S1138: Gootloader
Gootloader is a Javascript-based infection framework that has been used since at least 2020 as a delivery method for the Gootkit banking trojan, Cobalt Strike, REvil, and others. Gootloader operates on an "Initial Access as a Service" model and has leveraged SEO Poisoning to provide access to entities in multiple sectors worldwide including financial, military, automotive, pharmaceutical, and energy.[1][2]
Security context for executives and security teams
S1138: Gootloader describes [Gootloader](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1138) is a Javascript-based infection framework that has been used since at least 2020 as a delivery method for the Gootkit banking trojan, [Cobalt Strike](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0154), [REvil](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0496), and others. [Gootloader](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1138) operates on an "Initial Access as a Service" model and has leveraged [SEO Poisoning](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1608/006) to provide access to entit...
Executive priority
S1138: Gootloader 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 S1138: Gootloader 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 S1138: Gootloader 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.
Gootloader
Gootloader is a Javascript-based infection framework that has been used since at least 2020 as a delivery method for the Gootkit banking trojan, Cobalt Strike, REvil, and others. Gootloader operates on an "Initial Access as a Service" model and has leveraged SEO Poisoning to provide access to entities in multiple sectors worldwide including financial, military, automotive, pharmaceutical, and energy.[1][2]
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 | T1614 | System Location Discovery | Gootloader can use IP geolocation to determine if the person browsing to a compromised site is within a targeted territory such as the US, Canada, Germany, and South Korea.[2] |
| Enterprise | T1584.001 | DomainsSub-technique | Gootloader has used compromised legitimate domains to as a delivery network for malicious payloads.[2] |
| Enterprise | T1069.002 | Domain GroupsSub-technique | Gootloader can determine if a targeted system is part of an Active Directory domain by expanding the %USERDNSDOMAIN% environment variable.[2] |
| Enterprise | T1584.006 | Web ServicesSub-technique | Gootloader can insert malicious scripts to compromise vulnerable content management systems (CMS).[2] |
| Enterprise | T1547.001 | Registry Run Keys / Startup FolderSub-technique | Gootloader can create an autorun entry for a PowerShell script to run at reboot.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1059.001 | PowerShellSub-technique | Gootloader can use an encoded PowerShell stager to write to the Registry for persistence.[1][2] |
| Enterprise | T1497.003 | Time Based ChecksSub-technique | Gootloader can designate a sleep period of more than 22 seconds between stages of infection.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1614.001 | System Language DiscoverySub-technique | Gootloader can determine if a victim's computer is running an operating system with specific language preferences.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1204.001 | Malicious LinkSub-technique | Gootloader has been executed through malicious links presented to users as internet search results.[1][2] |
| Enterprise | T1082 | System Information Discovery | Gootloader can inspect the User-Agent string in GET request header information to determine the operating system of targeted systems.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1140 | Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information | Gootloader has the ability to decode and decrypt malicious payloads prior to execution.[1][2] |
| Enterprise | T1059.007 | JavaScriptSub-technique | Gootloader can execute a Javascript file for initial infection.[1][2] |
| Enterprise | T1055.002 | Portable Executable InjectionSub-technique | Gootloader can use its own PE loader to execute payloads in memory.[1] |
| Enterprise | T1055.012 | Process HollowingSub-technique | Gootloader can inject its Delphi executable into ImagingDevices.exe using a process hollowing technique.[1][2] |
| Enterprise | T1016 | System Network Configuration Discovery | Gootloader can use an embedded script to check the IP address of potential victims visiting compromised websites.[2] |
| Enterprise | T1132.001 | Standard EncodingSub-technique | Gootloader can retrieve a Base64 encoded stager from C2.[2] |
| Enterprise | T1105 | Ingress Tool Transfer | Gootloader can fetch second stage code from hardcoded web domains.[1][2] |
| Enterprise | T1027 | Obfuscated Files or Information | The Gootloader first stage script is obfuscated using random alpha numeric strings.[1][2] |
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 | 1.0 | Current bundle | 667c46923223… | ||
| 19.1 | 1.0 | Older bundle | 667c46923223… |
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]Sophos Gootloader
Szappanos, G. & Brandt, A. (2021, March 1). “Gootloader” expands its payload delivery options. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
Open source URL - [2]SentinelOne Gootloader June 2021
Pirozzi, A. (2021, June 16). Gootloader: ‘Initial Access as a Service’ Platform Expands Its Search for High Value Targets. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
Open source URL - [3]mitre-attackS1138Open source URL
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