Understanding Attacks Links to Gothic Panda, Pirpi, UPS Team, Buckeye APT3

By Ashwin Venugopal -

 





To know more about it, you can go through my detailed document by clicking here




APT3

APT3 also known as Gothic Panda, Pirpi, UPS Team, Buckeye, etc. is a Chinese threat group discovered in 2010 which is responsible for various espionage campaigns, like Operation Clandestine Wolf (2015), Clandestine Fox (2014), Double Tap (2014), etc. mainly targeting the countries like South Korea, Hong Kong, and the USA.  

Cyber Attacks Associated with APT3

This infamous threat group have targeted various sectors like Aerospace, Defense, Transportation, Construction Engineering, High Tech, etc. The targeted US-based organizations are Moddy's Analytics, Siemens AG, Timble Inc., etc. as well as others in Hong Kong and Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang inSouth Korea. 

Malware Tools used by APT3

There are a wide variety of malicious tools and techniques used by APT3 ranging from spearphishing attacks, zero-day exploits to custom-built malware as well as the other sophisticated hacking tools linked with other popular groups along with the Equation Group. 

Vulnerabilities exploited by APT3

  • Unicorn Bug- it's a critical vulnerability that can remotely execute code in Internet Explorer.

  • Windows SMB Information Disclosure Vulnerability- It's an information disclosure vulnerability which handles certain requests.

  • Windows Kernel-Mode Vulnerability- It's a local privilege-escalation vulnerability present in Microsoft Window-based platform., etc....

Prevention

If you want protection from APT3 threat group, then you have to deploy endpoint protection solutions along with real-time intelligence as well as threat intelligence exchange. The organizations must - follow rigorous patch management and vulnerability assessment practices, monitor the networks regularly, provide proper training to their IT professionals as well as employees regarding phishing so0lutions, policies, etc...etc... 





    To know more about it, you can go through my detailed document by clicking here

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