FBI Uses Malware’s Own ‘Self-Delete’ Trick to Erase Chinese PlugX From US Computers

FBI Uses Malware’s Own ‘Self-Delete’ Trick to Erase Chinese PlugX From US Computers
Summary: The FBI, in collaboration with French law enforcement and cybersecurity firm Sekoia.io, successfully utilized the self-delete feature of the PlugX malware to remove it from over 4,200 infected computers in the U.S. This operation targeted the Mustang Panda group, a hacking organization linked to the Chinese government, which has been using PlugX as a Remote Access Trojan since 2008.

Threat Actor: Mustang Panda | Mustang Panda
Victim: U.S. Computer Users | U.S. Computer Users

Keypoints :

  • FBI operation led to the deletion of PlugX malware from approximately 4,258 U.S.-based computers.
  • Investigators used court-approved access to a command-and-control server to send self-delete commands embedded in the malware.
  • Mustang Panda has been linked to numerous cyber operations targeting U.S. and international victims since at least 2014.

Source: https://www.securityweek.com/fbi-uses-malwares-own-self-delete-trick-to-erase-chinese-plugx-from-us-computers/