In the realm of cyber threats, the group known as Velvet Ant has recently gained notoriety for its sophisticated and highly targeted attacks, emerging as a formidable force in the world of cybersecurity. Recognized as a Chinese state-sponsored threat actor, Velvet Ant has been identified for its relentless exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities and advanced tactics. Their focus on high-value targets, particularly critical infrastructure and sensitive governmental entities, highlights their strategic approach to conducting cyber operations in pursuit of geopolitical objectives.
Velvet Ant first garnered attention through its exploitation of CVE-2024-20399, a critical vulnerability in Cisco Nexus switches that was disclosed in early 2024. This vulnerability served as a gateway for the group to infiltrate and compromise network environments with remarkable efficiency, allowing them to execute complex attack vectors and gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems. By leveraging this zero-day vulnerability, Velvet Ant was able to potentially exfiltrate crucial data, highlighting the serious implications of their activities.
The group’s modus operandi reveals a deep understanding of their targets’ network architectures and operational environments, as their attacks involve multifaceted tactics such as initial exploitation, lateral movement, and data exfiltration. This meticulous approach not only maximizes their impact but also minimizes detection risks, posing a significant challenge for cybersecurity professionals and organizations worldwide.
At the core of Velvet Ant’s operations lies their utilization of tools such as Cobalt Strike and Empire, which form the foundation of their command and control infrastructure. Cobalt Strike, a widely used penetration testing tool, is repurposed by the group to establish and maintain control over compromised systems, facilitating persistent communication and payload delivery. Empire, on the other hand, provides a robust framework for post-exploitation activities, enabling Velvet Ant to execute commands, gather information, and maintain access through various command and control channels.
Credential theft and exploitation are central to Velvet Ant’s strategy, with tools like Mimikatz playing a crucial role in extracting sensitive credentials from memory. This capability allows the group to escalate privileges and move through networks with ease. Additionally, the use of PowerShell scripts enhances their malicious activities, exploiting the capabilities of PowerShell for tasks like data collection, payload execution, and lateral movement.
In addition to leveraging custom Remote Access Trojans (RATs) and publicly available tools for persistent access and control over compromised systems, Velvet Ant also utilizes tools like Rclone for data exfiltration to cloud storage services. This enables them to bypass traditional data exfiltration defenses and maintain their ability to transfer sensitive information without detection.
The sophistication of Velvet Ant’s technical operations, combining advanced malware, credential dumping techniques, and custom scripts, demonstrates their adaptability and efficiency in executing cyber activities. As they continue to evolve and refine their tactics, cybersecurity professionals and organizations must remain vigilant and implement robust security measures to protect against such advanced persistent threats.
Overall, Velvet Ant’s activities underscore the ongoing challenge posed by state-sponsored threat actors in the cyber landscape. Their ability to operate stealthily, adapt their methods, and exploit vulnerabilities for malicious purposes highlights the importance of constant vigilance and proactive defense measures to mitigate the risks posed by such sophisticated adversaries.