2016 Autumn
Breach of TeamViewer
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/teamviewer-confirms-undisclosed-breach-from-2016/
2017-07
ShadowPad is one of the largest known supply-chain attacks. Had it not been detected and patched so quickly, it could potentially have targeted hundreds of organizations worldwide.
https://www.kaspersky.com/about/press-releases/2017_shadowpad-how-attackers-hide-backdoor-in-software-used-by-hundreds-of-large-companies-around-the-world
2018-06
Operation “ShadowHammer”
A supply-chain attack dubbed “Operation ShadowHammer” has been uncovered, targeting users of the ASUS Live Update Utility with a backdoor injection. The China-backed BARIUM APT is suspected to be at the helm of the project.
According to Kaspersky Lab, the campaign ran from June to at least November 2018 and may have impacted more than a million users worldwide – though the adversaries appear to have been after specific victims in Asia.
https://threatpost.com/asus-pc-backdoors-shadowhammer/143129/
2019
Operation “CuckooBees”
Cybereason Uncovers Massive Chinese Intellectual Property Theft Operation
https://www.cybereason.com/blog/operation-cuckoobees-cybereason-uncovers-massive-chinese-intellectual-property-theft-operation
https://symantec-enterprise-blogs.security.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/spyder-loader-cuckoobees-hong-kong
2019-03
Although the malware uses different configurations in each case, the three affected software products included the same backdoor code and were launched using the same mechanism. While two of the compromised products no longer include the backdoor, one of the affected developers is still distributing the trojanized version: ironically, the game is named Infestation, and is produced by Thai developer Electronics Extreme.
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2019/03/11/gaming-industry-scope-attackers-asia/
2019-04
In April 2019, FireEye’s Managed Defense team identified suspicious activity on a publicly-accessible web server at a U.S.-based research university. This activity, indicated that the attackers were exploiting CVE-2019-3396, a vulnerability in Atlassian Confluence Server that allowed for path traversal and remote code execution.
https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2019/08/game-over-detecting-and-stopping-an-apt41-operation.html
2019-08
APT41’s newest espionage tool, MESSAGETAP, was discovered during a 2019 investigation at a telecommunications network provider within a cluster of Linux servers. Specifically, these Linux servers operated as Short Message Service Center (SMSC) servers.
https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2019/10/messagetap-who-is-reading-your-text-messages.html
2019-10
Winnti Group’s skip‑2.0: A Microsoft SQL Server backdoor
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2019/10/21/winnti-group-skip2-0-microsoft-sql-server-backdoor/
2019-11
In November 2019, we discovered a new campaign run by the Winnti Group against two Hong Kong universities. We found a new variant of the ShadowPad backdoor, the group’s flagship backdoor, deployed using a new launcher and embedding numerous modules. The Winnti malware was also found at these universities a few weeks prior to ShadowPad.
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2020/01/31/winnti-group-targeting-universities-hong-kong/
2020-01
Between January 20 and March 11, FireEye observed APT41 attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in Citrix NetScaler/ADC, Cisco routers, and Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central at over 75 FireEye customers.
https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/03/apt41-initiates-global-intrusion-campaign-using-multiple-exploits.html
https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/apt41-using-new-speculoos-backdoor-to-target-organizations-globally/
2020-02
In February 2020, we discovered a new, modular backdoor, which we named PipeMon. Persisting as a Print Processor, it was used by the Winnti Group against several video gaming companies that are based in South Korea and Taiwan and develop MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) games. Video games developed by these companies are available on popular gaming platforms and have thousands of simultaneous players.
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2020/05/21/no-game-over-winnti-group/
2020
New Linux Backdoor RedXOR Likely Operated by Chinese Nation-State Actor
https://www.intezer.com/blog/malware-analysis/new-linux-backdoor-redxor-likely-operated-by-chinese-nation-state-actor/
2020-03
During threat research in March 2020, PT Expert Security Center specialists found a previously unknown backdoor and named it xDll, based on the original name found in the code. As a result of a configuration flaw of the malware's command and control (C2) server, some server directories were externally accessible.
