Threat Intelligence Directory

ELUSIVE COMET is a threat actor responsible for significant cryptocurrency theft through sophisticated social engineering attacks, particularly leveraging Zoom's remote control feature. Their attack methodology involves manipulating legitimate workflows and exploiting human-centric vulnerabilities rather than technical flaws. The actor employs tactics such as social proof, time pressure, and interface manipulation to deceive targets. Organizations can mitigate risks by implementing technical controls to disable the remote control feature and deploying email boundary protections like DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.

Threat actor tracked by Malpedia.

Threat actor tracked by Malpedia.

Educated Manticore is an Iranian APT group aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, primarily engaged in espionage targeting government, military, and academic sectors. The group employs spear-phishing tactics, utilizing custom backdoors like POWERLESS and phishing kits designed as SPAs to harvest credentials. Their operations have included impersonating credible figures to lure victims and using ISO images to initiate infection chains. Educated Manticore's activities are characterized by rapid domain setup and aggressive spear-phishing campaigns, particularly against Israeli individuals.

Edalat-e Ali is a hacktivist group known for disrupting Iranian state-run TV and radio transmissions during significant events, such as the Revolution Day ceremonies. They have also targeted government facilities, releasing security camera footage to expose abuses and draw attention to human rights violations. The group has used their hacks to call for protests against the Iranian regime and have displayed anti-government messages during their disruptions. Edalat-e Ali has been active in releasing sensitive information and footage to embarrass Iranian officials and highlight injustices within the country.

EC2 Grouper is a prolific threat actor known for leveraging AWS tools for PowerShell to conduct automated attacks in cloud environments. They typically utilize the CreateSecurityGroup API to establish remote access and exhibit a consistent security group naming convention. Credential acquisition is believed to stem from compromised cloud access keys, often sourced from public code repositories. Notably, their activities do not include calls to AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress, suggesting a selective approach to escalation.

Earth Yako is a threat actor that has been actively targeting researchers in academic organizations and think tanks in Japan. They use spearphishing emails with malicious attachments to gain initial access to their targets' systems. Earth Yako's objectives and patterns suggest a possible connection to a Chinese APT group, but conclusive proof of their nationality is lacking. They have been observed using various malware delivery methods and techniques, such as the use of Winword.exe for DLL Hijacking.

Earth Wendigo is a threat actor from China that has been targeting several organizations — including government organizations, research institutions, and universities in Taiwan — since May 2019, aiming to exfiltrate emails from targeted organizations via the injection of JavaScript backdoors to a webmail system that is widely used in Taiwan. The threat actor also sent spear-phishing emails embedded with malicious links to multiple individuals, including politicians and activists, who support movements in Tibet, the Uyghur region, or Hong Kong.

[Earth Lusca](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1006) is a suspected China-based cyber espionage group that has been active since at least April 2019. [Earth Lusca](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1006) has targeted organizations in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Germany, France, and the United States. Targets included government institutions, news media outlets, gambling companies, educational institutions, COVID-19 research organizations, telecommunications companies, religious movements banned in China, and cryptocurrency trading platforms; security researchers assess some [Earth Lusca](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1006) operations may be financially motivated.(Citation: TrendMicro EarthLusca 2022) [Earth Lusca](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1006) has used malware commonly used by other Chinese threat groups, including [APT41](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0096) and the [Winnti Group](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0044) cluster, however security researchers assess [Earth Lusca](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1006)'s techniques and infrastructure are separate.(Citation: TrendMicro EarthLusca 2022)

Earth Longzhi is a subgroup of APT41 targeting organizations based in Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, and Fiji, and using “stack rumbling” via Image File Execution Options (IFEO), a new denial-of-service (DoS) technique to disable security software.

Earth Lamia is a China-nexus APT that targets organizations across multiple sectors, including finance, logistics, and government, primarily in Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The actor exploits web application vulnerabilities, such as CVE-2025-55182, and employs techniques like SQL injection, DLL sideloading, and the deployment of custom backdoors like PULSEPACK and BypassBoss. Earth Lamia conducts reconnaissance, file operations, and credential theft, often utilizing tools like Cobalt Strike and VShell.

