# UNC2452: threat group profile

> UNC2452 is a threat group thought to operate from Russia. 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/unc2452
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## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack techniques | 0 |
| Thought to operate from | Russia |
| Other names | 5 |
| Public reports | 11 |

## Who is UNC2452?

UNC2452 is a threat group thought to operate from Russia. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### Also known as

DarkHalo, StellarParticle, NOBELIUM, Solar Phoenix, Midnight Blizzard

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

### What public reporting says

> Reporting regarding activity related to the SolarWinds supply chain injection has grown quickly since initial disclosure on 13 December 2020. A significant amount of press reporting has focused on the identification of the actor(s) involved, victim organizations, possible campaign timeline, and potential impact. The US Government and cyber community have also provided detailed information on how the campaign was likely conducted and some of the malware used.  MITRE’s ATT&CK team — with the assistance of contributors — has been mapping techniques used by the actor group, referred to as UNC2452/Dark Halo by FireEye and Volexity respectively, as well as SUNBURST and TEARDROP malware.

## Public reports about UNC2452

- https://medium.com/mitre-attack/identifying-unc2452-related-techniques-9f7b6c7f3714
- https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2020/12/evasive-attacker-leverages-solarwinds-supply-chain-compromises-with-sunburst-backdoor.html
- https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2020/12/21/how-sunburst-malware-does-defense-evasion/
- https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2020/12/18/analyzing-solorigate-the-compromised-dll-file-that-started-a-sophisticated-cyberattack-and-how-microsoft-defender-helps-protect/
- https://pastebin.com/6EDgCKxd
- https://github.com/fireeye/sunburst_countermeasures
- https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/03/04/goldmax-goldfinder-sibot-analyzing-nobelium-malware
- https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2021/03/sunshuttle-second-stage-backdoor-targeting-us-based-entity.html
- https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/atoms/solarphoenix/
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2024/01/25/midnight-blizzard-guidance-for-responders-on-nation-state-attack/
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/08/02/midnight-blizzard-conducts-targeted-social-engineering-over-microsoft-teams/

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is UNC2452?

UNC2452 is a threat group thought to operate from Russia. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### Where is UNC2452 thought to be based?

Public reporting places UNC2452 as operating from Russia. Attribution is never certain: it rests on the tools, infrastructure and targets researchers have seen.

### How do I know if UNC2452 is a risk to my business?

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