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Operation Crimson Palace: Chinese State-Sponsored Espionage, Expands in Southeast Asia – Sophos Report Finds
Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, on Tuesday released its report, “Crimson Palace: New Tools, Tactics, Targets,” which details the latest developments in a nearly two-year long Chinese cyberespionage campaign in Southeast Asia.
Sophos X-Ops first reported on what they named Operation Crimson Palace in June and detailed Sophos X-Ops’ discovery of three separate clusters of Chinese nation-state activity—Cluster Alpha, Cluster Bravo and Cluster Charlie—inside a high-profile government organization.
After a brief hiatus in August 2023, Sophos X-Ops noted renewed Cluster Bravo and Cluster Charlie activity, both within the initial targeted organization and in numerous other organizations within the region.
While investigating this renewed activity, Sophos X-Ops uncovered a novel keylogger that the threat hunters named “Tattletale,” which can impersonate users who have signed into the system and gather information related to password policies, security settings, cached passwords, browser information, and storage data. Sophos X-Ops also notes in the report that, in contrast to the first wave of the operation, Cluster Charlie increasingly switched to using open-source tools rather than deploying the types of custom malware they developed in the initial wave of activity.
“We’ve been in an ongoing chess match with these adversaries. During the initial phases of the operation, Cluster Charlie was deploying various bespoke tools and malware,” said Paul Jaramillo, director, threat hunting and threat intelligence, Sophos.
“However, we were able to ‘burn’ much of their previous infrastructure, blocking their Command and Control (C2) tools and forcing them to pivot.
“This is good; however, their switch to open-source tools demonstrates just how quickly these attacker groups can adapt and remain persistent. It also appears to be an emerging trend among Chinese nation-state groups.
“As the security community works to secure our most sensitive systems from these attackers, it’s important to share the insights into this pivot.”
Cluster Charlie, which shares tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) with the Chinese threat group Earth Longzhi, was originally active from March to August 2023 in a high-level government organization in Southeast Asia.
While the cluster was dormant for several weeks, it re-emerged in September 2023 and was active again until at least May 2024. During this second stage of the campaign, Cluster Charlie focused on penetrating deeper into the network, evading endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools and gathering further intelligence.
In addition to switching to open-source tools, Cluster Charlie also began using tactics initially deployed by Cluster Alpha and Cluster Bravo, suggesting that the same overarching organization is directing all three activity clusters.
Sophos X-Ops has tracked ongoing Cluster Charlie activity across multiple other organizations in Southeast Asia.
Cluster Bravo, which shares TTPs with the Chinese threat group Unfading Sea Haze, was originally only active in the targeted network for a three-week span in March 2023.
However, the cluster reappeared in January 2024, only this time it was targeting at least 11 other organizations and agencies in the same region.
“Not only are we seeing all three of the ‘Crimson Palace’ clusters refine and coordinate their tactics, but they’re also expanding their operations, attempting to infiltrate other targets in Southeast Asia.
“Given how frequently Chinese nation-state groups share infrastructure and tools, and the fact that Cluster Bravo and Cluster Charlie are moving beyond the original target, we will likely continue to see this campaign evolve—and in potentially new locations. We will be monitoring it closely,” said Jaramillo.
To learn more, read “Crimson Palace: New Tools, Tactics, Targets” on Sophos.com. For details about Sophos’ threat hunting and other services for disrupting cyberattacks, go to Sophos Managed Detection and Response (MDR).
For an in-depth look at the threat hunting behind this nearly two-year long cyber espionage campaign, register for the upcoming webinar “Intrigue of the Hunt: Operation Crimson Palace: Unveiling a Multi-Headed State-Sponsored Campaign” on Sept. 24 at 2 PM ET: https://events.sophos.com/operation-crimson-palace/.
QNET, leading global wellness and lifestyle direct-selling company, has successfully concluded V-Malaysia 2025, its flagship annual convention, at the Penang SPICE Convention Centre in Malaysia. Held from 21–25 June, the five-day event drew over 8,000 participants from more than 30 countries, including Nigeria, reinforcing the company’s global reach and strong foothold in the African market.
For over a decade, QNET has chosen Penang as the destination for this transformative event, which blends business networking, entrepreneurial development, and immersive personal growth experiences.
The 2025 edition underscores the continued collaboration between QNET, its event partner V Global Management (The V), Tourism Malaysia, the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), and its state-level affiliate, Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB).
In Nigeria, QNET has steadily gained recognition as a key player in the direct selling and wellness space, empowering thousands of Nigerians with entrepreneurial opportunities, health-conscious products, and financial education.
Through its innovative business model, QNET has fostered a growing community of independent distributors across states like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. Events such as V-Malaysia provide distributors a platform to connect with the global QNET network, learn from top leaders, and gain exposure to cutting-edge tools and products that can be leveraged in their local businesses.
V-Malaysia has evolved into a premier platform for business networking, entrepreneurial development, and cross-cultural collaboration. The synergy between QNET and The V — an internationally recognised organisation specialising in large-scale training and events has been pivotal in building the convention’s global draw.
