{
	"id": "3680200c-18c3-4d81-869f-aeaa5966cc1f",
	"created_at": "2026-04-06T00:08:14.799936Z",
	"updated_at": "2026-04-10T03:37:19.346362Z",
	"deleted_at": null,
	"sha1_hash": "863ca91a974ccc51fe9d50980e01c1e24029f2d5",
	"title": "Mustang Panda | Threat Actor Profile | CrowdStrike",
	"llm_title": "",
	"authors": "",
	"file_creation_date": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
	"file_modification_date": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z",
	"file_size": 58719,
	"plain_text": "Mustang Panda | Threat Actor Profile | CrowdStrike\r\nBy Adam Meyers\r\nArchived: 2026-04-05 13:10:16 UTC\r\nThe June 2018 adversary spotlight is on MUSTANG PANDA, a China-based adversary that has demonstrated\r\nan ability to rapidly assimilate new tools and tactics into its operations, as evidenced by its use of exploit code\r\nfor CVE-2017-0199 within days of its public disclosure. In April 2017, CrowdStrike® Falcon Intelligence™\r\nobserved a previously unattributed actor group with a Chinese nexus targeting a U.S.-based think tank. Further\r\nanalysis revealed a wider campaign with unique tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). This adversary\r\ntargets non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in general, but uses Mongolian language decoys and themes,\r\nsuggesting this actor has a specific focus on gathering intelligence on Mongolia. These campaigns involve the use\r\nof shared malware like Poison Ivy or PlugX. Recently, Falcon Intelligence observed new activity from\r\nMUSTANG PANDA, using a unique infection chain to target likely Mongolia-based victims. This newly\r\nobserved activity uses a series of redirections and fileless, malicious implementations of legitimate tools to gain\r\naccess to the targeted systems. Additionally, MUSTANG PANDA actors reused previously-observed legitimate\r\ndomains to host files.\r\nMustang Panda's Methods\r\nMustang Panda's unique infection chain often takes the following steps:\r\n1. The infection chain used in this attack begins with a weaponized link to a Google Drive folder,\r\nobfuscated using the goo.gl link shortening service.\r\n2. When contacted, the Google Drive link retrieves a zip file, which contains a .lnk file obfuscated as a\r\n.pdf file using the double extension trick.\r\n3. This file requires the target to attempt to open the .lnk file, which redirects the user to a Windows\r\nScripting Component (.wsc) file, hosted on an adversary-controlled microblogging page. MUSTANG\r\nPANDA has previously used the observed microblogging site to host malicious PowerShell scripts and\r\nMicrosoft Office documents in targeted attacks on Mongolia-focused NGOs.\r\n4. The .lnk file uses an embedded VBScript component to retrieve a decoy PDF file and a PowerShell\r\nscript from the adversary-controlled web page.\r\n5. The PowerShell script creates a Cobalt Strike stager payload. This PowerShell script also retrieves an\r\nXOR-encoded Cobalt Strike beacon payload from an adversary-controlled domain.\r\n6. The Cobalt Strike Beacon implant beacons to the command-and-control (C2) IP address, which is\r\nused to remotely control the implant.\r\nThere are no known community or industry names associated with this actor.\r\nOther Known China-based Adversaries\r\nAnchor Panda\r\nhttps://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/meet-crowdstrikes-adversary-of-the-month-for-june-mustang-panda/\r\nPage 1 of 2\n\nDeep Panda\r\nGoblin Panda\r\nSamurai Panda\r\nCurious about other nation-state adversaries? Visit our threat actor hub to learn about the new adversaries that\r\nthe CrowdStrike team discovers.\r\nLearn More\r\nTo learn more about how to incorporate intelligence on threat actors like MUSTANG PANDA into your security\r\nstrategy, please visit the Falcon threat intelligence product page. Want the insights on the latest adversary\r\ntactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs)? Download the CrowdStrike 2020 Global Threat Report.\r\nSource: https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/meet-crowdstrikes-adversary-of-the-month-for-june-mustang-panda/\r\nhttps://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/meet-crowdstrikes-adversary-of-the-month-for-june-mustang-panda/\r\nPage 2 of 2",
