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Malware Analysis Report (AR19-100A) MAR-10135536-8 – North Korean Trojan: HOPLIGHT MAR-10135536.r8.v1

Low
Published: Wed Apr 03 2019 (04/03/2019, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: CIRCL
Vendor/Project: tlp
Product: white

Description

Malware Analysis Report (AR19-100A) MAR-10135536-8 – North Korean Trojan: HOPLIGHT MAR-10135536.r8.v1

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 07/02/2025, 10:12:31 UTC

Technical Analysis

The provided information concerns a malware analysis report identified as AR19-100A, focusing on a North Korean Trojan named HOPLIGHT. This Trojan is attributed to the Lazarus Group, a well-known North Korean state-sponsored threat actor, also referenced under the threat actor name 'Covellite'. The Lazarus Group is recognized for conducting cyber espionage, financial theft, and disruptive cyber operations globally. HOPLIGHT is categorized as a Trojan, which typically implies malicious software designed to provide unauthorized access or control over infected systems. However, the report indicates a low severity level and a 50% certainty rating, suggesting that the intelligence about this malware is not fully confirmed or its impact is limited. There are no affected software versions or specific vulnerabilities listed, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported. The technical details mention a threat level of 3 and an analysis rating of 2, which may correspond to internal scoring metrics but are not elaborated upon. The absence of indicators of compromise (IOCs) and patch links further limits detailed technical insight. Given the association with the Lazarus Group, HOPLIGHT likely serves espionage or reconnaissance purposes, potentially targeting specific organizations or sectors. The lack of widespread exploitation or detailed technical data suggests this Trojan may be in a limited deployment phase or used in highly targeted campaigns rather than broad attacks.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the presence of a Trojan linked to the Lazarus Group represents a potential risk primarily in the context of espionage, intellectual property theft, or disruption. Although the reported severity is low and no active exploits are known, the Trojan could be used to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems, leading to confidentiality breaches. The impact on integrity and availability appears limited based on current information. European entities in sectors such as finance, defense, critical infrastructure, and government are typically high-value targets for North Korean threat actors. Even with low current activity, the Trojan's deployment could facilitate persistent access or data exfiltration if successfully installed. The uncertainty and limited data necessitate vigilance, as the threat actor's capabilities and intent are significant. The low severity rating suggests that immediate widespread impact is unlikely, but targeted attacks could still cause localized damage or intelligence loss.

Mitigation Recommendations

Given the limited technical details, mitigation should focus on enhancing detection and prevention capabilities against Trojan malware generally attributed to advanced persistent threat (APT) actors like Lazarus Group. European organizations should implement advanced endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying suspicious behaviors associated with Trojans. Network segmentation and strict access controls can limit lateral movement if an infection occurs. Regular threat intelligence updates and sharing within trusted communities can help identify emerging indicators related to HOPLIGHT. Organizations should conduct thorough monitoring for unusual outbound connections or data exfiltration attempts. Employee awareness training to recognize phishing or social engineering attempts, which are common infection vectors for Trojans, is critical. Additionally, organizations should ensure all systems are up to date with the latest security patches, even though no specific patches are linked to this Trojan, to reduce the attack surface. Incident response plans should be reviewed and tested to prepare for potential targeted intrusions by sophisticated actors.

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Technical Details

Threat Level
3
Analysis
2
Original Timestamp
1631185208

Threat ID: 682acdbdbbaf20d303f0bfac

Added to database: 5/19/2025, 6:20:45 AM

Last enriched: 7/2/2025, 10:12:31 AM

Last updated: 7/27/2025, 11:19:44 PM

Views: 11

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