{
  "family": "messengerpass",
  "sample_count": 1,
  "category": "trojan",
  "description": "<h3>Executive Summary</h3>\nMessengerPass is a classification frequently applied to a legitimate password recovery utility developed by NirSoft, designed to extract saved login credentials from various Instant Messaging (IM) clients (like MSN, Yahoo!, Google Talk, ICQ). Because it instantly retrieves passwords in clear text without requiring the user's master password, security vendors universally classify it as a \"HackTool\" or \"Riskware.\" Threat actors, particularly Initial Access Brokers, heavily abuse this utility post-compromise to rapidly harvest corporate communication credentials.\n\n<h3>Infection Vector and Technical Capabilities</h3>\nMessengerPass is not self-replicating malware. It is a standalone executable (`mspass.exe`) that is typically dropped onto a system by an attacker who has already gained interactive access, or it is executed silently in the background by a malicious script or a dropper Trojan.\n\nUpon execution, its capabilities are highly focused and dangerous:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Registry and File Parsing:</strong> The utility automatically scans the Windows Registry and specific application data folders (`%APPDATA%`) looking for the encrypted credential stores utilized by supported IM clients.</li>\n<li><strong>Plain-Text Decryption:</strong> It leverages the Windows Data Protection API (DPAPI) or specific decryption algorithms to reverse the local encryption applied by the IM clients, instantly displaying the usernames and passwords in clear text.</li>\n<li><strong>Command-Line Automation (Abuse):</strong> Attackers frequently abuse the tool's command-line interface. By executing the utility with specific flags (e.g., `/stext output.txt`), the tool runs completely silently, dumps all recovered IM passwords to a hidden text file, and exits, allowing the attacker to easily exfiltrate the file via a reverse shell.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3>Threat Assessment</h3>\nThe unauthorized execution of MessengerPass on a corporate endpoint is a critical indicator of an active credential harvesting operation. It signifies that an attacker has gained sufficient privileges to run credential-dumping tools and has successfully stolen passwords that may be reused across other corporate systems or used to impersonate employees.\n\n<h3>Incident Response and Remediation</h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Contextual Investigation:</strong> Determine if the execution was authorized by IT for legitimate password recovery. If not, the endpoint must be considered actively compromised and isolated immediately.</li>\n<li><strong>Trace the Execution:</strong> Utilize EDR telemetry to determine *how* the tool was executed. Identify the parent process (e.g., `cmd.exe`, `powershell.exe`, or a malicious dropper) to locate the source of the initial breach.</li>\n<li><strong>Mandatory Global Credential Reset:</strong> If unauthorized execution is confirmed, all passwords stored in the user's IM clients, and any identical passwords used for Active Directory or corporate web apps, must be reset immediately.</li>\n</ul>",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [
    "HackTool.MSPass",
    "Riskware.PasswordViewer",
    "PWS.Nirsoft",
    "Tool.MessengerPass"
  ],
  "enrichment_level": "insufficient_information",
  "faq": [],
  "faq_count": 0,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1555.003",
    "T1003",
    "T1059.003"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-07-02T07:34:37Z",
  "type": "HackTool / Credential Stealer",
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ]
}