Ever wonder who's behind some of the attacks we hear about in the news? Here are eight advanced persistent threat (APT) groups that operate some of the most successful and well-known malware campaigns worldwide.

Sean Martin, CISSP | President, imsmartin

April 16, 2016

9 Slides

Question: What do the following industries have in common?

Aerospace, Aviation, Energy, Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, Technology, Law Practices, Oil, Precious Metal Mining, Defense, Government Officials, Military Officials, NATO, Embassies, Education and Research Facilities, Large Enterprises, and Large Brands

Answer: They have all been a target of active cyber espionage, or advanced persistent threat (APT), groups.

As information security professionals, it’s critical that we understand just how APT attacks can affect the organization. It’s equally imperative that we first have an understanding of the people, organizations, and nations behind the methods, the motives, and the malware targeting us.

Here's a look at eight active APT group profiles, including their:

  • Date of origin

  • Location of origin

  • Attack methods

  • Typical targets

  • Motive(s)

Note: A huge thank you goes out to InfoArmor, Symantec, and Trend Micro for their contributions to this collection.

About the Author(s)

Sean Martin

CISSP | President, imsmartin

Sean Martin is an information security veteran of nearly 25 years and a four-term CISSP with articles published globally covering security management, cloud computing, enterprise mobility, governance, risk, and compliance—with a focus on specialized industries such as government, finance, healthcare, insurance, legal, and the supply chain

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