Mantis

Mantis is a recognized threat actor, known for its sophisticated cyber operations. This group has been linked to several high-profile attacks and campaigns, including one that was tracked by Recorded Future as TAG-63, also known as APT-C-23. Mantis has shown connections to other notable threat groups such as Desert Falcons and Arid Viper, marking it as a significant player in the cyber espionage landscape. The group's techniques have evolved over time, with a notable instance in July of an unidentified year when another Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group, Praying Mantis, exploited serialization flaws in ASP.NET applications to deploy fileless malware on IIS servers. One of the most alarming developments related to Mantis is the creation of the Tiny Mantis Botnet, which has demonstrated the capacity to launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks more powerful than those executed by the infamous Mirai botnet. This development underscores the increasing sophistication and potential damage that Mantis can inflict upon targeted systems. The botnet's power has been highlighted in multiple reports, emphasizing the escalating threat it poses to digital security worldwide. In response to these threats, cybersecurity professionals are encouraged to pursue advanced certifications like the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), as advised by Jay Martin, security practice lead at Blue Mantis. Additionally, Robert Fitzgerald, Field CISO with Blue Mantis, advocates for training new professionals in the field. Through comprehensive understanding of attacker tactics and techniques, cybersecurity experts can preemptively block threats even before they are recognized as malware, as exemplified by the Decoy Dog case study.