Conference:  Defcon 31

Authors: Joe Slowik Threat Intelligence Manager, Huntress

2023-08-01

In March 2023, journalists and investigators released analysis of “the Vulkan files.” Consisting of documents associated with a Russian company working with intelligence and military authorities, the papers revealed a variety of ambitious programs such as “Scan-V” and“Amezit.” Both programs, in the sense that they offer capabilities to acquire, maintain, and task infrastructure for cyber and information operations at scale, are deeply concerning, indicating a significant advancement in Russian-linked network warfare and related actions. Placing these items in context reveals a far more troubling picture.After reviewing the capabilities of Amezit and Scan-V, we can see glimpses of historical programs in the advertised efficacy of these projects. We will consider other items that have leaked over the years offering similar capabilities, albeit in different circumstances.Examples include Russia’s SORM framework for domestic operations,China’s Great Firewall and (more significantly) Great Cannon programs, and items that emerged in the Snowden leaks such as the US’s alleged “Quantum” program. By analyzing these additional projects, we will observe a decade’s long trend in the systematization and scaling of cyber programs, especially with respect to automated exploitation and infrastructure management. Vulkan and related items, as significant as they are, represent a culmination of operational evolution and an example of the proliferation of capabilities following disclosure. With programs such as Scan-V exposed, we should anticipate other entities seeking to mirror such capabilities, progressing beyond botnets and other distributed systems to effective management of dispersed capabilities for signals intelligence and cyber operations.