ESET has uncovered a sophisticated cyber campaign orchestrated by the China-linked threat actor, Evasive Panda, targeting Tibetan users since September 2023. The operation employs both watering hole and supply chain attack techniques to distribute malicious downloaders for Windows and macOS, including the known backdoor MgBot and the newly discovered Nightdoor implant. The attackers compromised at least three websites, including the Kagyu International Monlam Trust’s site, to lure victims into downloading malicious files, with a particular focus on users in India, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, and the U.S.
The strategic web compromises, notably timed around events like the Kagyu Monlam Festival in late January and February 2024, underscore Evasive Panda’s deliberate targeting of the Tibetan community across various countries and territories. By leveraging these compromised websites, the attackers entice users with fake error pages prompting them to download purported fixes, such as certificates, which are, in fact, malicious downloaders. Once downloaded, these files serve as launchpads for deploying the Nightdoor implant, which utilizes the Google Drive API for command-and-control operations.
Additionally, Evasive Panda infiltrated an Indian software company’s website and supply chain to distribute trojanized installers of Tibetan language translation software, further expanding their reach. The compromised websites, including Tibetpost.net, were used to host payloads obtained from malicious downloads, comprising full-featured backdoors for Windows and undisclosed payloads for macOS. These attacks represent a significant escalation in Evasive Panda’s tactics, showcasing their ability to adapt and refine their toolkit to target specific regions and communities, highlighting the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for vulnerable groups.
