China-Linked Cyber Espionage: Velvet Ant’s Three-Year Infiltration of East Asian Organization Exposed

Velvet Ant, a suspected China-nexus cyber espionage actor, infiltrated an East Asian organization for three years using legacy F5 BIG-IP appliances. Cybersecurity firm Sygnia’s recent findings highlight Velvet Ant’s sophisticated tactics, including the use of PlugX malware and disabling endpoint security. The threat actor’s persistence…

Hot Take:

When it comes to sneaky cyber espionage, “Velvet Ant” makes James Bond look like a clumsy intern spilling coffee on his keyboard. With three years of undercover activity and a flair for turning outdated servers into their personal playground, these cyber spies deserve an Oscar for Best Adaptation in a Thriller.

Key Points:

  • Velvet Ant targeted an unnamed East Asian organization for three years using legacy F5 BIG-IP appliances.
  • The attack involved the sophisticated use of the PlugX backdoor and DLL side-loading technique.
  • Endpoint security software was disabled using open-source tools like Impacket.
  • Two versions of PlugX were deployed: one for endpoints with internet access and another for internal servers.
  • Forensic analysis revealed additional tools like PMCD and EarthWorm, commonly associated with other Chinese cyber espionage groups.

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