Video Capture

An adversary can leverage a computer's peripheral devices (e.g., integrated cameras or webcams) or applications (e.g., video call services) to capture video recordings for the purpose of gathering information. Images may also be captured from devices or applications, potentially in specified intervals, in lieu of video files.

Malware or scripts may be used to interact with the devices through an available API provided by the operating system or an application to capture video or images. Video or image files may be written to disk and exfiltrated later. This technique differs from Screen Capture due to use of specific devices or applications for video recording rather than capturing the victim's screen.

In macOS, there are a few different malware samples that record the user's webcam such as FruitFly and Proton. ^[1]

ID: T1125

Sub-techniques: No sub-techniques

Tactic: Collection

Platforms: Windows, macOS

Permissions Required: User

Data Sources: API monitoring, File monitoring, Process monitoring

CAPEC ID: CAPEC-634

Contributors: Praetorian

Version: 1.0

Created: 31 May 2017

Last Modified: 14 July 2020

Version Permalink

Live Version

Procedure Examples

Name	Description
Agent Tesla	Agent Tesla can access the victim’s webcam and record video.^[22]^[23]
Bandook	Bandook has modules that are capable of capturing from a victim's webcam.^[20]
Cobian RAT	Cobian RAT has a feature to access the webcam on the victim’s machine.^[21]
DarkComet	DarkComet can access the victim’s webcam to take pictures.^[16]^[17]
Derusbi	Derusbi is capable of capturing video.^[9]
Empire	Empire can capture webcam data on Windows and macOS systems.^[6]
EvilGrab	EvilGrab has the capability to capture video from a victim machine.^[12]
FIN7	FIN7 created a custom video recording capability that could be used to monitor operations in the victim's environment.^[34]^[35]
Imminent Monitor	Imminent Monitor has a remote webcam monitoring capability.^[7]^[8]
InvisiMole	InvisiMole can remotely activate the victim’s webcam to capture content.^[13]
jRAT	jRAT has the capability to capture video from a webcam.^[10]^[11]
Kazuar	Kazuar captures images from the webcam.^[14]
Machete	Machete takes photos from the computer’s web camera.^[28]
NanoCore	NanoCore can access the victim's webcam and capture data.^[18]^[19]
njRAT	njRAT can access the victim's webcam.^[26]^[27]
PoetRAT	PoetRAT has used a Python tool named Bewmac to record the webcam on compromised hosts.^[30]
Pupy	Pupy can access a connected webcam and capture pictures.^[3]
QuasarRAT	QuasarRAT can perform webcam viewing.^[4]^[5]
Remcos	Remcos can access a system’s webcam and take pictures.^[2]
Revenge RAT	Revenge RAT has the ability to access the webcam.^[24]^[25]
SDBot	SDBot has the ability to record video on a compromised host.^[31]^[32]
Silence	Silence has been observed making videos of victims to observe bank employees day to day activities.^[36]^[37]
T9000	T9000 uses the Skype API to record audio and video calls. It writes encrypted data to `%APPDATA%\Intel\Skype`.^[15]
TajMahal	TajMahal has the ability to capture webcam video.^[33]
ZxShell	ZxShell has a command to perform video device spying.^[29]

Mitigations

This type of attack technique cannot be easily mitigated with preventive controls since it is based on the abuse of system features.

Detection

Detection of this technique may be difficult due to the various APIs that may be used. Telemetry data regarding API use may not be useful depending on how a system is normally used, but may provide context to other potentially malicious activity occurring on a system.

Behavior that could indicate technique use include an unknown or unusual process accessing APIs associated with devices or software that interact with the video camera, recording devices, or recording software, and a process periodically writing files to disk that contain video or camera image data.

Video Capture

Procedure Examples

Mitigations

Detection

References