{
  "family": "donut",
  "sample_count": 1,
  "category": "ransomware",
  "description": "<h3>Executive Summary</h3>\nDonut is a highly sophisticated, open-source offensive security framework designed to generate position-independent shellcode from .NET, VBScript, JScript, and standard PE (Portable Executable) files. While originally developed for legitimate penetration testing and Red Team operations, Donut is heavily abused by Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups and ransomware operators to facilitate highly evasive, in-memory execution of malicious payloads.\n\n<h3>Technical Architecture and Exploitation</h3>\nDonut is not malware itself; rather, it is a tool used by attackers to obfuscate and deliver their actual malware (e.g., Cobalt Strike beacons, Mimikatz, or custom RATs).\n\nThe core functionality of Donut involves:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Shellcode Generation:</strong> The attacker uses the Donut framework to convert their primary executable payload (e.g., a .NET assembly or a compiled C++ binary) into raw, position-independent shellcode.</li>\n<li><strong>AMSI Bypass:</strong> Donut is specifically engineered to bypass the Windows Anti-Malware Scan Interface (AMSI) and Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). The generated shellcode often includes built-in routines to unhook or patch these defensive APIs in memory before executing the primary payload.</li>\n<li><strong>In-Memory Execution:</strong> The resulting Donut shellcode is typically injected into a legitimate, running process (process hollowing or thread hijacking) via a simple dropper. Because the shellcode executes entirely in memory (RAM) without dropping the original executable to the hard drive, it effectively bypasses traditional, file-based static antivirus scanning.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3>Threat Impact</h3>\nThe detection of Donut-generated shellcode indicates a sophisticated, targeted attack utilizing advanced evasion techniques. It allows threat actors to silently load powerful post-exploitation tools, facilitating rapid privilege escalation, credential dumping, and lateral movement while blinding local security sensors.\n\n<h3>Defense and Resilience Strategies</h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Behavioral EDR Monitoring:</strong> Static scanning is highly ineffective against Donut. Defenses must rely on advanced Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions configured to monitor for cross-process memory injection, unusual thread creation within system processes, and anomalous API usage (e.g., `CreateRemoteThread`, `VirtualAllocEx`).</li>\n<li><strong>AMSI Monitoring:</strong> Ensure EDR solutions are actively monitoring for attempts to patch or unhook the AMSI functions (e.g., `AmsiScanBuffer`).</li>\n<li><strong>Memory Forensics:</strong> When a suspicious process is identified, responders must capture and analyze a live memory dump to extract the injected Donut shellcode and reverse-engineer the underlying payload.</li>\n</ul>",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [
    "HackTool.Donut",
    "Tool.DonutShellcode",
    "Riskware.Donut"
  ],
  "enrichment_level": "insufficient_information",
  "faq": [],
  "faq_count": 0,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1055",
    "T1562.001",
    "T1027.005",
    "T1620"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-07-01T16:37:00Z",
  "type": "HackTool",
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ]
}