VERY IMPORTANT

In early July 2015, Chinese APT actors used an Adobe Flash Player exploit within a specific webpage detailing a noteworthy international legal case between the Philippines and China. This precedent setting legal case would be followed by many Southeast Asian nations, as well as others around the globe. The exploit appeared on day three of the Permanent Court of Arbitration tribunal, exposing an untold number of interested parties that visited the webpage to potential exploitation. When considered holistically, the intelligence supports the conclusion that this exploitation campaign was purposefully carried out against the backdrop of diplomatic and legal maneuvering. Despite Beijing’s unwillingness to participate in the international arbitration and their rejection of the PCA’s jurisdiction, there appears to be a distinct effort to surreptitiously target those who are interested in this landmark international legal case via electronic means.