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APT18

APT18 is a threat group that has operated since at least 2009 and has targeted a range of industries, including technology, manufacturing, human rights groups, government, and medical. [1]

ID: G0026
ⓘ
Associated Groups: TG-0416, Dynamite Panda, Threat Group-0416
Version: 2.1
Created: 31 May 2017
Last Modified: 30 March 2020

Associated Group Descriptions

Name Description
TG-0416

[2][3]
Dynamite Panda

[2][3]
Threat Group-0416

[2]
Enterprise Layer
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Techniques Used

Domain ID Name Use
Enterprise T1071 .001 Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols

APT18 uses HTTP for C2 communications.[4]
.004 Application Layer Protocol: DNS

APT18 uses DNS for C2 communications.[4]
Enterprise T1547 .001 Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder

APT18 establishes persistence via the HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run key.[3][4]
Enterprise T1059 .003 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell

APT18 uses cmd.exe to execute commands on the victim’s machine.[4][3]
Enterprise T1133 External Remote Services

APT18 actors leverage legitimate credentials to log into external remote services.[5]
Enterprise T1083 File and Directory Discovery

APT18 can list files information for specific directories.[4]
Enterprise T1070 .004 Indicator Removal on Host: File Deletion

APT18 actors deleted tools and batch files from victim systems.[1]
Enterprise T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer

APT18 can upload a file to the victim’s machine.[4]
Enterprise T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information

APT18 obfuscates strings in the payload.[4]
Enterprise T1053 .002 Scheduled Task/Job: At (Windows)

APT18 actors used the native at Windows task scheduler tool to use scheduled tasks for execution on a victim network.[1]
Enterprise T1082 System Information Discovery

APT18 can collect system information from the victim’s machine.[4]
Enterprise T1078 Valid Accounts

APT18 actors leverage legitimate credentials to log into external remote services.[5]

Software

ID Name References Techniques
S0106 cmd [1] Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell, File and Directory Discovery, Indicator Removal on Host: File Deletion, Ingress Tool Transfer, Lateral Tool Transfer, System Information Discovery
S0032 gh0st RAT [5] Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, Command and Scripting Interpreter, Create or Modify System Process: Windows Service, Data Encoding: Standard Encoding, Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information, Dynamic Resolution: Fast Flux DNS, Encrypted Channel: Symmetric Cryptography, Encrypted Channel, Hijack Execution Flow: DLL Side-Loading, Indicator Removal on Host: Clear Windows Event Logs, Indicator Removal on Host: File Deletion, Ingress Tool Transfer, Input Capture: Keylogging, Modify Registry, Native API, Non-Application Layer Protocol, Process Discovery, Process Injection, Query Registry, Screen Capture, Shared Modules, Signed Binary Proxy Execution: Rundll32, System Information Discovery, System Services: Service Execution
S0071 hcdLoader [1][2] Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell, Create or Modify System Process: Windows Service
S0070 HTTPBrowser [5] Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, Application Layer Protocol: DNS, Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell, Commonly Used Port, File and Directory Discovery, Hijack Execution Flow: DLL Search Order Hijacking, Hijack Execution Flow: DLL Side-Loading, Indicator Removal on Host: File Deletion, Ingress Tool Transfer, Input Capture: Keylogging, Masquerading: Match Legitimate Name or Location, Obfuscated Files or Information
S0124 Pisloader [6] Application Layer Protocol: DNS, Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell, Data Encoding: Standard Encoding, File and Directory Discovery, Ingress Tool Transfer, Obfuscated Files or Information, System Information Discovery, System Network Configuration Discovery

References

  1. Carvey, H.. (2014, September 2). Where you AT?: Indicators of lateral movement using at.exe on Windows 7 systems. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  2. Shelmire, A.. (2015, July 6). Evasive Maneuvers. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  3. Shelmire, A. (2015, July 06). Evasive Maneuvers by the Wekby group with custom ROP-packing and DNS covert channels. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  1. Grunzweig, J., et al. (2016, May 24). New Wekby Attacks Use DNS Requests As Command and Control Mechanism. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  2. Adair, S. (2017, February 17). Detecting and Responding to Advanced Threats within Exchange Environments. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  3. Grunzweig, J., et al. (2016, May 24). New Wekby Attacks Use DNS Requests As Command and Control Mechanism. Retrieved August 17, 2016.