OilRig's Cyber Tactics: Targeting Middle East Sectors with Stealthy Attacks

OilRig (APT34) has targeted the government, technology and energy sectors across the Middle East. Its operations include spearphishing campaigns, PowerShell-based backdoors (Helminth, QUADAGENT), and exploitation of vulnerabilities such as CVE-2024-30088. The group relies on obfuscation techniques to evade detection and uses tools such as STEALHOOK for privilege escalation, lateral movement and data exfiltration. Key targets include Saudi Arabian organisations and Middle Eastern government agencies, highlighting OilRig's focus on geopolitical intelligence gathering. The campaigns demonstrate advanced persistence, stealth and adaptability in line with state-sponsored objectives.