Pensive Ursa

Threat Actor updated 4 months ago (2024-05-04T19:17:57.929Z)

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Pensive Ursa, also known as Turla, Uroburos, Venomous Bear, and Waterbug, is a Russian-based advanced persistent threat (APT) group that has been operating since at least 2004. The group, linked to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), is renowned for its sophisticated cyber-espionage activities and intelligence-gathering operations. Unit 42 of Palo Alto Networks, a leading cybersecurity firm, has been closely tracking the evolution and activities of this threat actor, providing valuable insights into their methods and targets. One of the key tools in Pensive Ursa's arsenal is an advanced .NET backdoor named Kazuar, which it typically uses as a second-stage payload. Kazuar, named after a large and dangerous bird, the cassowary, is known for its stealth and sophistication. Recently, Unit 42 researchers observed an upgraded variant of this backdoor being used by Pensive Ursa, indicating the group's ongoing efforts to enhance its capabilities and maintain its effectiveness against targeted systems. Most notably, the new version of Kazuar has been deployed against Ukraine's defense sector, demonstrating Pensive Ursa's continued focus on high-value targets. This discovery strengthens the attribution of Kazuar to Pensive Ursa, further highlighting the group's persistent threat. As such, organizations, especially those within the defense industry or geopolitical hotspots, should remain vigilant and proactive in their cybersecurity measures to mitigate the risks posed by threat actors like Pensive Ursa.

Description last updated: 2024-05-04T18:49:26.830Z

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Possible Aliases / Cluster overlaps

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ID	Votes	Profile Description
Turla	5	Turla, a threat actor linked to Russia, is known for its sophisticated cyber-espionage activities. It has been associated with numerous high-profile attacks, employing innovative techniques and malware to infiltrate targets and execute actions with malicious intent. According to MITRE ATT&CK and MIT
Uroburos	4	Uroburos, also known as Snake, Turla, Pensive Ursa, and Venomous Bear, is a sophisticated malware linked to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). The development of this malicious software began in late 2003, with its operations traced back to at least 2004. Uroburos is part of a broader arsen
Snake	2	Snake, also known as EKANS, is a threat actor first identified by Dragos on January 6, 2020. This malicious entity is notorious for its deployment of ransomware and keyloggers, primarily targeting business networks. The Snake ransomware variant has been linked to Iran and exhibits an industrial focu

Miscellaneous Associations

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Apt

Backdoor

Payload

Russia

Espionage

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Associated Malware

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ID	Type	Votes	Profile Description
Kazuar	Unspecified	4	Kazuar is a sophisticated multiplatform trojan horse malware, linked to the Russian-based threat group Turla (also known as Pensive Ursa, Uroburos, Snake), which has been operating since at least 2004. This group, believed to be connected to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), utilizes an ar
Ursa	Unspecified	2	Ursa is a highly active and motivated malware threat actor, also known as APT28, Fancy Bear, and Sofacy, which has been linked to various high-profile cyberattacks, including the US election interference in 2016 and the NotPetya attacks. The group is known for its use of the HeadLace backdoor malwar

Associated Threat Actors

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ID	Type	Votes	Profile Description
Pensive	Unspecified	2	Pensive Ursa, also known as Turla or Uroburos, is a Russian-based threat group that has been active since at least 2004 and is linked to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). The group employs advanced and stealthy tools like Kazuar, a .NET backdoor used as a second stage payload. In 2023, Pen

Source Document References

Information about the Pensive Ursa Threat Actor was read from the documents corpus below. This display is limited to 20 results, create a free account to see more

Source Link	CreatedAt	Title
Checkpoint	10 months ago	6th November – Threat Intelligence Report - Check Point Research
CERT-EU	10 months ago	Cyber Security Week In Review: November 3, 2023
DARKReading	10 months ago	Upgraded Kazuar Backdoor Offers Stealthy Power
CERT-EU	10 months ago	Over the Kazuar’s nest: Cracking down on a freshly hatched backdoor used by Pensive Ursa - Cyber Security Review
InfoSecurity-magazine	10 months ago	Palo Alto Reveals New Features in Russian APT Turla's Kazuar Backdoor
Unit42	10 months ago	Over the Kazuar’s Nest: Cracking Down on a Freshly Hatched Backdoor Used by Pensive Ursa (Aka Turla)
Unit42	a year ago	Threat Group Assessment: Turla (aka Pensive Ursa)