Killall

Category: ransomware · Aliases: HackTool.KillAll, Trojan.KillAV, Script.Wiper · Sample count (EMBER 2018): 1 · Enrichment: insufficient_information · Updated: 2026-07-02T07:05:10Z

Category: RansomwareActor: Unknown / CybercriminalIndustry: Global / OpportunisticMotivation: Opportunistic

Overview

Executive Summary

KillAll is a classification for malicious scripts, utilities, or "HackTools" specifically designed to aggressively terminate running processes across an operating system. While system administrators use legitimate tools to manage processes, threat actors deploy "KillAll" variants defensively to disable endpoint security software (AV/EDR), or offensively as a crude "wiper" to induce immediate system instability and denial of service.

Infection Vector and Technical Capabilities

KillAll is not a self-propagating virus. It is a tactical tool deployed *after* an attacker has gained a foothold, typically used immediately prior to launching a primary payload (like ransomware) or during the exfiltration phase to disable monitoring. Its execution is straightforward but highly disruptive:

Security Software Neutralization: The script (often a batch file, PowerShell script, or small compiled executable) iterates through the active process list and aggressively attempts to kill processes associated with known antivirus, EDR, and logging services (e.g., `taskkill /F /IM avp.exe`).
Database Unlocking (Ransomware Prep): In ransomware attacks, KillAll tools are used to forcibly terminate database services (SQL Server, Exchange) and enterprise applications. This releases file locks, allowing the ransomware to successfully encrypt the critical database files.
System Instability: Extremely aggressive variants may attempt to terminate critical Windows subsystem processes, resulting in an immediate Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) or forced reboot, masking other malicious activities.

Threat Assessment

The execution of a "KillAll" script is a critical, "break-glass" security incident. It indicates an active, hands-on-keyboard adversary (or a highly automated ransomware strain) is preparing the environment for a catastrophic attack by systematically blinding the organization's defensive and monitoring capabilities.

Incident Response and Remediation

Immediate Isolation and Triage: The execution of this tool means perimeter defenses have failed and internal monitoring is compromised. Isolate the affected endpoints immediately. Assume a major payload (like ransomware) is imminent or already deploying.
Investigate the Source: Determine how the script was executed (e.g., via a compromised RDP session, a scheduled task, or a web shell). This identifies the attacker's entry point.
Re-enable Defenses and Re-image: Endpoints where security tools were successfully neutralized must be considered deeply compromised. A complete bare-metal wipe and re-image from a trusted baseline is required before the machine can be trusted on the network again.

Known aliases

Threat reports may refer to this family under multiple names:

MITRE ATT&CK Techniques

This family has been observed using the following ATT&CK techniques: T1562.001 T1489

Generated Detections (Boilerplate)

These YARA and Sigma rules are auto-generated based on the family name and aliases. They must be heavily tuned before deployment in a production environment.

YARA Rule

rule MALWARE_WIN_KILLALL {
    meta:
        description = "Detects Killall (ransomware)"
        author = "SystemHelpdesk Boilerplate Generator"
        date = "2026-07-06"
    strings:
        $s1 = "killall" ascii wide nocase
        $s2 = "hacktool.killall" ascii wide nocase
        $s3 = "trojan.killav" ascii wide nocase
        $s4 = "script.wiper" ascii wide nocase
    condition:
        uint16(0) == 0x5a4d and any of them
}

Sigma Rule

title: Suspicious Killall Activity
id: 9c09f19d809e8e166b92905783778d40
status: experimental
description: Detects generic indicators of the killall malware family.
logsource:
    category: process_creation
    product: windows
detection:
    selection:
        Image|endswith:
            - '\cmd.exe'
            - '\powershell.exe'
        CommandLine|contains:
            - "*killall*"
            - "*hacktool.killall*"
            - "*trojan.killav*"
            - "*script.wiper*"
    condition: selection
level: medium

References & External Analysis

Search "killall" on VirusTotal (External Analysis)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove the Killall Ransomware from Windows?

Manual removal of Killall is highly discouraged as it may leave persistence mechanisms intact. We recommend disconnecting the device from the internet and utilizing a professional incident response service or enterprise-grade EDR software to conduct a full forensic sweep.

Is Killall a virus or a Ransomware?

Killall is classified as a Ransomware. Unlike traditional viruses that infect files, modern malware like Killall typically operates as a standalone payload designed to compromise systems, steal data, or deploy secondary stage implants.

What are the main symptoms of a Killall infection?

Symptoms of Killall can include unexpected system slowness, unauthorized outbound network traffic to unknown IP addresses, disabled security software, and suspicious background processes running from AppData or Temp directories.

Related Families (Category: ransomware)

Explore other malware families in the same category:

Protect Your Network Against Ransomwares

Want to prevent Killall and similar threats from compromising your organization? Read our comprehensive defensive guide: Ransomware Protection Guide.

Need help with an active incident? Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.

Machine-readable

Get this profile as JSON: https://jordanricky1604-ship-it.github.io/malware-families-catalog/api/killall.json

Ecosystem & Interactive Environments

This profile is part of the Malware Families Catalog, a public dataset of 2,899 malware families. The catalog is also published across our ecosystem: Hugging Face, Kaggle, Zenodo, Replit, StackBlitz, CodeSandbox, and CodePen.