The Panama Canal as a Cyber Battlefield: China’s Expanding Espionage and the Future of Critical Infrastructure Attacks
The stakes in cyberspace are rapidly escalating, and the targets are becoming increasingly strategic. A recent report from Recorded Future’s Insikt Group details a sustained, global cyber espionage campaign orchestrated by the Chinese state-sponsored group, RedNovember, between June 2024 and July 2025. This isn’t just about stealing data; it’s about probing for vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and positioning for future disruption – and the group’s intense focus on Panama reveals a chillingly pragmatic approach to geopolitical leverage.
Beyond Traditional Targets: Why Panama?
RedNovember’s victims read like a who’s who of Western interests: aerospace and defense companies, government agencies, and professional services firms across the US, Taiwan, South Korea, and Europe. But the concentrated reconnaissance effort targeting over 30 Panamanian government organizations in April 2025 is particularly revealing. This surge in activity directly followed visits from US officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and statements from President Trump hinting at increased US interest in controlling the Panama Canal. The timing isn’t coincidental.
The report suggests RedNovember was likely tasked with gathering intelligence in response to these developments, potentially to assess Panama’s defenses and identify opportunities for influence. The delayed sale of a majority stake in Panama Canal terminals – reportedly due to Chinese pressure – further underscores the strategic importance of the region and the potential for cyber operations to play a role in geopolitical maneuvering. This demonstrates a shift from simply gathering intelligence to actively shaping events through digital means.
The Tactics: From VPN Exploits to Go-Based Backdoors
RedNovember isn’t relying on novel, zero-day exploits. Instead, they’re expertly exploiting known vulnerabilities in widely used internet-facing appliances. The group heavily targeted Ivanti Connect Secure (ICS) VPN devices, leveraging vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-22457 and CVE-2025-0282, alongside SonicWall VPNs. This highlights a critical weakness in cybersecurity: the slow pace of patching and the prevalence of vulnerable legacy systems. As Tom Kellermann, VP Cyber Risk at HITRUST, notes, these attacks mimic traditional penetration testing, utilizing readily available tools like Cobalt Strike to infiltrate networks worldwide.
Once inside, RedNovember deploys custom malware, including the Pantegana backdoor and SparkRAT remote access tool, both written in the increasingly popular Go programming language. Go’s cross-platform compatibility makes these tools highly versatile and difficult to detect. The use of Cobalt Strike, while legitimate, allows them to blend in with standard penetration testing activity, complicating attribution and response efforts.
The Expanding Threat Landscape: ArcaneDoor and UNC5221
RedNovember isn’t operating in isolation. The report emerges alongside warnings about other Chinese-linked activity, including the ArcaneDoor campaign targeting Cisco firewalls and the UNC5221 intrusions identified by Google. CISA issued an emergency directive requiring federal agencies to patch vulnerable Cisco devices within 24 hours, highlighting the severity of the threat. While attribution remains a challenge, the convergence of these campaigns suggests a coordinated and sustained effort to gain access to critical systems. The attackers are modifying read-only memory (ROM) on Cisco devices, creating persistent backdoors that survive reboots and software updates – a particularly alarming tactic.
The Future of Cyber Espionage: A Proliferation of Access
The RedNovember campaign, and the related activity from ArcaneDoor and UNC5221, points to several key trends in cyber espionage. First, we’ll likely see a continued focus on exploiting known vulnerabilities in widely used infrastructure. Organizations must prioritize vulnerability management and patching, even for older systems. Second, the use of Go-based malware will likely increase, due to its portability and evasion capabilities. Third, the lines between espionage and sabotage are blurring. While RedNovember’s current activity appears focused on reconnaissance, the access they’ve gained could easily be leveraged for disruptive attacks in the future.
Perhaps the most concerning trend is the increasing geopolitical dimension of cyber espionage. The Panama Canal example demonstrates how cyber operations can be directly tied to real-world strategic objectives. This suggests that critical infrastructure will become an even more prominent target in future conflicts, and that nation-state actors will increasingly use cyberattacks to exert influence and gain leverage. The focus isn’t just on stealing secrets; it’s about establishing a persistent presence and the ability to disrupt operations when – and if – necessary.
Staying ahead of these threats requires a fundamental shift in cybersecurity thinking. Organizations need to move beyond simply preventing initial breaches and focus on robust threat hunting, continuous monitoring, and rapid incident response. Investing in advanced security analytics and threat intelligence is no longer optional – it’s essential for survival. What proactive steps is your organization taking to defend against these evolving threats? Share your insights in the comments below!
