TEMP.Veles, a threat actor suspected of conducting malicious activities, has been linked to the Central Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics (CNIIHM) based in Moscow. The link is based on activity originating from an IP address registered to CNIIHM, which was used for various purposes such as network reconnaissance, monitoring open-source coverage of TRITON, and supporting malicious activities related to the TRITON intrusion. The behavior patterns observed in TEMP.Veles' activities align with the Moscow time zone, where CNIIHM is located. Furthermore, FireEye discovered malware development that likely supports TEMP.Veles' operations, indicating a strong connection between the two entities.
However, this connection has been a source of confusion within the cybersecurity community. FireEye had previously identified the "TRITON actor" as a separate entity linked to a Russian research institution, and named it "TEMP.Veles." Yet, since late 2018, FireEye seems to have shifted its terminology, referring more ambiguously to the "TRITON actor." Meanwhile, Dragos consistently refers to an activity group called XENOTIME, which also appears to describe the same phenomena as TEMP.Veles and the "TRITON actor." This inconsistency in naming conventions highlights potential limitations in the methodology when adversaries use publicly available tools with limited customization.
Despite the terminological ambiguity, there is a consensus that TEMP.Veles deployed the TRITON attack framework. In a 2018 public announcement, FireEye researchers indicated that CNIIHM at least supported TEMP.Veles in deploying TRITON. Subsequent presentations at Cyberwarcon and the Kaspersky Lab-sponsored Security Analyst Summit essentially consolidated the association between TRITON, the research institute, and TEMP.Veles. However, while evidence suggests CNIIHM likely possesses the necessary institutional knowledge and personnel to create TRITON and support TEMP.Veles operations, there is no specific proof that CNIIHM developed the tool.
Description last updated: 2024-05-05T00:13:06.005Z