www.darkreading.com
Open in
urlscan Pro
2606:4700::6811:7963
Public Scan
URL:
https://www.darkreading.com/vulnerabilities-threats/apt41-subgroup-plows-through-asia-pacific-utilizing-layered-stealth-tactics
Submission: On May 03 via api from TR — Scanned from DE
Submission: On May 03 via api from TR — Scanned from DE
Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOMText Content
The Edge DR Tech Sections Close Back Sections Featured Sections The Edge Dark Reading Technology Attacks / Breaches Cloud ICS/OT Remote Workforce Perimeter Analytics Security Monitoring Security Monitoring App Sec Database Security Database Security Risk Compliance Compliance Threat Intelligence Endpoint AuthenticationMobile SecurityPrivacy AuthenticationMobile SecurityPrivacy Vulnerabilities / Threats Advanced ThreatsInsider ThreatsVulnerability Management Advanced ThreatsInsider ThreatsVulnerability Management Operations Identity & Access ManagementCareers & People Identity & Access ManagementCareers & People Physical Security IoT Black Hat news Omdia Research Security Now Events Close Back Events Events * Anatomy of a Data Breach - A Dark Reading June 22 Event * Black Hat USA - August 5-10 - Learn More Webinars * What's "CNAPP-ening"? Bring Your Cloud Security into Focus! May 04, 2023 * Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT and Cybersecurity: A Match Made in Heaven or a Hack Waiting to Happen? May 09, 2023 Resources Close Back Resources Dark Reading Library > Webinars > Reports > Slideshows > White Papers > Partner Perspectives: Microsoft Tech Library > Newsletter The Edge DR Tech Sections Close Back Sections Featured Sections The Edge Dark Reading Technology Attacks / Breaches Cloud ICS/OT Remote Workforce Perimeter Analytics Security Monitoring Security Monitoring App Sec Database Security Database Security Risk Compliance Compliance Threat Intelligence Endpoint AuthenticationMobile SecurityPrivacy AuthenticationMobile SecurityPrivacy Vulnerabilities / Threats Advanced ThreatsInsider ThreatsVulnerability Management Advanced ThreatsInsider ThreatsVulnerability Management Operations Identity & Access ManagementCareers & People Identity & Access ManagementCareers & People Physical Security IoT Black Hat news Omdia Research Security Now Events Close Back Events Events * Anatomy of a Data Breach - A Dark Reading June 22 Event * Black Hat USA - August 5-10 - Learn More Webinars * What's "CNAPP-ening"? Bring Your Cloud Security into Focus! May 04, 2023 * Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT and Cybersecurity: A Match Made in Heaven or a Hack Waiting to Happen? May 09, 2023 Resources Close Back Resources Dark Reading Library > Webinars > Reports > Slideshows > White Papers > Partner Perspectives: Microsoft Tech Library > The Edge DR Tech Sections Close Back Sections Featured Sections The Edge Dark Reading Technology Attacks / Breaches Cloud ICS/OT Remote Workforce Perimeter Analytics Security Monitoring Security Monitoring App Sec Database Security Database Security Risk Compliance Compliance Threat Intelligence Endpoint AuthenticationMobile SecurityPrivacy AuthenticationMobile SecurityPrivacy Vulnerabilities / Threats Advanced ThreatsInsider ThreatsVulnerability Management Advanced ThreatsInsider ThreatsVulnerability Management Operations Identity & Access ManagementCareers & People Identity & Access ManagementCareers & People Physical Security IoT Black Hat news Omdia Research Security Now Events Close Back Events Events * Anatomy of a Data Breach - A Dark Reading June 22 Event * Black Hat USA - August 5-10 - Learn More Webinars * What's "CNAPP-ening"? Bring Your Cloud Security into Focus! May 04, 2023 * Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT and Cybersecurity: A Match Made in Heaven or a Hack Waiting to Happen? May 09, 2023 Resources Close Back Resources Dark Reading Library > Webinars > Reports > Slideshows > White Papers > Partner Perspectives: Microsoft Tech Library > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter SEARCH A minimum of 3 characters are required to be typed in the search bar in order to perform a search. Announcements 1. 2. 