Threats Feed

Tortoiseshell targeted military personnel and companies in the defense and aerospace industries, primarily in the United States and, to a lesser extent, the UK and Europe. The group used social engineering, phishing, and custom malware tools, including Syskit and a Liderc-like reconnaissance tool, to compromise and profile victims' systems. The campaign involved fake online personas, spoofed domains, and outsourced malware development to Tehran-based IT company Mahak Rayan Afraz (MRA), which has ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Tortoiseshell deployed a fake website targeting U.S. military veterans seeking jobs. The site tricked users into downloading a malicious app that served as a malware downloader, deploying spying tools and other malware. The fake website had users download a fake installer, which downloaded two binaries: a reconnaissance tool and a Remote Administrative Tool (RAT). The reconnaissance tool collected extensive information about the victim's machine, while the RAT allowed further remote control.