SentinelOne Vs. ‘Darky Lock’ ransomware (showcasing mLNK Builder v4.2) – Prevention and Detection

As covered in the latest research by SentinelLabs, we’ve seen an increased use of lnk and ISO files to bypass security controls. This trend is supported by tools that simplify the generation of lnk, ISO or IMG-based droppers. Read the research here: https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/who-needs-macros-threat-actors-pivot-to-abusing-explorer-and-other-lolbins-via-windows-shortcuts/

In this video, we showcase one of these popular tools and present how it may be used to drop and execute ‘Darky Lock’ ransomware (a Babuk offshoot). See how easy it is for adversaries to bypass traditional security and how SentinelOne protects you from such attempts.

mLNK Builder 4.x (First released in July 2021). The most recent version (4.2) was released around June 2022. The tools are advertised in numerous ‘underground’ forums and markets. mLNK is generally considered a ‘skid’ tool…aka low sophistication. However, output from various versions of the tool have been observed in active campaigns.

mLNK Builder is sold in various ‘subscription’ configurations, as well as with both private and public stubs (going private typically improves evasion and overall shelf-life).