Global Cyberthreat Landscape
Free Group-IB research on attackers' tactics, techniques, procedures, and indicators of compromise
Advanced threat actor profiles and research
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Xenotime
Xenotime, known for its malware called Triton (aka Trisis), had improved its malware and its new version could be used to attack various industrial safety systems.
Active sinceDecember 2018
AttributionIran
Geography of attacksEurope, Asia, Americas
Target sectorsFuel & Energy
Main goalSabotage
Attack vectorsMalware
Muddywater
The state-sponsored group MuddyWater gained access to the local network of Korek Telecom, a mobile operator based in Erbil, Iraq.
Active sinceSeptember 2017
AttributionIran
Geography of attacksMiddle East
Target sectorsTelecom
Main goalEspionage & sabotage
Attack vectors—
JS-Sniffers
In-depth analysis and new types of a growing threat — JS‑sniffers — designed to steal payment data
Active sinceSeptember 2018
Attribution—
Geography of attacksEurope
Target sectorsRetail
Main goalTheft of payment details and other personal data
Attack vectorsMalicious code injected by threat actor into the victim’s website to intercept user’s input
Hexane
HEXANE is a new group targeting the industrial sector. Its members have been active since mid-2018, focusing on the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa.
Active sinceApril 2018
Attribution—
Geography of attacksMiddle East, Central Asia, Africa
Target sectorsTelecom, Fuel & Energy
Main goalSupply chain attack, spear phishing, password spraying
Attack vectors—
Thrip
The Chinese hacker group Thrip is known for espionage and sabotage attacks. In particular, they target organizations in the satellite communications sector.
Active sinceJanuary 2018
AttributionChina
Geography of attacks—
Target sectorsTelecom
Main goalEspionage & sabotage
Attack vectors“Living off the land”
Silent Cards
APT group from Kenia targeting regional banks.
Active sinceEnd of 2017
AttributionKenya
Geography of attacksAfrica
Target sectorsFinance
Main goalMoney theft from the banks
Attack vectorsObtaining access to a payment gateway via compromised corporate network
Silence
A comprehensive technical analysis of Silence’s tools, tactics, and evolution. This is the first time Group‑IB’s reports of this kind have been made publicly available.
Active sinceAugust 2017
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEurope, Latin America, Africa, Asia
Target sectorsFinance sector
Main goalMoney theft from the banks
Attack vectorsPhishing emails with malicious attachments
Winnti
Strategic intelligence data on state-sponsored groups, industry-specific cyberthreats, targeted attacks on banks and banking clients
Active sinceNovember 2019
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEurope, Latin America, Africa, Asia
Target sectorsFinance sector
Main goalMoney
Attack vectorsPhishing emails with malicious attachments
LeafMiner
LeafMiner hackers, believed to be based in Iran, use watering hole attacks to infiltrate targeted organizations.
Active sinceJanuary 2017
AttributionIran
Geography of attacksMiddle East
Target sectorsFuel & Energy
Main goalSabotage
Attack vectors“Watering hole” attacks
APT33
In late 2018, APT33 (aka Elfin, Magnallium) resumed its attacks using a new variant of the Shamoon Trojan, targeting oil, gas, telecommunications, and energy companies as well as government organizations.
Active sinceJune 2016
AttributionIran
Geography of attacksMiddle East, Asia, Americas
Target sectorsTelecom, Fuel & Energy
Main goal—
Attack vectorsSpear phishing email
Cobalt
Learn about Cobalt’s development and modification of tools and tactics which were used to steal approximately 1 billion dollars from over 100 banks in 40 different countries.
Active sinceMay 2016
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEurope, Latin America, Africa, Asia
Target sectorsFinance sector
Main goalMoney
Attack vectorsPhishing emails with malicious attachments
MoneyTaker
This hacker group is noticeable for 1.5 years of silent operations and multiple attacks. They still pose a threat: learn about MoneyTaker techniques and indicators of compromise now.
Active sinceMay 2016
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEurope, Latin America, Africa, Asia
Target sectorsFinance sector
Main goalMoney
Attack vectorsPhishing emails with malicious attachments
Buhtrap
From August 2015 to February 2016 Buhtrap managed to conduct 13 successful attacks against Russian banks for a total amount of 1.8 billion rubles ($25 mln.
Active sinceMarch 2016
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEurope, Latin America, Africa, Asia
Target sectorsFinance sector
Main goalMoney
Attack vectorsPhishing emails with malicious attachments
Lurk
In February 2015, the group stole 150 million rubles ($2,3 million) from a Russian bank. Members of the criminal group were arrested in May 2016
Active since2015
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEastern Europe
Target sectorsFinance sector
Main goalMoney theft from the banks
Attack vectorsInfection with the Trojan
Corkow
Group-IB annual report on speculative fluctuations of exchange rate and other incidents in 2015 caused by the Trojan program Corkow (Metel).
Active sinceFebruary 2015
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEurope, Latin America, Africa, Asia
Target sectorsFinance sector
Main goalMoney
Attack vectorsPhishing emails with malicious attachments
Chafer
The goal of the group Chafer (aka APT39) is to collect personal data for further user monitoring and tracking operations in support of Iranian national interests.
Active sinceJuly 2014
AttributionIran
Geography of attacksEurope
Target sectorsTelecom
Main goalEspionage
Attack vectorsPhishing emails with malicious attachments
Lazarus
Lazarus group targets the largest international banks as well as central banks in various countries.
Active since2014
AttributionNorth Korea
Geography of attacksEurope, Asia, Americas
Target sectorsFinance, Telecom, Fuel & Energy
Main goalMoney theft
Attack vectors Infection through execution of exploits
BlackEnergy
BackEnergy is one of the most advanced energy sector-oriented groups and has caused disruptions in energy organizations more than once.
Active sinceMay 2014
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEurope, Asia, Americas
Target sectorsFuel & Energy
Main goalSabotage
Attack vectors—
Regin
Strategic intelligence data on state-sponsored groups, industry-specific cyberthreats, targeted attacks on banks and banking clients
Active sinceNovember 2019
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEurope, Latin America, Africa, Asia
Target sectorsFinance sector
Main goalMoney
Attack vectorsPhishing emails with malicious attachments
Dragonfly
The group Dragonfly, believed to be sponsored by Russia, focuses on collecting data from energy and industrial facilities.
Active sinceFebruary 2013
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacks—
Target sectorsFuel & Energy
Main goalEspionage
Attack vectorsPhishing emails and “watering hole” attacks
Anunak
This research includes the findings of Group-IB and Fox‑IT on Anunak (Carbanak) group, which focused its activity on banks and electronic payment systems.
Active sinceDecember 2014
AttributionRussian-speaking
Geography of attacksEurope, Latin America, Africa, Asia
Target sectorsFinance sector
Main goalMoney
Attack vectorsPhishing emails with malicious attachments
APT10
Chinese state-sponsored group APT10 conducted the large-scale attack to obtain CDR records belonging to a large telecommunications provider.
Active sinceJanuary 2012
AttributionChina
Geography of attacksAmericas, Europe, Asia
Target sectorsTelecom
Main goal—
Attack vectorsSpear phishing and access to victim’s networks through managed service providers