The Chinese-linked threat actor known as Sharp Panda, now referred to as Sharp Dragon, has broadened its cyber espionage campaign to target governmental organizations in Africa and the Caribbean. This group, previously active in Southeast Asia, utilizes Cobalt Strike Beacon as their primary payload, enabling backdoor functionalities such as command and control communication while minimizing the exposure of their custom tools. This sophisticated approach indicates a deep understanding of their targets and a refined strategy in their cyber operations.
Sharp Dragon’s campaign involves exploiting 1-day security vulnerabilities, such as CVE-2023-0669, to infiltrate systems and use legitimate adversary simulation frameworks like Cobalt Strike. Recent attacks show the group using compromised high-profile email accounts to send phishing emails with malicious attachments, leveraging the Royal Road RTF weaponizer to deploy downloaders that initiate reconnaissance and launch Cobalt Strike Beacon. This method not only enhances their stealth but also ensures efficient data gathering from the targeted environments.
The expansion of Sharp Dragon’s activities to Africa and the Caribbean reflects China’s broader technological and geopolitical ambitions, particularly within the framework of the Digital Silk Road initiative. This initiative, announced in 2015, aims to enhance China’s digital and technological influence globally. The sustained intrusions by Chinese cyber actors align with this agenda, focusing on critical sectors such as telecommunications, financial institutions, and governmental bodies.
Additionally, the use of proxy networks, or operational relay box networks (ORBs), by Chinese threat actors further complicates attribution and enhances their operational stealth. These networks, comprising compromised devices and leased virtual private servers, create a dynamic mesh network that conceals the origin of the attacks. This tactic has been used by various Chinese APT groups, demonstrating an evolution towards more sophisticated and covert cyber espionage operations.
Reference:
