A sophisticated new keylogger malware dubbed “TinkyWinkey” that is targeting Windows systems with advanced stealth capabilities and comprehensive data exfiltration features.
First observed in late June 2025, this malware represents a significant evolution in keylogging technology, combining multiple attack vectors to maintain persistence and avoid detection.
TinkyWinkey operates through a dual-component architecture that maximizes both stealth and effectiveness.
The malware consists of a Tinky Service that manages persistence and system integration, alongside the Winkey Keylogger component responsible for data capture and monitoring operations.
The service component establishes deep system integration by registering as a legitimate Windows service with automatic startup configuration.
This approach ensures the malware activates during every system boot cycle, maintaining continuous operation without requiring user interaction.
The service worker thread specifically launches the payload executable within the active user session, enabling the malware to operate with appropriate privileges while remaining invisible to casual observation.
Sophisticated Data Collection Capabilities
What distinguishes TinkyWinkey from conventional keyloggers is its comprehensive system profiling functionality.
The malware systematically collects detailed hardware and software information, including CPU specifications, memory capacity, operating system version details, and network configuration data.
It then populates the RTL_OSVERSIONINFOW structure with details, such as major version, minor version, and build number.
This reconnaissance phase enables attackers to understand the target environment thoroughly before proceeding with credential harvesting.
The keylogging mechanism itself employs low-level keyboard hooks that intercept all system-wide keystroke events.
Unlike basic keyloggers that capture only standard alphanumeric input, TinkyWinkey accurately processes special keys, function keys, media controls, and Unicode characters across multiple language layouts.
The malware dynamically tracks keyboard layout changes, ensuring accurate capture when users switch between different languages or input methods.
TinkyWinkey demonstrates remarkable sophistication in its persistence and evasion techniques.
The malware utilizes DLL injection to embed its payload within trusted system processes, particularly targeting explorer.exe to blend with legitimate system activity.
This injection technique involves precise memory allocation within the target process, followed by remote thread creation that forces the host process to load the malicious DLL.
The malware maintains continuous operation through a dedicated message loop that processes window focus changes and keyboard events.
The get_ram_info() function collects details about the victim machine’s physical memory. It leverages the Windows API GlobalMemoryStatusEx() to query total system resources.
By monitoring foreground window transitions, TinkyWinkey correlates captured keystrokes with specific applications, enabling attackers to identify when victims are accessing banking portals, email clients, or other sensitive platforms.
Data Exfiltration and Storage
All captured information is systematically stored in UTF-8 encoded log files within the system’s temporary directory.
The service is configured with an automatic startup type, enabling the malware to achieve persistence by ensuring that the service is invoked every time the system boots. This guarantees that the keylogger remains active without requiring user interaction.
The logging mechanism employs append-mode file operations to ensure no data loss occurs during extended monitoring periods. Timestamps accompany all logged events, providing attackers with detailed timelines of user activity patterns.
The malware’s ability to capture comprehensive system metadata alongside keystroke data significantly enhances the value of stolen information.
Attackers can leverage hardware specifications, network details, and software configurations to plan subsequent attack phases or identify high-value targets within compromised networks.
TinkyWinkey represents a concerning evolution in endpoint threats, particularly for organizations relying on traditional antivirus solutions. The malware’s service-based persistence model and process injection capabilities enable it to evade many conventional detection mechanisms.
On June 24–25, the TinkyWinkey – Yet Another Windows 10 Keylogger was identified, and believed to be published by a user, who claims to be based in Lyon, France.
Security teams should prioritize behavioral monitoring approaches that identify unusual service registrations, unexpected DLL loading patterns, and persistent file operations in temporary directories.
Network monitoring for suspicious outbound communications and endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying low-level hook installations are essential defensive measures.
The emergence of TinkyWinkey underscores the continuing sophistication of modern malware threats. Organizations must adopt comprehensive security strategies that combine traditional signature-based detection with advanced behavioral analysis and threat intelligence integration.
Regular security awareness training, endpoint hardening, and proactive monitoring remain critical components of effective defense against such advanced persistent threats targeting Windows environments.
IOCs
| Indicator | Type | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| fe6a696e7012696f2e94a4d31b2f076f32c71d44e4c3cec69a6984ef0b81838a | Sha256 | svc.exe |
| 7834a64c39f85db5f073d76ddb453c5e23ad18244722d6853986934b750259fd | Sha256 | winkey.exe |
| eb6752e60170199e4ce4d5de72fb539f807332771e1a668865aac1eee2c01d93 | Sha256 | keylogger.dll |
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