Table of Contents
AgainstTheWest (ATW) burst onto the scene in October 2021, leveraging the popular RaidForums platform to announce their presence and activities. They rapidly distinguished themselves by targeting high-profile organizations, primarily within China, under the banner of "Operation Renminbi." Their initial focus appeared aligned with a pro-Western, anti-authoritarian stance, targeting nations perceived as adversaries to the West, including Russia, Iran, and North Korea, in addition to China.
The group's identity and structure seemed fluid, potentially starting small and growing, with later claims suggesting a core team of five individuals. The emergence of the "BlueHornet" name alongside ATW added another layer of complexity, possibly indicating subgroups or a strategic rebranding. The group's activities intensified following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, aligning themselves with the anti-Russian sentiment and targeting entities perceived as supporting the invasion. A particularly defining characteristic of BlueHornet/ATW has been their unusually aggressive tactic of targeting and leaking data allegedly stolen from other Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups, a move rarely seen in the cyber threat landscape. While initially presenting as hacktivists, subsequent claims of state sponsorship (later seemingly walked back) and evidence of selling data complicate their true motivations, which may encompass ideological goals, financial gain, or a combination thereof. Gaining financial benefits might include using cryptocurrency.
Origins & Evolution
Emergence and Initial Focus (October 2021): AgainstTheWest first surfaced on the RaidForums hacking forum in October 2021. They quickly built a reputation through frequent posts detailing breaches and data leaks, primarily targeting Chinese corporations and government-affiliated entities. This initial campaign, dubbed "Operation Renminbi," was described as their most active and "fruitful," including high-profile alleged leaks from giants like WeChat and Alibaba Cloud, as well as Chinese government data.
Expansion and Shifting Operations (Late 2021 - Early 2022): While maintaining China as a primary target, ATW expanded its scope. "Operation Ruble," targeting Russian entities, commenced in November 2021, followed by "Operation Rial," focusing on Iran, in February 2022. These subsequent operations were reportedly less frequent and impactful compared to their initial Chinese focus.
Identity and Rebranding Speculation: The group's internal structure remained opaque. Initial observations suggested it might have started as a single individual before expanding, with the group later claiming to consist of five members. The dual naming "AgainstTheWest/BlueHornet" emerged later, possibly reflecting an evolution, a merger, or the operation of distinct subgroups under a shared banner. Some members reportedly held differing viewpoints in public communications, lending credence to the subgroup theory. The name "AgainstTheWest" itself is ironic, given their consistent targeting of Eastern nations (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea).
The Russia-Ukraine Conflict Pivot (February 2022 onwards): The group's trajectory significantly shifted with the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. After a brief period of inactivity following a failed attempt to launch a private leak forum, ATW/BH cited the conflict and the subsequent shutdown of RaidForums as key motivators for resuming and intensifying their operations. They rapidly established a presence on Telegram (late February 2022) for data leaks, primarily targeting Russian organizations, and used Twitter (despite frequent suspensions) for communication and promotion. They also joined the RaidForums successor, breached.co, in March 2022. Learning basics of Linux might help to understand their techniques.
Claims of State Sponsorship and Disappearance (April 2022 - Present): In April 2022, ATW/BH made a surprising announcement, claiming they were a state-sponsored group tasked with infiltrating entities in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Belarus, and that they were ceasing operations. However, given their history of announcing shutdowns, skepticism surrounded this claim's permanence. Reports from cybersecurity firms like Cyberint suggested the group might have initially operated as hacktivists, attempted to gain state sponsorship, failed, and subsequently decided to "lay low," deleting many of their previous leaks from their Telegram channel. Their precise current status remains uncertain, although affiliated personas or potential successor groups like "Aggressive Griffin" (claiming relation to the original BlueHornet) might still be active. Recent data breach might be related to this group.
External Attribution Efforts: In mid-2022, the Chinese cybersecurity firm Qi An Pangu Lab, via the state-controlled Global Times newspaper, claimed to have identified six members of ATW, alleging links to individuals in France, Canada, and notably Tillie Kottmann (maia arson crimew), a Swiss hacktivist previously charged by the US DOJ. The report implied Western state backing due to the group's pro-Western stance but offered no concrete evidence. This claim was met with skepticism by Western analysts, viewing it within the context of ongoing Sino-US cyber espionage accusations and counter-accusations.
Tactics & Techniques (TTPs)
AgainstTheWest/BlueHornet employs a range of tactics indicative of both sophisticated APT operations and more opportunistic cybercrime. Their modus operandi focuses on data exfiltration, public leaks, and targeting other threat actors. Knowing the MITRE ATT&CK framework can help in understanding their TTPs.
Initial Access: Evidence suggests ATW/BH leverages common initial access vectors. The Pangu Lab report specifically mentioned scanning and exploiting vulnerabilities in open-source code repository and management systems like SonarQube, Gogs, and Gitblit to steal source code and data. Their disclosure of an NGINX 1.18 zero-day vulnerability demonstrates significant technical capability in vulnerability research or acquisition, suggesting exploitation of unpatched systems is a likely vector. Phishing campaigns cannot be ruled out, although less documented publicly for this specific group compared to others. Sophisticated spear phishing tactic can be used as well.
