APT SideWinder, also called Rattlesnake, Razor Tiger, and T-APT-04, is a nation-state superior persistent menace (APT) group lively since not less than 2012 and believed to originate from India.
Famous for concentrating on navy, authorities, and strategic enterprise entities, significantly in South Asia, SideWinder’s operational footprint has lately expanded to vital infrastructure within the Center East and Africa.
Who’s APT SideWinder?
SideWinder is distinguished by its persistent and adaptive cyber-espionage operations. The group’s main motives revolve round intelligence gathering concentrating on nationwide protection, diplomatic, monetary, maritime, and nuclear sectors.
Alias NamesSuspected CountryYears ActiveFocus RegionsTypical VictimsRattlesnake,T-APT-04,Razor Tiger,APT-C-17India2012–PresentSouth Asia, Center East, Africa, Southeast AsiaMilitary, Authorities, Maritime, Nuclear,Logistics, Telecom, Monetary Establishments
Latest campaigns point out an aggressive shift towards authorities, logistics, and particularly maritime infrastructure within the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
SideWinder—additionally tracked as APT-C-17, Razor Tiger, Rattlesnake, Child Elephant, Leafperforator, and T-APT-04—is suspected of working from India based mostly on persistent concentrate on Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, and different geopolitical rivals, plus linguistic and infrastructure clues.
SideWinder APT Milestones.
Major motivation: long-term political and navy intelligence gathering.
Typical victims: defence ministries, overseas affairs departments, armed-forces e-mail techniques, and, since 2024, maritime logistics operators and nuclear-power businesses.
Infrastructure depth: greater than 400 stay domains and tons of of sub-domains supporting obtain websites, C2 nodes, and phishing portals at any given time.
Overview of APT SideWinder
Operational Method
SideWinder orchestrates well-planned spear-phishing campaigns, leveraging geo-fenced payloads and regionally tailor-made lures. Exploitation of legacy Microsoft Workplace vulnerabilities (notably CVE-2017-11882, CVE-2017-0199) is a trademark of its campaigns.
The group makes use of refined multi-stage loader supply mechanisms, continuously deploying obfuscated JavaScript, malicious Workplace paperwork, and weaponized RTF/LNK information.
SideWinder Assault Chain
An infection Chain Diagram
An in depth diagram mapping SideWinder’s assault orchestration:
Victimology has expanded markedly since 2022, when Kaspersky logged over 1,000 SideWinder intrusions in 18 months. By 2025, the actor was concurrently operating campaigns in opposition to port authorities in Egypt, logistics corporations in Djibouti, and nuclear-power regulators in South Asia.
Analyzing SideWinder’s Techniques, Methods, and Procedures (TTPs)
SideWinder’s TTPs are mapped comprehensively to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, leveraging a mixture of fileless, modular payloads, doc exploitation, and C2 sophistication.
1. Preliminary Entry
Spear-phishing emails: Weaponized Workplace paperwork or ZIP information, tailor-made to particular person organizations and areas, typically with geofenced supply.
Exploitation: Distant template injection triggers embedded exploit code for CVE-2017-0199 and CVE-2017-11882, leading to preliminary payload execution.
2. Execution, Persistence, and Evasion
Multi-Stage Loaders: Obfuscated JavaScript/.NET, leveraging shellcode-based loaders to obtain modular implants like StealerBot and WarHawk backdoor.
DLL Facet-Loading: Hijacking legit system binaries for stealthy execution.
Fileless Malware: Implants loaded instantly into reminiscence (RAM-resident) to evade disk-based detection.
3. Command and Management (C2)
Infrastructure: 400+ domains, dynamic subdomains, HTTPS-encrypted communications, Telegram for information exfiltration, periodic infrastructure adjustments for detection evasion.
4. Submit-Exploitation Modules
StealerBot: Modular espionage software offering keystroke logging, screenshot seize, credential harvesting, information exfiltration, persistent entry, and secondary malware deployment.
WarHawk Backdoor: Superior loader with kernel-level injection, time zone checks, and devoted modules for obtain/execute, command execution, and file exfiltration.
5. Lateral Motion
Credential Harvesting: RDP, browser credentials, and entry escalation to adjoining techniques.
Fast Adaptation: SideWinder modifies malware inside hours post-detection, alters file and infrastructure naming for persistence.
MITRE ATT&CK StageExample Methods (IDs)SideWinder ImplementationInitial AccessPhishing (T1566.001), Exploit Public-Dealing with App (T1190)Focused spear-phishing, doc exploitsExecutionUser Execution (T1204.002), Scripting (T1059.007)Weaponized attachments, script loadersPersistenceDLL Facet-Loading (T1073), Fileless Malware (T1055.003)Facet-loaded binaries, RAM-resident implantsDefense EvasionObfuscated Information (T1027), Dynamic C2 (T1105)Obfuscated payloads, fast infrastructure changesCredential AccessCredential Dumping (T1003), Browser Credential Theft (T1555)StealerBot credential harvestingDiscoverySystem Data Discovery (T1082), Community Discovery (T1046)Recon modules post-compromiseCollection & ExfiltrationData Staged (T1074), Exfiltration to C2 (T1041)Knowledge theft, screenshots, exfil through HTTPS/TelegramCommand and ControlEncrypted C2 (T1071.001), Exterior Distant Providers (T1133)HTTPS/Tor, Telegram, customized protocolsImpact & Lateral MovementRemote Providers (T1021), Execution through API (T1106)Transfer inside community, keep persistent espionage
Notable Assaults and Campaigns
Actual-World Assault Examples
YearTarget/RegionAttack Vector & PayloadOutcome/Impact2013Indian Embassy, KabulPhishing with malicious DOC/RTFData exfiltration, diplomatic intelligence loss2015Pakistani Air ForceSpear-phishing, exploit chain, customized backdoor implantSensitive navy information exfiltrated2018Ukrainian Army WebsiteMalicious script, credential harvesting through data stealerTactical intelligence compromised2024Sri Lanka CB & Govt AgenciesGeofenced spear-phishing, Workplace exploit to StealerBotPersistent entry, monetary and authorities espionage2024Maritime Sector (Djibouti, Egypt)Phishing, compromised paperwork, agile infrastructure, StealerBot, WarHawkStrategic infrastructure mapping, logistics planning theft2025Pakistan Cupboard DivisionISO bundles, LNK, WarHawk backdoor, kernel injection, timezone checksCobalt Strike deployment, entry maintained in native time zone
APT SideWinder exemplifies a contemporary, adaptive, and regionally efficient cyber espionage menace. By constantly enhancing its toolkit (e.g., StealerBot, WarHawk), leveraging fileless persistence, and concentrating on geopolitical pursuits, SideWinder stays a persistent threat for presidency, protection, maritime, and monetary sectors throughout Eurasia and Africa.
Major motivation: long-term political and navy intelligence gathering.
Typical victims: defence ministries, overseas affairs departments, armed-forces e-mail techniques, and, since 2024, maritime logistics operators and nuclear-power businesses.
Infrastructure depth: greater than 400 stay domains and tons of of sub-domains supporting obtain websites, C2 nodes, and phishing portals at any given time.
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