Threat Actor

APT33

Also known as: APT33, HOLMIUM, Elfin, Peach Sandstorm

[APT33](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0064) is a suspected Iranian threat group that has carried out operations since at least 2013. The group has targeted organizations across multiple industries in the United States, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea, with a particular interest in the aviation and energy sectors.(Citation: FireEye APT33 Sept 2017)(Citation: FireEye APT33 Webinar Sept 2017)

31
Techniques
17
Software

Properties

stix_id
intrusion-set--fbd29c89-18ba-4c2d-b792-51c0adee049f
signal_observed_at
2026-09-11T17:55:00+00:00
type
intrusion-set

MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (31)

Archive via Utility

Adversaries may use utilities to compress and/or encrypt collected data prior to exfiltration. Many utilities include functionalities to compress, enc

Cached Domain Credentials

Adversaries may attempt to access cached domain credentials used to allow authentication to occur in the event a domain controller is unavailable.(Cit

Cloud Accounts

Valid accounts in cloud environments may allow adversaries to perform actions to achieve Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense

Credentials In Files

Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials. These can be files created by use

Credentials from Password Stores

Adversaries may search for common password storage locations to obtain user credentials.(Citation: F-Secure The Dukes) Passwords are stored in several

Credentials from Web Browsers

Adversaries may acquire credentials from web browsers by reading files specific to the target browser.(Citation: Talos Olympic Destroyer 2018) Web bro

Encrypted/Encoded File

Adversaries may encrypt or encode files to obfuscate strings, bytes, and other specific patterns to impede detection. Encrypting and/or encoding file

Exfiltration Over Unencrypted Non-C2 Protocol

Adversaries may steal data by exfiltrating it over an un-encrypted network protocol other than that of the existing command and control channel. The d

Exploitation for Client Execution

Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code. Vulnerabilities can exist in software due to unsecure coding

Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges. Exploitation of a software vulnerability occurs when an adversar

Group Policy Preferences

Adversaries may attempt to find unsecured credentials in Group Policy Preferences (GPP). GPP are tools that allow administrators to create domain poli

Ingress Tool Transfer

Adversaries may transfer tools or other files from an external system into a compromised environment. Tools or files may be copied from an external ad

LSA Secrets

Adversaries with SYSTEM access to a host may attempt to access Local Security Authority (LSA) secrets, which can contain a variety of different creden

LSASS Memory

Adversaries may attempt to access credential material stored in the process memory of the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS). After a

Malicious File

An adversary may rely upon a user opening a malicious file in order to gain execution. Users may be subjected to social engineering to get them to ope

Malicious Link

An adversary may rely upon a user clicking a malicious link in order to gain execution. Users may be subjected to social engineering to get them to cl

Network Sniffing

Adversaries may passively sniff network traffic to capture information about an environment, including authentication material passed over the network

Non-Standard Port

Adversaries may communicate using a protocol and port pairing that are typically not associated. For example, HTTPS over port 8088(Citation: Symantec

Password Spraying

Adversaries may use a single or small list of commonly used passwords against many different accounts to attempt to acquire valid account credentials.

PowerShell

Adversaries may abuse PowerShell commands and scripts for execution. PowerShell is a powerful interactive command-line interface and scripting environ

Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder

Adversaries may achieve persistence by adding a program to a startup folder or referencing it with a Registry run key. Adding an entry to the "run key

Scheduled Task

Adversaries may abuse the Windows Task Scheduler to perform task scheduling for initial or recurring execution of malicious code. There are multiple w

Spearphishing Attachment

Adversaries may send spearphishing emails with a malicious attachment in an attempt to gain access to victim systems. Spearphishing attachment is a sp

Spearphishing Link

Adversaries may send spearphishing emails with a malicious link in an attempt to gain access to victim systems. Spearphishing with a link is a specifi

Standard Encoding

Adversaries may encode data with a standard data encoding system to make the content of command and control traffic more difficult to detect. Command

Symmetric Cryptography

Adversaries may employ a known symmetric encryption algorithm to conceal command and control traffic rather than relying on any inherent protections p

Tool

Adversaries may buy, steal, or download software tools that can be used during targeting. Tools can be open or closed source, free or commercial. A to

Valid Accounts

Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of existing accounts as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense

Visual Basic

Adversaries may abuse Visual Basic (VB) for execution. VB is a programming language created by Microsoft with interoperability with many Windows techn

Web Protocols

Adversaries may communicate using application layer protocols associated with web traffic to avoid detection/network filtering by blending in with exi

Software & Tools (17)

AutoIt backdoor [malware]

[AutoIt backdoor](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0129) is malware that has been used by the actors responsible for the MONSOON campaign. The actor

DEADWOOD [malware]

[DEADWOOD](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1134) is wiper malware written in C++ using Boost libraries. [DEADWOOD](https://attack.mitre.org/softwar

Empire [tool]

[Empire](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0363) is an open-source, cross-platform remote administration and post-exploitation framework that is publ

LaZagne [tool]

[LaZagne](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0349) is a post-exploitation, open-source tool used to recover stored passwords on a system. It has modul

MimiKatz [malware]

[Mimikatz](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0002) is a credential dumper capable of obtaining plaintext Windows account logins and passwords, along

Mimikatz [tool]

[Mimikatz](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0002) is a credential dumper capable of obtaining plaintext Windows account logins and passwords, along

NETWIRE [malware]

[NETWIRE](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0198) is a publicly available, multiplatform remote administration tool (RAT) that has been used by crimi

NanoCore [malware]

[NanoCore](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0336) is a modular remote access tool developed in .NET that can be used to spy on victims and steal inf

Net [tool]

The [Net](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0039) utility is a component of the Windows operating system. It is used in command-line operations for c

POWERTON [malware]

[POWERTON](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0371) is a custom PowerShell backdoor first observed in 2018. It has typically been deployed as a late-s

PoshC2 [malware]

[PoshC2](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0378) is an open source remote administration and post-exploitation framework that is publicly available o

PowerSploit [tool]

[PowerSploit](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0194) is an open source, offensive security framework comprised of [PowerShell](https://attack.mitre.

Pupy [tool]

[Pupy](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0192) is an open source, cross-platform (Windows, Linux, OSX, Android) remote administration and post-exploi

Ruler [tool]

[Ruler](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0358) is a tool to abuse Microsoft Exchange services. It is publicly available on GitHub and the tool is ex

StoneDrill [malware]

[StoneDrill](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0380) is wiper malware discovered in destructive campaigns against both Middle Eastern and European ta

TURNEDUP [malware]

[TURNEDUP](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0199) is a non-public backdoor. It has been dropped by [APT33](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0064)'s

ftp [tool]

[ftp](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0095) is a utility commonly available with operating systems to transfer information over the File Transfer P

Explore this actor's full graph with Ninja Signal

APT33 — Threat Actor Profile — Ninja Signal | Ninja Signal