Cozy Bear Strikes Again: APT29’s Comedic Twist on Rogue RDP Attacks!
APT29, the Russia-linked cyber group, has taken a page from red team playbooks, using rogue RDP attacks to infiltrate systems. Their October 2024 campaign involved spear-phishing emails and malicious RDP files, turning victims’ machines into data-exfiltrating puppets. Talk about a bad case of remote desktop drama!

Hot Take:
When your online antics start resembling a game of Russian nesting dolls, it might be time to rethink your life’s choices. APT29 isn’t just playing hide-and-seek, they’re holding the world ransom with a rogue RDP relay. It’s like they’ve taken the red pill and dabbled in the dark arts of cybersecurity, turning every unsuspecting click into an odyssey of espionage. Seriously, if they were any more stealthy, they’d be invisible. But hey, at least they’re consistent!
Key Points:
- APT29, also known by a plethora of other names, is using rogue RDP attacks to target sensitive entities.
- The group employs tools commonly used by red teams, but with malicious intent.
- Phishing emails are used to distribute malicious RDP configuration files, granting attackers partial control of victims’ machines.
- The attack technique includes a MITM proxy with the PyRDP tool, effectively redirecting connections to rogue servers.
- Heavily anonymized, the group uses VPNs, TOR, and proxies to mask their digital footprints.