Process ghosting is a sophisticated technique used to evade detection by security tools on Windows systems.
It involves creating a temporary file, marking it for deletion, and then executing its contents from memory without leaving a persistent file on disk.
This method allows malicious code to run undetected, as traditional security software often relies on scanning files on disk.
NtCreateFile. The file is immediately marked for deletion using NtSetInformationFile, placing it in a delete-pending state. This prevents external access to the file while it is being manipulated.Rust provides a robust environment for implementing process ghosting due to its low-level memory management capabilities and compatibility with Windows APIs.
The Whitecat18/Rust-for-Malware-Development repository includes a Rust implementation of process ghosting, demonstrating how to leverage Rust’s features for such advanced techniques.
To implement process ghosting in Rust, you would typically use the winapi crate to interact with Windows system calls. Here’s a simplified example of how you might start:
rustuse winapi::shared::minwindef::{DWORD, HANDLE};
use winapi::um::fileapi::{CreateFileA, DeleteFileA};
use winapi::um::memoryapi::{CreateFileMappingA, MapViewOfFile};
use winapi::um::processthreadsapi::{CreateProcessA, CreateThread};
fn main() {
// Step 1: Create a file
let file_handle = unsafe {
CreateFileA(
b"C:\\path\\to\\file.exe\0".as_ptr() as *const i8,
0x40000000, // GENERIC_WRITE
0,
std::ptr::null_mut(),
2, // CREATE_ALWAYS
0,
std::ptr::null_mut(),
)
};
// Step 2: Mark for deletion
// Use NtSetInformationFile to set delete-pending state
// Step 3: Map file to memory
let file_mapping_handle = unsafe { CreateFileMappingA(file_handle, std::ptr::null(), 0x04, 0, 0, std::ptr::null()) };
let view = unsafe { MapViewOfFile(file_mapping_handle, 0x001F0001, 0, 0, 0) };
// Step 4: Create process from mapped memory
// Use CreateProcessA with STARTUPINFO and PROCESS_INFORMATION
// Step 5: Execute the process
// Use CreateThread to start execution
}
This example is simplified and focuses on key steps. For a complete implementation, you would need to handle errors, manage memory, and ensure proper cleanup.
Process ghosting in Rust demonstrates how advanced evasion techniques can be implemented using modern programming languages.
By leveraging Rust’s capabilities for low-level system interactions, developers can create sophisticated tools that challenge traditional security measures.
However, such techniques should be used responsibly and ethically, focusing on improving security rather than compromising it.
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