Careto is a Spanish nation-state cyberespionage group known for its sophisticated cross-platform malware suite.
Analyst brief
Careto (also known as The Mask) is a nation-state cyberespionage group originating from Spain. It targets government entities, diplomatic missions, private companies in the energy sector, and academics. Active since at least 2007, this advanced actor employs a highly sophisticated toolset including complex malware, a rootkit, a bootkit, and versions for Windows (32/64-bit), Mac OS X, and Linux. Defenders should focus on cross-platform indicators of compromise, privilege escalation attempts, bootkit activity, and credential-based persistence mechanisms.
Careto
The MaskMaskUgly Face
nation-state
This threat actor targets governments, diplomatic missions, private companies in the energy sector, and academics for espionage purposes.
The Mask is an advanced threat actor that has been involved in cyber-espionage operations since at least 2007. The name "Mask" comes from the Spanish slang word "Careto" ("Ugly Face" or “Mask”) which the authors included in some of the malware modules.
More than 380 unique victims in 31 countries have been observed to date.What makes “The Mask” special is the complexity of the toolset used by the attackers. This includes an extremely sophisticated malware, a rootkit, a bootkit, 32-and 64-bit Windows versions, Mac OS X and Linux versions and possibly versions for Android and iPad/iPhone (Apple iOS).
origin (suspected)
🇪🇸Spain· state-sponsoredattribution confidence: medium (50)
What operating systems are targeted by the Careto group's malware toolset?+
The Careto group uses a complex toolset including malware, a rootkit, and a bootkit that targets Windows (32/64-bit), Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems.
What victim profiles does Careto (The Mask) primarily target?+
Careto targets government entities, diplomatic missions, private companies in the energy sector, and academics.