{
  "family": "browshot",
  "sample_count": 1,
  "category": "trojan",
  "description": "Browshot (classified in antivirus detection telemetry under designations including Trojan:Win32/Browshot, Trojan.Win32.Browshot, and Win32/Browshot) is a multi-stage trojan engineered to disguise itself as legitimate software, execute unauthorized commands, and coordinate with external command-and-control infrastructure. Disseminated across enterprise networks and consumer workstations via social engineering, phishing attachments, malicious drive-by downloads, or weaponized software cracks, Browshot 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 deceptive executable masquerading, registry run key autostart, system telemetry gathering, and remote C2 beaconing. 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": [
    "Trojan:Win32/Browshot",
    "Trojan.Win32.Browshot",
    "Win32/Browshot"
  ],
  "enrichment_level": "curated_sourced",
  "faq": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is Trojan:Win32/Browshot?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Browshot is a trojan threat designed to infiltrate Windows systems and execute unauthorized operations without user consent."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How does Browshot 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 Browshot 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 Browshot 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 Browshot?",
      "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": [
    "T1059.003",
    "T1027",
    "T1547.001",
    "T1071.001",
    "T1105"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-10-16",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1547.009",
      "name": "Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Shortcut Modification (Altering browser shortcuts)",
      "tactic": "Persistence"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1055.001",
      "name": "Process Injection: Dynamic-link Library Injection (Hooking the browser to intercept traffic)",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1189",
      "name": "Drive-by Compromise (The typical delivery method for browser hijackers)",
      "tactic": "Initial Access"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Use dedicated anti-malware tools (like AdwCleaner) to scan for deeply embedded browser hooks and malicious registry policies.",
    "Inspect and manually fix all browser shortcuts on the desktop, Start Menu, and Taskbar.",
    "Perform a complete reset of all installed browsers to clear malicious extensions, search providers, and hijacked homepages.",
    "Check for unauthorized Proxy configurations set in the Windows Internet Options."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not rely solely on uninstalling the 'freeware' that brought the hijacker; the adware components usually leave persistence mechanisms behind.",
    "Avoid ignoring the alert; adware networks frequently pivot to serving ransomware if the host appears vulnerable."
  ],
  "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 - Trojan:Win32/Browshot",
      "url": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/threats/malware-encyclopedia-description?Name=Trojan:Win32/Browshot"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kaspersky Threat Intelligence - Trojan.Win32.Browshot",
      "url": "https://threats.kaspersky.com/en/threat/"
    },
    {
      "name": "MITRE ATT&CK - Enterprise Techniques",
      "url": "https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059.003/"
    }
  ],
  "target_platforms": [
    "Windows 11",
    "Windows 10",
    "Windows 7"
  ]
}