Chinese State-Sponsored Cyber Threat Groups Target African Organizations

One sentence summary – Chinese state-sponsored cyber threat groups have been actively targeting telecommunications, financial, and government organizations in Africa, with the primary objective of gaining internal business knowledge that could be used for negotiations, competitive advantage, or intelligence collection purposes, according to cybersecurity firm SentinelOne.

At a glance

• Chinese state-sponsored cyber threat groups are targeting telecommunications, financial, and government organizations in Africa.
• A specific Chinese cyberespionage group is targeting a North African telecommunications organization.
• The primary objective of these threat actors is to gain internal business knowledge for negotiations, competitive advantage, or intelligence collection.
• China-linked APT group BackdoorDiplomacy has been targeting African entities, particularly the Kenyan government.
• Other China-linked threat actors, such as FamousSparrow and Earth Estries, have also been observed targeting Africa.

The details

Chinese state-sponsored cyber threat groups have been actively targeting telecommunications, financial, and government organizations in Africa, according to cybersecurity firm SentinelOne.

The firm has identified a Chinese cyberespionage group specifically targeting a North African telecommunications organization.

The timing of these activities aligns with China’s interests in expanding its telecommunication soft power in Africa.

The primary objective of these threat actors is to gain internal business knowledge.

This knowledge could potentially be used for negotiations, to achieve a competitive advantage, or to maintain technical access for intelligence collection purposes.

SentinelOne has been closely monitoring a China-linked Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group named BackdoorDiplomacy.

BackdoorDiplomacy has been targeting African entities for several years.

This group has shown particular interest in the Kenyan government.

The interest could potentially be to gather information related to debt owed to China.

BackdoorDiplomacy has also orchestrated major cyberespionage campaigns across various African countries.

These countries include South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, and Ethiopia.

Other China-linked threat actors, such as FamousSparrow and Earth Estries, have also been observed targeting Africa.

China’s investments in Africa’s telecommunications sector have created a significant dependence on Chinese technology.

This strategic approach allows China to shape policies and narratives in alignment with its geostrategic ambitions for Africa’s digital evolution.

The targeted intrusions conducted by BackdoorDiplomacy, along with the threat group behind Operation Tainted Love, further support China’s agendas in Africa.

It is crucial to remain vigilant and enhance cybersecurity measures to protect African telecommunications, financial, and government sectors against these persistent threats.

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