{
  "family": "indigorose",
  "sample_count": 1,
  "category": "trojan",
  "description": "<h3>Executive Summary</h3>\n\"IndigoRose\" refers to detections associated with AutoPlay Media Studio (and related products) developed by Indigo Rose Software. This is a legitimate, commercial rapid application development (RAD) tool used by software developers to create custom multimedia presentations, autorun menus for CD/DVDs, and software installers. However, because the tool allows for the easy compilation of executables that can silently launch embedded files and scripts, it is frequently abused by malware authors to bundle and distribute Trojans, making compiled IndigoRose executables highly suspect in enterprise environments.\n\n<h3>Infection Vector and Technical Capabilities</h3>\nThe IndigoRose software itself is not malware. The threat arises when a threat actor uses the tool to compile a malicious package. This package is then distributed via phishing emails or fake software downloads.\n\nWhen a maliciously crafted IndigoRose executable is run:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>File Extraction and Execution:</strong> The compiled executable acts as a sophisticated \"dropper\" or binder. It silently extracts embedded files (the actual malware payload, such as a RAT or info-stealer) to temporary directories (e.g., `%TEMP%`).</li>\n<li><strong>Scripted Automation:</strong> The attacker utilizes the legitimate scripting capabilities of AutoPlay Media Studio (Lua-based) to automate the execution of the extracted malware, modify registry keys, or even disable specific security services before the payload runs.</li>\n<li><strong>Evasion by Association:</strong> Because the outer executable is compiled by a legitimate commercial tool, it often bypasses simplistic antivirus heuristics that are looking for standard malware packing techniques (like UPX).</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3>Threat Assessment</h3>\nThe presence of an unverified executable compiled with IndigoRose is a significant security concern (Riskware). If the executable was not explicitly created by the internal IT team for administrative purposes, it must be assumed to be a malicious wrapper designed to bypass initial defenses and deploy a hidden payload.\n\n<h3>Incident Response and Remediation</h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Do Not Execute:</strong> If a suspicious IndigoRose executable (often disguised as a document or a \"Setup.exe\") is discovered, do not run it. Isolate the file immediately.</li>\n<li><strong>Forensic Unpacking:</strong> Security analysts must use specialized tools to unpack the IndigoRose container and analyze the embedded files and the internal Lua scripts to determine the true nature of the payload.</li>\n<li><strong>Network Isolation:</strong> If the file was inadvertently executed, immediately isolate the endpoint and perform a deep forensic scan to locate and eradicate the extracted secondary malware.</li>\n</ul>",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [
    "Riskware.IndigoRose",
    "Dropper.AutoPlay",
    "Win32/AutoPlay.Suspicious"
  ],
  "enrichment_level": "expert-seo",
  "faq": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is Indigorose and what threat category does it belong to?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Indigorose is classified as a Trojan. Documented across security telemetry, it is engineered to execute unauthorized operations, establish persistent footholds on target endpoints, and facilitate malicious campaigns targeting enterprise and individual environments."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How does Indigorose establish persistence and evade defensive controls?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Indigorose typically establishes persistence through registry run keys, scheduled tasks, or service installations, while evading signature-based antivirus solutions through code obfuscation, memory injection, or anti-analysis sandbox checks."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What are the essential incident response steps for mitigating a Indigorose compromise?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Security teams responding to Indigorose should immediately isolate affected endpoints from the network, perform memory triage to capture volatile forensic artifacts, audit registry and startup persistence mechanisms, revoke exposed user credentials, and restore systems from verified, clean backups."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What secondary payloads and staging behaviors are commonly associated with Riskware.IndigoRose?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Riskware.IndigoRose frequently operates as a loader or dropper designed to establish a foothold before downloading and executing secondary high-impact malware payloads. Depending on the threat actor's objectives, these dropped modules can range from ransomware and banking injects to modular infostealers and remote management backdoors."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How can security operations teams effectively detect and hunt for Riskware.IndigoRose across enterprise endpoints?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Defenders should hunt for Riskware.IndigoRose by deploying behavioral endpoint detection and response (EDR) rules that monitor suspicious process spawning (such as cmd.exe or powershell.exe spawned from office documents or temporary directories), anomalous outbound network connections from non-browser binaries, and unauthorized modifications to Windows Run keys and scheduled task registries."
      }
    }
  ],
  "faq_count": 5,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1204.002",
    "T1027",
    "T1055",
    "T1547.001",
    "T1105",
    "T1082"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-10-15",
  "type": "Riskware / Dropper (Abused Tool)",
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ],
  "attack_stage": [
    "execution",
    "persistence"
  ],
  "ecosystem": [
    "windows_pe"
  ],
  "is_emerging": false,
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1204.002",
      "name": "User Execution: Malicious File (Relying on the user to execute the unique payload)",
      "tactic": "Execution"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1027",
      "name": "Obfuscated Files or Information",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1055",
      "name": "Process Injection",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1547.001",
      "name": "Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder",
      "tactic": "Persistence"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1105",
      "name": "Ingress Tool Transfer",
      "tactic": "Command and Control"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1082",
      "name": "System Information Discovery",
      "tactic": "Discovery"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Sever network connectivity for the flagged endpoint to terminate persistent command-and-control (C2) communication channels and stop Indigorose from retrieving secondary stage payloads.",
    "Capture process memory triage to detect and terminate malicious threads injected by Indigorose into legitimate system processes such as explorer.exe or svchost.exe.",
    "Audit Windows Registry Run keys (HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run) and Task Scheduler entries to locate and purge Indigorose persistence hooks.",
    "Deploy updated enterprise EDR detection signatures and conduct an out-of-band endpoint scan to isolate dropped binaries and staged payloads.",
    "Rotate all credentials, domain user passwords, and session cookies active on the system during the Indigorose execution timeframe."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not assume the incident is resolved simply because an antivirus tool removed the initial Indigorose dropper; always verify that secondary payloads and persistence hooks have been eradicated.",
    "Avoid logging in with Domain Admin or privileged credentials on a machine suspected of running Indigorose until memory triage is complete.",
    "Do not delay host isolation; automated lateral movement and credential dumping can occur within minutes of initial execution."
  ],
  "target_platforms": [
    "Windows 11",
    "Windows 10",
    "Windows 7"
  ]
}