GoldMouse / Evilnum (also known as Evilnum, TA4563) is a state-sponsored advanced persistent threat group attributed to Unknown (financially motivated), active since 2018. The group primarily targets fintech, forex, cryptocurrency companies sectors. It is tracked by MITRE ATT&CK as G0120.
Overview & Attribution
Financially motivated APT targeting fintech and cryptocurrency companies using the Golden Chickens MaaS suite and custom JavaScript malware.
GoldMouse has been active since 2018, attributed to Unknown (financially motivated). The group is known for targeting fintech, forex, cryptocurrency companies using a combination of custom malware, living-off-the-land techniques, and sophisticated social engineering.
- Attribution: Unknown (financially motivated)
- Active since: 2018
- Primary targets: fintech, forex, cryptocurrency companies
- Also known as: Evilnum, TA4563
Arsenal & Tools
GoldMouse employs a diverse arsenal of custom and shared tooling:
- Evilnum: Custom/shared tooling used in operations
- TerraPreter: Custom/shared tooling used in operations
- Golden Chickens MaaS (more_eggs): Custom/shared tooling used in operations
Targeting & Operations
The group focuses on fintech, forex, cryptocurrency companies sectors, with operations spanning multiple geographic regions. Their campaigns typically involve carefully crafted spearphishing, strategic watering holes, and exploitation of public-facing applications.
GoldMouse is characterized by persistent, long-term access operations. Once inside a target network, the group establishes multiple redundant persistence mechanisms and moves laterally to high-value systems before beginning data exfiltration.
MITRE ATT&CK Mapping
| Tactic | Technique | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Access | T1566.001 Phishing Attachment | KYC document lures |
| Execution | T1059.007 JavaScript | JS-based malware execution |
| Persistence | T1547.001 Registry Run Keys | Autostart persistence |
| Collection | T1113 Screen Capture | Desktop screenshots |
| Collection | T1005 Data from Local System | Financial data theft |
| C2 | T1071.001 Web Protocols | HTTP/HTTPS C2 |
Notable Campaigns
GoldMouse has been linked to multiple significant campaigns targeting fintech, forex, cryptocurrency companies organizations. The group continuously evolves its tooling and infrastructure to evade detection while maintaining persistent access to compromised networks.
- Long-term espionage: Multi-year intrusions into government and defense networks
- Supply chain targeting: Compromise of technology providers and managed service providers
- Zero-day exploitation: Use of previously unknown vulnerabilities for initial access
Detection & Defense
- Threat intelligence integration: Monitor for known GoldMouse IOCs and TTPs in SIEM/EDR platforms
- Network monitoring: Detect C2 patterns associated with Evilnum and related tooling
- Email security: Implement advanced phishing detection for spearphishing campaigns
- Endpoint detection: Deploy behavioral detection rules for known GoldMouse TTPs
- Patch management: Prioritize patching of vulnerabilities known to be exploited by this group
- Lateral movement detection: Monitor for suspicious authentication patterns and admin tool usage
Defend Against GoldMouse
Mjolnir Security provides specialized capabilities to detect and respond to GoldMouse operations.
- APT Threat Hunting Proactive hunting for GoldMouse TTPs, tooling artifacts, and infrastructure indicators within your environment.
- Threat Intelligence Continuous monitoring of GoldMouse campaigns and infrastructure changes with actionable intelligence for your defense team.
- 24/7 Incident Response Rapid containment and forensic investigation. Call +1 833 403 5875.
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