Storm-2603 Deploys DNS-Controlled Backdoor in Warlock and LockBit Ransomware Attacks
Aug 01, 2025
Threat Intelligence / Ransomware
The threat actor linked to the exploitation of the recently disclosed security flaws in Microsoft SharePoint Server is using a bespoke command-and-control (C2) framework called AK47 C2 (also spelled ak47c2) in its operations. The framework includes at least two different types of clients, HTTP-based and Domain Name System ( DNS )-based, which have been dubbed AK47HTTP and AK47DNS, respectively, by Check Point Research. The activity has been attributed to Storm-2603 , which, according to Microsoft, is a suspected China-based threat actor that has leveraged the SharePoint flaws – CVE-2025-49706 and CVE-2025-49704 (aka ToolShell) – to deploy Warlock (aka X2anylock) ransomware. A previously unreported threat cluster, evidence gathered following an analysis of VirusTotal artifacts shows that the group may have been active since at least March 2025, deploying ransomware families like LockBit Black and Warlock together – something that's not observed commonly among established e-c...
