{
  "family": "adspy",
  "sample_count": 8,
  "category": "infostealer",
  "description": "Adspy (classified in antivirus detection telemetry under designations including PWS:Win32/Adspy, PWS.Win32.Adspy, and Win32/Adspy) is a dedicated information theft malware engineered to harvest stored credentials, browser session cookies, cryptocurrency wallets, and keystrokes. Disseminated across enterprise networks and consumer workstations via social engineering, phishing attachments, malicious drive-by downloads, or weaponized software cracks, Adspy executes an initial reconnaissance phase upon system ingress. The binary evaluates host privileges, detects active hypervisors and sandbox environments to evade behavioral analysis, and establishes resilient autostart persistence by configuring registry keys under HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run or registering background Windows services. Operational mechanics characteristic of this family include credential database extraction, API hooking, system discovery, and encrypted C2 exfiltration. Outbound communication is established with remote threat actor infrastructure to beacon operational status and receive tasking, posing significant security risks to data integrity and host availability.",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk Threat Intelligence Team.",
  "aliases": [
    "PWS:Win32/Adspy",
    "PWS.Win32.Adspy",
    "Win32/Adspy"
  ],
  "enrichment_level": "curated_sourced",
  "faq": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is PWS:Win32/Adspy?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Adspy is a infostealer threat designed to infiltrate Windows systems and execute unauthorized operations without user consent."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How does Adspy compromise target systems?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "It commonly infiltrates systems via phishing emails, trojanized software installers, exploit kits, or unpatched vulnerabilities."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What persistence mechanisms does Adspy utilize?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "It typically creates autostart entries in the Windows Registry (HKCU/HKLM Run keys), registers scheduled tasks, or installs hidden background services."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What risks does Adspy pose to an enterprise?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "It can lead to credential theft, system manipulation, unauthorized remote access, data loss, or secondary malware delivery."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How can administrators detect and eliminate Adspy?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Deploy modern EDR solutions with updated behavioral signatures, isolate infected endpoints, audit autostart persistence entries, and conduct full antimalware scans."
      }
    }
  ],
  "faq_count": 5,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1555",
    "T1056.001",
    "T1114",
    "T1041",
    "T1082"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-10-15",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1189",
      "name": "Drive-by Compromise (Bundled Installers)",
      "tactic": "Initial Access"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1176",
      "name": "Browser Extensions (BHO installation)",
      "tactic": "Persistence"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1185",
      "name": "Browser Session Hijacking (Ad injection and tracking)",
      "tactic": "Collection"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1204.002",
      "name": "User Execution: Malicious File",
      "tactic": "Execution"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Use the Windows Control Panel to attempt uninstallation of the adware and any bundled software installed on the exact same date.",
    "Deploy an enterprise adware removal tool (e.g., AdwCleaner or Malwarebytes) to locate and strip the deeply embedded registry hooks and BHOs.",
    "Force a complete reset of all installed web browsers to factory defaults to eradicate the rogue extensions and restore the homepage.",
    "Quarantine the endpoint during cleanup to halt the active exfiltration of browsing telemetry."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not rely solely on the browser's 'remove extension' button; the underlying adware frequently utilizes watchdog services to reinstall the extension.",
    "Avoid ignoring the infection; adware tracking data is highly detailed and may expose corporate activities."
  ],
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ],
  "attack_stage": [
    "execution",
    "persistence"
  ],
  "ecosystem": [
    "windows_pe"
  ],
  "is_emerging": false,
  "sources": [
    {
      "name": "Microsoft Defender Threat Encyclopedia - PWS:Win32/Adspy",
      "url": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/threats/malware-encyclopedia-description?Name=PWS:Win32/Adspy"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kaspersky Threat Intelligence - PWS.Win32.Adspy",
      "url": "https://threats.kaspersky.com/en/threat/"
    },
    {
      "name": "MITRE ATT&CK - Enterprise Techniques",
      "url": "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1555/"
    }
  ],
  "target_platforms": [
    "Windows 11",
    "Windows 10",
    "Windows Server 2022",
    "Windows Server 2019"
  ]
}