Earth Kurma is an APT group targeting government and telecommunications sectors in Southeast Asia, with a primary focus on data exfiltration. They employ advanced custom malware, including rootkits like KRNRAT and MORIYA, and utilize cloud storage services for exfiltration. Their toolsets include TESDAT and SIMPOBOXSPY, and they demonstrate adaptive TTPs and complex evasion techniques. Attribution overlaps with other APT groups, but distinct attack patterns warrant their separate designation.

Earth Krahang is an APT group targeting government organizations worldwide. They use spear-phishing emails, weak internet-facing servers, and custom backdoors like Cobalt Strike, RESHELL, and XDealer to conduct cyber espionage. The group creates VPN servers on infected systems, employs brute force attacks on email accounts, and exploits compromised government infrastructure to attack other governments. Earth Krahang has been linked to another China-linked actor, Earth Lusca, and is believed to be part of a specialized task force for cyber espionage against government institutions.

Earth Kitsune is an advanced persistent threat actor that has been active since at least 2019. They primarily target individuals interested in North Korea and use various tactics, such as compromising websites and employing social engineering, to distribute self-developed backdoors. Earth Kitsune demonstrates technical proficiency and continuously evolves their tools, tactics, and procedures. They have been associated with malware such as WhiskerSpy and SLUB.

Earth Kapre is an APT group specializing in cyberespionage. They target organizations in various countries through phishing campaigns using malicious attachments to infect machines. Earth Kapre employs techniques like abusing PowerShell, curl, and Program Compatibility Assistant to execute malicious commands and evade detection within targeted networks. The group has been active since at least 2018 and has been linked to multiple incidents involving data theft and espionage.

Earth Freybug, identified as a subset of APT41, is a cyberthreat group active since at least 2012, engaging in espionage and financially motivated activities across various sectors worldwide. The tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used in this campaign are similar to the ones from a campaign (Operation CuckooBees) described in an article published by Cybereason. They employ a diverse toolkit, including LOLBins and custom malware, to execute sophisticated cyberespionage attacks. The group's recent tactics involve DLL hijacking and API unhooking through a newly discovered malware named UNAPIMON, which prevents child processes from being monitored. This technique was observed in a vmtoolsd.exe process creating remote tasks to deploy malicious batch files for reconnaissance and backdoor access. UNAPIMON's simplicity and use of Microsoft Detours for defense evasion highlight the group's evolving methods and the need for vigilant security measures, such as restricting admin privileges and adhering to the principle of least privilege. Earth Freybug's persistence and creativity in refining their techniques underscore the ongoing threat they pose and the importance of proactive cybersecurity practices.

Trend Micro found that Earth Estries relies heavily on DLL sideloading to load various tools within its arsenal. Aside from the backdoors previously mentioned, this intrusion set also utilizes commonly used remote control tools like Cobalt Strike, PlugX, or Meterpreter stagers interchangeably in various attack stages. These tools come as encrypted payloads loaded by custom loader DLLs.

According to TrendMicro, Earth Berberoka is a threat group originating from China that mainly focuses on targeting gambling websites. This group's campaign uses multiple malware families that target the Windows, Linux, and macOS platforms that have been attributed to Chinese-speaking actors. Aside from using tried-and-tested malware families that have been upgraded, such as PlugX and Gh0st RAT, Earth Berberoka has also developed a brand-new complex, multistage malware family, which has been dubbed PuppetLoader.

Earth Baxia is a threat actor opearting out of China, targeting government organizations in Taiwan and potentially across the APAC region, using spear-phishing emails and exploiting the GeoServer vulnerability CVE-2024-36401 for remote code execution, deploying customized Cobalt Strike components with altered signatures, leveraging GrimResource and AppDomainManager injection techniques to deliver additional payloads, and utilizing a new backdoor named EAGLEDOOR for multi-protocol communication and payload delivery.

