Lazarus Group
G0032APT / State-SponsoredNorth KoreaActive
Also known as: Labyrinth Chollima · HIDDEN COBRA · Guardians of Peace · ZINC · NICKEL ACADEMY · Diamond Sleet
Overview
Lazarus Group is a North Korean state-sponsored cyber threat group attributed to the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB). Lazarus Group has been active since at least 2009 and is reportedly responsible for the November 2014 destructive wiper attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment, identified by Novetta as part of Operation Blockbuster. Malware used by Lazarus Group correlates to other reported campaigns, including Operation Flame, Operation 1Mission, Operation Troy, DarkSeoul, and Ten Days of Rain.
North Korea’s cyber operations have shown a consistent pattern of adaptation, forming and reorganizing units as national priorities shift. These units frequently share personnel, infrastructure, malware, and tradecraft, making it difficult to attribute specific operations with high confidence. Public reporting often uses “Lazarus Group” as an umbrella term for multiple North Korean cyber operators conducting espionage, destructive attacks, and financially motivated campaigns.
Campaigns — 1
Operation Dream Job
ended2019-09 → 2020-08
Source: MITRE C0022
T1059.003Windows Command ShellExecution
T1566.001Spearphishing AttachmentInitial Access
T1202Indirect Command ExecutionStealth
T1048.003Exfiltration Over Unencrypted Non-C2 ProtocolExfiltration
T1001.003Protocol or Service ImpersonationCommand and Control
T1584.004ServerResource Development
T1105Ingress Tool TransferCommand and Control
T1218.005MshtaStealth
Malware & Tools — 26
RawDiskToolWindows
ProxysvcMalwareWindows
BADCALLMalwareWindows
FALLCHILLMalwareWindows
WannaCryMalwareWindows
MagicRATMalwareWindows
HOPLIGHTMalwareWindows
TYPEFRAMEMalwareWindows
DtrackMalwareWindows
HotCroissant
T1010
Application Window Discovery
Discovery
T1587.001MalwareResource Development
T1134.002Create Process with TokenStealth
T1021.004SSHLateral Movement
T1098Account ManipulationPersistence
T1564.001Hidden Files and DirectoriesStealth
T1485Data DestructionImpact
T1591Gather Victim Org InformationReconnaissance
T1078Valid AccountsStealth
T1027.009Embedded PayloadsStealth
T1012Query RegistryDiscovery
T1090.002External ProxyCommand and Control
T1027.013Encrypted/Encoded FileStealth
T1104Multi-Stage ChannelsCommand and Control
T1046Network Service DiscoveryDiscovery
T1005Data from Local SystemCollection
T1016System Network Configuration DiscoveryDiscovery
T1588.004Digital CertificatesResource Development
T1573.001Symmetric CryptographyCommand and Control
T1082System Information DiscoveryDiscovery
T1033System Owner/User DiscoveryDiscovery
T1620Reflective Code LoadingStealth
T1041Exfiltration Over C2 ChannelExfiltration
T1102.002Bidirectional CommunicationCommand and Control
T1560Archive Collected DataCollection
T1203Exploitation for Client ExecutionExecution
T1059.001PowerShellExecution
T1566.002Spearphishing LinkInitial Access
T1074.001Local Data StagingCollection
T1036.003Rename Legitimate UtilitiesStealth
T1047Windows Management InstrumentationExecution
T1071.001Web ProtocolsCommand and Control
T1557.001Name Resolution Poisoning and SMB RelayCredential Access
T1057Process DiscoveryDiscovery
T1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup FolderPersistence
T1685Disable or Modify ToolsDefense Impairment
T1589.002Email AddressesReconnaissance
T1561.001Disk Content WipeImpact
T1491.001Internal DefacementImpact
T1588.002ToolResource Development
Malware
Windows
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TAINTEDSCRIBEMalwareWindows
ECCENTRICBANDWAGONMalwareWindows
AppleJeusMalwareWindows / macOS
BLINDINGCANMalwareWindows
ThreatNeedleMalwareWindows