R-003↗︎
APT41: A Dual Espionage and Cyber Crime Operation
Foundational Mandiant research into a prolific group conducting state-sponsored espionage alongside financially motivated activity.
Security research · Threat intelligence
Chi-en Ashley
Shen
$ codex
› tell me about Chi-en Ashley Shen
codex
沈祈恩 is a cybersecurity researcher and technical leader from Taiwan 🇹🇼. She is currently at Cisco Talos, with APT and threat-intelligence experience at Google TAG and Mandiant, plus global conference and women-in-security leadership.
沈祈恩 is a cybersecurity researcher and technical leader from Taiwan 🇹🇼. She is currently at Cisco Talos, with APT and threat-intelligence experience at Google TAG and Mandiant, plus global conference and women-in-security leadership.
SECURITY RESEARCH // ASHLEY SHEN
01 Threat Intelligence Research
02 Malware analysis
01 / UPCOMING EVENTS
Next,
on the calendar.
2026UP NEXT
LABScon 2026
Speaker · Sept 16–19 · Invite only
2026UPCOMING
Steam & Steel: The Chronicles of the Cyberverse
Speaker · Oct 8–9 · Invite only · Talk details shared on-site
2026UPCOMING
Break the Silence: Tracking Silent Lynx Through Exposed Infrastructure
With Julian-Ferdinand Vögele · Oct 14 · 17:00
2026UPCOMING
State of Statecraft 2026
Review Board · Oct 22 · 08:00–17:00
02 / RESEARCH
NEW FAMILYUAT-10362
New Lua-based malware “LucidRook” observed in targeted attacks against Taiwanese organizations
A multi-stage stager combining a Lua interpreter with Rust-compiled libraries, layered anti-analysis and region-specific execution gates.
Read the analysis
FEATURED RESEARCH
R-015↗︎
Microsoft Patch Tuesday: November 2025
63 vulnerabilities, an exploited Windows Kernel flaw and associated Snort coverage.
R-014↗︎
Modeling compartmentalized threats
Extending the Diamond Model to represent multi-actor intrusion chains and relationships.
R-013↗︎
Redefining initial access brokers
A taxonomy for financially motivated, state-sponsored and opportunistic initial access groups.
R-012↗︎
ToyMaker, an initial access broker working with double-extortion gangs
Following a compromise from the LAGTOY backdoor to a Cactus ransomware handoff.
R-011↗︎
SoK: On the Offensive Potential of AI
A systematic analysis of offensive-AI capabilities across research and expert practice.
R-010↗︎
Remote code execution in the WeChat custom browser
Analysis of a lingering V8 type-confusion vulnerability in WeChat’s WebView component.
R-009↗︎
APT41 targets a Taiwanese research institute
ShadowPad, Cobalt Strike and a tailored loader in a government-affiliated compromise.
R-008↗︎
Unveiling SneakyChef’s SpiceRAT
Two infection chains using LNK and HTA files to target government agencies.
R-007↗︎
SugarGh0st campaigns across EMEA and Asia
Expanded targeting and an additional SFX RAR infection chain attributed to SneakyChef.
R-006↗︎
Cloud Run abuse in LATAM-focused campaigns
Astaroth, Mekotio and Ousaban delivered through high-volume malicious email campaigns.
R-005↗︎
New SugarGh0st RAT targets Uzbekistan and South Korea
Discovery and analysis of a customized Gh0st RAT variant in targeted campaigns.
R-002↗︎
Spear phishing targets Ukraine government and military
RATVERMIN, QUASARRAT and infrastructure with a potential link to the Luhansk region.
R-001↗︎
Flexible malicious OpenXML document detection
A framework for detecting weaponized Office OpenXML documents used in APT attacks.
REFERENCES / CITED EXPERTISE
EXTERNAL PROFILE · 2019
32 Influential Malware Analysis Professionals
↗︎
A historical community profile recognizing my malware-analysis and threat-intelligence work.
CITED EXPERT · ATLANTIC COUNCIL · 2025
Crash (Exploit) and Burn
↗︎
Expert interview cited on restrictions affecting Chinese researchers and East Asian security-conference ecosystems.
