# Volatile Cedar: threat group profile

> Volatile Cedar is a threat group thought to operate from Lebanon. Public reporting links it to 4 attack techniques. This free profile shows how it works, stage by stage, 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/volatile-cedar
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.edgeprotect.io/) > [Threat groups](https://www.edgeprotect.io/threat-actors) > Volatile Cedar

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack techniques | 4 (plus 3 sub-techniques) |
| Thought to operate from | Lebanon |
| Other names | 2 |
| Public reports | 6 |

## Who is Volatile Cedar?

Volatile Cedar is a threat group thought to operate from Lebanon. Public reporting links it to 4 attack techniques.

### Also known as

Lebanese Cedar, DeftTorero

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

### What public reporting says

> Beginning in late 2012, a carefully orchestrated attack campaign we call Volatile Cedar has been targeting individuals, companies and institutions worldwide. This campaign, led by a persistent attacker group, has successfully penetrated a large number of targets using various attack techniques, and specifically, a custom-made malware implant codenamed Explosive.

## How does Volatile Cedar attack? Stage by stage

Each technique is a known way attackers research, get in, stay hidden or do damage. Here are the 4 linked to Volatile Cedar. Some techniques belong to more than one stage. Public reporting also lists 3 more specific variations of them, called sub-techniques.

### 1. Research (1)

- T1595: Active Scanning

### 2. Preparation (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 3. Getting in (1)

- T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application

### 4. Running code (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 5. Staying in (1)

- T1505: Server Software Component

### 6. Taking control (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 7. Hiding (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 8. Disabling defences (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 9. Stealing passwords (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 10. Looking around (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 11. Spreading (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 12. Gathering data (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 13. Keeping contact (1)

- T1105: Ingress Tool Transfer

### 14. Taking data out (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 15. Causing damage (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

## Public reports about Volatile Cedar

- https://blog.checkpoint.com/2015/03/31/volatilecedar/
- https://blog.checkpoint.com/2015/06/09/new-data-volatile-cedar/
- https://securelist.com/sinkholing-volatile-cedar-dga-infrastructure/69421/
- https://www.clearskysec.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Lebanese-Cedar-APT.pdf
- https://media.kasperskycontenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2015/03/20082004/volatile-cedar-technical-report.pdf
- https://securelist.com/defttorero-tactics-techniques-and-procedures/107610/

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is Volatile Cedar?

Volatile Cedar is a threat group thought to operate from Lebanon. Public reporting links it to 4 attack techniques.

### Where is Volatile Cedar thought to be based?

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

### How does Volatile Cedar attack?

Public reporting links Volatile Cedar to 4 attack techniques. Most of them are about research, getting in and staying in.

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

Create an account and tell us the software you run. We match it against known flaws, including those linked to threat groups, rank each one from 0 to 100 and tell you as soon as we spot something that affects you.

## Check whether it matters to your business

A free EdgeProtect account (no card needed) matches the software you run against known flaws, including those linked to threat groups, ranks each one from 0 to 100 and tells you as soon as we spot something that affects you. It also shows which threat groups and ransomware gangs are hitting your sector, with profiles of over 900 groups and a PDF dossier for each.

- Start free: https://www.edgeprotect.io/register
- Book a demo: https://www.edgeprotect.io/contact