	"extraction_quality": 1,
	"language": "EN",
	"sources": [
		"MISPGALAXY",
		"ETDA",
		"Malpedia",
		"MITRE"
	],
	"references": [
		"https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/meet-crowdstrikes-adversary-of-the-month-for-june-mustang-panda/"
	],
	"report_names": [
		"meet-crowdstrikes-adversary-of-the-month-for-june-mustang-panda"
	],
	"threat_actors": [
		{
			"id": "4fda88fa-7c1f-4e84-b3c8-56f73f21aaf5",
			"created_at": "2022-10-25T16:07:24.147011Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:04.881289Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "Samurai Panda",
			"aliases": [],
			"source_name": "ETDA:Samurai Panda",
			"tools": [
				"Agent.dhwf",
				"Destroy RAT",
				"DestroyRAT",
				"FF-RAT",
				"FormerFirstRAT",
				"Getkys",
				"IsSpace",
				"KABOB",
				"Kaba",
				"Korplug",
				"NfLog RAT",
				"PlugX",
				"Poldat",
				"RedDelta",
				"Sogu",
				"Sykipot",
				"TIGERPLUG",
				"TVT",
				"Thoper",
				"Wkysol",
				"Xamtrav",
				"Zlib",
				"ffrat"
			],
			"source_id": "ETDA",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "64ca1755-3883-4173-8e0a-6e5cf92faafd",
			"created_at": "2022-10-25T15:50:23.636456Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:05.389234Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "Deep Panda",
			"aliases": [
				"Deep Panda",
				"Shell Crew",
				"KungFu Kittens",
				"PinkPanther",
				"Black Vine"
			],
			"source_name": "MITRE:Deep Panda",
			"tools": [
				"Mivast",
				"StreamEx",
				"Sakula",
				"Tasklist",
				"Derusbi"
			],
			"source_id": "MITRE",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "0639667a-fb3f-43d9-a38c-6c123fd19c7f",
			"created_at": "2022-10-25T16:07:23.335869Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:04.547702Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "APT 19",
			"aliases": [
				"APT 19",
				"Bronze Firestone",
				"C0d0so0",
				"Checkered Typhoon",
				"Codoso",
				"Deep Panda",
				"G0009",
				"G0073",
				"Operation Kingslayer",
				"Red Pegasus",
				"Sunshop Group",
				"TG-3551"
			],
			"source_name": "ETDA:APT 19",
			"tools": [
				"Agentemis",
				"C0d0so0",
				"Cobalt Strike",
				"CobaltStrike",
				"Derusbi",
				"EmPyre",
				"EmpireProject",
				"Fire Chili",
				"PowerShell Empire",
				"cobeacon"
			],
			"source_id": "ETDA",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "2ac8fb39-1ad4-407c-bf51-249751a575ba",
			"created_at": "2023-01-06T13:46:38.337728Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:02.933527Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "SAMURAI PANDA",
			"aliases": [
				"PLA Navy",
				"Wisp Team"
			],
			"source_name": "MISPGALAXY:SAMURAI PANDA",
			"tools": [],
			"source_id": "MISPGALAXY",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "c6604303-a1c8-4e59-ba12-5da5c0bc6877",
			"created_at": "2023-01-06T13:46:38.312359Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:02.923025Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "APT14",
			"aliases": [
				"ANCHOR PANDA",
				"QAZTeam"
			],
			"source_name": "MISPGALAXY:APT14",
			"tools": [
				"Backdoor.Win32.PoisonIvy",
				"Gen:Trojan.Heur.PT",
				"Torn RAT",
				"Anchor Panda",
				"Gh0st Rat",
				"Gh0stRat, GhostRat",
				"Poison Ivy"
			],
			"source_id": "MISPGALAXY",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "b69037ec-2605-4de4-bb32-a20d780a8406",
			"created_at": "2023-01-06T13:46:38.790766Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:03.101635Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "MUSTANG PANDA",
			"aliases": [
				"Stately Taurus",
				"LuminousMoth",
				"TANTALUM",
				"Twill Typhoon",
				"TEMP.HEX",
				"Earth Preta",
				"Polaris",
				"BRONZE PRESIDENT",
				"HoneyMyte",
				"Red Lich",
				"TA416"
			],
			"source_name": "MISPGALAXY:MUSTANG PANDA",
			"tools": [],
