Chinese attack group seeking information about technologies connected to 5G
Worldwide deployment of 5G cellular technologies shifts the collection of intelligence in this field into higher gear. McAfee recently identified an attack campaign against workers in this industry
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 21/03/2021
Photo: Bigstock
A Chinese attack group is apparently behind attempts to attack large telecommunication companies in the US, Europe and Southeast Asia in an espionage campaign that seems to be intended to steal data related to 5G technologies.
The attack campaign, called Operation Diànxùn, is apparently driven by the ban on use of Chinese technologies to operate 5G in a number of countries, McAfee says in a new report. According to the security supplier, the threat actor behind the campaign is using methods connected to Mustang Panda, a group that several security suppliers identified as operating for the Chinese government.
"Most probably this threat is targeting people working in the telecommunications industry and has been used for espionage purposes to access sensitive data and to spy on companies related to 5G technology," the report says.
"While the initial vector for the infection is not entirely clear, the McAfee ATR team believes with a medium level of confidence that victims were lured to a domain under control of the threat actor," the report says. "It is our belief that the attackers used a phishing website masquerading as the Huawei company career page."
Worldwide deployment of 5G cellular technologies shifts the collection of intelligence in this field into higher gear. McAfee recently identified an attack campaign against workers in this industry
Photo: Bigstock
A Chinese attack group is apparently behind attempts to attack large telecommunication companies in the US, Europe and Southeast Asia in an espionage campaign that seems to be intended to steal data related to 5G technologies.
The attack campaign, called Operation Diànxùn, is apparently driven by the ban on use of Chinese technologies to operate 5G in a number of countries, McAfee says in a new report. According to the security supplier, the threat actor behind the campaign is using methods connected to Mustang Panda, a group that several security suppliers identified as operating for the Chinese government.
"Most probably this threat is targeting people working in the telecommunications industry and has been used for espionage purposes to access sensitive data and to spy on companies related to 5G technology," the report says.
"While the initial vector for the infection is not entirely clear, the McAfee ATR team believes with a medium level of confidence that victims were lured to a domain under control of the threat actor," the report says. "It is our belief that the attackers used a phishing website masquerading as the Huawei company career page."
