Alternate Data Stream (ADS) is the lesser known feature of Windows NTFS file system which provides the ability to put data into existing files and folders without affecting their functionality and size. Any such stream associated with file/folder is not visible when viewed through conventional utilities such as Windows Explorer or DIR command or any other file browser tools. It is used legitimately by Windows and other applications to store additional information (for example summary information) for the file. Even 'Internet Explorer' adds the stream named 'Zone.Identifier' to every file downloaded from the internet.
Due to this hidden nature of ADS, hackers have been exploiting this method to secretly store their Rootkit components on the compromised system without being detected. For example, the infamous Rootkit named 'Mailbot.AZ' aka 'Backdoor.Rustock.A' used to hide its driver file into system32 folder (C:\Windows\system32) as a stream '18467'.
It is easy to create alternate data streams for the file or folder. Here are the simple commands (use the cmd prompt to launch these commands)
Create simple text stream,
type c:\test.txt > c:\windows\system32\calc.exe:test.txt
View it using the notepad
c:\notepad.exe c:\windows\system32\calc.exe:test.txt
Hiding the rootkit.exe as stream within the windows calculator,
type c:\rootkit.exe > c:\windows\system32\calc.exe:rootkit.exe'
Here is the screenshot showing the above steps in execution....
*To zoom in - click the image*
Note that there is no change in the size of calc.exe even after adding the stream file to it.
Here is the short demo program which enumerates all the streams within the given file or folder.
void EnumStreams(char *strFilePath)
{
PVOID streamContext = 0;
DWORD dwReadBytes, seek_high;
WIN32_STREAM_ID streamHeader;
WCHAR strStreamName[MAX_PATH];
char strBuffer[1024];
HANDLE hFile = CreateFileA( strFilePath,
GENERIC_READ,
FILE_SHARE_READ,
NULL,
OPEN_EXISTING,
FILE_FLAG_BACKUP_SEMANTICS,
NULL );
if( hFile == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE )
{
printf("%s : Failed to open the file %s,
Error=0x%.8x", __FUNCTION__, strFilePath, GetLastError());
return;
}
while(1)
{
//check if we have reached the end of file....
if ( FALSE == BackupRead(hFile,
(LPBYTE)&streamHeader,
(LPBYTE)&streamHeader.cStreamName-(LPBYTE)&streamHeader,
&dwReadBytes,
FALSE,
FALSE,
&streamContext) )
{
break;
}
//check if we have read the stream header properly...
if( (long)dwReadBytes != (LPBYTE)&streamHeader.cStreamName-(LPBYTE)&streamHeader )
break;
//we are interested only in alternate data streams....
if(streamHeader.dwStreamId == BACKUP_ALTERNATE_DATA)
{
if (streamHeader.dwStreamNameSize != 0 )
{
if( BackupRead(hFile,
(LPBYTE)strStreamName,
streamHeader.dwStreamNameSize,
&dwReadBytes,
FALSE,
FALSE,
&streamContext) )
{
strStreamName[streamHeader.dwStreamNameSize/2]=L'\0';
//Reformat the stream file name ... :stream.txt:$DATA
sprintf_s(strBuffer, 1024, "%S", &strStreamName[1]);
char *ptr = strchr(strBuffer, ':');
if( ptr != NULL )
*ptr = '\0';
printf("\n Found Stream - %s", strBuffer);
}
}
}
// jump to the next stream header
if (BackupSeek(hFile, ~0, ~0, &dwReadBytes, &seek_high, &streamContext) == FALSE)
{
//for any errors other than seek break out of loop
if (GetLastError() != ERROR_SEEK)
{
// terminate BackupRead() loop
BackupRead(hFile, 0, 0, &dwReadBytes, TRUE, FALSE, &streamContext);
break;
}
streamHeader.Size.QuadPart -= dwReadBytes;
streamHeader.Size.HighPart -= seek_high;
BYTE buffer[4096];
while(streamHeader.Size.QuadPart > 0)
{
if (dwReadBytes!=sizeof(buffer) || !BackupRead(hFile,
buffer,
sizeof(buffer),
&dwReadBytes,
FALSE,
FALSE,
&streamContext) )
{
break;
}
streamHeader.Size.QuadPart -= dwReadBytes;
}
}
} //main while loop
//Finally clean up the buffers use for seeking
if (streamContext)
BackupRead(hFile, 0, 0, &dwReadBytes, TRUE, FALSE, &streamContext);
CloseHandle(hFile);
return;
}
Above program initially opens the input file using the FILE_FLAG_BACKUP_SEMANTICS for reading streams. Next it calls the BackupRead function to read the stream header. If the header contains the flag BACKUP_ALTERNATE_DATA then it points to a hidden stream file. In such a case it proceeds to reading the stream file name which is present after the stream header. After that it moves file pointer to next stream header through BackupSeek function.
The same process is repeated until all streams present in the specified files are discovered. Also note that the same program can be used to detect streams within folder as well.
There are numerous applications including Windows which internally use alternate data streams for various purposes. Here are some of the well known streams....
In addition to legitimate programs, it is also being used by malicious Rootkit programs such as Mailbot.AZ, Trojan.Win32.Agent.alt etc to hide their drivers.
Due to nature of ADS, normal file browser tools cannot detect these hidden streams. We need special tools to discover and manipulate these streams. There are many ADS tools available, but most of them resort to only enumerating streams. Most of these are console based tools which are good for automation but not much useful for home users.
Here comes the new advanced tool, StreamArmor which can quickly scan for hidden alternate data streams as well as clean them completely from the system. It's advanced auto analysis coupled with online threat verification mechanism makes it the best tool available in the market for eradicating the evil streams.
In short, ADS not only makes it easy for Rootkit programs to hide themseleves but also provides the covert launch pad to execute stealthily without making noise. Only sophisticated tools such as StreamArmor will greatly help in uncovering and destroying such hidden threats.
Hidden Service Detection
Hidden Process Detection
Tools-Elfstat
Hidden Registry Detection
Tools-KsiD
ToolsCount
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elfstat3715
dwtf2871
KsiD2499
SHC1842
NOTE: Our tools are listed in many sites and torrents, which makes it hard for us to track all downloads. Hence, we are listing only the total installations from our website.
