# GhostEmperor: threat group profile

> GhostEmperor is a threat group thought to operate from China. 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/ghostemperor
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.edgeprotect.io/) > [Threat groups](https://www.edgeprotect.io/threat-actors) > GhostEmperor

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack techniques | 0 |
| Thought to operate from | China |
| Other names | 4 |
| Public reports | 8 |

## Who is GhostEmperor?

GhostEmperor is a threat group thought to operate from China. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### Also known as

FamousSparrow, UNC2286, Salt Typhoon, RedMike

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

### What public reporting says

> GhostEmperor is a Chinese-speaking threat actor that targets government entities and telecom companies in Southeast Asia. They employ a Windows kernel-mode rootkit called Demodex to gain remote control over their targeted servers. The actor demonstrates a high level of sophistication and uses various anti-forensic and anti-analysis techniques to evade detection. They have been active for a significant period of time and continue to pose a threat to their targets.

## Public reports about GhostEmperor

- https://securelist.com/ghostemperor-from-proxylogon-to-kernel-mode/104407/
- https://media.kasperskycontenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2021/09/30094337/GhostEmperor_technical-details_PDF_eng.pdf
- https://www.welivesecurity.com/2021/09/23/famoussparrow-suspicious-hotel-guest/
- https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/files/NCSC-MAR-SparrowDoor.pdf
- https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/unc4841-post-barracuda-zero-day-remediation
- https://www.sygnia.co/blog/ghost-emperor-demodex-rootkit/
- https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/china-cyberattack-internet-providers-260bd835
- https://www.recordedfuture.com/research/redmike-salt-typhoon-exploits-vulnerable-devices

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is GhostEmperor?

GhostEmperor is a threat group thought to operate from China. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### Where is GhostEmperor thought to be based?

Public reporting places GhostEmperor as operating from China. Attribution is never certain: it rests on the tools, infrastructure and targets researchers have seen.

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

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