Violet Typhoon

Violet Typhoon, also known as APT31, Judgment Panda, and formerly Zirconium, is a threat actor believed to be aligned with the Chinese nation-state. This group, active since at least 2017, is known for executing advanced persistent threats with minimal overlaps with other Beijing-aligned groups such as Storm-0558. Cybersecurity company Kaspersky attributes the intrusions caused by this group with medium to high confidence to APT31 due to commonalities in the observed tactics. This group has been implicated in several significant cyber attacks, including attacks on UK politicians as stated by the Deputy Prime Minister. Their methods include the use of a Python-compiled binary with capabilities for browser credential dumping, which is a powerful tool for espionage attacks. The group's activities have garnered attention from major cybersecurity entities, including Microsoft, leading to detailed investigations into their operations and impacts. In response to the disclosure of Violet Typhoon's activities, organizations like BSI have been working closely with companies such as Microsoft to review security measures and understand data protection steps deployed against similar attacks. Despite the distinct operation of this group, it's clear that a coordinated response from cybersecurity firms and targeted organizations is crucial in mitigating the risks posed by this threat actor.