PeckBirdy: A Versatile Script Framework for LOLBins Exploitation Used by China-aligned Threat Groups


Since 2023, Trend Micro researchers have been observing threat campaigns employing a previously unseen script-based command-and-control (C&C) framework which we named PeckBirdy, being used against Chinese gambling industries, as well as malicious activities targeting Asian government entities and private organizations.

While tracking this framework, Trend Micro identified at least two campaigns using PeckBirdy, which we were able to link to several China-aligned advanced persistent threat (APT) actors. PeckBirdy is a script-based framework which, while possessing advanced capabilities, is implemented using JScript, an old script language. This is to ensure that the framework could be launched across different execution environments via LOLBins (Living off the land binaries).

Read more…
Source: Trend Micro


Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox


Related:

  • Microsoft’s Azure Linux gets 470-plus security fixes in one almighty patching session

    November 9, 2026

    Microsoft has unleashed a whopper of an update for Azure Linux, packing more than 470 CVE fixes into a single release as the software industry’s ever-growing pile of vulnerabilities shows little sign of shrinking. Over the weekend, Microsoft rolled out Azure Linux 3.0.2022 with fixes covering everything from the Linux kernel to open source packages and ...

  • 13.3 million people’s medical data exposed; companies pay $300,000

    November 9, 2026

    The New York attorney general (AG) has reached a settlement over a medical data breach that affected 13.3 million people after basic security failures. Perry Johnson & Associates (PJ&A) and four related companies have agreed to pay $300,000 and implement extensive security reforms following a breach that exposed personal and medical information belonging to more than ...

  • Nvidia stock falls 5% as scrutiny turns to Jensen Huang’s affair with alleged Chinese spy

    November 9, 2026

    Nvidia stock fell 5% on Monday after the tech giant launched an investigation into CEO Jensen Huang’s relationship with a businesswoman who intelligence agencies say is a Chinese spy. U.S. intelligence agencies said Alice Huang, an executive at cloud company MegaSpeed, has been passing information to Beijing, according to reports in The New York Times and ...

  • Iris Ohyama attack exposes info of 7.7 million customers

    November 9, 2026

    Major Japanese consumer goods manufacturer Iris Ohyama has confirmed suffering a cyberattack which saw it lose data on 7.7 million people. The company first disclosed the breach on October 29, 2026 when it confirmed “unauthorized access on the e-commerce site” Iris Plaza. At the time, the company said its investigation was ongoing, and that it would ...

  • Hundreds of Artex AI hacking tools found publicly exposed to the web

    November 6, 2026

    Security researchers have discovered hundreds of copies of a Chinese-made AI hacking tool publicly exposed to the internet for anyone to access, potentially allowing outsiders to launch cyberattacks against unsuspecting targets. The hacking software, called Artex, is an open source autonomous penetration testing tool, meaning software that automatically probes computer systems for weaknesses, and it’s been ...

  • FBI agent steals $2.47 million in crypto tied to 35 investigations and plans Portugal escape

    November 6, 2026

    A former FBI agent stole $2.47 million in crypto using classified investigative records, compromising federal investigations into criminal organizations and foreign adversaries. The US Department of Justice disclosed on Nov. 5 that Patrick Steven Yaroch, 37, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering after exploiting his access to crypto wallet credentials collected during FBI investigations. His ...