APT39

Overview

APT39 is one of several names for cyber espionage activity conducted by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) through the front company Rana Intelligence Computing since at least 2014. APT39 has primarily targeted the travel, hospitality, academic, and telecommunications industries in Iran and across Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America to track individuals and entities considered to be a threat by the MOIS.

Naming & attribution

APT39 is tracked under 4 names across the industry. It uses 53 documented ATT&CK techniques — more than 84% of the 174 groups tracked here. Activity attributed since at least 2014.

Distinctive techniques

Techniques this group uses that are rare across the other 173 tracked groups — these carry more signal than the near-universal ones.

• T1059.010 AutoHotKey & AutoIT — used by 1 of 174 groups
• T1546.010 AppInit DLLs — used by 1 of 174 groups
• T1553.006 Code Signing Policy Modification — used by 2 of 174 groups
• T1056 Input Capture — used by 3 of 174 groups

Closest groups by technique overlap

Computed from shared ATT&CK techniques. Overlap is not attribution — distinct actors converge on the same tradecraft — but a high share is a useful pivot.

• OilRig Iran — 30 shared techniques (30% overlap)
• APT41 China — 30 shared techniques (29% overlap)
• FIN13 — 24 shared techniques (29% overlap)
• menuPass China — 22 shared techniques (29% overlap)
• Fox Kitten Iran — 21 shared techniques (29% overlap)
• Dragonfly Russia — 24 shared techniques (28% overlap)

Capabilities

• Exploitation of public-facing / client applications — ATT&CK T1190
• Custom malware/implant development — ATT&CK: 4 attributed custom malware families

TTPs — 53 techniques across 13 tactics

Tools & malware (11)

NBTscan · MechaFlounder · Remexi · CrackMapExec · pwdump · Mimikatz · Windows Credential Editor · Cadelspy · PsExec · ASPXSpy · ftp

Reporting (3)

• Treasury Sanctions Cyber Actors Backed by Iranian Intelligence — Dept. of Treasury
• Department of Justice and Partner Departments and Agencies Conduct Coordinated Actions to Disrupt and Deter Iranian Malicious Cyber Activities Targeting the United States and the Broader International Community — DOJ
• Indicators of Compromise Associated with Rana Intelligence Computing, also known as Advanced Persistent Threat 39, Chafer, Cadelspy, Remexi, and ITG07 — FBI