ID	B0001
Objective(s)	Anti-Behavioral Analysis
Related ATT&CK Techniques	None
Anti-Analysis Type	Detection
Version	2.0
Created	1 August 2019
Last Modified	13 September 2023

Debugger Detection

Malware detects whether it's being executed inside a debugger by checking for artifacts such as DLLs, processes, and registry keys [1]. If malware detects a debugger, it may change its execution path or change its code to initiate a crash [2].

While many methods are listed in the table below, among the most commonly used are:

Using APIs such as IsDebuggerPresent, CheckRemoteDebuggerPresent, and OutputDebugString
Reading the BeingDebugged bit (is it a 1 or 0) in the Process Environment Block (PEB)
Checking whether a software breakpoint instruction is used (INT3; 0xCC opcode)

Details on detecting debuggers can be found in the references.

Methods

Name	ID	Description
API Hook Detection	B0001.001	Module bounds based [7].
Anti-debugging Instructions	B0001.034	Malware code contains mnemonics related to anti-debugging (e.g., rdtsc, icebp).
CheckRemoteDebuggerPresent	B0001.002	The kernel32!CheckRemoteDebuggerPresent function calls NtQueryInformationProcess with ProcessInformationClass parameter set to 7 (ProcessDebugPort constant).This method is related to Unprotect technique U0121.
Check Processes	B0001.038	The malware may check running processes for specific strings such as "malw" to detect a analysis environment.
CloseHandle	B0001.003	(NtClose); If an invalid handle is passed to the CloseHandle function and a debugger is present, then an EXCEPTION_INVALID_HANDLE (0xC0000008) exception will be raised. [7] This method is related to Unprotect technique U0114.
Debugger Artifacts	B0001.004	Malware may detect a debugger by its artifact (window title, device driver, exports, etc.).
Hardware Breakpoints	B0001.005	(SEH/GetThreadContext); Debug registers will indicate the presence of a debugger. See [7] for details. This method is related to Unprotect technique U0127.
Interruption	B0001.006	If an interruption is mishandled by the debugger, it can cause a single-byte instruction to be inadvertently skipped, which can be detected by malware. Examples include Interrupt 0x2d and Interrupt 1 [7]. This method is related to Unprotect technique U0129.
IsDebuggerPresent	B0001.008	The kernel32!IsDebuggerPresent API function call checks the PEB BeingDebugged flag to see if the calling process is being debugged. It returns 1 if the process is being debugged, 0 otherwise. This is one of the most common ways of debugger detection.This method is related to Unprotect technique U0122.
Memory Breakpoints	B0001.009	(PAGE_GUARD); Guard pages trigger an exception the first time they are accessed and can be used to detect a debugger. See [7] for details. This method is related to Unprotect technique U0102.
Memory Write Watching	B0001.010	[7]
Monitoring Thread	B0001.011	Malware may spawn a monitoring thread to detect tampering, breakpoints, etc.
NtQueryInformationProcess	B0001.012	Calling NtQueryInformationProcess with its ProcessInformationClass parameter set to 0x07 (ProcessDebugPort constant) will cause the system to set ProcessInformation to -1 if the process is being debugged. Calling with ProcessInformationClass set to 0x0E (ProcessDebugFlags) or 0x11 (ProcessDebugObject) are used similarly. Testing "ProcessDebugPort" is equivalent to using the kernel32!CheckRemoteDebuggerPresent API call (see next method). This method is related to Unprotect technique U0120.
NtQueryObject	B0001.013	The ObjectTypeInformation and ObjectAllTypesInformation flags are checked for debugger detection. This method is related to Unprotect technique U0118.
