Nation-State Actor

APT27 (Emissary Panda)

China • Active since 2010

APT27 is a Chinese hacking group that steals secrets from defense and tech companies. Recently they started using ransomware too, which is unusual for a government spy group.

Overview

APT27 is a Chinese state-sponsored threat group that targets aerospace, government, defense, technology, and energy sectors. They have recently pivoted to include ransomware in their operations.

Also Known As

Emissary Panda, Iron Tiger, TG-3390, Bronze Union, LuckyMouse

Target Industries

Defense, Technology, Energy, Aerospace, Government

Target Regions

United States, Europe, Middle East, Asia

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Tactics, Techniques & Procedures

  • Exploitation of public-facing applications
  • Web shells
  • DLL side-loading
  • Ransomware deployment
  • Living off the land

Known Tools & Malware

HyperBro, ZxShell, PlugX, China Chopper, Korplug

Notable Campaigns

Gaming Industry Attacks (2021)

Targeted gaming companies with ransomware for financial gain.

Aerospace Targeting (2019)

Long-running campaign against aerospace and defense contractors.

MITRE ATT&CK Techniques

T1190, T1505.003, T1574.002, T1486, T1059

Defense Recommendations

  1. 1.

    Patch public-facing applications immediately

  2. 2.

    Monitor for web shell indicators

  3. 3.

    Implement DLL side-loading detection

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