Winnti

Threat Actor updated a month ago (2024-09-17T00:17:48.044Z)

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Winnti, a notorious threat actor group, has been linked to several sophisticated cyber-espionage activities. First identified by Kaspersky in 2013, it is believed that the group has been active since at least 2007, primarily targeting software supply chains to spread malware. Winnti is part of the APT41 collective, also known as Brass Typhoon, Wicked Panda, and Barium among others, which was indicted by the Department of Justice in 2020 for hacking over 100 companies globally. This Beijing-based hacking group is associated with multiple subgroups, including Wicked Panda, SuckFly, and Barium, all known for exfiltrating trade secrets, intellectual property, and other sensitive data from organizations in the US and numerous other countries. The group's operations have been traced back to a shared Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) operational infrastructure, utilized exclusively by Chinese nation-state threat actors such as Iron Taurus (aka APT27), Starchy Taurus (aka Winnti), and Stately Taurus (aka Mustang Panda). The Winnti group has been connected to Operation Diplomatic Specter, which used this shared infrastructure. Among the tools attributed to Winnti is PipeMon malware, found in various companies compromised by the group. Command & Control (C&C) domains used by PipeMon were previously used by Winnti malware in earlier campaigns, further solidifying the attribution to this group. Winnti has also been implicated in attacks against government organizations in Asia, Latin America, and other regions under the alias Earth Lusca. This subgroup is thought to be part of the broader Winnti collective of Chinese threat actors. Additionally, the group has been linked to the usage of the Winnti trojan malware in infecting systems of various companies, demonstrating their persistent and evolving threat landscape. Given the extensive and diverse nature of its operations, Winnti poses a significant threat to cybersecurity worldwide.

Description last updated: 2024-09-17T00:15:40.075Z

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Possible Aliases / Cluster overlaps

It's hard to track cluster overlaps and naming conventions between vendors, so here are some possible overlapping names / profiles you also may want to look at. Create a free account to see the source evidence for each alias, and help fix any errors.

Alias Description	Votes
APT41 is a possible alias for Winnti. APT41, also known as Winnti, Wicked Panda, and Brass Typhoon, is a threat actor suspected to be linked to China. This group has been active since at least 2012 and has targeted organizations in over 14 countries. They have used a variety of sophisticated techniques and malware, including at least 46	5
Barium is a possible alias for Winnti. Barium, also known as BRONZE ATLAS or APT41, is a threat actor that has been associated with various malicious activities. Originating from China and active since at least 2007, this group has been implicated in cyberespionage efforts targeting multiple sectors across the globe. In 2017, according t	5
PlugX is a possible alias for Winnti. PlugX is a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) malware known for its stealthy operations and destructive capabilities. It is often used by threat actors to exploit and damage computer systems, steal personal information, disrupt operations, or hold data hostage for ransom. Its deployment has been linked to s	4
Mustang Panda is a possible alias for Winnti. Mustang Panda, a China-aligned Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group, has been identified as a significant cyber threat actor involved in a series of malicious activities. Notably, Mustang Panda was found to be associated with the BRONZE PRESIDENT phishing lure, which delivered PlugX and used modif	3
Axiom is a possible alias for Winnti. Axiom is a recognized threat actor, also known as a hacking team, that has been associated with malicious activities. The group has ties to the Chinese intelligence apparatus and has operated under various names such as Winnti, PassCV, APT17, LEAD, BARIUM, Wicked Panda, and GREF. The naming conventi	3
Earth Lusca is a possible alias for Winnti. Earth Lusca, a threat actor believed to be part of the China-backed Winnti collective, has been active since at least 2019 and is known for its cyber-espionage activities. The group primarily targets government organizations in Asia, Latin America, and other regions. Recently, it has expanded its ar	3
Wicked Panda is a possible alias for Winnti. Wicked Panda, also known as APT41, Double Dragon, and Brass Typhoon, is a prominent threat actor in the cybersecurity landscape. This China state-sponsored group has been identified as one of the top threat actors by the Department of Health and Human Services' Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordinati	2
Blackfly is a possible alias for Winnti. Blackfly is a threat actor, tracked by Symantec, that has been involved in cyber-attacks primarily targeting South Korean companies, especially those in the video game and software development industry. The group initiated its activities with a campaign to steal certificates, which were later utiliz	2
APT17 is a possible alias for Winnti. APT17, also known as Tailgator Team and Deputy Dog, is a threat actor suspected to be affiliated with the Chinese intelligence apparatus. This group has been associated with various aliases including Winnti, PassCV, Axiom, LEAD, BARIUM, Wicked Panda, and GREF. The primary targets of APT17 are the U.	2

Miscellaneous Associations

Other elements of context that could aid in the identification of relevance

Malware

Linux

Apt

Backdoor

Espionage

State Sponso...

