# COBALT KATANA: threat group profile

> COBALT KATANA is a threat group. Public reporting about it is still limited. This free profile brings together what is known about it, so you can judge the risk to you. It lists the other names the group goes by and links to every public report behind it.

Canonical page: https://www.edgeprotect.io/threat-actors/cobalt-katana
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.edgeprotect.io/) > [Threat groups](https://www.edgeprotect.io/threat-actors) > COBALT KATANA

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack techniques | 0 |
| Thought to operate from | Not known |
| Other names | 4 |
| Public reports | 2 |

## Who is COBALT KATANA?

COBALT KATANA is a threat group. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### Also known as

Hive0081 (IBM), SectorD01 (NHSC), xHunt campaign (Palo Alto), Hunter Serpens

Security companies each give the same group their own name, so one group can have many.

### What public reporting says

> COBALT KATANA has been active since at least March 2018, and it focuses many of its operations on organizations based in or associated with Kuwait. The group has targeted government, logistics, and shipping organizations. The threat actors gain initial access to targets using DNS hijacking, strategic web compromise with SMB forced authentication, and password brute force attacks. COBALT KATANA operates a custom platform referred to as the Sakabota Framework, also referred to as Sakabota Core, with a complimentary set of modular backdoors and accessory tools including Gon, Hisoka, Hisoka Netero, Killua, Diezen, and Eye. The group has implemented DNS tunnelling in its malware and malicious scripts and also operates the HyphenShell web shell to strengthen post-intrusion access. CTU researchers assess with moderate confidence that COBALT KATANA operates on behalf of Iran, and elements of its operations such as overlapping infrastructure, use of DNS hijacking, implementation of DNS-based C2 channels in malware and web shell security mechanisms suggest connections to COBALT GYPSY and COBALT EDGEWATER.

## Public reports about COBALT KATANA

- https://www.secureworks.com/research/threat-profiles/cobalt-katana
- https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/atoms/hunter-serpens/

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is COBALT KATANA?

COBALT KATANA is a threat group. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### How do I know if COBALT KATANA is a risk to my business?

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