Which countries were targeted by the Asian cyber-espionage group?

The Asian cyber-espionage group targeted governments and critical infrastructure organizations in more than 37 countries.

What methods did the hackers use to gain access?

The hackers used highly-targeted and tailored fake emails and known, unpatched security flaws to gain access to these networks.

What is the main motivation behind these cyber-espionage attacks?

Espionage appears to be the main motivation behind these attacks, as the actors frequently seek access to email communications and other sensitive data.

Home / Technology / Asian Hackers Breach 37 Nations' Gov Systems

Asian Hackers Breach 37 Nations' Gov Systems

5 Feb

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Summary

Asian cyber-espionage group targeted over 37 countries.
Infiltrated 70 organizations, including five law enforcement agencies.
Hackers used fake emails and unpatched flaws for access.

Asian Hackers Breach 37 Nations' Gov Systems

A sophisticated Asian cyber-espionage group has been actively breaching computer systems belonging to governments and critical infrastructure organizations across more than 37 nations over the past year. This state-aligned threat actor successfully infiltrated the networks of 70 organizations, including five national law enforcement and border control agencies. The group's targets also encompassed three ministries of finance and parliamentary bodies.

Researchers from Palo Alto Networks identified that the hackers employed highly-targeted fake emails and exploited known, unpatched security vulnerabilities to gain illicit access. Espionage appears to be the primary motivation, as the actors frequently sought sensitive data such as email communications and other confidential information. The operation's scope is considered unusually vast, with actors conducting digital reconnaissance globally.