NtSetInformationThread	B0001.014	Calling this API with a fake class length or thread handle can indicate whether it is hooked. After calling NtSetInformationThread properly, the HideThreadFromDebugger flag is checked with the NtQueryInformationThread API. [7]This method is related to Unprotect technique U0119.
NtYieldExecution/SwitchToThread	B0001.015	[7]
OutputDebugString	B0001.016	(GetLastError); The OutputDebugString function will demonstrate different behavior depending whether or not a debugger is present. See [7] for details. This method is related to Unprotect technique U0117.
Page Exception Breakpoint Detection	B0001.017	[7]
Parent Process	B0001.018	(Explorer.exe); Executing an application by a debugger will result in the parent process being the debugger process rather than the shell process (Explorer.exe) or the command line. Malware checks its parent process; if it's not explorer.exe, it's assumed to be a debugger. [7]
Process Environment Block	B0001.019	The Process Environment Block (PEB) is a Windows data structure associated with each process that contains several fields, such as "BeingDebugged," "NtGlobalFlag," and "IsDebugged". Testing the value of this PEB field of a particular process can indicate whether the process is being debugged. Testing "BeingDebugged" is equivalent to using the kernel32!IsDebuggerPresent API call (see separate method). This method is related to Unprotect technique U0113.
Process Environment Block BeingDebugged	B0001.035	The BeingDebugged field is tested to determine whether the process is being debugged.
Process Environment Block IsDebugged	B0001.037	The IsDebugged field is tested to determine whether the process is being debugged.
Process Environment Block NtGlobalFlag	B0001.036	The NtGlobalFlag field is tested to determine whether the process is being debugged. This method is related to Unprotect technique U0111.
Process Jobs	B0001.020	[7]
ProcessHeap	B0001.021	Process heaps are affected by debuggers. Malware can detect a debugger by checking heap header fields such as Flags (debugger present if value greater than 2) or ForceFlags (debugger present if value greater than 0).This method is related to Unprotect technique U0112.
RtlAdjustPrivilege	B0001.022	Malware may call RtlAdjustPrivilege to detect if a debugger is attached (or to prevent a debugger from attaching).
SeDebugPrivilege	B0001.023	(Csrss.exe); Using the OpenProcess function on the csrss.exe process can detect a debugger. [7]
SetHandleInformation	B0001.024	(Protected Handle)
Software Breakpoints	B0001.025	(INT3/0xCC) This method is related to Unprotect technique U0105.
Stack Canary	B0001.026	Similar to the anti-exploitation method of the same name, malware may try to detect mucking with values on the stack.
TIB Aware	B0001.027	Malware may access information in the Thread Information Block (TIB) for debug detection or process obfuscation detection. The TIB can be accessed as an offset of the segment register (e.g., fs:[20h]).
TLS Callbacks	B0001.029	[7]
Timing/Delay Check	B0001.028	Malware may compare time between two points to detect unusual execution, such as the (relative) massive delays introduced by debugging. This method is related to Unprotect techniques U110 and U1308.
Timing/Delay Check GetTickCount	B0001.032	Malware uses GetTickCount function in a timing/delay check. This method is related to Unprotect technique U0125.
Timing/Delay Check QueryPerformanceCounter	B0001.033	Malware uses QueryPerformanceCounter in a timing/delay check. This method is related to Unprotect techniques U110 and U1309.
UnhandledExceptionFilter	B0001.030	The UnhandledExceptionFilter function is called if no registered exception handlers exist, but it will not be reached if a debugger is present. See [7] for details. Row 11 This method is related to Unprotect technique U0108.
WudfIsAnyDebuggerPresent	B0001.031	Includes use of WudfIsAnyDebuggerPresent, WudfIsKernelDebuggerPresent, WudfIsUserDebuggerPresent.

