China-ASEAN cyber defence alliance targets Night Eagle APT

The Sun

11 hours ago

THE cybersecurity landscape in Southeast Asia is rapidly evolving as China-ASEAN cooperation intensifies to combat sophisticated Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups. At the prestigious CYDES 2025 Cybersecurity Conference held at Putrajaya International Convention Centre, industry leaders unveiled groundbreaking strategies to counter the newly identified Night Eagle APT group.
Night Eagle APT: A New Cyber Menace
Gu Liang, Vice Director of PanGu Laboratory at Qi An Xin Technology Group, delivered a compelling keynote address detailing the company's successful efforts in identifying and countering Night Eagle (designated APT-Q-95). This sophisticated threat actor represents a well-organised group with suspected backing from nation-states and powerful financial entities.
The Night Eagle group has demonstrated alarming capabilities, particularly in exploiting high-risk vulnerabilities within Microsoft Exchange systems. Their primary targets include government agencies, defence contractors, and high-technology enterprises across the region.
Critical Infrastructure Under Siege
'Email servers serve as the backbone of communication for governments and corporations worldwide,' warned Gu Liang. 'When these systems are compromised, attackers gain access to sensitive business intelligence, financial data, project details, and client information—creating potentially catastrophic consequences.'
The threat intelligence gathered by Qi An Xin reveals that Night Eagle's attacks originate from compromised Exchange mail servers, utilising critical remote code execution vulnerabilities. The company has successfully captured the exploit process in real-time, providing crucial insights into the attack methodology.
AI-Powered Defence Systems
The conference highlighted the transformative impact of artificial intelligence in Cyber Security Operation Centres (CSOC). According to Gu Liang, AI technology enables organisations to achieve accurate threat detection, accelerated investigation processes, and comprehensive incident response whilst reducing dependency on human cybersecurity experts.
'Major government agencies and large enterprises may encounter hundreds of thousands of cyberattacks daily,' he explained. 'AI empowers us to deliver round-the-clock precision alerts, real-time threat analysis, and automated responses to these persistent threats.'
Digital Risk Protection Services
Celine Xu, Global Business Director of TianJi Partners, introduced comprehensive Digital Risk Protection (DRP) services designed to safeguard brand reputation and financial assets. The company specialises in monitoring web-based threats including phishing websites, counterfeit applications, and fraudulent social media accounts.
'Our proactive monitoring capabilities span the entire web ecosystem, alerting clients to potential threats before they materialise,' Xu explained. TianJi Partners currently protects prestigious international brands including HSBC, Morgan Stanley, and LVMH Group.
ASEAN Business Vulnerability
The conference addressed emerging concerns regarding ASEAN companies facing cyber warfare tactics linked to business competition. Industry experts warn that rapidly developing ASEAN enterprises may become targets of cyber espionage campaigns designed to steal corporate secrets for competitive advantage.
'Cyber threats are evolving in sophistication and scope,' Xu concluded. 'We strongly encourage businesses throughout Malaysia and ASEAN to prioritise cybersecurity infrastructure investments.'
The CYDES 2025 conference underscored the commitment of both governmental and private sector organisations across Malaysia and ASEAN to cybersecurity excellence. Qi An Xin expressed enthusiasm for partnering with local organisations to establish an era of Automated Cybersecurity Operations throughout the region.