Daniel Kuhl ✌🏻☮️☕️#CheckPoint Research revealed a sophisticated wave of attacks attributed to the Chinese #threat actor #InkDragon, which targets European governments while continuing campaigns in Southeast Asia and South America. The threat actor converts compromised #IIS servers into relay nodes with #ShadowPad, exploits predictable configuration keys for access, and deploys a new #FinalDraft #backdoor for exfiltration and lateral movement.
https://research.checkpoint.com/2025/ink-dragons-relay-network-and-offensive-operation/
Ink Dragon's Relay Network and Stealthy Offensive Operation
Key Findings Introduction Check Point Research tracks a sustained, highly capable espionage cluster, which we refer to as Ink Dragon, and is referenced in other reports as CL-STA-0049, Earth Alux, or REF7707. This cluster is assessed by several vendors to be PRC-aligned. Since at least early 2023, Ink Dragon has repeatedly targeted government, telecom, and […]
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