3. Event How to Launch a Threat Hunting Program | Webinar <REGISTER> Event How to Accelerate XDR Outcomes: Bridging the Gap Between Network and Endpoint | Webinar <REGISTER> Report Black Hat USA 2022 Attendee Report | Supply Chain & Cloud Security Risks Are Top of Mind | <READ IT NOW> PreviousNext Vulnerabilities/Threats 3 MIN READ News APT41 SUBGROUP PLOWS THROUGH ASIA-PACIFIC, UTILIZING LAYERED STEALTH TACTICS The notorious Chinese APT is spreading cyber maliciousness around Southeast Asia, and its next targets are already in sight. Nate Nelson Contributing Writer, Dark Reading May 02, 2023 Source: Iulia_Bycheva via Alamy Stock Photo PDF After months of inactivity, Earth Longzhi — a suspected subgroup of the notorious APT41 — is again attacking organizations across industry targets in Southeast Asia. And researchers believe they know who it's targeting next. APT41 is one of China's most well-known cyber threats — or, rather, an umbrella label for multiple subgroups. Over the years it has constantly switched up its TTPs in espionage attacks against government agencies, enterprises, and even individuals. Its attacks against the US government, in particular, have made enough noise to earn its members indictments from US law enforcement. On May 2, researchers from Trend Micro revealed details of a new campaign from Earth Longzhi, a suspected subgroup of APT41. Earth Longzhi had been on something of a hiatus since its most recent campaign, which began in August 2021 and ended last June. In that case, it targeted organizations across industries — defense, aviation, insurance, and urban development — in countries around the Asia-Pacific region — Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Ukraine, and China itself. Now, after nearly a year, Earth Longzhi is back, utilizing newer and better stealth tactics in espionage campaigns against many of the same kinds of targets. EARTH LONGZHI'S EVOLVING TTPS Rather than tried-and-true phishing emails, Earth Longzhi has tended to target public-facing Internet Information Services (IIS) and Microsoft Exchange servers as inroads to install the popular Behinder Web shell. Using Behinder, it can gather information and download further malware onto host systems. Further, the group has utilized dynamic link library (DLL) sideloading, disguising malware as a legitimate DLL — MpClient.dll — to trick the legitimate Windows Defender binaries MpDlpCmd.exe and MpCmdRun.exe into loading it. Earth Longzhi primarily delivers two types of malware, according to Trend Micro: Croxloader, a loader for Cobalt Strike, and a new anti-detection tool called SPHijacker. SPHijacker is specially designed to disable security products in their tracks, either by utilizing a vulnerable driver — zamguard.sys — or by abusing the undocumented "MinimumStackCommitInBytes" values in the IFEO registry key to perform a kind of denial of service. "These methods are not overly novel and sophisticated," explains James Lively, endpoint security research specialist at Tanium. "However," he adds, "the knowledge, understanding, and tradecraft required to use them efficiently and accurately is." WHERE EARTH LONGZHI IS GOING FROM HERE In this newest campaign, Earth Longzhi targeted organizations in government, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing, across the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, and a country they've never targeted before: Fiji. But there's a wrinkle in the story. In the course of their investigation, the researchers came across a series of decoy documents written in Vietnamese and Indonesian, hidden among the hackers' files. "Based on these decoy documents," the researchers wrote, "it can be inferred that the threat actors were keen on targeting users in Vietnam and Indonesia for its next wave of attacks." With more attacks to come, organizations in and around the Asia-Pacific will need to stay attuned to the threat. With Earth Longzhi's penchant for targeting vulnerable, internet-exposed servers, "potential targets need to ensure that everything in their environment, especially public facing to the Internet, is fully patched and updated," Lively says. Otherwise, they may just be the next victim. Threat IntelligenceAdvanced Threats Keep up with the latest cybersecurity threats, newly-discovered vulnerabilities, data breach information, and emerging trends. Delivered daily or weekly right to your email inbox. Subscribe More Insights White Papers * The Ultimate Guide to the