XCSSET — Malware Profile
XCSSET is a modular macOS malware family delivered through infected Xcode projects and executed when the project is compiled. Active since August 2020, it has been observed installing backdoors, spoofed browsers, collecting data, and encrypting user files. It is composed of SHC-compiled shell scripts and run-only AppleScripts, often hiding in apps that mimic system tools (such as Xcode, Mail, or Notes) or use familiar icons (like Launchpad) to avoid detection.
MITRE ATT&CK techniques (33)
- T1005 Data from Local System
- T1027.013 Encrypted/Encoded File
- T1036 Masquerading
- T1041 Exfiltration Over C2 Channel
- T1056.002 GUI Input Capture
- T1059.004 Unix Shell
- T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation
- T1082 System Information Discovery
- T1083 File and Directory Discovery
- T1087 Account Discovery
- T1098.004 SSH Authorized Keys
- T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer
- T1113 Screen Capture
- T1195.001 Compromise Software Dependencies and Development Tools
- T1222.002 Linux and Mac Permissions
- T1486 Data Encrypted for Impact
- T1497.003 Time Based Checks
- T1518 Software Discovery
- T1518.001 Security Software Discovery
- T1539 Steal Web Session Cookie
- T1543.004 Launch Daemon
- T1546 Event Triggered Execution
- T1546.004 Unix Shell Configuration Modification
- T1548.006 TCC Manipulation
- T1553.001 Gatekeeper Bypass
- T1554 Compromise Host Software Binary
- T1560 Archive Collected Data
- T1564.001 Hidden Files and Directories
- T1569.001 Launchctl
- T1573.001 Symmetric Cryptography
- T1574.006 Dynamic Linker Hijacking
- T1614.001 System Language Discovery
- T1647 Plist File Modification