CO-AUTHORED RESEARCH PAPER · DIRECT PDF
SoK: On the Offensive Potential of AI
↗︎
A systematic analysis of offensive AI across academic research, security briefings, public perspectives and expert knowledge.
RESEARCH REFERENCE · CSS CYBER DEFENSE PROJECT
A One-Sided Affair: Japan and the People’s Republic of China in Cyberspace
↗︎
Independent regional context on China–Japan cyber activity, including a dedicated Icefog/Dagger Panda analysis.
03 / SPEAKING
Research,
out loud.
2026
Break the Silence: Tracking Silent Lynx Through Exposed Infrastructure
With Julian-Ferdinand Vögele · Aug 31 · 09:50
2026
Building a Shared Digital Defense for Civil Society
Panel · July 20 · 15:30 Taipei time
2026
Knife Cutting the Edge: Dissecting A Gateway Surveillance & MitM Framework
Jan 25 · 1:00–1:20 p.m. ET · Disco In The Dark
2026
Knife Cutting the Edge: Dissecting A Gateway Surveillance & MitM Framework
Presentation · Jan 22 · 10:40–11:20
2025
Knife Cutting the Edge: Dissecting a Modular Gateway Implant for Domestic Surveillance
Solo briefing · Sept 17–20 · on-site only
2025
Redefining IABs: Impacts of Compartmentalization on Threat Tracking & Modeling
Aug 22 · 17:30 SGT · recorded session
2025
Hacking the Status Quo: Tales From Leading Women in Cybersecurity
Leadership panel with Valentina Palmiotti, Kymberlee Price and Natalie Silvanovich
2025
Exploit Hunter: How We Turn Your 0day into Nday
International Conference on Cyber Conflict · May 27–30
2025
Redefining IABs: Impacts of Compartmentalization on Threat Tracking & Modeling
With Vitor Ventura · May 9
2025
Exploit Hunter: How We Turn Your 0day into Nday
Mar 15 · 10:50–11:20
2024
Jumping Hurdles to Verify Vulnerabilities on Chinese Instant Messaging
Solo briefing · Sept 18–21
2024
Follow the Moonshine: Unravelling Poison Carp’s Trail to a Chinese Mercenary’s Arsenal
Mobile surveillance, infrastructure pivots and mercenary attribution · May 9
Expand complete speaking archive+15
2021
YouTube Botnets Abuse Cloud
Cloud-service abuse and botnet infrastructure
2021
Threat Hunting and Campaign Tracking
Oct 16 · 14:35
2020
From Threat Hunting to Campaign Tracking
Workshop · with Steve Su
2020
Fighting Against the Cookie Monster
Threat research briefing
2020
Locknote: Conclusions and Key Takeaways From Day 1
Oct 1 · panel
2019
Into the Fog: The Return of ICEFOG APT
Campaign tracking and malware evolution · authored slide deck
2019
Into the Fog: The Return of ICEFOG APT
Technical Track · Oct 9 · full recording
2019
Into the Fog: The Return of ICEFOG APT
Oct 10 · 13:30 · presentation deck
2019
Cyber Threat Landscape in Japan
Revealing threats in the shadow · with Oleg Bondarenko
2018/17
Nation-State Moneymule’s Hunting Season
APT attacks targeting financial institutions
2017
A Deep Dive Into the Digital Weapons of the North Korean Cyber Army
With Moonbeom Park · presentation deck
2017/16
Catching the Golden Snitch
Leveraging threat-intelligence platforms to defend against cyber attacks
2017
Respond Before Incident
How we rescued and secured an APT target
2016/15
Let’s Play Hide and Seek in the Cloud
The APT malware favored in cloud services · with Belinda Lai
2015
Failures of the Security Industry in the Last Decade
Lessons learned from hundreds of cyber-espionage breaches
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04 / MEDIA
Conversations
& transmissions.
FEATURED RECORDING · YOUTUBE
Hacking the Status Quo
Leading women in cybersecurity at Black Hat USA 2025.
