Kill Chain & Diamond Model Analysis

Map a threat actor or campaign across the Cyber Kill Chain and Diamond Model of Intrusion.

Saved analyses

china-nexus (threat actor)

Risk

Critical

40 techniques 50 tools/malware 18 vulnerabilities 40 IOCs 6/7 stages covered Deepest: Actions on Objectives

1 Reconnaissance

No data

›

2 Weaponization

T1587

Develop Capabilities resource development

T1588

Obtain Capabilities resource development

›

3 Delivery

T1190

Exploit Public-Facing Application initial access

›

4 Exploitation

T1059

Command and Scripting Interpreter execution

T1203

Exploitation for Client Execution execution

T1675

ESXi Administration Command execution

T1068

Exploitation for Privilege Escalation privilege escalation

T1548

Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism privilege escalation

CVE CVE-2022-22948

CVE CVE-2022-41328

CVE CVE-2022-42475

CVE CVE-2023-20867

CVE CVE-2023-34048

CVE CVE-2023-46747

CVE CVE-2023-46805

CVE CVE-2024-1709

CVE CVE-2024-21887

CVE CVE-2024-21893

CVE CVE-2024-8190

CVE CVE-2024-8963

CVE CVE-2025-0994

CVE CVE-2025-20333

CVE CVE-2025-20362

CVE CVE-2025-21590

CVE CVE-2025-4427

CVE CVE-2025-4428

›

5 Installation

T1003

OS Credential Dumping credential access

T1040

Network Sniffing credential access

T1212

Exploitation for Credential Access credential access

T1555

Credentials from Password Stores credential access

T1082

System Information Discovery discovery

T1083

File and Directory Discovery discovery

T1037

Boot or Logon Initialization Scripts persistence

T1505

Server Software Component persistence

T1554

Compromise Host Software Binary persistence

›

6 Command & Control

T1074

Data Staged collection

T1560

Archive Collected Data collection

T1008

Fallback Channels command and control

T1090.003

Multi-hop Proxy command and control

T1095

Non-Application Layer Protocol command and control

T1104

Multi-Stage Channels command and control

T1105

Ingress Tool Transfer command and control

T1572

Protocol Tunneling command and control

T1573

Encrypted Channel command and control

T1021

Remote Services lateral movement

T1570

Lateral Tool Transfer lateral movement

›

7 Actions on Objectives

T1685

Disable or Modify Tools defense impairment

T1686

Disable or Modify System Firewall defense impairment

T1041

Exfiltration Over C2 Channel exfiltration

T1027

Obfuscated Files or Information stealth

T1036

Masquerading stealth

T1055

Process Injection stealth

T1070

Indicator Removal stealth

T1078

Valid Accounts stealth

T1140

Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information stealth

T1205

Traffic Signaling stealth

T1218.001

Compiled HTML File stealth

T1564

Hide Artifacts stealth

Stage risk: Critical High Medium None

Tools & Malware (50)

AppSov.exe Backdoor malware Backdoors C2 infrastructure CloudSorcerer v3 Custom backdoors Custom malware DracuLoader Explorer FINALDRAFT FRAMESTING GLASSTOKEN GOREshell GitHub Global Impacket LIGHTWIRE Medusa NetDraft Nexus Nimbo-C2 Payload Payload PlugX PlugX Backdoor PowerShell Python scripts REPTILE REPTILE rootkit Reverse_SSH Rootkit Rundll32 SNAPPYBEE SNOWLIGHT STOP STOWAWAY ScatterBrain SentinelOne ShadowPad TINYSHELL backdoor UAT-8302 VShell Web Shells Windows Command Shell YARA ZingDoor curl ipconfig schtasks systemd

Indicators of Compromise (40)

Domain

Shelter.ex updata.dsqurey.com log.bak syslog.conf Win.Malware.Snappybee Win.Malware.Netdraft Win.Malware.Agent downloads.trendav.vip +9 more

Filename

glib-2.0.dll VGAuthService.exe curl.exe ShellFolderDepend.dll PfSvc.exe ShellFolder.exe AppSov.exe 20-48.pdf.lnk +9 more

IPv4 Address

142.93.214.219 85.209.156.3 45.13.199.209 103.248.61.36 65.38.120.110 107.173.111.26

ATT&CK Tactic Coverage

Reconnaissance Resource Development Initial Access Execution Persistence Privilege Escalation Defense Evasion Credential Access Discovery Lateral Movement Collection Command & Control Exfiltration Impact

Recommended Mitigations

38 MITRE ATT&CK mitigations cover detected techniques

Browse all →

Weaponization (1)

M1056 Pre-compromise

Delivery (8)

M1016 Vulnerability Scanning M1026 Privileged Account Management M1030 Network Segmentation M1035 Limit Access to Resource Over Network M1037 Filter Network Traffic +3 more

Exploitation (17)

M1018 User Account Management M1019 Threat Intelligence Program M1021 Restrict Web-Based Content M1022 Restrict File and Directory Permissions M1026 Privileged Account Management +12 more

Installation (23)

M1013 Application Developer Guidance M1015 Active Directory Configuration M1017 User Training M1018 User Account Management M1019 Threat Intelligence Program +18 more

Command & Control (10)

M1018 User Account Management M1020 SSL/TLS Inspection M1027 Password Policies M1030 Network Segmentation M1031 Network Intrusion Prevention +5 more

Actions on Objectives (24)

M1013 Application Developer Guidance M1015 Active Directory Configuration M1017 User Training M1018 User Account Management M1021 Restrict Web-Based Content +19 more

Detection Coverage

40 strategies

6/7 stages covered

Weaponization (2)

DET0850 Detection of Obtain Capabilities DET0853 Detection of Develop Capabilities

Delivery (1)

DET0080 Exploit Public-Facing Application – mult...