Earth Alux is a China-linked APT group known for conducting cyberespionage attacks across various sectors, including government, technology, and telecommunications. They primarily exploit vulnerable services in exposed servers to gain initial access, implanting web shells like GODZILLA and deploying backdoors such as VARGEIT and COBEACON. The group employs tools like RSBINJECT and MASQLOADER for lateral movement and network discovery, while also utilizing RAILSETTER for persistence through mspaint injection. Their operations have predominantly targeted the APAC region and have extended to Latin America, with a focus on exfiltrating sensitive information to attacker-controlled cloud storage.

[Dust Storm](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0031) is a threat group that has targeted multiple industries in Japan, South Korea, the United States, Europe, and several Southeast Asian countries. (Citation: Cylance Dust Storm)

Prodaft researchers have published a report on Paperbug, a cyber-espionage campaign carried out by suspected Russian-speaking group Nomadic Octopus and which targeted entities in Tajikistan. According to Prodaft, known compromised victims included high-ranking government officials, telcos, and public service infrastructures. Compromised devices also included OT devices, besides your typical computers, servers, and mobile devices. In typical Prodaft fashion, the company also gained access to one of the group's C&C server backend panels.

DUNGEON SPIDER is a criminal group operating the ransomware most commonly known as Locky, which has been active since February 2016 and was last observed in late 2017. Locky is a ransomware tool that encrypts files using a combination of cryptographic algorithms: RSA with a key size of 2,048 bits, and AES with a key size of 128 bits. Locky targets a large number of file extensions and is able to encrypt data on shared network drives. In an attempt to further impact victims and prevent file recovery, Locky deletes all of the Shadow Volume Copies on the machine. DUNGEON SPIDER primarily relies on broad spam campaigns with malicious attachments for distribution. Locky is the community/industry name associated with this actor.

DriftingCloud is a persistent threat actor known for targeting various industries and locations. They are skilled at developing or acquiring zero-day exploits to gain unauthorized access to target networks. Compromising gateway devices is a common tactic used by DriftingCloud, making network monitoring solutions crucial for detecting their attacks.

DragonSpark is a threat actor that has been conducting attacks primarily targeting organizations in East Asia. They utilize the open-source tool SparkRAT, which is a multi-platform and frequently updated remote access Trojan. The threat actor is believed to be Chinese-speaking based on their use of Chinese language support and compromised infrastructure located in China and Taiwan. They employ various techniques to evade detection, including Golang source code interpretation and the use of the China Chopper webshell.

DragonRank is a threat actor primarily targeting web application services in Asia and Europe, utilizing TTPs associated with Simplified Chinese-speaking hacking groups. They exploit vulnerabilities in platforms like phpMyAdmin and WordPress to deploy web shells, enabling the installation of PlugX and BadIIS malware for black hat SEO practices. Their operations involve lateral movement within compromised networks to maintain control and elevate privileges, while also engaging in unethical online marketing strategies. DragonRank's activities include manipulating search engine rankings and distributing scam websites through compromised Windows IIS servers.

[DragonOK](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0017) is a threat group that has targeted Japanese organizations with phishing emails. Due to overlapping TTPs, including similar custom tools, [DragonOK](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0017) is thought to have a direct or indirect relationship with the threat group [Moafee](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0002). (Citation: Operation Quantum Entanglement) It is known to use a variety of malware, including Sysget/HelloBridge, PlugX, PoisonIvy, FormerFirstRat, NFlog, and NewCT. (Citation: New DragonOK)

DRAGONBRIDGE is a Chinese state-sponsored threat actor known for engaging in information operations to promote the political interests of the People's Republic of China. They have been observed using AI-generated images and videos to spread propaganda on social media platforms. The group has targeted various countries and regions, including the US, Taiwan, and Japan, with narratives promoting pro-PRC viewpoints. DRAGONBRIDGE has been linked to campaigns discrediting the US political system, sowing division between allies, and criticizing specific companies and individuals.

