Volt Typhoon Hacking Group

Volt Typhoon is a relatively lesser-known entity in the vast and murky world of cyber threats, yet its activities have caught the attention of cybersecurity experts and organizations due to their sophisticated and targeted nature. This hacking group has been attributed to a series of cyber espionage campaigns primarily targeting governmental and industrial entities. The modus operandi of Volt Typhoon, along with its strategic targets, indicates a well-organized and resourceful adversary, potentially backed by state-sponsored agendas.

People’s Republic of China State-Sponsored Cyber Actor Living off the Land to Evade Detection | CISA

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA

CISA: Vendors must secure SOHO routers against Volt Typhoon attacks

CISA has urged manufacturers of small office/home office (SOHO) routers to ensure their devices’ security against ongoing attacks attempting to hijack them, especially those coordinated by Chinese state-backed hacking group Volt Typhoon (Bronze Silhouette).

BleepingComputerSergiu Gatlan

Introduction to Volt Typhoon

Volt Typhoon emerged on the radar of cybersecurity agencies due to its highly targeted and persistent attacks against critical infrastructure and government bodies. The group employs a range of sophisticated tools and techniques, suggesting significant resources and a high level of expertise. The exact origins of Volt Typhoon are shrouded in mystery, but its activities bear the hallmark of a coordinated effort to extract sensitive information, disrupt critical processes, or gain long-term access to high-value networks.

Volt Typhoon targets US critical infrastructure with living-off-the-land techniques | Microsoft Security Blog

Chinese state-sponsored actor Volt Typhoon is using stealthy techniques to target US critical infrastructure, conduct espionage, and dwell in compromised environments.

Microsoft Security BlogMicrosoft Threat Intelligence

Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs)

Volt Typhoon exhibits a high degree of sophistication in its operations, leveraging a mix of custom and publicly available tools to achieve its objectives. The group's TTPs include, but are not limited to:

1. Spear Phishing: Volt Typhoon often initiates its attack chain through spear-phishing emails. These emails are meticulously crafted to appear legitimate and often lure the recipients into executing malicious attachments or visiting compromised websites, leading to the deployment of malware.
2. Use of Malware and Exploits: The group is known for its use of custom malware, often tailored to evade detection by specific security solutions. This malware is typically multifunctional, providing capabilities for remote access, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within a compromised network.
3. Living off the Land (LotL): Volt Typhoon operatives are adept at using built-in tools and legitimate software present on the victim's network to carry out their activities. This approach helps them blend in with normal traffic and avoid detection.
4. Data Exfiltration: The group is focused on stealth and long-term access, exfiltrating sensitive data without triggering alerts. The exfiltrated information often includes confidential government documents, industrial secrets, and intellectual property.
5. Obfuscation and Evasion: Volt Typhoon employs advanced obfuscation techniques to conceal its malicious payloads and communications. Encryption, polymorphism, and steganography are some of the methods used to evade traditional security defenses.

Implications and Countermeasures

The activities of Volt Typhoon have significant implications for national security, economic stability, and the confidentiality of sensitive information. Organizations targeted by such groups face not only immediate disruption but also long-term reputational and financial damage.

To defend against threats posed by groups like Volt Typhoon, organizations are advised to adopt a proactive and layered security approach:

1. Awareness and Training: Regular training sessions for employees can significantly reduce the risk of successful spear-phishing attacks.
2. Robust Perimeter Defense: Deploying advanced firewall, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and email security solutions can help in mitigating the risk of initial compromise.
3. Endpoint Protection: Utilizing next-generation antivirus solutions with behavioral detection capabilities can help in identifying and neutralizing malware used by the group.
4. Network Segmentation: Proper segmentation of networks can limit the lateral movement of the threat actors and contain the spread of malware.
5. Regular Audits and Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of network traffic and regular security audits are crucial in identifying and responding to suspicious activities indicative of a breach.
6. Incident Response Plan: Having a well-defined and regularly tested incident response plan ensures that the organization can quickly and effectively respond to any breach, minimizing the impact.

Conclusion

Volt Typhoon represents a new breed of cyber threats that are highly sophisticated, stealthy, and persistent. Their targeted attacks pose significant risks to national security and critical infrastructure. Understanding their TTPs and remaining vigilant against such threats is paramount. By implementing robust security measures and fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness, organizations can significantly reduce their risk exposure to groups like Volt Typhoon.