			"source_id": "MISPGALAXY",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "25a38dea-d23b-479b-9548-024e955b8964",
			"created_at": "2022-10-25T16:07:23.305911Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:04.533448Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "Anchor Panda",
			"aliases": [
				"APT 14",
				"Anchor Panda",
				"QAZTeam"
			],
			"source_name": "ETDA:Anchor Panda",
			"tools": [
				"AngryRebel",
				"Chymine",
				"Darkmoon",
				"Farfli",
				"Gen:Trojan.Heur.PT",
				"Gh0st RAT",
				"Ghost RAT",
				"Moudour",
				"Mydoor",
				"PCRat",
				"Poison Ivy",
				"SPIVY",
				"Torn RAT",
				"pivy",
				"poisonivy"
			],
			"source_id": "ETDA",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "46a151bd-e4c2-46f9-aee9-ee6942b01098",
			"created_at": "2023-01-06T13:46:38.288168Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:02.911919Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "APT19",
			"aliases": [
				"DEEP PANDA",
				"Codoso",
				"KungFu Kittens",
				"Group 13",
				"G0009",
				"G0073",
				"Checkered Typhoon",
				"Black Vine",
				"TEMP.Avengers",
				"PinkPanther",
				"Shell Crew",
				"BRONZE FIRESTONE",
				"Sunshop Group"
			],
			"source_name": "MISPGALAXY:APT19",
			"tools": [],
			"source_id": "MISPGALAXY",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "593dd07d-853c-46cd-8117-e24061034bbf",
			"created_at": "2025-08-07T02:03:24.648074Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:03.625859Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "BRONZE OVERBROOK",
			"aliases": [
				"Danti ",
				"DragonOK ",
				"Samurai Panda ",
				"Shallow Taurus ",
				"Temp.DragonOK "
			],
			"source_name": "Secureworks:BRONZE OVERBROOK",
			"tools": [
				"Aveo",
				"DDKONG",
				"Godzilla Webshell",
				"HelloBridge",
				"IsSpace",
				"NFLog Trojan",
				"PLAINTEE",
				"PlugX",
				"Rambo"
			],
			"source_id": "Secureworks",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "6daadf00-952c-408a-89be-aa490d891743",
			"created_at": "2025-08-07T02:03:24.654882Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:03.645565Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "BRONZE PRESIDENT",
			"aliases": [
				"Earth Preta ",
				"HoneyMyte ",
				"Mustang Panda ",
				"Red Delta ",
				"Red Lich ",
				"Stately Taurus ",
				"TA416 ",
				"Temp.Hex ",
				"Twill Typhoon "
			],
			"source_name": "Secureworks:BRONZE PRESIDENT",
			"tools": [
				"BlueShell",
				"China Chopper",
				"Claimloader",
				"Cobalt Strike",
				"HIUPAN",
				"ORat",
				"PTSOCKET",
				"PUBLOAD",
				"PlugX",
				"RCSession",
				"TONESHELL",
				"TinyNote"
			],
			"source_id": "Secureworks",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "f2ce5b52-a220-4b94-ab66-4b81f3fed05d",
			"created_at": "2025-08-07T02:03:24.595597Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:03.740023Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "BRONZE FIRESTONE",
			"aliases": [
				"APT19 ",
				"C0d0s0",
				"Checkered Typhoon ",
				"Chlorine ",
				"Deep Panda ",
				"Pupa ",
				"TG-3551 "
			],
			"source_name": "Secureworks:BRONZE FIRESTONE",
			"tools": [
				"9002",
				"Alice's Rabbit Hole",
				"Cobalt Strike",
				"Derusbi",
				"PlugX",
				"PoisonIvy",
				"PowerShell Empire",
				"Trojan Briba",
				"Zuguo"
			],
			"source_id": "Secureworks",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "7d553b83-a7b2-431f-9bc9-08da59f3c4ea",
			"created_at": "2023-01-06T13:46:39.444946Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:03.331753Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "GOBLIN PANDA",
			"aliases": [
				"Conimes",
				"Cycldek"
			],
			"source_name": "MISPGALAXY:GOBLIN PANDA",
			"tools": [],
			"source_id": "MISPGALAXY",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "9baa7519-772a-4862-b412-6f0463691b89",
			"created_at": "2022-10-25T15:50:23.354429Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:05.310361Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "Mustang Panda",
			"aliases": [
