Mustang Panda
[Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0129) is a China-based cyber espionage threat actor that has been conducting operations since at least 2012. [Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0129) has been known to use tailored phishing lures and decoy documents to deliver malicious payloads. [Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0129) has targeted government, diplomatic, and non-governmental organizations, including think tanks, religious institutions, and research entities, across the United States, Europe, and Asia, with notable activity in Russia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Vietnam. (Citation: BlackBerry MUSTANG PANDA October 2022)(Citation: Eset PlugX Korplug Mustang Panda March 2022)(Citation: Anomali MUSTANG PANDA October 2019)(Citation: Cisco Talos MUSTANG PANDA PLUGX PUBLOAD MAY 2022)(Citation: Secureworks BRONZE PRESIDENT December 2019)(Citation: DOJ Affidavit Search and Seizure PlugX December 2024)(Citation: EclecticIQ Mustang Panda PlugX)(Citation: ATTACKIQ MUSTANG PANDA TONESHELL March 2023)(Citation: Crowdstrike MUSTANG PANDA June 2018)(Citation: Palo Alto Networks, Unit 42)(Citation: Sophos PlugX September 2022)(Citation: Sophos Mustang Panda PLUGX)(Citation: Zscaler)
Properties
- stix_id
- intrusion-set--420ac20b-f2b9-42b8-aa1a-6d4b72895ca4
- signal_observed_at
- 2026-09-11T17:54:59+00:00
- type
- intrusion-set
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (50)
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support foll
An adversary may compress or encrypt data that is collected prior to exfiltration using a custom method. Adversaries may choose to use custom archival
Adversaries may use utilities to compress and/or encrypt collected data prior to exfiltration. Many utilities include functionalities to compress, enc
Once established within a system or network, an adversary may use automated techniques for collecting internal data. Methods for performing this techn
Adversaries may create, acquire, or steal code signing materials to sign their malware or tools. Code signing provides a level of authenticity on a bi
Adversaries may buy and/or steal code signing certificates that can be used during targeting. Code signing is the process of digitally signing executa
Adversaries may abuse command and script interpreters to execute commands, scripts, or binaries. These interfaces and languages provide ways of intera
Adversaries may attempt to access credentials and other sensitive information by abusing a Windows Domain Controller's application programming interfa
Adversaries may abuse dynamic-link library files (DLLs) in order to achieve persistence, escalate privileges, and evade defenses. DLLs are libraries t
Adversaries may employ various means to detect and avoid debuggers. Debuggers are typically used by defenders to trace and/or analyze the execution of
Adversaries may employ various time-based methods to evade detection and analysis. These techniques often exploit system clocks, delays, or timing mec
Adversaries may use [Obfuscated Files or Information](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1027) to hide artifacts of an intrusion from analysis. They
Adversaries may buy and/or steal SSL/TLS certificates that can be used during targeting. SSL/TLS certificates are designed to instill trust. They incl
Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of domain accounts. This information can help adversaries determine which domain accounts exist to aid in fol
Adversaries may attempt to find domain-level groups and permission settings. The knowledge of domain-level permission groups can help adversaries dete
Adversaries may acquire domains that can be used during targeting. Domain names are the human readable names used to represent one or more IP addresse
Adversaries may abuse a double extension in the filename as a means of masquerading the true file type. A file name may include a secondary file type
Adversaries may obfuscate then dynamically resolve API functions called by their malware in order to conceal malicious functionalities and impair defe
Adversaries may create email accounts that can be used during targeting. Adversaries can use accounts created with email providers to further their op
Adversaries may compromise email accounts that can be used during targeting. Adversaries can use compromised email accounts to further their operation
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the binaries used by an installer. These processes may automatically execute specifi
Adversaries may steal data by exfiltrating it over an existing command and control channel. Stolen data is encoded into the normal communications chan
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
Adversaries may attempt to exfiltrate data over a USB connected physical device. In certain circumstances, such as an air-gapped network compromise, e
Adversaries may exfiltrate data to a cloud storage service rather than over their primary command and control channel. Cloud storage services allow fo
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code. Vulnerabilities can exist in software due to unsecure coding
Adversaries may delete files left behind by the actions of their intrusion activity. Malware, tools, or other non-native files dropped or created on a
Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file s
Adversaries may set files and directories to be hidden to evade detection mechanisms. To prevent normal users from accidentally changing special files
Adversaries may abuse an integrated development environment (IDE) extension to establish persistent access to victim systems.(Citation: Mnemonic misus
Software & Tools (24)
[AdFind](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0552) is a free command-line query tool that can be used for gathering information from Active Directory.(
[BOOKWORM](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1226) is a modular trojan known to be leveraged by [Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0129
[CANONSTAGER](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1237) is a loader known to be leveraged by [Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0129) and
[CLAIMLOADER](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1236) is a malware variant that frequently accompanies legitimate executables that are used for DLL s
[China Chopper](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0020) is a [Web Shell](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1505/003) hosted on Web servers to prov
[Cobalt Strike](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0154) is a commercial, full-featured, remote access tool that bills itself as “adversary simulation
[CorKLOG](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1235) is a keylogger known to be leveraged by [Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0129) and
[HIUPAN](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1230) (aka U2DiskWatch) is a is a worm that propagates through removable drives known to be leveraged by [
[Impacket](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0357) is an open source collection of modules written in Python for programmatically constructing and ma
[Mimikatz](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0002) is a credential dumper capable of obtaining plaintext Windows account logins and passwords, along
[Mimikatz](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0002) is a credential dumper capable of obtaining plaintext Windows account logins and passwords, along
[NBTscan](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0590) is an open source tool that has been used by state groups to conduct internal reconnaissance within
[PAKLOG](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1233) is a keylogger known to be leveraged by [Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0129) and w
[PUBLOAD](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1228) is a stager malware that has been observed installing itself in existing directories such as `C:\Us
[PlugX](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0013) is a remote access tool (RAT) with modular plugins that has been used by multiple threat groups.(Cita
[PoisonIvy](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0012) is a popular remote access tool (RAT) that has been used by many groups.(Citation: FireEye Poison
[RCSession](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0662) is a backdoor written in C++ that has been in use since at least 2018 by [Mustang Panda](https://
[STATICPLUGIN](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1238) is a downloader known to be leveraged by [Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0129
[ShadowPad](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0596) is a modular backdoor that was first identified in a supply chain compromise of the NetSarang sof
[SplatCloak](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1234) is a malware that disables EDR-related routines used by Windows Defender and Kaspersky to aid in
[SplatDropper](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1232) is a loader that utilizes native windows API to deliver its payload to the victim environment.
[StarProxy](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1227) is custom malware used by [Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0129) as a post-compro
[TONESHELL](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1239) is a custom backdoor that has been used since at least Q1 2021.(Citation: Palo Alto Unit42 STATEL
[Wevtutil](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S0645) is a Windows command-line utility that enables administrators to retrieve information about event
Campaigns (1)
[RedDelta Modified PlugX Infection Chain Operations](https://attack.mitre.org/campaigns/C0047) was executed by [Mustang Panda](https://attack.mitre.or
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