Threat Database Trojans Trojan.Downloader.Agent.NAU

Trojan.Downloader.Agent.NAU

By CagedTech in Trojans
Published:
Last updated:

Threat Scorecard

Popularity Rank: 15,408
Threat Level: 80 % (High)
Infected Computers: 18
First Seen: February 8, 2024
Last Seen: October 9, 2026
OS(es) Affected: Windows

Trojan.Downloader.Agent.NAU is a malicious Windows program classified as a Trojan downloader. Its main purpose is not to cause visible damage by itself, but to quietly open the door for other malware by downloading and installing additional malicious components onto an infected computer. First observed in February 2024 and still being detected, this threat carries a high danger rating due to its ability to act as a launching pad for much more damaging infections.

What Trojan.Downloader.Agent.NAU Does

Once active on a system, Trojan.Downloader.Agent.NAU runs silently in the background, hiding its presence from the user. It is designed to stealth-install itself and then carry out malicious functions without any visible signs of activity. Analysis of its behavior shows that it can launch the Windows PowerShell tool with hidden windows and bypassed execution policies, allowing it to run scripts and commands without triggering normal security prompts. It also interacts with system processes, checks for the presence of debugging tools, and gathers information about the logged-in user, such as the username and locale settings. These capabilities suggest the Trojan is built to operate covertly while preparing the system for further compromise, such as downloading additional payloads, allowing remote attackers to gain control, or harvesting sensitive data.

How It Usually Gets onto Computers

Trojan.Downloader.Agent.NAU typically spreads by exploiting system vulnerabilities and security weaknesses. It is commonly bundled with software downloaded from untrustworthy or malicious websites, or delivered through email attachments from unknown or suspicious senders. These attachments can be disguised as ordinary files, including executables, media files, or even image files, tricking users into opening them. As is typical for downloader-type Trojans, infection often happens without any obvious warning, since the malicious file may look harmless at first glance.

Risks for the User

Because this Trojan is primarily a downloader, its biggest risk is what it can bring onto the system afterward. It may allow hackers to gain extensive control over the infected computer, potentially leading to the installation of spyware, ransomware, password stealers, or other dangerous programs. Its use of hidden PowerShell commands and privilege-related system calls indicates it can attempt to escalate its access and perform actions that are difficult for an average user to detect. Left unaddressed, this can result in stolen credentials, financial loss, corrupted files, or a severely compromised system.

Signs of Infection

Because Trojan.Downloader.Agent.NAU is designed to run quietly, obvious symptoms may be minimal. However, users should watch for unexplained slowdowns, unusual background processes, unexpected PowerShell windows briefly appearing, spikes in network activity, or new and unfamiliar files appearing in temporary folders. Security software flagging suspicious scripts or detecting this specific Trojan name is often the clearest indicator of infection.

How to Stay Protected

To reduce the risk of infection, avoid downloading software from unofficial or unverified websites, and never open email attachments from unknown or unexpected senders, especially executable files or files with unusual extensions. Keep the Windows operating system and all installed software fully updated, since this Trojan relies on exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities. Regularly back up important files, use caution when enabling macros or running scripts, and keep a reputable, up-to-date security solution active to detect and block threats like Trojan.Downloader.Agent.NAU before they can cause harm.

Analysis Report

General information

Family Name: Trojan.Downloader.Agent.NAU
Signature status: No Signature

Known Samples

MD5: 48f1316432f4b9714542cf733d936ed8
SHA1: 34917dad9f0977a1d3e8d7228b60246615bc28dd
SHA256: BA2FE025F1D1EEE75D547CE5BE1340A09FFEB83F35883D367B4095FFCA60C257
File Size: 135.17 KB, 135168 bytes

Windows Portable Executable Attributes

  • File doesn't have "Rich" header
  • File doesn't have resources
  • File doesn't have security information
  • File has exports table
  • File is 64-bit executable
  • File is either console or GUI application
  • File is GUI application (IMAGE_SUBSYSTEM_WINDOWS_GUI)
  • File is Native application (NOT .NET application)
  • File is not packed
  • IMAGE_FILE_DLL is not set inside PE header (Executable)
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  • IMAGE_FILE_EXECUTABLE_IMAGE is set inside PE header (Executable Image)

File Traits

  • dll
  • x64

Block Information

Total Blocks: 478
Potentially Malicious Blocks: 16
Whitelisted Blocks: 461
Unknown Blocks: 1

Visual Map

0 - Probable Safe Block
? - Unknown Block
x - Potentially Malicious Block

Files Modified

File Attributes
\device\namedpipe\dav rpc service Generic Read,Write Data,Write Attributes,Write extended,Append data
\device\namedpipe\pshost.134330117538528711.4124.defaultappdomain.powershell Generic Read,Write Data,Write Attributes,Write extended,Append data,LEFT 524288
\device\namedpipe\wkssvc Generic Read,Write Data,Write Attributes,Write extended,Append data
c:\users\user\appdata\local\temp\__psscriptpolicytest_5ho5pj4z.44r.psm1 Generic Write,Read Attributes
c:\users\user\appdata\local\temp\__psscriptpolicytest_oih24goz.lbn.ps1 Generic Write,Read Attributes

