Mustang Panda Adds Signed Windows Rootkit to CoolClient Backdoor for Stealth

The threat actor known as HoneyMyteaka Mustang Panda has been observed deploying an updated version of the CoolClient backdoor with a signed Windows kernel-mode rootkit that can hide and protect malicious processes, files, registry objects, and command-and-control C2 network information. Russian...

APT group HoneyMyte upgrades CoolClient: the backdoor gets a kernel-level Windows rootkit

Introduction CoolClient is a backdoor family attributed to the HoneyMyte APT group also known as Mustang Panda that has been used in their cyber-espionage campaigns targeting organizations across Asia and Russia. It supports such capabilities as keylogging, clipboard theft, credential harvesting,...

Mustang Panda Deploys Updated COOLCLIENT Backdoor in Government Cyber Attacks

Threat actors with ties to China have been observed using an updated version of a backdoor called COOLCLIENT in cyber espionage attacks in 2025 to facilitate comprehensive data theft from infected endpoints. The activity has been attributed to Mustang Panda aka Earth Preta, Fireant, HoneyMyte,...

HoneyMyte updates CoolClient and deploys multiple stealers in recent campaigns

Over the past few years, we've been observing and monitoring the espionage activities of HoneyMyte aka Mustang Panda or Bronze President within Asia and Europe, with the Southeast Asia region being the most affected. The primary targets of most of the group's campaigns were government entities. A...