Open on YouTube ↗︎
WATCH / VIDEO ARCHIVE
BLACK HAT ASIA · 2020Day One Locknote & Key Takeaways
CONFIDENCE 2019 · SAME TALK, FULL RECORDINGInto the Fog: The Return of ICEFOG APT
BLACK HAT ASIA · 2018Nation-State Moneymule’s Hunting Season
FIREEYE CYBER DEFENSE SUMMIT · 2019The Return of ICEFOG APT
TROOPERS · 2016Let’s Play Hide and Seek in the Cloud
INTERVIEWS / IN THE NEWS
THE HACKER NEWSRAVIE LAKSHMANAN · RESEARCH COVERAGE
UAT-10362 targets Taiwanese NGOs with LucidRook malware↗︎
THE HACKER NEWSRAVIE LAKSHMANAN · ROUTER RESEARCH
DKnife targets routers for traffic hijacking and malware delivery↗︎
DARK READINGELIZABETH MONTALBANO · PROFILE
Women Who “Hacked the Status Quo” talk security careers↗︎
COMPUTER WEEKLYALEX SCROXTON · APT41 COVERAGE
Chinese cyber attack sparks alert over six-year-old Microsoft vulnerability↗︎
CYBERSCOOPAJ VICENS · RESEARCH COVERAGE
Chinese-aligned group targeted government agencies across EMEA and Asia↗︎
BLEEPINGCOMPUTERBILL TOULAS · VULNERABILITY CREDIT
Google fixes fifth Chrome zero-day exploited in the wild that year↗︎
THE RECORDCATALIN CIMPANU · GOOGLE TAG
Google unmasks phishing and malware campaign targeting YouTube users↗︎
SKY NEWSTOM CHESHIRE · INTERVIEW
North Korea is hacking soaring Bitcoin exchanges, researchers say↗︎
EWEEKSEAN MICHAEL KERNER · INTERVIEW
Researcher provides insight into North Korea cyber-army tactics↗︎
05 / PODCASTS
Behind
the microphone.
12 EPISODES · 2020—2021 · 中文
MY ORIGINAL SERIES
我們與駭的距離The Hacks Between Us
I created this series to open up the world of hackers, threat research and practical security for a Mandarin-speaking audience.
資安工程師突然想開 podcast? 追駭客也是一種工作？GUEST CONVERSATIONS
07 / GALLERY
Public work,
in pictures.
08 / COMMUNITY
Giving back to the community.
HITCON GIRLS
Taiwan’s first information-security community for women.
RHACKLETTE
A Swiss security community for FINTA.
BLACK HAT
Reviewing and shaping security-research programming.
HITCON
Supporting strong technical content for Taiwan’s security community.
09 / EXPERIENCE
From regional signals
to global intelligence.
2023—NOW
CISCO TALOS
Security Research Engineering Technical Leader
Emerging threats, nation-state operations, financially motivated crime and spyware campaigns.
2026—NOW
PREVIOUS
THREAT ANALYSIS GROUP
Security Engineer
Hunted zero-day exploits used in the wild and tracked botnet activity.
PREVIOUS
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Global Research Team
Tracked APAC threat groups and co-authored major research on APT41 and ICEFOG.
FOUNDATION
TAIWAN
Co-founder & Senior Threat Analyst
Focused on targeted attacks, malware analysis and emerging cyber-espionage activity in APAC.
10 / OPEN CHANNEL
06 / SOCIAL MEDIA
Social
media.
Have to show off my new stickers 🍊😎
LATEST VERIFIED ORIGINAL POST ↗︎Come get this super cool badge and see all the robots at the @RobotHackComm! #DC34
ROBOT HACKERS COMMUNITY · DEF CON 34 ↗︎Have to show off my new stickers 🍊😎
@ashl3y_shenOver the past few years, I’ve worked with Taiwan’s civil society community to analyze targeted attacks and strengthen threat detection. A few weeks ago, I joined the Open Culture Foundation Digital Security Forum 2026 to discuss nation-state cyber threats targeting civil society.
Chi En (Ashley) S.🔥 NEW research published: We uncover DKnife, a China-nexus gateway-monitoring framework that intercepts network traffic and delivers malware via routers and edge devices.
@ashl3y-shen.bsky.socialOver the past few years, I’ve worked with Taiwan’s civil society community to analyze targeted attacks and strengthen threat detection. A few weeks ago, I joined the Open Culture Foundation Digital Security Forum 2026 to discuss nation-state cyber threats targeting civil society.
LINKEDIN · OWN POST, NOT A REPOST ↗︎