In their previous report, Trend Micro researchers introduced the sophisticated cyberespionage campaign orchestrated by Earth Hundun, a threat actor known for targeting the Asia-Pacific region using the Waterbear malware and its latest iteration, Deuterbear. We first observed Deuterbear being used by Earth Hundun in October 2022, and it has since been part of the group’s subsequent campaigns.
Trend Micro analysis provided insights into the intricate workings of the downloader, detailing its infection flow, traffic behavior, anti-analysis techniques, and evolutionary trajectory. In this entry, we examine the behavior of the final Remote Access Trojan (RAT) that the researchers recently managed to download from a C&C server, based on an Earth Hundun campaign from 2024.
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Source: Trend Micro
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