1 malware family

YouTubeTA

Also known asYouTubeTA

YouTubeTA (short for "YouTube Threat Actor") is a StealC malware-as-a-service customer/operator identified by CyberArk through exploitation of an XSS vulnerability in the StealC web control panel. The actor used StealC throughout 2025 and relied extensively on YouTube to distribute the infostealer, advertising cracked versions of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects. Reporting indicates the actor likely hijacked older legitimate YouTube channels using compromised credentials and planted malicious links, creating a self-perpetuating distribution mechanism. Observed StealC build IDs associated with this operator included "YouTube," "YouTube2," and "YouTubeNew." Panel data indicated the operation maintained more than 5,000 victim logs containing roughly 390,000 stolen passwords and more than 30 million stolen cookies. The actor’s panel configuration included markers for studio.youtube.com credentials, consistent with targeting YouTube creator accounts. Victim screenshots also showed use of ClickFix-like social engineering. CyberArk assessed YouTubeTA was likely a single operator because the panel showed only one admin user and session fingerprinting was consistent across observations. Fingerprinting indicated use of an Apple Pro/M3-based device, English and Russian language support, and a GMT+0300 time zone. In mid-July 2025, the operator reportedly accessed the panel without a VPN, exposing an IP associated with the Ukrainian ISP TRK Cable TV. The content supports describing YouTubeTA as an Eastern European, likely Ukrainian-linked cybercriminal operator, but does not establish nation-state affiliation.

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MITRE ATT&CK

Tradecraft

10 distinct techniques observed across reporting, grouped by tactic. Hover any cell for the evidence excerpt; click through for MITRE's full description.

9 of 15 tactics15 techniques×N= number of intelligence reports citing this technique

MITRE ATT&CK

TA0042

Resource Development

2 techniques

T1583

Acquire Infrastructure

T1583.008

Malvertising

T1586

Compromise Accounts

T1586.002

Email Accounts

TA0001

Initial Access

2 techniques

T1078

Valid Accounts

T1190

Exploit Public-Facing Application

TA0002

Execution

1 technique

T1059

Command and Scripting Interpreter

T1059.007×2

JavaScript

TA0003

Persistence

1 technique

T1078

Valid Accounts

TA0004

Privilege Escalation

1 technique

T1078

Valid Accounts

TA0005

Stealth

1 technique

T1078

Valid Accounts

TA0006

Credential Access

2 techniques

T1539×2

Steal Web Session Cookie

T1555×2

Credentials from Password Stores

TA0009

Collection

1 technique

T1113

Screen Capture

TA0011

Command and Control

1 technique

T1071

Application Layer Protocol

ARSENAL

Associated malware families

1 malware family attributed to this actor across reporting.

FamilyContextEvidenceLast seen

StealCStealC, on the other hand, has leveraged various initial access vectors ranging from malware loaders (including Amadey) and ClickFix lures, and is equipped to extract sensitive information, such as screenshots, credentials, session cookies, autofill entries, credit card data, browsing history, and extension data. ... It also acts as a secondary loader, capable of downloading and executing EXE, MSI, or PowerShell payloads based on commands from an external server.4Jun 24, 2026

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

7 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

7 SOURCESView more in app

the hacker newsNews

Jun 24, 2026

Amadey and StealC Malware Network Disrupted, 27M Stolen Credentials Recovered

A StealC customer/affiliate that distributes the stealer via YouTube-based lures advertising cracked software such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects.

the hacker newsNews

Jan 19, 2026

Security Bug in StealC Malware Panel Let Researchers Spy on Threat Actor Operations

A StealC MaaS customer that distributes StealC via YouTube by promoting cracked software (e.g., Adobe Photoshop/After Effects), likely hijacking legitimate YouTube accounts to create a self-propagating distribution loop; also uses fake CAPTCHA lures to deliver the stealer.

cyber security newsNews

Jan 17, 2026

Researchers Gain Access to StealC Malware Command-and-Control Systems

A StealC operator involved in credential theft and cookie theft, apparently using compromised YouTube channels and stolen studio.youtube.com credentials to distribute StealC and expand malware distribution.

bleeping computerNews

Jan 16, 2026

StealC hackers hacked as researchers hijack malware control panels

A StealC MaaS customer/operator running malware distribution campaigns via hijacked YouTube channels, using compromised credentials and malicious links to infect victims and steal credentials/cookies at scale.

+3 more in the timeline

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Target overlap

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Tradecraft mapping10

Every observed MITRE ATT&CK technique, grouped by tactic.

Malware arsenal1

Families this actor is known to deploy, with IOCs and behavior.

Exploited CVEs

CVEs this actor has used in known campaigns.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Observables

Domains, IPs, and hashes tied to this actor, refreshed continuously.