CISSP * 2023 Cloud Threat Report More White Papers Webinars * What's "CNAPP-ening"? Bring Your Cloud Security into Focus! * Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT and Cybersecurity: A Match Made in Heaven or a Hack Waiting to Happen? More Webinars Reports * Successfully Managing Identity in Modern Cloud and Hybrid Environments * The 10 Most Impactful Types of Vulnerabilities for Enterprises Today More Reports Editors' Choice 7 Things Your Ransomware Response Playbook Is Likely Missing Becky Bracken, Editor, Dark Reading Samsung Engineers Feed Sensitive Data to ChatGPT, Sparking Workplace AI Warnings Jai Vijayan, Contributing Writer, Dark Reading LastPass Breach Reveals Important Lessons Mike Walters, VP of Vulnerability and Threat Research & Co-Founder, Action1 Corporation FIN7, Former Conti Gang Members Collaborate on 'Domino' Malware Jai Vijayan, Contributing Writer, Dark Reading Webinars * What's "CNAPP-ening"? Bring Your Cloud Security into Focus! * Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT and Cybersecurity: A Match Made in Heaven or a Hack Waiting to Happen? * Unleashing AI to Assess Cybersecurity Risk * Puzzled by Patching: Solve Endpoint Pains * Building the SOC of the Future: Next-Gen Security Operations More Webinars Reports * Successfully Managing Identity in Modern Cloud and Hybrid Environments * The 10 Most Impactful Types of Vulnerabilities for Enterprises Today * Shoring Up the Software Supply Chain Across Enterprise Applications * The Promise and Reality of Cloud Security * 10 Hot Talks From Black Hat USA 2022 More Reports White Papers * The Ultimate Guide to the CISSP * 2023 Cloud Threat Report * Top Ten Tips: Securing Multi-Cloud with Modern CSPM * Rediscovering Your Identity * 2023 Global Future of Cyber Report More White Papers Events * Anatomy of a Data Breach - A Dark Reading June 22 Event * Black Hat USA - August 5-10 - Learn More * Black Hat Asia - May 9-12 - Learn More More Events More Insights White Papers * The Ultimate Guide to the CISSP * 2023 Cloud Threat Report More White Papers Webinars * What's "CNAPP-ening"? Bring Your Cloud Security into Focus! * Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT and Cybersecurity: A Match Made in Heaven or a Hack Waiting to Happen? More Webinars Reports * Successfully Managing Identity in Modern Cloud and Hybrid Environments * The 10 Most Impactful Types of Vulnerabilities for Enterprises Today More Reports DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH * Interop * InformationWeek * Network Computing * ITPro Today * Data Center Knowledge * Black Hat * Omdia WORKING WITH US * About Us * Advertise * Reprints FOLLOW DARK READING ON SOCIAL * * * * * * * Home * Cookies * Privacy * Terms Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC Informa UK Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 1072954 whose registered office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG. Cookies Button ABOUT COOKIES ON THIS SITE We and our partners use cookies to enhance your website experience, learn how our site is used, offer personalised features, measure the effectiveness of our services, and tailor content and ads to your interests while you navigate on the web or interact with us across devices. You can choose to accept all of these cookies or only essential cookies. To learn more or manage your preferences, click “Settings”. For further information about the data we collect from you, please see our Privacy Policy Accept All Settings COOKIE PREFERENCE CENTER When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. More information Allow All MANAGE CONSENT PREFERENCES STRICTLY NECESSARY COOKIES Always Active These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information. Cookies Details PERFORMANCE COOKIES Performance Cookies These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. Cookies Details FUNCTIONAL COOKIES Functional Cookies These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly. Cookies Details TARGETING COOKIES Targeting Cookies These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Cookies Details Back Button BACK Search Icon Filter Icon Clear checkbox label label Apply Cancel Consent Leg.Interest checkbox label label checkbox label label checkbox label label * View Cookies * Name cookie name Confirm My Choices