Description

Microsoft has published an extensive report on Octo Tempest, an advanced threat actor fluent in English and specializing in data extortion and ransomware attacks. Since early 2022, Octo Tempest has significantly evolved its tactics, shifting from initial activities involving SIM swaps and the theft of cryptocurrency assets to a more diverse set of methods. These now include phishing, social engineering, mass password resets for customers of breached service providers, and data theft. Octo Tempest has targeted various sectors, including gaming, hospitality, retail, technology, financial services, and managed service providers. Notably, they have collaborated with the ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group to carry out ransomware attacks for data theft and encryption. Octo Tempest's attacks are characterized by a high level of organization and the use of advanced social engineering techniques to gain initial access. They frequently focus on technical administrators. Their tactics involve the deployment of remote monitoring software, phishing, credential acquisition, SMS phishing, SIM swapping, and even direct threats of violence. Once inside a system, they engage in activities such as reconnaissance, host and service enumeration, and the gathering of information for future intrusions. They utilize social engineering and self-service password resets to escalate privileges. Moreover, they have expanded their scope by targeting the accounts of security personnel to disable security features and products. Additionally, Octo Tempest employs tactics to maintain a low profile, including suppressing alerts and altering mailbox rules to eliminate potentially incriminating emails. They utilize a variety of open-source tools and Azure-based methods for remote access. When it comes to data exfiltration, they make use of Azure Data Factory and mimic legitimate Microsoft 365 backup solutions. Detecting Octo Tempest's presence is a formidable challenge due to their use of social engineering and a diverse toolkit. Microsoft advises maintaining a vigilant watch over identity-related processes, Azure environments, and endpoints to spot any malicious activity. Octo Tempest is primarily motivated by financial gains, involving the theft of cryptocurrencies, data extortion, and ransom demands.