Threat Intelligence Directory

Molatori is a threat actor group identified by Malwarebytes researchers, known for utilizing malicious ScreenConnect clients hosted on domains like atmolatori.icu and gomolatori.cyou. They employ phishing tactics, masquerading as communications from the Social Security Administration to lure targets into installing the client. Once installed, the ScreenConnect client allows the actors to remotely access the victim's computer, facilitating the exfiltration of sensitive information such as banking details and personal identification numbers. The primary objective of the Molatori group is financial fraud, leveraging the stolen data for identity theft and other malicious activities.

Mogilevich appeared in February 2024, rapidly claiming high-profile breaches of Epic Games, DJI, Shein, and Kick.com, but was quickly exposed as a fraud — the group's operator admitted they were "professional fraudsters" who sold fake breach data and access to a non-existent RaaS panel.

[Mofang](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0103) is a likely China-based cyber espionage group, named for its frequent practice of imitating a victim's infrastructure. This adversary has been observed since at least May 2012 conducting focused attacks against government and critical infrastructure in Myanmar, as well as several other countries and sectors including military, automobile, and weapons industries.(Citation: FOX-IT May 2016 Mofang)

Our research into these intrusions revealed a decade of persistent malicious activity targeting specific groups and individuals that we now attribute to a previously unknown threat actor named ModifiedElephant. This actor has operated for years, evading research attention and detection due to their limited scope of operations, the mundane nature of their tools, and their regionally-specific targeting. ModifiedElephant is still active at the time of writing.

Mocha Manakin is a threat actor that employs the paste and run technique for initial access, tricking users into executing scripts that download various payloads, including LummaC2, HijackLoader, and Vidar. This actor is notable for utilizing a bespoke NodeJS-based backdoor named NodeInitRAT, which facilitates persistence and reconnaissance activities while communicating with adversary-controlled servers over HTTP. Mocha Manakin has been linked to Interlock ransomware, and while direct ransomware activity has not been observed, there is moderate confidence that unmitigated activity may lead to such outcomes. The effectiveness of paste and run lures, distributed through methods like phishing and web browser injects, has contributed to the actor's increased scope and scale.

[MirrorFace](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1054) is a People's Republic of China (PRC)-aligned cyberespionage actor believed to be a subgroup under the [menuPass](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0045) umbrella based on targeting, tools, and infrastructure overlaps. [MirrorFace](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1054) has been active since at least 2019, at first exclusively targeting Japanese organizations across the media, defense, diplomatic, financial, manufacturing, and academic sectors. Subsequent [MirrorFace](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1054) operations included targets in Central Europe and featured use of [LODEINFO](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S9020), [HiddenFace](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S9023), and [UPPERCUT](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0275) malware.(Citation: Kaspersky LODEINFO OCT 2022)(Citation: Kaspersky LODEINFO Part II OCT 2022)(Citation: ESET MirrorFace DEC 2022)(Citation: JPCERT MirrorFace JUL 2024)(Citation: Trend Micro Earth Kasha NOV 2024)(Citation: Trend Micro Earth Kasha Updates APR 2025)

Threat actor tracked by Malpedia.

MIMIC SPIDER is mentioned in two summary reports only

[Metador](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1013) is a suspected cyber espionage group that was first reported in September 2022. [Metador](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1013) has targeted a limited number of telecommunication companies, internet service providers, and universities in the Middle East and Africa. Security researchers named the group [Metador](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1013) based on the "I am meta" string in one of the group's malware samples and the expectation of Spanish-language responses from C2 servers.(Citation: SentinelLabs Metador Sept 2022)

Massgrave is a hacking group that has developed a method to bypass Microsoft's software licensing for Windows and Office, enabling permanent activation of versions from Windows Vista to Windows 11. They are known for creating effective scripts for software activation, which are distributed through an unofficial repository at massgrave.dev. The group claims their exploit supports volume activation via the Key Management Services model and has gained traction within the piracy scene. Reports indicate that their tools may be used by unauthorized individuals, including Microsoft support agents, raising legal and security concerns.

