In the ever-evolving landscape of online threats, Celestial Stealer stands out as a particularly sophisticated JavaScript-based infostealer targeting Chromium and Gecko-based browsers. This malevolent tool is explicitly designed to extract a wide array of sensitive information, including browsing history, saved passwords, autofill data, cookies, and even credit card details. By also keeping track of user-visited URLs and their frequencies, Celestial Stealer has the potential to exploit virtually every piece of data that passes through a user’s browser. What makes this malware even more alarming is its distribution model: operating as malware-as-a-service (MaaS) via Telegram. Individuals and groups can purchase memberships to access Celestial Stealer’s capabilities, which extend beyond browsers to inject payloads into applications such as Steam, Telegram, and cryptocurrency wallets like Atomic and Exodus.
The Infection Chain
Celestial Stealer’s infection process begins with an innocuous-looking Base64-encoded script masquerading as a Discord promotion generator tool. Once the script is activated, it is decrypted and executed through the certutil tool, a step that paves the way for the stealer to be retrieved from the command-and-control (C2) server. Once downloaded, the malware takes steps to obfuscate its presence and avoid detection by conventional security measures. Obfuscation techniques and anti-analysis tactics keep the stealer hidden while it goes to work on extracting sensitive data.
Researchers have noted that the malware even deploys regular updates to maintain its undetectable status. In one especially well-documented case, the stealer was disguised as a VR Chat ERP setup file, duping users into installing the malicious software under the guise of a seemingly legitimate application. This level of deception underscores the ne