An unidentified advanced threat actor, known as ‘Blackwood,’ has been conducting cyberespionage attacks since at least 2018, utilizing a sophisticated malware called NSPX30.
Discovered by cybersecurity company ESET in 2020, Blackwood’s activities align with Chinese state interests, with targets in China, Japan, and the UK. The NSPX30 malware is delivered through the update mechanisms of legitimate software such as WPS Office, Tencent QQ, and Sogou Pinyin.
Blackwood employs adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) attacks, intercepting NSPX30 traffic to conceal its operations and hide command and control servers.
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NSPX30’s primary function is data collection, including files, screenshots, key presses, hardware/network data, and credentials. It can steal chat logs from various platforms and perform actions like terminating processes, creating a reverse shell, moving files, or self-uninstallation.
Blackwood’s distinctive method involves delivering NSPX30 by intercepting unencrypted HTTP communication during legitimate software update requests (Tencent QQ, WPS Office, Sogou Pinyin), from a different typical supply-chain compromise. The mechanism enabling this interception remains unknown, with speculation that it may involve implants in the target’s network, potentially on vulnerable appliances like routers or gateways.
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