Markopolo is a threat actor known for running scams targeting cryptocurrency users through a fake app called Vortax. They use social media and a dedicated blog to legitimize their malicious activities. Markopolo has been linked to a credential-harvesting operation and is agile in pivoting to new scams when detected. The actor leverages shared hosting and C2 infrastructure for their malicious builds.

Threat actor tracked by Malpedia.

[Malteiro](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1026) is a financially motivated criminal group that is likely based in Brazil and has been active since at least November 2019. The group operates and distributes the [Mispadu](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1122) banking trojan via a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) business model. [Malteiro](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1026) mainly targets victims throughout Latin America (particularly Mexico) and Europe (particularly Spain and Portugal).(Citation: SCILabs Malteiro 2021)

Malsmoke primarily targets Japanese users through malvertising campaigns that deliver Zloader malware, often leveraging adult content lures and geographic IP information. The group has transitioned from exploit kits, such as Fallout, to social engineering tactics, including fake Java updates, while maintaining a focus on high-traffic adult websites. Their operations are characterized by the use of DGA for C2 server domains and the distribution of payloads via a custom loader, previously relying on Smoke Loader. Connections to past campaigns are evident through similarities in malware masquerading as Java plugins and shared registrar information among domains.

Crowdstrike tarcks the operators behind the Qbot as MALLARD SPIDER

MalKamak is an Iranian threat actor that has been operating since at least 2018. They have been involved in highly targeted cyber espionage campaigns against global aerospace and telecommunications companies. MalKamak utilizes a sophisticated remote access Trojan called ShellClient, which evades antivirus tools and uses cloud services like Dropbox for command and control.

Threat actor tracked by Malpedia.

Earliest activity back to November 2008. An established group of cyber attackers based in Iran, who carried on several campaigns in 2013, including a series of attacks targeting political dissidents and those supporting Iranian political opposition.

Kaspersky Lab and Seculert worked together to sinkhole the Madi Command & Control (C&C) servers to monitor the campaign. Kaspersky Lab and Seculert identified more than 800 victims located in Iran, Israel and select countries across the globe connecting to the C&Cs over the past eight months. Statistics from the sinkhole revealed that the victims were primarily business people working on Iranian and Israeli critical infrastructure projects, Israeli financial institutions, Middle Eastern engineering students, and various government agencies communicating in the Middle East. Common applications and websites that were spied on include accounts on Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, ICQ, Skype, Google+, and Facebook. Surveillance is also performed over integrated ERP/CRM systems, business contracts, and financial management systems.

Lyceum is an Iranian APT group that has been active since at least 2014. They primarily target Middle Eastern governments and organizations in the energy and telecommunications sectors. Lyceum is known for using cyber espionage techniques and has been linked to other Iranian threat groups such as APT34. They have developed and deployed malware families like Shark and Milan, and have been observed using DNS tunneling and HTTPfor command and control communication.

Luoxk is a malware campaign targeting web servers throughout Asia, Europe and North America.

Luna Moth conducts high-tempo callback phishing campaigns targeting legal and financial organizations in the U.S., using social engineering to lure victims into calling fake helpdesk numbers. Attackers impersonate IT staff to install legitimate RMM tools, enabling direct access to victim systems for data exfiltration. The group demands ransoms between $1 million and $8 million, threatening to leak stolen data if payments are not made. Their operations reflect a shift from traditional ransomware tactics to data breach extortion, leveraging trusted systems to evade detection.

According to CrowdStrike, this actor is using BokBok/IcedID, potentially buying distribution through Emotet infections. On March 17, 2019, CrowdStrike Intelligence observed the use of a new BokBot (developed and operated by LUNAR SPIDER) proxy module in conjunction with TrickBot (developed and operated by WIZARD SPIDER), which may provide WIZARD SPIDER with additional tools to steal sensitive information and conduct fraudulent wire transfers. This activity also provides further evidence to support the existence of a flourishing relationship between these two actors. Lunar Spider is reportedly associated withGrim Spider and Wizard Spider.