Data Exfiltration and Leak Operations: The core of ATW/BH's initial strategy revolved around exfiltrating large volumes of sensitive data (corporate secrets, source code, government information, personal data) and leaking it publicly on forums (RaidForums, breached.co) and Telegram. This "name and shame" approach aimed to maximize reputational damage and public impact.
Targeting Other APTs: A highly distinctive TTP is their targeting and subsequent leaking of data allegedly belonging to other state-sponsored APT groups. Victims reportedly include well-known groups associated with Russia (APT28/Fancy Bear), North Korea (APT38/Lazarus Group), and China (APT40/Kryptonite Panda, Gothic Panda). This tactic could serve multiple purposes: disrupting rival operations, gaining notoriety, signaling capability, or potentially providing intelligence to Western agencies (aligning with their claimed willingness to share data).
Doxing: The group has engaged in doxing, releasing sensitive personal information (email, social media, family details, financial data) of individuals associated with targeted organizations or APT groups. A notable example is the targeting of Dmitriy Sergeyevich Badin, a Russian GRU officer indicted in the US and associated with Fancy Bear.
Use of Multiple Platforms: ATW/BH demonstrated adaptability by migrating platforms after the RaidForums shutdown, utilizing Telegram for leaks and Twitter for communication and promotion, despite facing repeated account suspensions. Their presence on breached.co further cemented their position within the cybercrime underground.
Potential Financial Motivation: While projecting ideological motives, reports also suggest ATW/BH offered stolen data for sale on dark web markets, indicating a potential financial driver alongside or superseding their hacktivist claims.
Tooling: While no single signature malware family is consistently associated with ATW/BH, their ability to find/exploit zero-days (NGINX) and target specific software vulnerabilities (SonarQube, etc.) points to sophisticated technical skills. They likely utilize a diverse and evolving toolkit, potentially incorporating custom scripts, publicly available hacking tools, and exploits. Their alleged use of AI to assist in code development (though potentially conflated with other groups like FunkSec) cannot be entirely dismissed given the trend.
Targets or Victimology
AgainstTheWest/BlueHornet's targeting strategy appears driven by a combination of geopolitical alignment, opportunistic vulnerability exploitation, and potentially financial motives.
Geopolitical Focus: The group explicitly stated its focus on nations considered adversaries of the West, primarily:
China: The initial and most heavily targeted nation (Operation Renminbi). Victims included major tech companies (Alibaba, WeChat, MyBank, potentially TikTok) and alleged government entities (People's Bank of China, Ministry of Public Security).
Russia: A consistent target, especially after the invasion of Ukraine (Operation Ruble). Targets included corporations and APT groups (Fancy Bear).
Iran: Targeted under "Operation Rial."
North Korea: Targeted via leaks allegedly from APT groups like Lazarus.
Belarus: Named as a target country, likely due to its support for Russia.
Industry Sectors: Their attacks spanned various sectors, reflecting the targeted nations' economies and strategic interests:
Technology: A primary focus, particularly in China.
Government: Frequent targets across all listed countries.
Finance: Implied through targets like PBOC and MyBank.
Other APT Groups: A unique target set, including state-sponsored actors from their primary target nations.
Motivations: The group's motivations appear multifaceted and possibly evolved over time:
Ideological/Hacktivism: A strong initial projection of being "AgainstTheWest's" adversaries, aligning with pro-Western or anti-authoritarian sentiment. Claims of never targeting Western countries, hospitals, or schools support this.
Espionage/Intelligence Gathering: Claims of being ex-intelligence, willingness to share data with US/EU, and targeting sensitive government/APT data suggest espionage goals. The alleged attempt to gain state sponsorship fits this narrative.
Financial Gain: Reports of selling exfiltrated data on dark web markets point towards a profit motive.
Notoriety/Disruption: The high-profile nature of their targets and the unusual tactic of leaking APT data suggest a desire for recognition and causing maximum disruption.
Potential Impact: The consequences of ATW/BH's activities include significant data breaches involving sensitive corporate, government, and personal information; theft of valuable intellectual property (source code); disruption of rival APT operations; reputational damage to victims; and potential fueling of geopolitical tensions through targeted leaks and doxing. The impact might lead to fines for cybersecurity regulation violations.
Attack Campaigns
AgainstTheWest/BlueHornet conducted several notable campaigns since their emergence:
Operation Renminbi (October 2021 onwards): Their debut and most prolific campaign, focused exclusively on Chinese targets. This involved numerous claimed breaches and data leaks from major corporations like WeChat and Alibaba Cloud, as well as alleged government data. It established their initial reputation.
