D
CyberChina

Cinnamon Tempest

Cybercriminal groupTrackedPending verification

Also known as: DEV-0401, Emperor Dragonfly, BRONZE STARLIGHT

CyberCHN
Identification silhouette. Not drawn to scale between entries.
Fact cardConfidence · Source
System
TypeCybercriminal group
Alternative designationsDEV-0401, Emperor Dragonfly, BRONZE STARLIGHT
ProliferationOrigin country only
Active since2021At least 2021Med[1]
MITRE ATT&CK IDG1021High[1]
Capabilities
ATT&CK techniques used19ATT&CK v20.1High[1]
Malware and toolsCheerscrypt, Cobalt Strike, HUI Loader, Impacket, Pandora, PlugX, Rclone, Sliver8 malware and tool entries linked in ATT&CKHigh[1]
Attribution and activity
Attributed sponsorChina-based ransomware operatorMed[1]
Notes
Cinnamon Tempest is a China-based threat group that has been active since at least 2021 deploying multiple strains of ransomware based on the leaked Babuk source code. Cinnamon Tempest does not operate their ransomware on an affiliate model or purchase access but appears to act independently in all stages of the attack lifecycle. Based on victimology, the short lifespan of each ransomware variant, and use of malware attributed to government-sponsored threat groups, Cinnamon Tempest may be motivated by intellectual property theft or cyberespionage rather than financial gain. Description adapted from MITRE ATT&CK®, © The MITRE Corporation, used under the ATT&CK Terms of Use.
Summary

Cinnamon Tempest is a China-based threat group that has been active since at least 2021 deploying multiple strains of ransomware based on the leaked Babuk source code. Cinnamon Tempest does not operate their ransomware on an affiliate model or purchase access but appears to act independently in all stages of the attack lifecycle.

Draft entry. Values come from the cited public sources and are awaiting editor verification.
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Operators
China
Sources
  1. Cinnamon Tempest, Group G1021, MITRE ATT&CK
    Published/updated 2026-07-31 · Tier 2 · checked 2026-11-08
Change log
  • 2026-11-08 Entry created from MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v20.1 (group G1021)