Exploitation (5)

DET0232 Detection Strategy for ESXi Administrati... DET0287 Exploitation for Client Execution – cros... DET0345 Detection Strategy for Abuse Elevation C... DET0514 Detection Strategy for Exploitation for... DET0516 Behavioral Detection of Command and Scri...

Installation (9)

DET0112 Boot or Logon Initialization Scripts Det... DET0174 Detection Strategy for Exploitation for... DET0234 Credential Dumping via Sensitive Memory... DET0314 Detection Strategy for Network Sniffing... DET0336 Detect Compromise of Host Software Binar... +4 more

Command & Control (11)

DET0014 Detection of Data Staging Prior to Exfil... DET0060 Detect Ingress Tool Transfers via Behavi... DET0183 Detection Strategy for Lateral Tool Tran... DET0228 Detect Multi-Stage Command and Control C... DET0269 Behavioral Detection Strategy for Remote... +6 more

Actions on Objectives (12)

DET0127 Behavioral Detection of Masquerading Acr... DET0145 Detection of Disabled or Modified System... DET0184 Behavioral Detection of Indicator Remova... DET0275 Detect Adversary Deobfuscation or Decodi... DET0342 Detection of Suspicious Compiled HTML Fi... +7 more

Diamond Model of Intrusion

Adversary · Capability · Infrastructure · Victim

Completeness

4/4

Adversary

Confidence

55%

china-nexus

Type: Unknown Active

LuckyMouse tracked as 2026 EmissaryPanda UNC5174 by Mandiant +4 more

Infrastructure 23 IOC(s)

50%

Domain

Shelter.ex updata.dsqurey.com log.bak syslog.conf Win.Malware.Snappybee +12

IPv4 Address

142.93.214.219 85.209.156.3 45.13.199.209 103.248.61.36 65.38.120.110 +1

Artifacts (17)

glib-2.0.dll VGAuthService.exe curl.exe ShellFolderDepend.dll PfSvc.exe ShellFolder.exe +11

Capability

50%

40 technique(s) 50 tool(s)/malware 18 CVE(s)

AppSov.exe Backdoor malware Backdoors C2 infrastructure CloudSorcerer v3 Custom backdoors Custom malware DracuLoader +42

collection

T1074 T1560

command and control

T1008 T1090.003 T1095 T1104 +3

credential access

T1003 T1040 T1212 T1555

defense impairment

T1685 T1686

Victim

70%

Targeted Sectors

government telecommunications defense media financial-services information-technology transportation manufacturing critical-infrastructure aviation energy healthcare maritime aerospace

Targeted Countries

CN US JP IN BR AU KP

Diamond Model Meta-Features

Phase

Actions on Objectives

Result

Active

Direction

Adversary → Infrastructure → Victim

Methodology

Unknown

Adversary → Capability

Adversary → Infrastructure

Capability → Victim

Infrastructure → Victim

Diamond Model edges

Activity Threads Kill chain phase → Diamond Model event mapping

2 Weaponization

Capability (Techniques)

T1587 T1588

Capability (Malware)

AppSov.exe Backdoor malware Backdoors

Infrastructure

Shelter.ex updata.dsqurey.com log.bak

3 Delivery

Capability (Techniques)

T1190

Capability (Malware)

AppSov.exe Backdoor malware Backdoors

Infrastructure

Shelter.ex updata.dsqurey.com log.bak

4 Exploitation

Capability (Techniques)

T1059 T1203 T1675 T1068 T1548

Capability (Malware)

AppSov.exe Backdoor malware Backdoors

Infrastructure

Shelter.ex updata.dsqurey.com log.bak

5 Installation

Capability (Techniques)

T1003 T1040 T1212 T1555 T1082

Capability (Malware)

AppSov.exe Backdoor malware Backdoors

Infrastructure

Shelter.ex updata.dsqurey.com log.bak

6 Command & Control

Capability (Techniques)

T1074 T1560 T1008 T1090.003 T1095

Capability (Malware)

AppSov.exe Backdoor malware Backdoors

Infrastructure

Shelter.ex updata.dsqurey.com log.bak

7 Actions on Objectives

Capability (Techniques)

T1041

Capability (Malware)

AppSov.exe Backdoor malware Backdoors

Infrastructure

Shelter.ex updata.dsqurey.com log.bak