{
  "id": "curium",
  "name": "CURIUM",
  "aliases": [
    "Crimson Sandstorm",
    "TA456",
    "Tortoise Shell",
    "Yellow Liderc"
  ],
  "domain": "cyber",
  "country": "IRN",
  "category": "Suspected state-linked cyber threat group",
  "status": "tracked",
  "fielded": null,
  "operators": [
    "IRN"
  ],
  "summary": "CURIUM is an Iranian threat group, first reported in September 2019 and active since at least July 2018, targeting IT service providers in the Middle East. CURIUM has since invested in building relationships with potential targets via social media over a period of months to establish trust and confidence before sending malware.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "sponsor",
      "v": "Iranian threat group",
      "src": [
        "mitre-g1012"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "active_since",
      "v": 2018,
      "src": [
        "mitre-g1012"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "At least 2018"
    },
    {
      "k": "attack_id",
      "v": "G1012",
      "src": [
        "mitre-g1012"
      ],
      "conf": "high"
    },
    {
      "k": "targets",
      "v": "CURIUM is an Iranian threat group, first reported in September 2019 and active since at least July 2018, targeting IT service providers in the Middle East.",
      "src": [
        "mitre-g1012"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "techniques_count",
      "v": 19,
      "src": [
        "mitre-g1012"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "ATT&CK v20.1"
    },
    {
      "k": "software",
      "v": "IMAPLoader",
      "src": [
        "mitre-g1012"
      ],
      "conf": "high",
      "note": "1 malware and tool entries linked in ATT&CK"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [],
  "variants": [],
  "art": "cyber",
  "image": null,
  "verified": null,
  "notes": "CURIUM is an Iranian threat group, first reported in September 2019 and active since at least July 2018, targeting IT service providers in the Middle East. CURIUM has since invested in building relationships with potential targets via social media over a period of months to establish trust and confidence before sending malware. Security researchers note CURIUM has demonstrated great patience and persistence by chatting with potential targets daily and sending benign files to help lower their security consciousness. Description adapted from MITRE ATT&CK®, © The MITRE Corporation, used under the ATT&CK Terms of Use.",
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-11-08",
      "change": "Entry created from MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v20.1 (group G1012)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/curium.html",
  "sources": {
    "mitre-g1012": {
      "title": "CURIUM, Group G1012",
      "publisher": "MITRE ATT&CK",
      "url": "https://attack.mitre.org/groups/G1012/",
      "published": "2026-07-31",
      "tier": 2,
      "checked": "2026-11-08"
    }
  }
}