LulzSec Black is a hacktivist group that has claimed responsibility for coordinated DDoS attacks against Cyprus' government and critical infrastructure in response to the country's support for Israel. They have also announced cyberattacks targeting the UAE, including breaches of a government website and Alfa Electronics, asserting these actions are in support of Palestine. The group has indicated intentions for further attacks and has not provided independently verifiable evidence of their claims. Their operations reflect a focus on disrupting services and compromising data as part of their political agenda.

LongNosedGoblin is a China-aligned APT group targeting governmental entities in Southeast Asia and Japan for cyberespionage. The group employs Group Policy for malware deployment and utilizes cloud services like Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive as C&C servers. Their operations feature a modular malware ecosystem, including backdoors, browser data stealers, and PowerShell-based downloaders that execute multi-stage payloads in memory. LongNosedGoblin's tactics emphasize reconnaissance-driven targeting and the abuse of trusted enterprise mechanisms, allowing for stealthy persistence within compromised networks.

Longhorn has been active since at least 2011. It has used a range of back door Trojans in addition to zero-day vulnerabilities to compromise its targets. Longhorn has infiltrated governments and internationally operating organizations, in addition to targets in the financial, telecoms, energy, aerospace, information technology, education, and natural resources sectors. All of the organizations targeted would be of interest to a nation-state attacker. Longhorn has infected 40 targets in at least 16 countries across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa. On one occasion a computer in the United States was compromised but, following infection, an uninstaller was launched within hours, which may indicate this victim was infected unintentionally. According to cfr, this threat actor compromises governments, international organizations, academic institutions, and financial, telecommunications, energy, aerospace, information technology, and natural resource industries for espionage purposes. Some of the tools used by this threat actor were released by Wikileaks under the name "Vault 7."

LofyGang has been found to be linked to more than 200 malicious packages, with thousands of installations throughout 2022. The group, believed to have been operating for more than a year, has multiple hacking objectives, including stealing credit card information and stealing user accounts including Discord Inc. premium accounts, streaming services accounts such as Disney+ and Minecraft accounts.

Linkc is a newly emerged ransomware group that operates an onion-based data leak site and has claimed one victim, a U.S.-based AI and cloud service provider, H2O.ai, which was attacked on January 29, 2025. The group demanded a ransom of $15 million for data decryption and removal, showcasing access to sensitive information, including GPT model source code and customer data. Linkc's DLS is well-constructed and quick to load, indicating potential for future victim listings. However, there is currently no public acknowledgment from the victim, and the group has not engaged in discussions on cybercrime forums.

LIMINAL PANDA is a China-nexus APT that targets telecommunications entities, employing custom malware and publicly available tools for covert access, C2, and data exfiltration. The adversary demonstrates extensive knowledge of telecom networks, utilizing GSM protocols to retrieve mobile subscriber information and call metadata. LIMINAL PANDA exploits trust relationships and security gaps between providers to access core infrastructure, indicating a focus on SIGINT collection rather than financial gain. Their intrusion activity has primarily affected telecom providers in southern Asia and Africa, with potential for broader targeting based on network configurations.

Lilac Typhoon is a threat actor attributed to China. They have been identified as exploiting the Atlassian Confluence RCE vulnerability CVE-2022-26134, which allows for remote code execution. This vulnerability has been used in cryptojacking campaigns and is included in commercial exploit frameworks. Lilac Typhoon has also been involved in deploying various payloads such as Cobalt Strike, web shells, botnets, coin miners, and ransomware.

LilacSquid is an APT actor targeting a variety of industries worldwide since at least 2021. They use tactics such as exploiting vulnerabilities and compromised RDP credentials to gain access to victim organizations. Their post-compromise activities involve deploying MeshAgent and a customized version of QuasarRAT known as PurpleInk to maintain control over infected systems. LilacSquid has been observed using tools like Secure Socket Funneling for data exfiltration.

UNC1945 is an APT group that has been targeting telecommunications companies globally. They use Linux-based implants to maintain long-term access in compromised networks. UNC1945 has demonstrated advanced technical abilities, utilizing various tools and techniques to evade detection and move laterally through networks. They have also been observed targeting other industries, such as financial and professional consulting, and have been linked to other threat actors, including MustangPanada and RedDelta.

