Chinese Cyberespionage Campaign Targets Africa and the Caribbean

A Chinese cyberespionage campaign targeting government organizations in Africa and the Caribbean is underway, according to Check Point Research experts investigating the matter. Responsibility is attributed to the Sharp Dragon group (formerly Sharp Panda), which is believed to have used Cobalt Strike Beacon payloads to open a "backdoor."

Since 2021, cybersecurity analysts at Check Point Research have been closely monitoring the activities of Sharp Dragon, a Chinese group previously known as Sharp Panda. Their tactics have previously primarily involved highly targeted phishing emails, which have resulted in the deployment of malware such as VictoryDLL or the Soul framework.

In recent months, however, a clear change has been observed. The Sharp Dragon group has shifted its focus to government organizations in Africa and the Caribbean. These actions are consistent with Sharp Dragon's modus operandi, which involves hacking into prestigious email accounts to distribute phishing documents using a remote template armed with RoyalRoad. 

(WBJ)