Cyber Shenanigans: How China’s Houken Hackers Hilariously Outfoxed French Cybersecurity
France’s ANSSI has unmasked Houken, a cyber campaign with a flair for drama. Exploiting Ivanti vulnerabilities, this moderately sophisticated operation leaps into French networks like a digital acrobat. With zero-day exploits and command-and-control servers, Houken’s antics are a mix of clumsy and cunning, driven by a likely Chinese origin.
Hot Take:
Move over, Sherlock Holmes; France’s ANSSI is on the case, unraveling cyber mysteries like it’s no big deal. With a name like Houken, you’d think they were dealing with a vintage arcade game, but this cyber intrusion is less about dodging pixelated ghosts and more about outsmarting cyber ninjas.
Key Points:
- ANSSI detected a cyber intrusion called “Houken” targeting French organizations, potentially linked to China’s MSS.
- The campaign utilizes zero-day exploits, open-source tools, and sophisticated rootkits.
- Vulnerabilities in Ivanti Cloud Service Appliance were exploited for initial access and lateral movement.
- Houken’s infrastructure uses commercial VPNs and dedicated servers for anonymity.
- The threat actor’s time zone aligns with China Standard Time, hinting at geographical origin.
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