PingPull has the capability to leverage three protocols (ICMP, HTTP(S) and raw TCP) for command and control (C2). Most importantly, we have also identified the groupвЂ™s use of a new remote access trojan named PingPull. During this period, we have identified several connections between GALLIUM infrastructure and targeted entities across Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Malaysia, Mozambique, the Philippines, Russia and Vietnam. Over the past year, this group has extended its targeting beyond telecommunication companies to also include financial institutions and government entities. The groupвЂ™s geographic targeting, sector-specific focus and technical proficiency, combined with their use of known Chinese threat actor malware and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), has resulted in industry assessments that GALLIUM is likely a Chinese state-sponsored group. One group in particular, GALLIUM (also known as Softcell), established its reputation by targeting telecommunications companies operating in Southeast Asia, Europe and Africa. Unit 42 actively monitors infrastructure associated with several APT groups. Unit 42 recently identified a new, difficult-to-detect remote access trojan named PingPull being used by GALLIUM, an advanced persistent threat (APT) group.

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