Operation Ruble (November 2021 onwards): Marked their expansion towards Russian targets. While less frequent than Renminbi, it signified their broadening geopolitical focus. Activity likely increased significantly after the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Operation Rial (February 2022 onwards): Targeted Iranian entities, further diversifying their target list based on their stated "adversaries of the West" criteria.
Post-Ukraine Invasion Surge (February 2022 onwards): Following a brief lull and the RaidForums shutdown, the group leveraged the geopolitical situation. They increased activity, particularly against Russian targets and entities perceived as pro-Russian (like the French group CoomingProject), using platforms like Telegram and Twitter extensively for disseminating leaks.
APT Data Leak Campaign (Ongoing during active periods): A defining campaign involving the targeting and public leaking of data allegedly stolen from other APT groups, including Fancy Bear (Russia), Lazarus Group (North Korea), and Kryptonite Panda/Gothic Panda (China). This included doxing specific individuals linked to these groups.
Alleged TikTok/WeChat Breach (Circa 2022): The group claimed responsibility for a massive breach involving TikTok and potentially WeChat, allegedly compromising billions of records. While met with some community skepticism, the scale of the claim drew significant attention.
Operation EUSec: Mentioned as one of their campaigns, suggesting potential targeting related to European Union security or entities, although specific details about this operation are scarce in public reporting. Google Ads also can be abused in similar operations.
Defenses
Defending against a threat actor like AgainstTheWest/BlueHornet requires a multi-layered security strategy that addresses their known TTPs and anticipates their adaptability. Generic APT defense measures combined with specific considerations for ATW/BH's tactics are essential:
Robust Vulnerability Management: Given their demonstrated ability to exploit vulnerabilities (NGINX zero-day, specific open-source systems), timely patching of all internet-facing systems, operating systems, and third-party software is critical. Prioritize patching systems known to be targeted by ATW/BH if applicable (e.g., code repositories, web servers). One should have proper patch management strategy.
Enhanced Authentication and Access Control: Implement strong password policies and enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all critical systems and user accounts, especially privileged ones. Apply the principle of least privilege to limit potential lateral movement.
Network Security and Segmentation: Employ firewalls with strict ingress/egress filtering rules to block unnecessary traffic and detect/prevent C2 communication and data exfiltration. Segment networks to contain breaches and limit an attacker's reach.
Source Code and Intellectual Property Protection: Implement stringent access controls, monitoring, and security measures specifically for source code repositories and other critical intellectual property storage systems, as these are known targets.
Advanced Endpoint Protection (EDR/XDR): Deploy and maintain Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) or Extended Detection and Response (XDR) solutions to detect suspicious activities, malware execution, and unauthorized access attempts on endpoints.
Security Awareness Training: Educate employees about phishing attacks, social engineering tactics, and the importance of reporting suspicious emails or activities, especially given the group's potential use of doxing and targeting individuals. You can use phishing simulation for training.
Threat Intelligence Integration: Subscribe to and actively utilize threat intelligence feeds to stay updated on ATW/BH (APT49) TTPs, indicators of compromise (IoCs), targeted vulnerabilities, and campaign activities. Monitor relevant forums and channels where such groups might leak data or communicate.
Incident Response Plan: Develop, maintain, and regularly test an incident response plan to ensure swift and effective action in case of a breach, including containment, eradication, recovery, and communication strategies. Create a cyber incident response plan to reduce damage.
Monitoring and Logging: Implement comprehensive logging across endpoints, networks, and applications. Utilize a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system to correlate logs and detect anomalous patterns indicative of compromise. SIEM and SOAR can be integrated for automation.
Third-Party Risk Management: Given their targeting of other APTs (who might compromise suppliers), assess and manage the security risks associated with third-party vendors and partners who have access to your network or data.
Conclusion
AgainstTheWest/BlueHornet (APT49) represents a complex and dynamic threat actor that emerged rapidly, utilizing aggressive tactics and a shifting operational focus. Initially presenting as pro-Western hacktivists targeting primarily China and later Russia, Iran, and North Korea, their profile became blurred by potential financial motivations, claims of state sponsorship, and the highly unusual strategy of targeting and leaking data from other APT groups. Their technical capabilities, demonstrated by exploiting specific vulnerabilities and allegedly a zero-day, combined with their willingness to dox individuals and leak massive datasets, underscore the significant risk they pose. While their current operational status is unclear following claims of disbandment and deletion of leaks, the TTPs and motivations displayed serve as a critical case study. Organizations must remain vigilant, employing robust, intelligence-driven defenses to protect against this and the next generation of multifaceted cyber threats operating at the intersection of hacktivism, espionage, and cybercrime. They also utilize social engineering techniques.
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Arun KL
Arun KL is a cybersecurity professional with 15+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, cloud security, vulnerability management, Penetration Testing, security operations, and incident response. He is adept at designing and implementing robust security solutions to safeguard systems and data. Arun holds multiple industry certifications including CCNA, CCNA Security, RHCE, CEH, and AWS Security.
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