A threat actor connected to the entity's network via a Pulse Secure virtual private network (VPN) appliance, moved laterally to its SolarWinds Orion server, installed malware referred to by security researchers as SUPERNOVA (a .NET webshell), and collected credentials.
SUPERNOVA is a malicious webshell backdoor that allows a remote operator to dynamically inject C# source code into a web portal to subsequently inject code. APT actors use SUPERNOVA to perform reconnaissance, conduct domain mapping, and steal sensitive information and credentials.