May 23, 2024 at 10:45AM
Sharp Panda, a China-linked threat actor, has broadened its scope to target government organizations in Africa and the Caribbean, utilizing Cobalt Strike Beacon to execute cyber espionage and displaying a sophisticated understanding of its targets. This expansion aligns with China’s strategic efforts to extend influence, as seen in the wider context of recent cyber espionage activities in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Certainly! The meeting notes highlight the evolving tactics and expanding targets of the China-linked threat actor known as Sharp Dragon, previously known as Sharp Panda. The group has broadened its cyber espionage campaign to include governmental organizations in Africa and the Caribbean. They are using advanced techniques such as Cobalt Strike Beacon as a payload, exploiting 1-day security flaws, and utilizing compromised high-profile email accounts in Southeast Asia to send out phishing emails to infect new targets in the two regions. The shift in activities towards Africa aligns with China’s broader efforts to extend its influence throughout the continent. Additionally, the article also mentions the use of proxy networks called operational relay box networks (ORBs) by Chinese threat actors to obscure their origins when carrying out espionage operations. This development emphasizes China’s focus on critical areas such as the telecommunication sector, financial institutions, and governmental bodies in the region.