather the victim's Internet Explorer version.[1]

EnterpriseT1105Ingress Tool Transfer

Orz can download files onto the victim.[1]

EnterpriseT1112Modify Registry

Orz can perform Registry operations.[1]

EnterpriseT1016System Network Configuration Discovery

Orz can gather victim proxy information.[1]

EnterpriseT1055.012Process HollowingSub-technique

Some Orz versions have an embedded DLL known as MockDll that uses process hollowing and Regsvr32 to execute another payload.[1]

EnterpriseT1027Obfuscated Files or Information

Some Orz strings are base64 encoded, such as the embedded DLL known as MockDll.[1]

Associated objects

Groups, software, and campaigns

GroupEnterprise

G0065: Leviathan

Leviathan is a Chinese state-sponsored cyber espionage group that has been attributed to the Ministry of State Security's (MSS) Hainan State Security Department and an affiliated front company.[1] Active since at least 2009, Leviathan has targeted the following sectors: academia, aerospace/aviation, biomedical, defense industrial base, government, healthcare, manufacturing, maritime, and transportation across the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.[1][2][3][4]

Relationship explorer

All related ATT&CK context

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
2.2
Created
Modified
Raw hash
7e28c3fc159dc01e...
Imported snapshots across ATT&CK releases(2)
ReleaseBundle importedObject versionModifiedStatusRaw hash
19.22.2Current bundle7e28c3fc159d…
19.12.2Older bundle7e28c3fc159d…
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.

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]
    Proofpoint Leviathan Oct 2017

    Axel F, Pierre T. (2017, October 16). Leviathan: Espionage actor spearphishes maritime and defense targets. Retrieved February 15, 2018.

    Open source URL
  2. [2]
    FireEye Periscope March 2018

    FireEye. (2018, March 16). Suspected Chinese Cyber Espionage Group (TEMP.Periscope) Targeting U.S. Engineering and Maritime Industries. Retrieved April 11, 2018.

    Open source URL
  3. [3]
    AIRBREAK

    (Citation: FireEye Periscope March 2018)

  4. [4]
    Orz

    (Citation: Proofpoint Leviathan Oct 2017)

  5. [5]
    mitre-attackS0229
    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.