Registry Modifications

Key::Value Data API Name
HKLM\system\controlset001\services\bam\state\usersettings\s-1-5-21-3119368278-1123331430-659265220-1001::\device\harddiskvolume2\windows\system32\cmd.exe 멁㲇ǝ RegNtPreCreateKey
HKLM\system\controlset001\services\bam\state\usersettings\s-1-5-21-3119368278-1123331430-659265220-1001::\device\harddiskvolume2\windows\system32\conhost.exe ᏽ멉㲇ǝ RegNtPreCreateKey

Windows API Usage

Category API
Syscall Use
  • ntdll.dll!NtAccessCheck
  • ntdll.dll!NtAlertThreadByThreadId
  • ntdll.dll!NtAllocateLocallyUniqueId
  • ntdll.dll!NtAlpcConnectPort
  • ntdll.dll!NtAlpcConnectPortEx
  • ntdll.dll!NtAlpcCreateResourceReserve
  • ntdll.dll!NtAlpcCreateSecurityContext
  • ntdll.dll!NtAlpcQueryInformation
  • ntdll.dll!NtAlpcQueryInformationMessage
  • ntdll.dll!NtAlpcSendWaitReceivePort
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  • ntdll.dll!NtAlpcSetInformation
  • ntdll.dll!NtApphelpCacheControl
  • ntdll.dll!NtAssociateWaitCompletionPacket
  • ntdll.dll!NtCancelTimer2
  • ntdll.dll!NtCancelWaitCompletionPacket
  • ntdll.dll!NtClearEvent
  • ntdll.dll!NtClose
  • ntdll.dll!NtCompareSigningLevels
  • ntdll.dll!NtConnectPort
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateEvent
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateIoCompletion
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateKey
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateMutant
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreatePrivateNamespace
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateSection
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateSemaphore
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateThreadEx
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateTimer
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateTimer2
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateWaitCompletionPacket
  • ntdll.dll!NtCreateWorkerFactory
  • ntdll.dll!NtDelayExecution
  • ntdll.dll!NtDeviceIoControlFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtDuplicateObject
  • ntdll.dll!NtDuplicateToken
  • ntdll.dll!NtEnumerateKey
  • ntdll.dll!NtEnumerateValueKey
  • ntdll.dll!NtFlushProcessWriteBuffers
  • ntdll.dll!NtFreeVirtualMemory
  • ntdll.dll!NtFsControlFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtGetCachedSigningLevel
  • ntdll.dll!NtMapViewOfSection
  • ntdll.dll!NtNotifyChangeKey
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenDirectoryObject
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenEvent
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenKey
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenKeyEx
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenProcess
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenProcessToken
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenProcessTokenEx
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenSection
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenSemaphore
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenSymbolicLinkObject
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenThread
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenThreadToken
  • ntdll.dll!NtOpenThreadTokenEx
  • ntdll.dll!NtProtectVirtualMemory
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryAttributesFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryDebugFilterState
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryDefaultLocale
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryDirectoryFileEx
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryFullAttributesFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryInformationFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryInformationJobObject
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryInformationProcess
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryInformationThread
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryInformationToken
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryKey
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryLicenseValue
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryObject
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryPerformanceCounter
  • ntdll.dll!NtQuerySecurityAttributesToken
  • ntdll.dll!NtQuerySecurityObject
  • ntdll.dll!NtQuerySymbolicLinkObject
  • ntdll.dll!NtQuerySystemInformation
  • ntdll.dll!NtQuerySystemInformationEx
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryValueKey
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryVirtualMemory
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryVolumeInformationFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueryWnfStateData
  • ntdll.dll!NtQueueApcThreadEx2
  • ntdll.dll!NtReadFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtReleaseMutant
  • ntdll.dll!NtReleaseSemaphore
  • ntdll.dll!NtReleaseWorkerFactoryWorker
  • ntdll.dll!NtRequestWaitReplyPort
  • ntdll.dll!NtResumeThread
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetEvent
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetInformationFile
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetInformationKey
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetInformationObject
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetInformationProcess
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetInformationThread
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetInformationVirtualMemory
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetInformationWorkerFactory
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetTimer2
  • ntdll.dll!NtSetTimerEx
  • ntdll.dll!NtSubscribeWnfStateChange

26 additional items are not displayed above.

Anti Debug
  • IsDebuggerPresent
  • NtQuerySystemInformation
User Data Access
  • GetUserDefaultLocaleName
  • GetUserName
  • GetUserNameEx
  • GetUserObjectInformation
Process Shell Execute
  • CreateProcess
Encryption Used
  • BCryptOpenAlgorithmProvider
Other Suspicious
  • AdjustTokenPrivileges

Shell Command Execution

C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe powershell.exe -windowstyle hidden -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy bypass -Command $mydir = [System.Environment]::GetFolderPath('CommonApplicationData')