In June 2019, CrowdStrike Intelligence observed a source code fork of BitPaymer and began tracking the new ransomware strain as DoppelPaymer. Further technical analysis revealed an increasing divergence between two versions of Dridex, with the new version dubbed DoppelDridex. Based on this evidence, CrowdStrike Intelligence assessed with high confidence that a new group split off from INDRIK SPIDER to form the adversary DOPPEL SPIDER. Following DOPPEL SPIDER’s inception, CrowdStrike Intelligence observed multiple BGH incidents attributed to the group, with the largest known ransomware demand being 250 BTC. Other demands were not nearly as high, suggesting that the group conducts network reconnaissance to determine the value of the victim organization.

An extensive surveillance operation targets specific groups of individuals with malicious mobile apps that collect sensitive information on the device along with surrounding voice recordings. Researchers with CheckPoint discovered the attack and named it Domestic Kitten. The targets are Kurdish and Turkish natives, and ISIS supporters, all Iranian citizens.

Threat actor tracked by Malpedia.

DieNet is a hacktivist group that emerged in March 2025, known for conducting DDoS attacks targeting entities associated with political figures, such as Trump businesses. The group has claimed responsibility for disabling ten significant Iraqi websites, framing the action as support for their affiliates in the “Shiite Harvest.” Their operations suggest motivations rooted in sectarian dynamics, with a coordinated effort indicated by the use of hashtags like #DieNet and #Shiite_Harvest. This reflects the use of cyber offensives as tools for political and ideological expression, mirroring offline sectarian tensions.

DiceyF is an advanced persistent threat group that has been targeting online casinos and other victims in Southeast Asia for an extended period. They have exhibited overlapping activity with LuckyStar PlugX and Earth Berberoka/GamblingPuppet, as reported by various cybersecurity vendors. While their motivations remain unclear, previous incidents suggest a combination of espionage and intellectual property theft rather than immediate financial gain. DiceyF continuously evolves their codebase and adds encryption capabilities to enhance their stealthy cyberespionage activities.

Threat actor tracked by Malpedia.

Microsoft reported on MCCrash, an IoT botnet operated by the DEV-1028 threat actor and used to launch DDoS attacks against private Minecraft servers.

Lace Tempest, also known as DEV-0950, is a threat actor that exploited vulnerabilities in software such as SysAid and PaperCut to gain unauthorized access to systems. Lace Tempest is known for deploying the Clop ransomware and exfiltrating data from compromised networks.

DEV-0928 is a threat actor that has been tracked by Microsoft since September 2022. They are known for their involvement in high-volume phishing campaigns, using tools offered by DEV-1101. DEV-0928 sends phishing emails to targets and has been observed launching campaigns involving millions of emails. They also utilize evasion techniques, such as redirection to benign pages, to avoid detection.

MSTIC has not found any notable associations between this observed activity, tracked as DEV-0586, and other known activity groups. MSTIC assesses that the malware (WhisperGate), which is designed to look like ransomware but lacking a ransom recovery mechanism, is intended to be destructive and designed to render targeted devices inoperable rather than to obtain a ransom.

DEV-0569, also known as Storm-0569, is a threat actor group that has been observed deploying the Royal ransomware. They utilize malicious ads and phishing techniques to distribute malware and gain initial access to networks. The group has been linked to the distribution of payloads such as Batloader and has forged relationships with other threat actors. DEV-0569 has targeted various sectors, including healthcare, communications, manufacturing, and education in the United States and Brazil.

Microsoft threat intelligence teams have been tracking multiple ransomware campaigns and have tied these attacks to DEV-0270, also known as Nemesis Kitten, a sub-group of Iranian actor PHOSPHORUS. Microsoft assesses with moderate confidence that DEV-0270 conducts malicious network operations, including widespread vulnerability scanning, on behalf of the government of Iran.