In a campaign reported in June 2023, the Russia-linked group tracked as Shuckworm used a PowerShell script to copy its Pterodo backdoor to removable USB drives after gaining access to Ukrainian organizations. The method could help malware move between computers—including, potentially, machines separated from the internet—but Symantec described access to air-gapped systems as a possibility, not a confirmed outcome for every isolated system.
What happened in the 2023 campaign
Symantec reported that Shuckworm targeted Ukrainian security services, military, government, and research organizations. The company said most of the activity began in February or March 2023; some victim machines remained accessed until May, and some intrusions lasted up to three months. These are historical observations, not an alert about current activity. Symantec’s June 15, 2023 report describes the campaign and its technical findings.
The USB activity came after attackers had already entered a target environment. Symantec identified phishing emails and malicious attachments as a known initial infection route, followed by use of additional backdoors and tools. It did not establish that every organization named as a target was successfully compromised.
How the malware spread through USB drives
On an infected computer, a PowerShell script copied itself to the host, enumerated available drives, and copied itself to removable disks. It also created shortcut files designed as lures: opening a shortcut could run the hidden script. A USB device carried to another computer could therefore provide a route for further infection and lateral movement inside an organization.
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- Initial access: attackers gained a foothold, with phishing attachments among the known routes described by Symantec.
- Preparation on the compromised computer: the script copied itself to the host and created shortcut lures.
- Removable-media propagation: it looked for available removable drives and copied itself onto USB devices.
- Potential movement to another system: when a device moved between computers, a user opening a malicious lure could help the malware run on another machine.
This is not evidence that simply plugging any USB drive into any computer automatically infected it. The reported technique depended on a prior compromise and on the malicious files being present and run.
Could USB drives reach air-gapped systems?
Symantec researchers assessed that infected USB drives were likely used for lateral movement and “may be used to help the attackers reach air-gapped machines within targeted organizations.” An air-gapped machine is separated from external networks; removable media can cross that boundary physically. The wording matters: Symantec described a possible use of the drives, not proof that every air-gapped system—or any particular set of isolated machines—was compromised.
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Who are Shuckworm, Gamaredon, and Armageddon?
Shuckworm is the name Symantec used for the group in its 2023 report; Gamaredon and Armageddon are other names used for the group. Symantec said Ukrainian officials had publicly attributed it to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). Separately, Ukraine’s Security Service (SSU) stated in 2021 that ARMAGEDON was an FSB special project and said identified participants were FSB officers. That is Ukraine’s official attribution, rather than an independent finding stated here as fact.
The SSU also reported more than 5,000 cyberattacks and attempted infections of more than 1,500 government computer systems since Russian aggression began in 2014. Those figures are the agency’s account of broader ARMAGEDON activity; they are not statistics for the 2023 USB campaign. The SSU’s 2021 statement gives its attribution and historical totals.
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How this differs from later LitterDrifter reporting
In November 2023, Check Point Research described LitterDrifter, a VBScript worm it linked to Gamaredon. Its analysis covered a USB-spreading module and a separate module for contacting command-and-control infrastructure, and reported indicators of possible infections beyond Ukraine. LitterDrifter is a distinct named sample in a later report; it should not be treated as the Pterodo-related PowerShell activity Symantec described in June. Check Point Research’s November 17, 2023 analysis provides the technical details.
USB use is not unique to this group. For example, ESET’s overview of activity from October 2024 through March 2025 discussed USB activity by China-aligned Mustang Panda. That is a separate group and reporting period, not evidence about Gamaredon. ESET’s May 2025 threat overview covers that broader period.
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What organizations can do about removable-media risk
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence advises that external media—including USB flash drives, external hard disks, optical discs, and memory cards—should be used only when approved, registered, identified in automated systems, and checked for malware in accordance with the organization’s instructions. This is official organizational guidance, particularly relevant to military environments; organizations should follow their own security policies and applicable requirements. The Ministry’s August 4, 2025 guidance also advises users who encounter suspected phishing not to open files or links, to notify responsible staff, and to contact their response team.
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- Use only organization-approved removable media, and follow required registration and malware-check procedures.
- Do not open suspicious files or shortcuts on a removable drive; report them through the organization’s security-response channel.
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