macOS malware: Compiled AppleScript with document double-extension
Detects compiled AppleScript files (.scpt) with document double-extensions (e.g., .docx.scpt, .pdf.scpt) commonly used in DPRK-attributed macOS malware campaigns. These files open in Script Editor when double-clicked and use social engineering (fake compatibility errors) to trick users into executing malicious reconnaissance scripts that fetch subsequent payload stages.
Sublime rule (View on GitHub)
1name: "macOS malware: Compiled AppleScript with document double-extension"
2description: |
3 Detects compiled AppleScript files (.scpt) with document double-extensions (e.g., .docx.scpt, .pdf.scpt)
4 commonly used in DPRK-attributed macOS malware campaigns. These files open in Script Editor when
5 double-clicked and use social engineering (fake compatibility errors) to trick users into executing
6 malicious reconnaissance scripts that fetch subsequent payload stages.
7references:
8 - "https://delivr.to/payloads?id=9fd3974a-b764-4011-b3ea-f4eeb993aa5b"
9type: "rule"
10severity: "high"
11source: |
12 type.inbound
13
14 // attachment with .scpt extension (compiled AppleScript)
15 and any(attachments,
16 .file_extension == "scpt"
17 // double extension pattern: common document extensions followed by .scpt
18 and regex.icontains(.file_name,
19 '\.(doc|docx|pdf|xls|xlsx|ppt|pptx|txt|rtf)\.scpt$'
20 )
21 // ensure it's actually a binary/script file, not just renamed
22 // compiled AppleScript files are binary and have minimum size
23 and (.file_type == "unknown" or .file_type == "exe")
24 // compiled .scpt files are binary, should have reasonable size
25 and .size > 1000
26 )
27
28 // negate highly trusted sender domains unless they fail DMARC authentication
29 and (
30 (
31 sender.email.domain.root_domain in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
32 and not headers.auth_summary.dmarc.pass
33 )
34 or sender.email.domain.root_domain not in $high_trust_sender_root_domains
35 )
36tags:
37 - "Attack surface reduction"
38
39attack_types:
40 - "Malware/Ransomware"
41tactics_and_techniques:
42 - "Evasion"
43 - "Social engineering"
44detection_methods:
45 - "File analysis"
46 - "Header analysis"
47id: "9669c169-57fe-5d80-865a-5e66eccfb658"