Rostelecom's security team has discovered a new APT group that is breaching companies via industrial PLCs. Named Lifting Zmiy, the group's first attacks were traced back to October 2023. The group targeted PLCs from Russian company Tech-Automatics usually used with elevators and which were still using their default passwords. Rostelecom has linked the group to intrusions at a Russian government contractor, two telecom operators, and an IT company. The company says the group collected and exfiltrated data and then destroyed the victim's infrastructure. Rostelecom says Lifting Zmiy uses Starlink infrastructure for attacks and appears to operate out of Eastern Europe.

Libyan Scorpions is a malware operation in use since September 2015 and operated by a politically motivated group whose main objective is intelligence gathering, spying on influentials and political figures and operate an espionage campaign within Libya.

[Lazarus Group](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0032) is a North Korean state-sponsored cyber threat group attributed to the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB). (Citation: US-CERT HIDDEN COBRA June 2017) (Citation: Treasury North Korean Cyber Groups September 2019) [Lazarus Group](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0032) has been active since at least 2009 and is reportedly responsible for the November 2014 destructive wiper attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment, identified by Novetta as part of Operation Blockbuster. Malware used by [Lazarus Group](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0032) correlates to other reported campaigns, including Operation Flame, Operation 1Mission, Operation Troy, DarkSeoul, and Ten Days of Rain.(Citation: Novetta Blockbuster) North Korea’s cyber operations have shown a consistent pattern of adaptation, forming and reorganizing units as national priorities shift. These units frequently share personnel, infrastructure, malware, and tradecraft, making it difficult to attribute specific operations with high confidence. Public reporting often uses “Lazarus Group” as an umbrella term for multiple North Korean cyber operators conducting espionage, destructive attacks, and financially motivated campaigns.(Citation: Mandiant DPRK Laz Org Breakdown 2022)(Citation: Mandiant DPRK Groups 2023)(Citation: JPCert Blog Laz Subgroups 2025)

Larva‑25012 is a threat actor known for deploying Proxyware, utilizing malware disguised as a Notepad++ installer. The actor injects Proxyware into the Windows Explorer process and employs Python-based loaders to evade detection. They distribute Proxyware installers primarily through advertisements on websites offering free YouTube video downloads and fake sites for cracked software. Larva‑25012 has been active since at least 2024, distributing multiple types of Proxyware, including DigitalPulse, Honeygain, and Infatica.

The Larva-24010 threat actor is distributing malware through the website of a Korean VPN service provider. As a result, when a user downloads and runs the installer from the VPN website, malware can be installed on the system. Since at least 2023, the Larva-24010 threat actor has been targeting Korean VPN users to spread malware, ultimately installing various backdoors such as MeshAgent, gs-netcat, and NKNShell. Through this, the attacker can control infected systems where the VPN is installed and steal sensitive information stored on those systems.

Larva-24005 is a threat actor that breaches servers in Korea to establish a web server and PHP environment for phishing attacks, primarily targeting individuals involved with North Korea and university professors researching the regime. They exploit the BlueKeep vulnerability for initial access and utilize RDPWrap and a custom keylogger post-compromise. Phishing emails are crafted to appear as legitimate communications, often containing malicious URLs or compressed files. The actor has been observed storing phishing pages in the IIS_USER account and XAMPP home folder, although traces of these pages were later deleted.

LARVA-208 is a financially motivated threat actor employing sophisticated phishing campaigns to harvest credentials and deploy ransomware. The actor uses multiple tactics, including Open URL Redirection, fake login pages, and social engineering, to bypass MFA and gain access to corporate networks. LARVA-208 has compromised over 618 organizations since June 2024, often deploying ransomware payloads. The threat actor is linked to LARVA-148, a threat actor managing domain acquisitions and attacks.

Lapsus$ is an internationally composed data extortion group most active from mid-2021 through 2022, executing high-profile breaches against Microsoft, Nvidia, Samsung, Okta, and Uber by stealing source code and threatening leaks rather than encrypting files; several members — predominantly teenagers — were arrested in the UK.