Naikon
Overview
Naikon is assessed to be a state-sponsored cyber espionage group attributed to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Chengdu Military Region Second Technical Reconnaissance Bureau (Military Unit Cover Designator 78020). Active since at least 2010, Naikon has primarily conducted operations against government, military, and civil organizations in Southeast Asia, as well as against international bodies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). While Naikon shares some characteristics with APT30, the two groups do not appear to be exact matches.
Naming & attribution
It uses 14 documented ATT&CK techniques — more than 40% of the 174 groups tracked here. Activity attributed since at least 2010.
| Name | First reported by |
|---|---|
| Naikon | Baumgartner, K., Golovkin, M. |
Distinctive techniques
Techniques this group uses that are rare across the other 173 tracked groups — these carry more signal than the near-universal ones.
T1137.006Add-ins — used by 1 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.
- SideCopy Pakistan — 6 shared techniques (25% overlap)
- RTM Russia — 4 shared techniques (24% overlap)
- Higaisa South Korea — 7 shared techniques (20% overlap)
- TA2541 — 7 shared techniques (20% overlap)
- Sidewinder India — 7 shared techniques (19% overlap)
- Darkhotel South Korea — 6 shared techniques (19% overlap)
Targets
Government · Private sector
Regions
Cambodia · China · India · Indonesia · Laos · Malaysia · Myanmar · Philippines · Saudi Arabia · Singapore · South Korea · Thailand · United States · Vietnam
Capabilities
- Custom malware/implant development — ATT&CK: 8 attributed custom malware families
TTPs — 14 techniques across 5 tactics
Initial Access
T1566.001Spearphishing Attachment
Execution
T1047Windows Management InstrumentationT1053.005Scheduled TaskT1204.002Malicious File
Persistence
T1137.006Add-insT1547.001Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder
Stealth
T1036.004Masquerade Task or ServiceT1036.005Match Legitimate Resource Name or LocationT1078.002Domain AccountsT1574.001DLL
Discovery
Tools & malware (15)
ftp · Net · Ping · netsh · WinMM · Systeminfo · RainyDay · Nebulae · RARSTONE · HDoor · Sys10 · SslMM · PsExec · Tasklist · Aria-body
Reporting (3)
- (2015, September 23). Project CameraShy: Closing the Aperture on China's Unit 78020 — ThreatConnect Inc. and Defense Group Inc
- The Naikon APT — Baumgartner, K., Golovkin, M.
- The MsnMM Campaigns: The Earliest Naikon APT Campaigns — Baumgartner, K., Golovkin, M.