PATCHCORD: New malware cluster targets Afghan telecom and South Asian critical infrastructure

A previously undocumented malware cluster, leveraging custom backdoors and advanced persistence techniques, is actively targeting Afghan telecom and South Asian critical infrastructure with evolving tools—including PATCHCORD, SHEETCORD, and HACKERAI C2—demonstrating a significant escalation in espionage operations linked to APT36 (Transparent Tribe).