- Category
- State · Attributed to a state or working for one.
- Origin
- China(high confidence)
- Motivation
- Information theft and espionage
- Seen
- 2022
- Sources
- 5 sources carry it
- Identifier
- GINC-APT-0464 · thewizards
What it is
TheWizards is a China-aligned APT group that employs the Spellbinder tool for adversary-in-the-middle attacks, utilizing IPv6 SLAAC spoofing to redirect legitimate software updates to malicious servers. They have developed the WizardNet backdoor for Windows and serve DarkNights to Android applications, indicating a connection to Dianke Network Security Technology. The group targets individuals and companies in the Philippines, Cambodia, the UAE, mainland China, and Hong Kong. ESET has observed their infrastructure and tools, including the acquisition of servers for hosting C&C and malicious updates.
Attribution
Each attribution is a claim: who makes it, and to whom. Western and Eastern sources are kept apart, as they often disagree.
Western sources
Targets
- Countries
- Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Philippines, United Arab Emirates
Tools
The tools and malware families the sources tie to it.
- Androrat
- Backdoor.Oldrea
- China Chopper
- Darknet RAT
- DroidJack
- Spellbinder
- Windows Remote Desktop
- WizardNet
Sources
- ETDA Threat Group Card apt.etda.or.th
- Malpedia malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de