APT31
aka Violet Typhoon, Zirconium, Judgment Panda, Bronze Vinewood
An espionage group that sends huge numbers of tracking emails to politicians, journalists and companies, then uses them as a foothold. The US and UK charged and sanctioned members in 2024.
- Alert level
- 1/ 5
- Reports & advisories (90 days)
- 0
- Known exploited CVEs
- 0
- Personal data leaked (disclosed)
- None confirmed
Attribution
- Identified as operating on behalf of China's MSS Hubei State Security Department — US Treasury and Department of Justice
How they attack
Entry
Emails pretending to be someone you know
Like a letter from a 'colleague' with an envelope that springs a trap when opened.
Entry
Emails that report when they are opened
Like slipping a tiny tracker into a letter to learn when and where it was opened.
Goal
Quietly stealing information
Like a spy who stays for months, copying files from the cabinet a little at a time.
Sources
Attributions are quoted as assessed by governments and security vendors. VulnPulse does not make attributions itself.
Leak counts only add up figures disclosed by the affected companies or authorities, never the attackers' own claims. We do not list victim names or link to leak sites.
The alert level is calculated automatically from reports and advisories in the last 90 days, known exploited vulnerabilities, and whether the group has targeted Japan.
Updated 2026-10-23 · daily