Use in Malware

Name	Date	Method	Description
Redhip	2011	--	Redhip uses general approaches to detecting user level debuggers (e.g., Process Environment Block 'Being Debugged' field), as well as specific checks for kernel level debuggers like SOFTICE. [4]
Redhip	2011	B0001.032	Redhip checks for a time delay using GetTickCount. [15]
Redhip	2011	B0001.035	Redhip checks for PEB BeingDebugged flag. [15]
Gamut	2014	B0001.006	The malware detects debuggers using an INT 03h trap. [8]
Gamut	2014	B0001.008	The malware detects debuggers using IsDebuggerPresent. [8]
Rombertik	2015	B0001.016	The malware calls the Windows API OutputDebugString function 335,000 times. [9]
Rombertik	2015	B0001.032	The malware checks for a time delay via GetTickCount. [15]
Rombertik	2015	B0001.038	An anti-analysis function within the packer is called to check the username and filename of the executing process for strings like “malwar”, “sampl”, “viru”, and “sandb”. [9]
Poison Ivy	2005	B0001.005	Poison Ivy Variant checks for breakpoints and exits immediately if found. [13]
Poison Ivy	2005	B0001.008	Poison Ivy uses the IsDebuggerPresent API function call to check if the process is running in a debugger. [13]
Matanbuchus	2021	B0001.032	The malware calls GetTickCount64 to retrieve timestamp. Malware executes Sleep and Beep in a repeated loop for 10 times. [11] [12]
Ursnif	2016	B0001.028	The malware manipulates TLS Callbacks while injecting to a child process. [12]
Dark Comet	2008	B0001.032	The malware checks for a time delay via GetTickCount. [15]
Hupigon	2013	B0001.025	The malware checks for software breakpoints. [15]
Hupigon	2013	B0001.032	The malware checks for a time delay via GetTickCount. [15]
Hupigon	2013	B0001.034	The malware executes anti-debugging instructions. [15]
UP007	2016	B0001.032	The malware checks for a time delay via GetTickCount. [15]

Detection

Tool: capa	Mapping	APIs
check for trap flag exception	Debugger Detection (B0001)
check for software breakpoints	Debugger Detection::Software Breakpoints (B0001.025)
check process job object	Debugger Detection (B0001)	kernel32.QueryInformationJobObject, kernel32.OpenProcess
check for PEB BeingDebugged flag	Debugger Detection::Process Environment Block BeingDebugged (B0001.035)
check for time delay via GetTickCount	Debugger Detection::Timing/Delay Check GetTickCount (B0001.032)
check for protected handle exception	Debugger Detection::SetHandleInformation (B0001.024)	SetHandleInformation, CloseHandle
check for OutputDebugString error	Debugger Detection::OutputDebugString (B0001.016)	kernel32.SetLastError, kernel32.GetLastError, kernel32.OutputDebugString
check for unexpected memory writes	Debugger Detection::Memory Write Watching (B0001.010)	kernel32.GetWriteWatch
check for kernel debugger via shared user data structure	Debugger Detection (B0001)
check for time delay via QueryPerformanceCounter	Debugger Detection::Timing/Delay Check QueryPerformanceCounter (B0001.033)
check for hardware breakpoints	Debugger Detection::Hardware Breakpoints (B0001.005)	kernel32.GetThreadContext
check ProcessDebugPort	Debugger Detection::NtQueryInformationProcess (B0001.012)	NtQueryInformationProcess
check for debugger via API	Debugger Detection::CheckRemoteDebuggerPresent (B0001.002)	kernel32.CheckRemoteDebuggerPresent, WUDFPlatform.WudfIsAnyDebuggerPresent, WUDFPlatform.WudfIsKernelDebuggerPresent, WUDFPlatform.WudfIsUserDebuggerPresent
check for debugger via API	Debugger Detection::WudfIsAnyDebuggerPresent (B0001.031)	kernel32.CheckRemoteDebuggerPresent, WUDFPlatform.WudfIsAnyDebuggerPresent, WUDFPlatform.WudfIsKernelDebuggerPresent, WUDFPlatform.WudfIsUserDebuggerPresent
check for PEB NtGlobalFlag flag	Debugger Detection::Process Environment Block NtGlobalFlag (B0001.036)
execute anti-debugging instructions	Debugger Detection::Anti-debugging Instructions (B0001.034)
PEB access	Debugger Detection::Process Environment Block (B0001.019)