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OP-512 Microsoft IIS espionage campaign

Campaign
First reported
Last updated
Happening score
H score 52
1 unique sources, 1 articles

Summary

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OP-512 is an active espionage campaign targeting Microsoft IIS servers with a bespoke web shell framework, increasing the risk of stealthy remote access on exposed legacy systems. The activity was assessed as China-linked and appears tuned to organizations whose sector and geography fit those intelligence priorities. The campaign stands out for using custom tooling, timestomping, and DNS/HTTP self-reporting to reduce detection and preserve access.

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Timeline

  1. 05.06.2026 15:33 2 articles · 10h ago

    OP-512 targets Microsoft IIS servers with a custom web shell framework

    Initial Disclosure

    ReliaQuest identified OP-512 as a previously unreported threat cluster targeting Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) servers with a bespoke web shell framework. The activity was assessed as highly likely espionage linked to China, and the observed intrusion used w3wp.exe to drop a web shell, then relied on DNS/HTTP self-reporting, timestomping, and Potato Suite privilege escalation attempts on a legacy Windows Server 2016 host running end-of-life .NET Framework 4.0.

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