YB Wong Hon Wai, Penang State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACH), emphasised the regional impact of V-Malaysia: “Penang’s vibrant tourism and business events ecosystem continues to attract top-tier events like QNET’s V-Malaysia.
In 2024 alone, Penang recorded an estimated RM1.29 billion in economic impact from such events – a testament to their significance. QNET’s long-term commitment brings not only economic value but also strengthens Penang’s global reputation.”
Trevor Kuna, Chief Marketing Officer of QNET, added: “For QNET, Penang is more than just a venue; it’s a home for inspiration, collaboration, and transformation.
“Our strong base in Nigeria and across Africa makes this event especially meaningful, as we bring together entrepreneurs from across the continent to share ideas and build cross-border relationships that accelerate personal and economic growth.”
The Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), a government agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and parent body of PCEB, plays a pivotal role in Malaysia’s business events ecosystem. In 2023 alone, MyCEB facilitated 248 business events, brought in over 180,700 international delegates, and generated about RM 2.8 billion in economic impact.
For V-Malaysia 2025, MyCEB’s expertise in destination marketing, strategic facilitation, and coordination between federal and state levels (through PCEB) has been instrumental in elevating Penang’s standing as a premier MICE hub.
Complementing this effort is Tourism Malaysia, whose targeted incentives and logistical backing helped deliver V-Malaysia 2025 as a high-impact global event. Their support underscores the government’s broader commitment to positioning Malaysia as a top-tier host for international conferences and high-impact corporate events.
As part of the event’s activities, QNET also unveiled new wellness innovations, including Harmoniq, a bio-signaling patch designed to enhance energy and well-being, and QWIK, a line of oral health and nutrition strips — products set to expand into markets like Nigeria in the coming year.
V-Malaysia 2025 is not just a celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship; it is a dynamic platform that exemplifies how global vision and local action, especially across Africa, can reshape the future of direct selling. For more information about V-Malaysia 2025, please visit QNET’s official website.
In today’s digital world, teens are using social media to connect with their friends, learn and explore their interests.
Instagram has developed a variety of tools to give parents peace of mind, support safer interactions, and empower teens to make thoughtful decisions online. Whether you’re new to the platform or want to stay informed, here are essential safety tools every parent should know about:
Teen Accounts: Teen Accounts were designed to support parents better and give them peace of mind that their teens have the right protections in place. Teen Accounts have built-in protections that limit who can contact them and the content they see. By default, teen accounts are set to private and teens under 16 can only change this default setting with help from a parent or guardian.
Supervision tools (parental controls): As part of Teen Accounts, Instagram offers supervision features that allow parents to stay involved in their teen’s experience on the app. With this feature, parents can monitor how much time their teen spends on Instagram, view who they follow and who follows them, receive updates when their teen reports accounts or content, and set daily time limits or scheduled breaks to help manage usage.
Daily time limit: The daily time limit feature is also part of Teen Accounts. It allows parents and teens to set limits on app usage, encouraging healthier and more mindful engagement over time.
Block, restrict and report feature: Teen Accounts include tools that allow teens to block or restrict people they don’t want to interact with and report harmful content or behavior. Restricted users won’t be able to see when your teen is online or if they’ve read messages.
Sensitive content control: This safety feature, also available through Teen Accounts, lets users filter out potentially upsetting or mature content in Explore and other surfaces. content across Explore and other surfaces.
Educational Family Center: Instagram’s Family Center is an educational hub that provides articles and guidance to help parents have meaningful conversations with their teens about their online experiences and how to make time spent online a positive experience. The hub focuses on providing parents with practical tools from online safety experts, organisations and academics on everything from bullying to cybersecurity.
Take time to explore these features with your teen and use them as a starting point for open, ongoing conversations about their online life. When parents and teens navigate these digital spaces together, everyone wins.
In a bold move to blend digital empowerment with fun and entertainment, the Anambra State ICT Agency, in partnership with the Geeks and Founders Alliance for Soludo (GEFAS), announces the availability of free WiFi at the Anambra Mega Fest/Grand Opening of Solution Fun City.
Powered by Pine Heights Systems (PHSWEB), this initiative reinforces the state government’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and bringing connectivity directly to the people.
Set to hold on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 1 PM, the grand opening of Solution Fun City will light up Awka with a mix of tech-forward innovation and high-energy entertainment, all under the distinguished hosting of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR.
Attendees are in for a tech-enhanced experience featuring music, dance, comedy, games, and electrifying performances from Flavour, Umu Obiligbo, JeriQ, Jennifer Eliogu, Ugoccie, Apete, Ojadili, Ogbuefi I Go Tuk, Onye Obodo, Prince Neche, and many more.
“Technology is one of the greatest equalizers of our time.
Through digital access, we are not only empowering citizens, we are deepening civic participation and driving progress,” said Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency and Convener of GEFAS.
The event signals a new chapter in Anambra’s smart governance journey, where technology, inclusivity, and community celebration come together in one dynamic space.
To connect to the Free WiFi: turn your phone’s WiFi, select Soludo Solution WiFi and follow the prompts on the landing page
For details, call: 0201 410 1240
Follow the conversation: @gefasoludo across all social media platforms.
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