Extreme Jackal

Extreme Jackal, also known as BLACKSTEM and MOLERATS, is a threat actor linked to Hamas. This group has been identified as being involved in cyber-attacks with malicious intent. Despite the recent terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, cybersecurity analysts have not observed any significant changes in their activities or tactics from Hamas-connected cyber threat actors like Extreme Jackal and Renegade Jackal (aka DESERTVARNISH, UNC718, Desert Falcons, Arid Viper). They continue to target similar customers without altering their previous strategies. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity technology company, has been tracking the activities of Extreme Jackal. Adam Meyers, Senior Vice President of Counter-Adversary Operations for CrowdStrike, noted that Extreme Jackal's methods have evolved over time. Previously, they relied on commercially available tools for likely intelligence collection operations. However, they have shown a shift towards developing their own tools, indicating a possible increase in sophistication and capacity for future attacks. Despite the ongoing conflict, there seems to be no change in the targeting or tactics of these threat actors. This consistency could imply that their goals remain the same, irrespective of geopolitical events. The evolution of Extreme Jackal from using commercial cybercriminal tools to creating its own signifies a potential increase in the threat level posed by this group. Monitoring and understanding the activities of such threat actors is crucial for effective cybersecurity defense and strategy planning.