Dolphin

Dolphin is a malicious software (malware) that was reportedly used by an unidentified group against South Korea in December 2022. The malware, named after the codenames of Xerox PARC's range of workstations which all began with the letter D, including Dolphin, Dorado, Dicentra, and others, infiltrates systems to exploit and damage them, often stealing personal information or disrupting operations. This malware, along with others such as Chinotto, BLUELIGHT, GOLDBACKDOOR, and most recently M2RAT, were used by this group to conduct cyber attacks, adding commodity malware like Amadey into the mix to confuse attribution. A device known as Flipper Zero, featuring a monochrome 128x64 pixel screen with a cyber-dolphin greeting, has been flagged by Brazil's national telecoms regulator Anatel for serving illicit purposes or facilitating crimes. Despite similar devices being available in Brazil, the Flipper Zero has come under scrutiny due to its potential misuse, possibly including acting as a conduit for malware like Dolphin. The device has become controversial due to its potential for hacking and pentesting, symbolized by the crying dolphin image displayed when attempting to turn off the tool. In addition to its use in cyber warfare, the name Dolphin also refers to a technology-focused think-tank in Beijing. Despite the decline in revenue for Alibaba's core e-commerce business last year due to high competition, Dolphin continues to provide insights and analysis in the tech industry. However, it's important to differentiate between these two uses of the term 'Dolphin', one referring to a dangerous malware, and the other a legitimate think-tank.