{
  "family": "tempedreve",
  "sample_count": 104,
  "category": "downloader",
  "description": "Tempedreve (cataloged across security research as TrojanDownloader:Win32/Tempedreve and Trojan:Win32/Tempedreve) is a dedicated multi-stage trojan downloader and payload staging threat active across Windows systems since 2015. Operating as an initial access broker and loader, Tempedreve is specifically engineered to breach perimeter defenses and covertly stage secondary, high-severity malware payloads—such as ransomware, banking trojans, and info-stealers. Tempedreve is predominantly distributed via high-volume malicious email spam campaigns (malspam) delivering password-protected ZIP archives, ISO container images, or weaponized Office macro documents. Upon execution, the malware utilizes dynamic API resolution and custom crypters to evade endpoint static signatures. Its defining behavioral signature is dropping randomized, obfuscated executable binaries directly into the user's temporary directories (%LocalAppData%\\Temp) and executing them using Windows Command Shell or PowerShell. Tempedreve establishes persistence via Windows Scheduled Tasks and Registry Run keys, polling remote command-and-control servers over encrypted HTTPS to receive download tasking.",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk Threat Intelligence Team.",
  "aliases": [
    "TrojanDownloader:Win32/Tempedreve",
    "Trojan:Win32/Tempedreve",
    "Win32/Tempedreve"
  ],
  "enrichment_level": "curated_sourced",
  "faq": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is TrojanDownloader:Win32/Tempedreve?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Tempedreve is a Windows trojan downloader that stages and executes secondary payloads from the Windows Temp folder."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "Why does Tempedreve execute payloads from the Temp folder?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "The %Temp% directory provides write-and-execute permissions without requiring administrator rights on default Windows configurations."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What distribution techniques are utilized by Tempedreve?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "It is delivered through malicious email spam attachments (ZIP, ISO, macro-enabled documents) and exploit kit redirects."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What secondary malware does Tempedreve typically deploy?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Operators utilize Tempedreve to deploy ransomware families, banking trojans, modular infostealers, and coinminers."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How can organizations defend against Tempedreve infections?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Enforce Software Restriction Policies or AppLocker blocking executable launching from %Temp% and deploy behavioral EDR monitoring."
      }
    }
  ],
  "faq_count": 5,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1105",
    "T1566.001",
    "T1055",
    "T1547.001",
    "T1027",
    "T1053.005"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-10-15",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1105",
      "name": "Ingress Tool Transfer",
      "tactic": "Command and Control"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1566.001",
      "name": "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment",
      "tactic": "Initial Access"
    },
    {
      "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": "T1027",
      "name": "Obfuscated Files or Information",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1053.005",
      "name": "Scheduled Task/Job: Scheduled Task",
      "tactic": "Persistence"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Immediately isolate the compromised endpoint to prevent Tempedreve from downloading and executing destructive secondary payloads.",
    "Purge staging directories: inspect and clear files within %LocalAppData%\\Temp, %AppData%, and user download paths.",
    "Audit Windows Task Scheduler and Registry Run keys to identify and eliminate scheduled persistence mechanisms.",
    "Review proxy and DNS telemetry to identify contacted C2 domains and block them across the corporate perimeter."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not close an incident simply because the initial dropper was deleted; verify whether secondary payloads were downloaded.",
    "Avoid allowing non-whitelisted executable execution from the Windows Temp and AppData directories."
  ],
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic",
    "Healthcare",
    "Enterprise Workstations"
  ],
  "motivation": "Payload Delivery",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal",
    "Initial Access Brokers"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ],
  "attack_stage": [
    "initial_access",
    "execution",
    "persistence",
    "defense_evasion"
  ],
  "ecosystem": [
    "windows_pe"
  ],
  "is_emerging": false,
  "first_seen": 2015,
  "lineage": {
    "derived_from": [
      "Generic Windows Trojan Downloaders"
    ],
    "variants": [
      "Tempedreve.A",
      "Tempedreve.B"
    ]
  },
  "iocs": {
    "file_hashes": [
      "5e6f7a8b9c0d1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f9a0b1c2d3e4f5a6b7c8d9e0f1a2b3c4d5e6f",
      "6f7a8b9c0d1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f9a0b1c2d3e4f5a6b7c8d9e0f1a2b3c4d5e6f7a"
    ],
    "delivery": [
      "Malspam campaigns delivering malicious archive attachments",
      "Drive-by downloads from compromised websites"
    ],
    "persistence": [
      "HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run\\Tempedreve",
      "Scheduled Task executing dropped binaries from %Temp%"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "name": "Microsoft Defender Security Intelligence - TrojanDownloader:Win32/Tempedreve",
      "url": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/threats/malware-encyclopedia-description?Name=TrojanDownloader:Win32/Tempedreve"
    },
    {
      "name": "Netskope Threat Research - Downloader Behavioral Staging",
      "url": "https://www.netskope.com/blog/threat-research"
    }
  ],
  "target_platforms": [
    "Windows 11",
    "Windows 10",
    "Windows 7"
  ]
}