Patchwork

Overview

Patchwork is a cyber espionage group that was first observed in December 2015. While the group has not been definitively attributed, circumstantial evidence suggests the group may be a pro-Indian or Indian entity. Patchwork has been seen targeting industries related to diplomatic and government agencies. Much of the code used by this group was copied and pasted from online forums. Patchwork was also seen operating spearphishing campaigns targeting U.S. think tank groups in March and April of 2018.

Naming & attribution

Patchwork is tracked under 6 names across the industry. It uses 41 documented ATT&CK techniques — more than 76% of the 174 groups tracked here.

Distinctive techniques

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

• T1587.002 Code Signing Certificates — 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.

• Sidewinder India — 20 shared techniques (39% overlap)
• BRONZE BUTLER China — 20 shared techniques (33% overlap)
• Cobalt Group — 18 shared techniques (32% overlap)
• APT3 China — 19 shared techniques (29% overlap)
• MuddyWater Iran — 24 shared techniques (28% overlap)
• Silence — 15 shared techniques (28% overlap)

Targets

Diplomacy · Finance · Government · Military · Private sector · Security Service

Regions

Bangladesh · Germany · Pakistan · Sri Lanka

Capabilities

• Exploitation of public-facing / client applications — ATT&CK T1203
• Custom malware/implant development — ATT&CK: 6 attributed custom malware families

TTPs — 41 techniques across 13 tactics

Tools & malware (8)

NDiskMonitor · QuasarRAT · BackConfig · TINYTYPHON · AutoIt backdoor · PowerSploit · BADNEWS · Unknown Logger

Reporting (3)

• Updated BackConfig Malware Targeting Government and Military Organizations in South Asia — Hinchliffe, A. and Falcone, R
• Patchwork APT Group Targets US Think Tanks — Meltzer, M, et al
• Patchwork Continues to Deliver BADNEWS to the Indian Subcontinent — Levene, B. et al.