Writing a BugSleep C2 server and detecting its traffic with Snort

Description

This analysis focuses on the BugSleep implant, also known as MuddyRot, a remote access tool that provides reverse shell and file I/O capabilities. The article details the process of reverse engineering BugSleep's protocol, creating a functional C2 server, and developing Snort rules for traffic detection. Key aspects include the implant's use of a bespoke C2 protocol over TCP, its encryption methods, and command structure. The researchers successfully implemented various commands such as ping, file operations, and reverse shell in a Python C2 server. The development of Snort rules for detecting BugSleep traffic is also discussed, highlighting challenges in rule creation and the use of flowbits for improved detection accuracy.