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How Microsoft’s weather-based naming system works
Microsoft announced the taxonomy on April 18, 2023, to make threat intelligence easier for customers and researchers to interpret as the volume and complexity of threats grew. The naming scheme is Microsoft’s way of organizing the actors it tracks; it did not change those actors or Microsoft’s underlying analysis. John Lambert, then a Microsoft security executive, described its aim this way: “Simply put, security professionals will instantly have an idea of the type of threat actor they are up against, just by reading the name.”
A typical name combines an adjective with a family name. The family indicates a broad attribution or category in Microsoft’s taxonomy, while the adjective distinguishes groups within that family based on observed patterns such as tactics, techniques, infrastructure, or objectives. Treat the name as a useful clue, not as a standalone account of an actor’s identity, activity, or responsibility for a specific incident.
What the family names indicate
In the original announcement, Microsoft assigned these family names to the following categories. These are Microsoft’s labels and categorizations, not independent confirmation of attribution.
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| Family name | Microsoft category or attribution |
|---|---|
| Typhoon | China |
| Sandstorm | Iran |
| Rain | Lebanon |
| Sleet | North Korea |
| Blizzard | Russia |
| Hail | South Korea |
| Dust | Turkey |
| Cyclone | Vietnam |
| Tempest | Financially motivated actors |
| Tsunami | Private-sector offensive actors |
| Flood | Influence operations |
| Storm | Groups in development |
For example, Mint Sandstorm means the group belongs to Microsoft’s Sandstorm family; the adjective distinguishes it from other groups Microsoft places in that family. The family does not, by itself, explain the group’s methods or establish that a particular event was its work.
What a Storm number means
Microsoft uses Storm followed by four digits for a new, unknown, emerging, or developing activity cluster. The designation lets Microsoft track the cluster before its analysis supports a more specific name. It does not mean the actor’s identity or attribution is settled, and Storm numbers can be used across actor types.
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A Storm designation may remain in use indefinitely while Microsoft tracks the activity. As analysis develops, Microsoft may instead merge the cluster with another one or convert it to a fully named actor. The number is therefore a tracking label, not a guarantee that the activity will receive a permanent standalone identity.
Why Microsoft changed its earlier labels
The 2023 taxonomy replaced Microsoft’s prior Elements, Trees, Volcanoes, and DEV naming approach. Microsoft said it reassigned existing actors but did not change which actors it tracked or its underlying analysis. It published old-to-new mappings and Kusto Query Language examples to help customers search using a previous name, a new Microsoft name, or an industry name.
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The original announcement estimated that prioritized updates to Microsoft products would be completed by September 2023, while noting that some surfaces would not be updated. For that reason, an older label may still appear in historical material or a particular product surface; use Microsoft’s current reference rather than assuming every occurrence has been renamed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to look up an old name or another vendor’s alias
- Open Microsoft Learn’s How Microsoft names threat actors page.
- Search for the Microsoft name, previous name, or other-vendor name you have. The page includes previous-name and cross-vendor mappings where available.
- Check the mapping before treating two labels as equivalent. Vendor taxonomies differ, and a cross-reference is useful only where Microsoft documents one.
Microsoft’s documentation is the practical reference for resolving a specific alias because names and mappings can evolve. No single weather-based naming standard applies across the cybersecurity industry.
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