SaltTyphoon
ORGANISATION dossier

Salt Typhoon / APT28 (GRU)

Salt Typhoon / APT28 (GRU)

ORGANISATION International INTERNATIONAL

01 Executive_Summary

State-sponsored cyber threat actors (PRC MSS / Russian GRU). Infiltrated U.S. ISPs and Max Planck Institute to map the Gray Track human network.

03 Deep_Dive_Intelligence

Intelligence Summary: Salt Typhoon / APT28 (GRU)

Classification: Composite state-sponsored cyber threat actor designation encompassing PRC Ministry of State Security (MSS) ISP infiltration operations ('Salt Typhoon') and Russian military intelligence (GRU Unit 26165 / APT28) cyber-kinetic targeting infrastructure.

Operations:

  • Infiltrated major U.S. Internet Service Providers to harvest communications metadata
  • Penetrated Max Planck Institute networks to map the 'human connective tissue' of the Gray Track academic ecosystem
  • Generated sociogram targeting packages used to identify and prioritize high-value human capital nodes
  • Provided Command and Control (C2) infrastructure and weaponized Emotet malware to kinetic operators

Impact: The Salt Typhoon sociogram mapping directly enabled the identification and targeting of Dr. Nuno Loureiro as a critical single-point-of-failure.

04 Network_Linkage

  • Cláudio Valente — Cyber-financial targeting support for kinetic strike
  • Dr. Nuno Loureiro — Primary target identified via sociogram mapping
  • Max Planck Institute — Infiltrated to map Gray Track academic network
  • PRC / MSS — Salt Typhoon operational sponsor
  • GRU Unit 26165 — APT28 C2 infrastructure provider

05 Related_Entities (2)

07 Key_Findings

  • Classification: Composite state-sponsored cyber threat actor designation encompassing PRC Ministry of State Security (MSS) ISP infiltration operations ('Salt Typhoon') and Russian military intelligence (GRU Unit 26165 / APT28) cyber-kinetic targeting infrastructure.
  • Infiltrated major U.S. Internet Service Providers to harvest communications metadata
  • Penetrated Max Planck Institute networks to map the 'human connective tissue' of the Gray Track academic ecosystem
  • Generated sociogram targeting packages used to identify and prioritize high-value human capital nodes
  • Provided Command and Control (C2) infrastructure and weaponized Emotet malware to kinetic operators

08 Intelligence_Analysis

Intelligence Summary: Salt Typhoon / APT28 (GRU)

Classification: Composite state-sponsored cyber threat actor designation encompassing PRC Ministry of State Security (MSS) ISP infiltration operations ('Salt Typhoon') and Russian military intelligence (GRU Unit 26165 / APT28) cyber-kinetic targeting infrastructure.

Operations:

  • Infiltrated major U.S. Internet Service Providers to harvest communications metadata
  • Penetrated Max Planck Institute networks to map the 'human connective tissue' of the Gray Track academic ecosystem
  • Generated sociogram targeting packages used to identify and prioritize high-value human capital nodes
  • Provided Command and Control (C2) infrastructure and weaponized Emotet malware to kinetic operators

Impact: The Salt Typhoon sociogram mapping directly enabled the identification and targeting of Dr. Nuno Loureiro as a critical single-point-of-failure.

10 FAQ

What is Salt Typhoon / APT28 (GRU)?
State-sponsored cyber threat actors (PRC MSS / Russian GRU). Infiltrated U.S. ISPs and Max Planck Institute to map the Gray Track human network.
What is Salt Typhoon / APT28 (GRU) connected to?
Salt Typhoon / APT28 (GRU) is connected to 2 related entities in the intelligence network, including Cláudio Manuel Neves Valente, PRC FRC Program (CAEP/CAS). These connections are documented through shared source documents, co-occurrence in research findings, and network graph relationships.
What does the deep dive analysis reveal about Salt Typhoon / APT28 (GRU)?
The deep dive intelligence assessment provides a comprehensive analysis of Salt Typhoon / APT28 (GRU), covering strategic role, network connections, and operational significance. The analysis is derived from 0 primary source documents and cross-referenced with the network graph.

Cross_References

This entity is documented through network relationships and timeline events rather than primary source documents.

Geographic_Data

Region: RU
Location: Moscow
Coordinates: 55.755;37.617
ID: SaltTyphoon
Type: organisation
Region: main
Last updated: 2026-08-09