HOPLIGHT

MITRE ATT&CK: S0376 View on attack.mitre.org

Aliases: HANGMAN, HOPLIGHT

First seen
2019-04-10 00:00:00
Malware type
trojan, backdoor
Family
Malware family
Operating systems
windows
Profile updated
2026-07-07 13:03:33

Targeted industries: government-and-public-sector energy-and-utilities financial-services

Targeted regions: country_code:us country_code:kr

Context

HOPLIGHT is a backdoor Trojan that has reportedly been used by the North Korean government.

Detection coverage

  • 1 YARA rules
  • 438 Sigma rules

Malware & tools used

  • Device Driver Discovery (attack-pattern)
  • Modify Registry (attack-pattern)
  • Fallback Channels (attack-pattern)
  • Query Registry (attack-pattern)
  • Proxy (attack-pattern)
  • Non-Standard Port (attack-pattern)
  • Pass the Hash (attack-pattern)
  • Disable or Modify System Firewall (attack-pattern)
  • File and Directory Discovery (attack-pattern)
  • Security Account Manager (attack-pattern)
  • Windows Command Shell (attack-pattern)
  • Exfiltration Over C2 Channel (attack-pattern)
  • Standard Encoding (attack-pattern)
  • System Information Discovery (attack-pattern)
  • Windows Management Instrumentation Event Subscription (attack-pattern)
  • Service Execution (attack-pattern)
  • Local Storage Discovery (attack-pattern)
  • Ingress Tool Transfer (attack-pattern)
  • Windows Management Instrumentation (attack-pattern)
  • System Time Discovery (attack-pattern)
  • Process Injection (attack-pattern)

Used by threat actors

Detection rules

  • MALPEDIA_Win_Hoplight_Auto (yara-rule)

Reports & references

  • Kaspersky — 91897 (report)
  • us-cert.gov — Ar19 100A (report)
  • ti.qianxin.com — Cb78386A082F465F259B37Dae5Df4884 (report)
  • blog.lexfo.fr — Lexfo Whitepaper The Lazarus Constellation (report)
  • labs.sentinelone.com — Dprk Hidden Cobra Update North Korean Malicious Cyber Activity (report)
  • secureworks.com — Nickel Academy (report)
  • malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de — Win.Hoplight (report)
  • us-cert.gov — Ar20 045G (report)
  • us-cert.gov — Ar19 304A (report)
  • researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com — Unit42 Blockbuster Saga Continues (report)
  • Mandiant — Fireeye Hwp Zeroday (report)
  • computing.co.uk — Lazarus Rises Warning Over New Hoplight Malware Linked With North Korea (report)
  • MITRE ATT&CK — S0376 (report)

External references