				"Mustang Panda",
				"TA416",
				"RedDelta",
				"BRONZE PRESIDENT",
				"STATELY TAURUS",
				"FIREANT",
				"CAMARO DRAGON",
				"EARTH PRETA",
				"HIVE0154",
				"TWILL TYPHOON",
				"TANTALUM",
				"LUMINOUS MOTH",
				"UNC6384",
				"TEMP.Hex",
				"Red Lich"
			],
			"source_name": "MITRE:Mustang Panda",
			"tools": [
				"CANONSTAGER",
				"STATICPLUGIN",
				"ShadowPad",
				"TONESHELL",
				"Cobalt Strike",
				"HIUPAN",
				"Impacket",
				"SplatCloak",
				"PAKLOG",
				"Wevtutil",
				"AdFind",
				"CLAIMLOADER",
				"Mimikatz",
				"PUBLOAD",
				"StarProxy",
				"CorKLOG",
				"RCSession",
				"NBTscan",
				"PoisonIvy",
				"SplatDropper",
				"China Chopper",
				"PlugX"
			],
			"source_id": "MITRE",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "2ee03999-5432-4a65-a850-c543b4fefc3d",
			"created_at": "2022-10-25T16:07:23.882813Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:04.776949Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "Mustang Panda",
			"aliases": [
				"Bronze President",
				"Camaro Dragon",
				"Earth Preta",
				"G0129",
				"Hive0154",
				"HoneyMyte",
				"Mustang Panda",
				"Operation SMUGX",
				"Operation SmugX",
				"PKPLUG",
				"Red Lich",
				"Stately Taurus",
				"TEMP.Hex",
				"Twill Typhoon"
			],
			"source_name": "ETDA:Mustang Panda",
			"tools": [
				"9002 RAT",
				"AdFind",
				"Agent.dhwf",
				"Agentemis",
				"CHINACHOPPER",
				"China Chopper",
				"Chymine",
				"ClaimLoader",
				"Cobalt Strike",
				"CobaltStrike",
				"DCSync",
				"DOPLUGS",
				"Darkmoon",
				"Destroy RAT",
				"DestroyRAT",
				"Farseer",
				"Gen:Trojan.Heur.PT",
				"HOMEUNIX",
				"Hdump",
				"HenBox",
				"HidraQ",
				"Hodur",
				"Homux",
				"HopperTick",
				"Hydraq",
				"Impacket",
				"Kaba",
				"Korplug",
				"LadonGo",
				"MQsTTang",
				"McRAT",
				"MdmBot",
				"Mimikatz",
				"NBTscan",
				"NetSess",
				"Netview",
				"Orat",
				"POISONPLUG.SHADOW",
				"PUBLOAD",
				"PVE Find AD Users",
				"PlugX",
				"Poison Ivy",
				"PowerView",
				"QMAGENT",
				"RCSession",
				"RedDelta",
				"Roarur",
				"SPIVY",
				"ShadowPad Winnti",
				"SinoChopper",
				"Sogu",
				"TIGERPLUG",
				"TONEINS",
				"TONESHELL",
				"TVT",
				"TeamViewer",
				"Thoper",
				"TinyNote",
				"WispRider",
				"WmiExec",
				"XShellGhost",
				"Xamtrav",
				"Zupdax",
				"cobeacon",
				"nbtscan",
				"nmap",
				"pivy",
				"poisonivy"
			],
			"source_id": "ETDA",
			"reports": null
		},
		{
			"id": "2c7ecb0e-337c-478f-95d4-7dbe9ba44c39",
			"created_at": "2022-10-25T16:07:23.690871Z",
			"updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:04.709966Z",
			"deleted_at": null,
			"main_name": "Goblin Panda",
			"aliases": [
				"1937CN",
				"Conimes",
				"Cycldek",
				"Goblin Panda"
			],
			"source_name": "ETDA:Goblin Panda",
			"tools": [
				"8.t Dropper",
				"8.t RTF exploit builder",
				"8t_dropper",
				"Agent.dhwf",
				"BackDoor-FBZT!52D84425CDF2",
				"BlueCore",
				"BrowsingHistoryView",
				"ChromePass",
				"CoreLoader",
				"Custom HDoor",
				"Destroy RAT",
				"DestroyRAT",
				"DropPhone",
				"FoundCore",
				"HDoor",
				"HTTPTunnel",
				"JsonCookies",
				"Kaba",
				"Korplug",
				"LOLBAS",
				"LOLBins",
				"Living off the Land",
				"NBTscan",
				"NewCore RAT",
				"PlugX",
				"ProcDump",
				"PsExec",
				"QCRat",
				"RainyDay",
				"RedCore",
				"RedDelta",
				"RoyalRoad",
				"Sisfader",
				"Sisfader RAT",
				"Sogu",
				"TIGERPLUG",
				"TVT",
				"Thoper",
				"Trojan.Win32.Staser.ytq",
				"USBCulprit",
				"Win32/Zegost.BW",
				"Xamtrav",
				"ZeGhost",
				"nbtscan"
			],
			"source_id": "ETDA",
			"reports": null
		}
	],
	"ts_created_at": 1775434094,
	"ts_updated_at": 1775792239,
	"ts_creation_date": 0,
	"ts_modification_date": 0,
	"files": {
		"pdf": "https://archive.orkl.eu/863ca91a974ccc51fe9d50980e01c1e24029f2d5.pdf",
		"text": "https://archive.orkl.eu/863ca91a974ccc51fe9d50980e01c1e24029f2d5.txt",
		"img": "https://archive.orkl.eu/863ca91a974ccc51fe9d50980e01c1e24029f2d5.jpg"
	}
}