It lets an operator type commands on an infected PC from afar. Cisco Talos found it in campaigns against government bodies in Central Asia and nearby countries, which it attributes to the cluster UAT-6275. Talos says this cluster overlaps with Silent Lynx (first reported by Seqrite).
What it does
Talos lists PickleShell with Chvost and LAPLAS as lightweight reverse shells that the group uses to run commands on compromised systems. Talos gives no deeper technical analysis in its post, so this page stays short.
The shell is one part of a chain. A decoy file arrives by email, the archive or shortcut starts the infection, and PickleShell waits in the Startup folder. The overlapping Silent Lynx activity is described on our Silent Lynx profile, and the WinRAR flaw is explained on the page for CVE-2025-8088.
Names
Public sources use several names for this malware.
| Name | Where it appears |
|---|---|
| PickleShell | Cisco Talos malware name; its ClamAV signature is Win.Backdoor.PickleShell-10060602-0[1] |
How it spreads
Talos says later samples of its October 2025 chain placed PickleShell in the Startup folder. In April 2026 a RAR archive that exploits CVE-2025-8088 wrote it to the Startup folder, and it ran at the next user sign-in. Talos calls this the first vulnerability exploit it saw in the group's delivery.
How an infection runs
The order of steps in a typical infection, as the sources describe it.
Lure arrives
A RAR archive with an official-looking decoy reaches a government employee.[1]
Flaw abused
In the April 2026 chain, opening the archive in an unpatched WinRAR writes files outside the chosen folder.[1, 3, 4]
Shell planted
PickleShell lands in the Windows Startup folder.[1]
Next sign-in
Windows starts it when the user signs in again.[1]
Operator in control
The reverse shell calls out so the operator can issue commands.[1]
Timeline
- Oct 2025
Startup folder drops
In chain C, which Talos dates to October 2025, later samples deploy PickleShell in the Startup folder.[1]
- Apr 2026
WinRAR exploit
A RAR file abuses CVE-2025-8088 to place PickleShell in the Startup folder.[1]
- 14 Oct 2026
Talos report
Cisco Talos publishes the research with ClamAV signatures and a link to indicators on GitHub.[1]
Who uses it
Related vulnerabilities
Detection and defense
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PickleShell?
A lightweight Windows reverse shell that lets an operator run commands on an infected PC, per Cisco Talos.
Who uses PickleShell?
Cisco Talos attributes it to UAT-6275, which it says overlaps with Silent Lynx. Recorded Future tracks the group as TAG-193.
How did the WinRAR flaw deliver PickleShell?
In April 2026 a RAR file abused CVE-2025-8088 to place the shell in the Startup folder, and it ran at the next sign-in.
How do I detect it?
Use the Talos ClamAV signature Win.Backdoor.PickleShell-10060602-0, and alert on new files in the Startup folder.
Sources
- Break the silence: Kazakhstan-nexus UAT-6275 targets CIS government organizationsCisco Talos · Supports: PickleShell description, chains C and D, signatures, advice
- Recorded Future TAG-193 researchRecorded Future Insikt Group · Supports: Joint research on the same group and the April 2026 chain
- WinRAR release notes, version 7.13RARLAB · Supports: Fix for the traversal flaw and the affected components
- Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogCISA · Supports: CVE-2025-8088 listed on 12 August 2025
- CVE-2025-8088NIST NVD · Supports: Flaw description
- Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203)MITRE ATT&CK · Supports: Technique name
