Hacker groupG1021
Cinnamon Tempest
Also tracked as DEV-0401, Emperor Dragonfly, BRONZE STARLIGHT
Cinnamon Tempest is a China-based threat group that has been active since at least 2021 deploying multiple strains of ransomware based on the leaked Babuk source code. Cinnamon Tempest does not operate their ransomware on an affiliate model or purchase access but appears to act independently in all stages of the attack lifecycle. Based on victimology, the short lifespan of each ransomware variant, and use of malware attributed to government-sponsored threat groups, Cinnamon Tempest may be motivated by intellectual property theft or cyberespionage rather than financial gain.
- Known attack methods
- 19
- Origin
- China
- Motive
- Espionage, Financial gain
- First seen
- 2021
- Source
- MITRE ATT&CK
How they break in
Techniques MITRE has documented this group using, mapped onto the ATT&CK matrix. Each one is a behaviour you can look for in your own logs, and a control you can test.
Used by this groupNot documented for this groupIn brackets: sub-techniques this group uses, of those that exist.
Reconnaissance
12 techniques
Resource Development
9 techniques · 1 used
Initial Access
11 techniques · 1 used
Execution
20 techniques · 2 used
Persistence
22 techniques · 1 used
Privilege Escalation
13 techniques
Stealth
30 techniques · 3 used
Defense Impairment
18 techniques · 1 used
Credential Access
17 techniques
Discovery
34 techniques
Lateral Movement
9 techniques · 2 used
Collection
17 techniques
Command and Control
18 techniques · 3 used
Exfiltration
9 techniques · 1 used
Impact
15 techniques · 1 used
Resource development1
Initial access1
Execution4
Persistence1
Stealth4
Defense impairment1
Lateral movement2
Command and control3
Exfiltration1
Impact1
Malware
Families MITRE records this group deploying. Detection names for these are a reasonable place to start.
CheerscryptCobalt StrikeHUI LoaderPandoraPlugX
Tools
Legitimate or dual-use software the group is documented using. Most of it is software your own administrators use too, which is the point.
ImpacketRcloneSliver