Chinese MSS-directed (Hainan province) group targeting maritime, defense, and aviation. Indicted by US DOJ in 2021 for global espionage campaign. This profile is mapped to MITRE ATT&CK G0065 and covers attribution, tooling, targeting, and defensive recommendations based on observed campaigns.
Overview & Attribution
Leviathan (also tracked as APT40, Gingham Typhoon, MUDCARP, TEMP.Periscope) is a threat group attributed to China. The group primarily targets Maritime, defense, aviation, government for intelligence collection and operational objectives aligned with state interests.
This group is tracked as G0065 in the MITRE ATT&CK framework. All techniques referenced in this report are mapped to ATT&CK for consistent threat modeling and detection engineering.
Arsenal & Tools
Known tools and malware associated with Leviathan include:
- BADFLICK
- PHOTO
- MURKYTOP
- ScanBox
Targeting & Operations
Leviathan operations focus on Maritime, defense, aviation, government. The group typically gains initial access through spear-phishing, exploitation of public-facing applications, or strategic web compromises before deploying custom implants for persistent access and data exfiltration.
Organizations in the Maritime sector should treat Leviathan as a relevant threat and validate their detection coverage against the MITRE ATT&CK techniques listed below.
MITRE ATT&CK Mapping
Key techniques observed in Leviathan operations:
| Technique ID | Technique Name | Tactical Context |
|---|---|---|
| T1190 | T1190 | Observed in Leviathan campaigns |
| T1566.001 | T1566.001 | Observed in Leviathan campaigns |
| T1059.001 | T1059.001 | Observed in Leviathan campaigns |
| T1003.001 | T1003.001 | Observed in Leviathan campaigns |
Full ATT&CK mapping: https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0065/
Notable Campaigns
This threat group has been active in operations targeting Maritime, defense, aviation, government. Security researchers have documented campaigns involving BADFLICK and other tools deployed against organizations in multiple countries. Attribution confidence varies by campaign, but consistent infrastructure and TTP overlap links activity to China-nexus operations.
Detection & Defense
Recommended defensive measures against Leviathan:
- Network monitoring: Detect C2 beaconing patterns associated with BADFLICK and related implants
- Endpoint detection: Deploy behavioral rules for the ATT&CK techniques above, particularly T1190 and T1566.001
- Email security: Implement robust phishing defenses including URL sandboxing and attachment detonation
- Patch management: Prioritize patching of internet-facing applications exploited by this group
- Threat hunting: Proactively hunt for IOCs and behavioral indicators mapped to G0065 in MITRE ATT&CK
How Mjolnir Security Can Help
Defend Against Leviathan
Mjolnir Security provides tailored threat intelligence, detection engineering, and incident response services to help organizations defend against China-nexus threat actors.
Contact us: mjolnirsecurity.com
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