https://www.ptsecurity.com/ww-en/analytics/pt-esc-threat-intelligence/shadowpad-new-activity-from-the-winnti-group/
2020-04
Hackers linked to Chinese government stole millions in Covid benefits, Secret Service says
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/chinese-hackers-covid-fraud-millions-rcna59636
2020-07
APT41 Resurfaces as Earth Baku With New Cyberespionage Campaign
https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/21/h/apt41-resurfaces-as-earth-baku-with-new-cyberespionage-campaign.html
2020-10
Lookout Attributes Advanced Android Surveillanceware to Chinese Espionage Group APT41
https://www.lookout.com/threat-intelligence/article/wyrmspy-dragonegg-surveillanceware-apt41
2021
APT41 World Tour 2021 on a tight schedule
https://blog.group-ib.com/apt41-world-tour-2021
2021-02
You never walk alone: The SideWalk backdoor gets a Linux variant
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2022/09/14/you-never-walk-alone-sidewalk-backdoor-linux-variant/
2021 Early
New Wave of Espionage Activity Targets Asian Governments
https://symantec-enterprise-blogs.security.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/espionage-asia-governments
2021-03
Operation “ColunmTK”
Big airline heist
https://blog.group-ib.com/colunmtk_apt41
2021 Spring
MoonBounce: the dark side of UEFI firmware
https://securelist.com/moonbounce-the-dark-side-of-uefi-firmware/105468/
2021-05
Does This Look Infected? A Summary of APT41 Targeting U.S. State Governments
https://www.mandiant.com/resources/apt41-us-state-governments
2021-07
BIOPASS RAT: New Malware Sniffs Victims via Live Streaming
https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/21/g/biopass-rat-new-malware-sniffs-victims-via-live-streaming.html
2021-08
The SideWalk may be as dangerous as the CROSSWALK
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2021/08/24/sidewalk-may-be-as-dangerous-as-crosswalk/
2022-08
Winnti APT group docks in Sri Lanka for new campaign
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/threat-intelligence/2022/winnti-apt-group-docks-in-sri-lanka-for-new-campaign-final.pdf
2022 Late
Blackfly: Espionage Group Targets Materials Technology
https://symantec-enterprise-blogs.security.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/blackfly-espionage-materials
2022 Late
A Dive into Earth Baku’s Latest Campaign
https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/24/h/earth-baku-latest-campaign.html
2023
APT41 Has Arisen From the DUST
https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/apt41-arisen-from-dust
2023-07
APT41 likely compromised Taiwanese government-affiliated research institute with ShadowPad and Cobalt Strike
https://blog.talosintelligence.com/chinese-hacking-group-apt41-compromised-taiwanese-government-affiliated-research-institute-with-shadowpad-and-cobaltstrike-2/
2024
Chinese APT Uses VPN Bug to Exploit Worldwide OT Orgs
https://www.darkreading.com/ics-ot-security/chinese-apt-vpn-bug-worldwide-ot-orgs
2024-03
Winnti APT41 Targets Japanese Firms in RevivalStone Cyber Espionage Campaign
https://thehackernews.com/2025/02/winnti-apt41-targets-japanese-firms-in.html
2024-04
DodgeBox: A deep dive into the updated arsenal of APT41 | Part 1
MoonWalk: A deep dive into the updated arsenal of APT41 | Part 2
https://www.zscaler.com/blogs/security-research/dodgebox-deep-dive-updated-arsenal-apt41-part-1
https://www.zscaler.com/blogs/security-research/moonwalk-deep-dive-updated-arsenal-apt41-part-2
2024-04
LightSpy: APT41 Deploys Advanced DeepData Framework In Targeted Southern Asia Espionage Campaign
https://blogs.blackberry.com/en/2024/11/lightspy-apt41-deploys-advanced-deepdata-framework-in-targeted-southern-asia-espionage-campaign
2024-07
BrazenBamboo Weaponizes FortiClient Vulnerability to Steal VPN Credentials via DEEPDATA
https://www.volexity.com/blog/2024/11/15/brazenbamboo-weaponizes-forticlient-vulnerability-to-steal-vpn-credentials-via-deepdata/
2024-08
The Malware That Must Not Be Named: Suspected Espionage Campaign Delivers “Voldemort”
https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/malware-must-not-be-named-suspected-espionage-campaign-delivers-voldemort
2024-10
Mark Your Calendar: APT41 Innovative Tactics
https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/apt41-innovative-tactics
2025-07
The SOC files: Rumble in the jungle or APT41’s new target in Africa
https://securelist.com/apt41-in-africa/116986/