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TidePool is a Windows remote-access trojan identified in 2016 during a cyberespionage campaign targeting Indian embassy personnel worldwide. It is associated with Ke3chang, also known as APT15, and is an evolution of the group's BS2005 malware lineage. Shared characteristics include code routines for command-and-control obfuscation, Base64 handling, registry modification, and beacon construction. TidePool has also been deployed in campaigns attributed to DragonOK.
TidePool enables operators to read, write, and delete files and folders and execute commands through named pipes. It collects system information, including the current user, computer name, and operating-system service-pack level, and transmits Base64-encoded data over HTTP. It receives commands from its command-and-control server and establishes persistence through Windows Active Setup. It also modifies Internet Explorer settings, including disabling Enhanced Security Configuration.
The Indian embassy campaign delivered TidePool through spearphishing emails impersonating people associated with diplomatic missions. Weaponized MHTML attachments exploited CVE-2015-2545 in Microsoft Word to install the DLL payload. DragonOK-associated deployments also used phishing attachments, including malicious executables and RTF documents exploiting CVE-2015-1641.
Mallory pivots from this family to the IOCs, detections, and named campaigns that touch your stack, and pages you when something new lands.
2 CVEs Mallory has correlated with this family across public research and vendor advisories. Each row links to the full Mallory page for that vulnerability.
TidePool is embedded within an MHTML document that exploits CVE-2015-2545.
Sysget malware was delivered both directly via phishing emails, as well as in Rich Text Format (RTF) documents exploiting the CVE-2015-1641 vulnerability (patched in MS15-033) that in turn leveraged a very unique shellcode.
2 distinct threat actors attributed by public researchers. Open in Mallory to see the full evidence chain and overlapping campaigns.
TidePool is embedded within an MHTML document that exploits CVE-2015-2545.
Additionally, we have observed instances of the IsSpace and TidePool malware families being delivered via the same techniques.
10 distinct techniques documented for this family, organized by ATT&CK tactic.
TidePool gathers information about the victim's computer, base64 encodes the data, and sends it to the Command and Control (C2) server via HTTP... The Base64 encoded data contains information about the victim’s service pack level, the current user, and the NETBIOS name of the victim system.
52 indicators attributed across vendor reports, sandbox runs, and researcher write-ups. Full values are available in Mallory.
IPs, domains, and DNS infrastructure linked to this family.
File hashes (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256) from samples and reports.
Other indicator types observed in public reporting.
7 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.
TidePool is a backdoor malware, evolved from BS2005, used by APT15 for espionage against diplomatic targets.
Trojan with RAT-like capabilities that can manipulate files, execute commands via named pipes, gather host information, encode data in base64, and exfiltrate it over HTTP.
Trojan used by APT15 that reads, writes, and deletes files and folders, executes commands through named pipes, gathers host information, and sends Base64-encoded data to its command-and-control server over HTTP. It is delivered through an MHTML document exploiting CVE-2015-2545.
Named as one of several Ke3chang tools under the broader BS2005 malware umbrella.
Match every observed IP, domain, and hash against your live telemetry.
Named campaigns wielding this family, with evidence pinned to each claim.
CVEs this family uses for access and lateral movement.
YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.
Every documented technique, ranked by evidence weight.
Reddit, Mastodon, and CTI community discussion around this family.