Threat Actor Profile
Description
Darkhotel is a suspected South Korean threat group that has targeted victims primarily in East Asia since at least 2004. The group's name is based on cyber espionage operations conducted via hotel Internet networks against traveling executives and other select guests. Darkhotel has also conducted spearphishing campaigns and infected victims through peer-to-peer and file sharing networks.(Citation: Kaspersky Darkhotel)(Citation: Securelist Darkhotel Aug 2015)(Citation: Microsoft Digital Defense FY20 Sept 2020)
Confidence Score
Known Aliases
Tags
First Seen
Unknown
Last Updated
Unknown
Active Status
ActiveCreated
April 29, 2026
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (24)
Indicators of Compromise
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IOC KQL for Sentinel
STIX Data
{'aliases': ['Darkhotel', 'DUBNIUM', 'Zigzag Hail'],
'created': '2017-05-31T21:31:50.624Z',
'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'description': '[Darkhotel](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0012) is a '
'suspected South Korean threat group that has targeted victims '
"primarily in East Asia since at least 2004. The group's name "
'is based on cyber espionage operations conducted via hotel '
'Internet networks against traveling executives and other '
'select guests. '
'[Darkhotel](https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0012) has also '
'conducted spearphishing campaigns and infected victims '
'through peer-to-peer and file sharing networks.(Citation: '
'Kaspersky Darkhotel)(Citation: Securelist Darkhotel Aug '
'2015)(Citation: Microsoft Digital Defense FY20 Sept 2020)',
'external_references': [{'external_id': 'G0012',
'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G0012'},
{'description': '(Citation: Kaspersky Darkhotel)',
'source_name': 'Darkhotel'},
{'description': '(Citation: Microsoft Digital Defense '
'FY20 Sept 2020)(Citation: Microsoft '
'DUBNIUM June 2016)(Citation: '
'Microsoft DUBNIUM Flash June '
'2016)(Citation: Microsoft DUBNIUM '
'July 2016)',
'source_name': 'DUBNIUM'},
{'description': '(Citation: Microsoft Threat Actor '
'Naming July 2023)',
'source_name': 'Zigzag Hail'},
{'description': "Kaspersky Lab's Global Research & "
'Analysis Team. (2015, August 10). '
"Darkhotel's attacks in 2015. "
'Retrieved November 2, 2018.',
'source_name': 'Securelist Darkhotel Aug 2015',
'url': 'https://securelist.com/darkhotels-attacks-in-2015/71713/'},
{'description': "Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and "
'Analysis Team. (2014, November). The '
'Darkhotel APT A Story of Unusual '
'Hospitality. Retrieved November 12, '
'2014.',
'source_name': 'Kaspersky Darkhotel',
'url': 'https://media.kasperskycontenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2018/03/08070903/darkhotel_kl_07.11.pdf'},
{'description': 'Microsoft . (2020, September 29). '
'Microsoft Digital Defense Report '
'FY20. Retrieved April 21, 2021.',
'source_name': 'Microsoft Digital Defense FY20 Sept '
'2020',
'url': 'https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RWxPuf'},
{'description': 'Microsoft . (2023, July 12). How '
'Microsoft names threat actors. '
'Retrieved November 17, 2023.',
'source_name': 'Microsoft Threat Actor Naming July '
'2023',
'url': 'https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/intelligence/microsoft-threat-actor-naming?view=o365-worldwide'},
{'description': 'Microsoft. (2016, July 14). Reverse '
'engineering DUBNIUM – Stage 2 '
'payload analysis . Retrieved March '
'31, 2021.',
'source_name': 'Microsoft DUBNIUM July 2016',
'url': 'https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2016/07/14/reverse-engineering-dubnium-stage-2-payload-analysis/'},
{'description': 'Microsoft. (2016, June 20). '
'Reverse-engineering DUBNIUM’s '
'Flash-targeting exploit. Retrieved '
'March 31, 2021.',
'source_name': 'Microsoft DUBNIUM Flash June 2016',
'url': 'https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2016/06/20/reverse-engineering-dubniums-flash-targeting-exploit/'},
{'description': 'Microsoft. (2016, June 9). '
'Reverse-engineering DUBNIUM. '
'Retrieved March 31, 2021.',
'source_name': 'Microsoft DUBNIUM June 2016',
'url': 'https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2016/06/09/reverse-engineering-dubnium-2/'}],
'id': 'intrusion-set--9e729a7e-0dd6-4097-95bf-db8d64911383',
'modified': '2024-01-08T20:27:56.707Z',
'name': 'Darkhotel',
'object_marking_refs': ['marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168'],
'revoked': False,
'spec_version': '2.1',
'type': 'intrusion-set',
'x_mitre_attack_spec_version': '3.2.0',
'x_mitre_contributors': ['Harry Kim, CODEMIZE'],
'x_mitre_deprecated': False,
'x_mitre_domains': ['enterprise-attack'],
'x_mitre_modified_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'x_mitre_version': '3.0'}