#ESETResearch discovered that #LuckyMouse/#APT27 used a code-signing certificate belonging to VMPsoft, the developer of the VMProtect packer. The signed file is a loader for the SysUpdate backdoor (aka Soldier). We notified VMPSoft of this compromise
Pivoting on the certificate, we found genuine VMPsoft binaries and a sample of SysUpdate signed and packed with VMProtect. Since LuckyMouse rarely use VMProtect, it is possible that they also stole VMProtect packer when they got the digi certificate.
While the certificate is still valid, we have notified GlobalSign.
Thumbprint: 6EF192CBD6E540F1D740D1BD96317ACAE8C6AF9D
Subject: Permyakov Ivan Yurievich IP, Ekaterinburg, Sverdlovskaya oblast, RU
Valid from: 2022-05-17 11:18:43
Valid to: 2023-05-18 11:18:43
Interestingly, in August 2022 a tweet claimed that the source code of VMProtect was leaked. However, we could not find the leak nor link it to the LuckyMouse incident.