WINDSHIELD

Windshield is a notorious malware, a harmful program designed to exploit and damage computers or devices. It is one of the signature malware payloads deployed by APT32 operations, alongside KOMPROGO, SOUNDBITE, and PHOREAL. This malicious software can infiltrate systems through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, often unbeknownst to the user. Once embedded, it has the capability to steal personal information, disrupt operations, or even hold data hostage for ransom. The first recorded use of Windshield was in Vietnam's network security industry in 2014, followed by deployment in Germany's manufacturing sector within the same year. Over the next two years, it spread across various industries and countries including the media sector in Vietnam (2015), consumer products and technology infrastructure in the Philippines, banking in Vietnam, hospitality in China, and consumer products in the United States (all in 2016). In some instances, Windshield was used in combination with other malware such as KOMPROGO, BEACON, SOUNDBITE, and PHOREAL. APT32, aside from targeting the private sector, also aimed at foreign governments and Vietnamese dissidents and journalists since 2013. Innovative methods have been employed to spread Windshield, like a campaign in China where attackers added fraudulent QR codes to parking tickets left under windshield wipers. The malware's name, "Windshield," also seems to metaphorically represent its ability to obscure visibility into system operations, much like how siloed user directories can fog the Identity Access Management (IAM) "windshield" by introducing inconsistencies in user permissions and policy enforcement. Despite its damaging effects, the threat posed by Windshield malware continues to evolve, necessitating robust cybersecurity measures.