Gopher Strike and Sheet Attack: A Playful Wake-Up Call from the Cyber Frontier
Introduction: The Threat Won’t Take a Holiday
Cyber criminals and nation-state-like actors are constantly cooking up new tricks, and this time they set their sights on government targets. In September 2025, Zscaler ThreatLabz uncovered two campaigns—codenamed Gopher Strike and Sheet Attack—launched by a threat actor operating from Pakistan and armed with tradecraft not seen before. The aim? Indian government entities. This isn’t about one-off hacks; it’s a signal that espionage-style campaigns are evolving and slipping into the everyday digital noise. Think of it as a cybersecurity fire drill with a stylish name.
What Happened: Two Campaigns, Shared Signals
– Target and scope: Indian government entities were the focus of two parallel campaigns, Gopher Strike and Sheet Attack. The actors appear to be based in Pakistan and used a set of techniques and tools that hadn’t been documented before in public threat intel.
– The craft: Zscaler ThreatLabz noted that while these campaigns have their own flavors, they share some characteristics with a Pakistan-linked APT. In other words, there are familiar tactics borrowing from known playbooks, but with fresh twists that can slip past casual defenses.
– Detection timeline: The campaigns came to light in September 2025, marking a notable reminder that threat actors are refining their methods and retooling old tricks into new forms of intrusion.
Why It Matters: Why Awareness Is Non-Negotiable
– Espionage risk: When government entities are targeted, the stakes are high. Even attempted intrusions can lead to data exposure, service disruptions, or influence over critical decision-making.
– Evolving tradecraft: The use of previously undocumented techniques signals that attackers are innovating. Relying on old security playbooks leaves organizations exposed to new weaknesses.
– Cross-border dynamics: This incident underscores how geopolitics can intersect with cyber activity. Understanding that threat actors may operate across borders helps organizations adopt more resilient, globally aware defenses.
– Shared lessons for all: While the targets here were government entities, the underlying takeaway applies to any organization using digital workflows: layered security, rapid detection, and strong response plans reduce risk for everyone.
How Readers Can Stay Safe: Practical, Actionable Steps
– Strengthen authentication
– Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users, especially on email, VPNs, and administrative portals.
– Move toward hardware-backed or phishing-resistant MFA where possible.
– Harden email and web gateways
– Deploy advanced email filtering with anti-phishing and URL reputation checks.
– Enable sandboxing for suspicious attachments and links before they reach end users.
– Patch smartly and promptly
– Maintain a prioritized patching schedule for OSes, applications, and critical infrastructure.
– Test patches in a controlled segment before broad deployment.
– Adopt zero-trust principles
– Verify every access attempt, regardless of origin, and limit lateral movement with segmentation.
– Use least-privilege access for all accounts and regularly review permissions.
– fortify endpoints and backups
– Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) to catch malicious behavior early.
– Regularly back up critical data and test restore procedures; ensure offline or immutable backups are in place.
– Cultivate a culture of awareness
– Run ongoing cyber awareness training focused on phishing, social engineering, and credential hygiene.
– Establish an incident response plan and run tabletop exercises to improve readiness.
– Monitor and share threat intel
– Subscribe to reputable threat intelligence feeds and align defenses with emerging campaigns.
– Encourage cross-team collaboration between security, IT, and executive leadership for rapid decision-making.
Bottom line
The Gopher Strike and Sheet Attack campaigns remind us that the cyber battlefield is fluid and real. By combining practical defenses with a proactive mindset, individuals and organizations can raise their guard without losing agility. Stay curious, stay prepared, and keep your digital doors firmly closed to the next wave of opportunistic intrusions.
Source: The Hacker News report on the Pakistan-linked campaigns (link: https://thehackernews.com/2026/01/experts-detect-pakistan-linked-cyber.html)