Charming Kitten

Pierluigi Paganini September 12, 2023
Iranian Charming Kitten APT targets various entities in Brazil, Israel, and the U.A.E. using a new backdoor

Iran-linked APT group Charming Kitten used a previously undocumented backdoor named Sponsor in attacks against entities in Brazil, Israel, and the U.A.E. ESET researchers observed a series of attacks, conducted by the Iran-linked APT group Charming Kitten (aka Ballistic Bobcat APT, APT35, Phosphorus, Newscaster, TA453, and Ajax Security Team), which are targeting various entities in Brazil, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates. The Charming […]

Pierluigi Paganini August 11, 2023
Charming Kitten APT is targeting Iranian dissidents in Germany

Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) warns that the Charming Kitten APT group targeted Iranian dissidents in the country. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) is warning that an alleged nation-state actor targeted Iranian dissident organizations and individuals in the country. The intelligence agency attributes the attack […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 30, 2023
Iran-linked Charming Kitten APT enhanced its POWERSTAR Backdoor

Iran-linked Charming Kitten group used an updated version of the PowerShell backdoor called POWERSTAR in a spear-phishing campaign. Security firm Volexity observed the Iran-linked Charming Kitten (aka APT35, Phosphorus, Newscaster, and Ajax Security Team) group using an updated version of the PowerShell backdoor POWERSTAR in a spear-phishing campaign. Iran-linked Charming Kitten group, (aka APT35, Phosphorus, Newscaster, and Ajax Security Team) made the headlines in 2014 when experts at iSight issued […]

Pierluigi Paganini April 27, 2023
Iranian Charming Kitten APT used a new BellaCiao malware in recent wave of attacks

Iran-linked APT group Charming Kitten employed a new malware dubbed BellaCiao in attacks against victims in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and India. Iran-linked Charming Kitten group, (aka APT35, Phosphorus, Newscaster, and Ajax Security Team) made the headlines in 2014 when experts at iSight issued a report describing the most elaborate net-based spying campaign organized by Iranian hackers using social media. Microsoft has been tracking the threat actors at […]

Pierluigi Paganini February 07, 2020
Iran-linked APT group Charming Kitten targets journalists, political and human rights activists

Iran-linked APT group Charming Kitten has been targeting journalists, political and human rights activists in a new campaign. Researchers from Certfa Lab reports have spotted a new cyber espionage campaign carried out by Iran-linked APT group Charming Kitten that has been targeting journalists, political and human rights activists. Iran-linked Charming Kitten group, (aka APT35, Phosphorus, Newscaster, and Ajax Security Team) made the […]

Pierluigi Paganini October 13, 2019
Charming Kitten Campaign involved new impersonation methods

Iran-linked APT group Charming Kitten employed new spear-phishing methods in attacks carried out between August and September. Security experts at ClearSky analyzed attacks recently uncovered by Microsoft that targeted a US presidential candidate, government officials, journalists, and prominent expatriate Iranians. Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) observed the APT group making more than 2,700 attempts to […]

Pierluigi Paganini July 03, 2018
Iranian Charming Kitten ATP group poses as Israeli cybersecurity firm in phishing campaign

Iranian APT groups continue to very active, recently Charming Kitten cyber spies attempted to pose as an Israeli cyber-security firm that uncovered previous hacking campaigns. The Iranian Charming Kitten ATP group, aka Newscaster or Newsbeef,  launched spear phishing attacks against people interested in reading reports about it. The Newscaster group made the headlines in 2014 when experts at iSight issued a report describing the […]