Windows

Cobalt Strike

Chinese

Android

Implant

Trojan

Payload

Exploit

Exploits

Analyst Notes & Discussion

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Associated Malware

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Alias Description	Association Type	Votes
The ShadowPad Malware is associated with Winnti. ShadowPad is a malicious software (malware) that has been in use since at least 2017, particularly among Chinese threat actors. This modular backdoor malware is designed to exploit and damage computer systems by stealing personal information, disrupting operations, or holding data for ransom. It typ	Unspecified	7
The Wyrmspy Malware is associated with Winnti. WyrmSpy is a sophisticated malware attributed to the Chinese espionage group APT41, also known as Double Dragon, BARIUM, and Winnti. This harmful software, designed to exploit and damage computer systems or devices, infects systems through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, often without use	Unspecified	2
The PipeMon Malware is associated with Winnti. PipeMon is a sophisticated, modular backdoor malware discovered in February 2020. It is attributed to the Winnti Group, known for their cyber espionage activities. This malware uses multiple named pipes for inter-module communication, hence its name "PipeMon". Its first stage consists of a password-	Unspecified	2
The DragonEgg Malware is associated with Winnti. DragonEgg is a malware associated with the notorious Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group, APT41. This malicious software was developed to exploit and damage computer systems, often infiltrating through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites. The malware has been linked to surveillance	Unspecified	2

Associated Threat Actors

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Alias Description	Association Type	Votes
The Winnti Group Threat Actor is associated with Winnti. The Winnti Group, a threat actor associated with the Chinese state-sponsored hacking activities, has been active since at least 2007, according to researchers from Kaspersky Lab who first identified the group in 2013. The group initially gained notoriety for its attacks on computer game developers a	Unspecified	5
The I-Soon Threat Actor is associated with Winnti. i-Soon, also known as Anxun, is a threat actor identified as a private industry contractor for the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS). The company has recently been implicated in a massive data leak that surfaced on Github. As elaborated by Tom Uren and Catalin Cimpanu, i-Soon frequently init	Unspecified	3
The Redhotel Threat Actor is associated with Winnti. RedHotel is a prolific threat actor group, known for its espionage activities targeting organizations of interest to the Chinese government. The group has been active since at least 2019 and operates alongside other threat groups such as RedAlpha and Poison Carp. Researchers at Recorded Future have	Unspecified	2

Source Document References

Information about the Winnti 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
BankInfoSecurity	a month ago	US Indicts Chinese National for Phishing for NASA Tech
Securityaffairs	a month ago	Multiple malware families delivered exploiting GeoServer GeoTools flaw CVE-2024-36401
DARKReading	a month ago	China's 'Earth Lusca' Propagates Multiplatform Backdoor
DARKReading	2 months ago	China's APT41 Targets Taiwan Research Institute for Cyber Espionage
DARKReading	3 months ago	China's APT41 Targets Global Logistics, Utilities Companies
Securityaffairs	4 months ago	Russia-linked group APT29 likely breached TeamViewer
Unit42	5 months ago	Operation Diplomatic Specter: An Active Chinese Cyberespionage Campaign Leverages Rare Tool Set to Target Governmental Entities in the Middle East, Africa and Asia
CERT-EU	7 months ago	WinNTI hacker attack on another DAX company detected
CERT-EU	8 months ago	i-SOON Data Leak: Key Points
CERT-EU	8 months ago	Hacking firm I-Soon data leak revealed Chinese gov hacking capabilities
Trend Micro	8 months ago	Earth Lusca Uses Geopolitical Lure to Target Taiwan Before Elections
Unit42	8 months ago	Data From Chinese Security Services Company i-Soon Linked to Previous Chinese APT Campaigns
CERT-EU	8 months ago	iSoon's Secret APT Status Exposes China's Foreign Hacking Machination \| #hacking \| #cybersecurity \| #infosec \| #comptia \| #pentest \| #hacker \| National Cyber Security Consulting
DARKReading	8 months ago	iSoon's Secret APT Status Exposes China's Foreign Hacking Machination
CERT-EU	8 months ago	Chinese Hacking Contractor iSoon Leaks Internal Documents \| #hacking \| #cybersecurity \| #infosec \| #comptia \| #pentest \| #hacker \| National Cyber Security Consulting
BankInfoSecurity	8 months ago	Chinese Hacking Contractor iSoon Leaks Internal Documents
CERT-EU	9 months ago	Connect the Dots on State-Sponsored Cyber Incidents - Targeting of CPC Corporation
CERT-EU	a year ago	Connect the Dots on State-Sponsored Cyber Incidents - Targeting of technology and manufacturing companies in Asia, Europe, and North America
CERT-EU	a year ago	Kaspersky's Advanced Persistent Threats Predictions for 2024
CERT-EU	a year ago	Tom "Hollywood" Hegel - ProtectWise 401TRG