Global Tech Firms Unite to Combat Prolific Chinese Hacking Group

In a remarkable show of unity and shared purpose, a collective of leading cybersecurity companies have joined forces to stand against a notorious Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group suspected of being sponsored by Chinese hacking conglomerates. This cooperative represents a seminal moment in the recent history of cybersecurity, marking the first widespread, coordinated effort to disrupt the activities of an APT.

One of the united firms, Symantec, sets the precedent for this industry-led initiative by stating, “Through effective collaboration, we can bolster the defenses of organizations likely to be in the crosshairs of these sophisticated threats, ensuring a greater level of protection moving forward.”

Hikit, a sophisticated hacking tool, is thought to have been leveraged against major players internationally such as the United States, sparking a surge in complaints from various US-based organizations alleging Chinese economic espionage activities.

Hacked entities have reported the use of Hikit, along with Hidden Lynx and Pupa/Deep Panda – infamously known dual tools in the world of cyber-crime. Of these, Symantec offers, “Hidden Lynx is viewed as a trailblazer in the ‘watering-hole’ attack style, seemingly having early access to zero-day vulnerabilities.”

Cybersecurity watchers have identified at least two notorious hacking groups – Hidden Lynx, also known as Aurora, and Pupa, known under the alias Deep Panda, who are known to deploy Hikit. The mutual connections, if any, between these groups continue to be unclear.

Symantec further adds, “Hidden Lynx is held in high regard as one of the pioneers of the ‘watering-hole’ attack method and it appears to have early access to zero-day vulnerabilities.”

At present, there has been no official response from the Chinese government. As this story unfolds and develops, we will endeavor to bring you the latest updates and expert commentary.

For more in-depth insights into the technology and tactics of Hikit, click here.

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities.