By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
10alert.com10alert.com
  • Threats
    • WordPress ThreatsDanger
    Threats
    A cyber or cybersecurity threat is a malicious act that seeks to damage data, steal data, or disrupt digital life in general. Cyber threats include…
    Show More
    Top News
    Neverquest Trojan: Built to Steal from Hundreds of Banks
    8 months ago
    The phenomenon of legal malware and cyber-mercenaries
    8 months ago
    TeslaCrypt 2.0 ransomware improved version
    8 months ago
    Latest News
    Triangulation: Trojan for iOS | Kaspersky official blog
    5 days ago
    Wordfence Intelligence Weekly WordPress Vulnerability Report (May 22, 2023 to May 28, 2023)
    5 days ago
    Safeguards against firmware signed with stolen MSI keys
    7 days ago
    WPDeveloper Addresses Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in ReviewX WordPress Plugin
    7 days ago
  • Fix
    Fix
    Troubleshooting guide you need when errors, bugs or technical glitches might ruin your digital experience.
    Show More
    Top News
    Keylogger found on 5500 sites running WordPress
    Keylogger found on 5500 sites running WordPress
    8 months ago
    Windows 11 build 22622.575 (KB5016694) releases in the Beta Channel
    8 months ago
    How to create restore point on Windows 11
    8 months ago
    Latest News
    How automatically delete unused files from my Downloads folder?
    4 months ago
    Now you can speed up any video in your browser
    4 months ago
    How to restore access to a file after EFS or view it on another computer?
    4 months ago
    18 Proven Tips to Speed Up Your WordPress Site and Improve SEO | 2023 Guide
    5 months ago
  • How To
    How ToShow More
    Nine years of Project Galileo and how the last year has changed it
    Nine years of Project Galileo and how the last year has changed it
    18 hours ago
    Dynamic data collection with Zaraz Worker Variables
    Dynamic data collection with Zaraz Worker Variables
    4 days ago
    Reduce latency and increase cache hits with Regional Tiered Cache
    Reduce latency and increase cache hits with Regional Tiered Cache
    5 days ago
    Cloudflare is deprecating Railgun
    Cloudflare is deprecating Railgun
    5 days ago
    What is two-factor authentication | Kaspersky official blog
    1 week ago
  • News
    News
    This category of resources includes the latest technology news and updates, covering a wide range of topics and innovations in the tech industry. From new…
    Show More
    Top News
    How to add Vkontakte middle name?
    8 months ago
    How to prevent applications from running in the background on Windows 10?
    8 months ago
    Do you know how to reinstall Windows from a flash drive?
    8 months ago
    Latest News
    How to generate SSH keys on Windows 11
    8 hours ago
    How to enable file sharing on WSA for Windows 11
    8 hours ago
    How to add CPU, GPU, RAM widgets on Windows 11
    5 days ago
    How to create virtual drive (VHD, VHDX, Dev Drive) on Windows 11
    1 week ago
  • Glossary
  • My Bookmarks
Reading: What is APT? -Kaspersky Daily
Share
Notification Show More
Aa
Aa
10alert.com10alert.com
  • Threats
  • Fix
  • How To
  • News
  • Glossary
  • My Bookmarks
  • Threats
    • WordPress ThreatsDanger
  • Fix
  • How To
  • News
  • Glossary
  • My Bookmarks
Follow US
AppsThreatsWordpress Threats

What is APT? -Kaspersky Daily

Vitus White
Last updated: 13 October
Vitus White 8 months ago
Share
5 Min Read

APT stands for advanced persistent threat. It became famous following a New York Times exposé detailing a month’s long attack campaign in which a Chinese military unit now known as “APT 1” thoroughly penetrated the media organization’s networks with a series of spear-phishing emails and a deluge of customized malware samples.

apt_title

There are two ways to look at it: APT as a thing and APT as people. On the one hand, an advanced persistent threat refers to a highly precise sort of cyberattack. On the other hand, advanced persistent threat can also refer to the groups, often state sponsored or well-funded in other ways, that are responsible for launching such precision attacks.

Truly advanced persistent threats are a bit counter-intuitive. When you think about most cybercriminals and other spreaders of malware, you think that their goal is to infect as many computers as possible with their credential pilfering, botnet building, or other malicious software. The wider the net, the more opportunity for stealing money, computing resources, or whatever it is they’re after. APT actors on the other hand are interested in infecting the machines of particular people.

The point is: you don’t have to be the CEO in order to be a potential APT target. Nearly anyone with an internet connection is a potential target.

The end-goal of an APT-style attack is to compromise a machine on which there is some sort of valuable information. It would be an obvious success if an attacker managed to load a keylogger or install a backdoor onto the machine of the chief executive or information officer of a prominent company, but you’ve got to wake up pretty early in the morning to trick one of these guys or gals. They’re smart. They have security teams and tools looking out for them. In other words, it may just be too hard to hack these enterprising individuals.

So instead of targeting the CEO, APT groups often choose to target some lesser employee, like a copy-writer or graphic designer, who may not have particularly valuable information on his or her machine but is on the same network as machines with valuable data and could potentially be used as a stepping stone toward infecting valuable machines. To recap: compromise the copy-writer’s machine and use his or her email address to spear-phish the CEO.

Even this tactic often proves too difficult as companies continue investing more money on corporate security products and employee education. APT hackers now resort to choosing increasingly obscure targets in an attempt to daisy chain a complicated sequence of infections that eventually yields valuable data. For example, maybe your great uncle is a bigwig at Boeing or you work as an engineer at a highly specialized design firm that develops a certain exhaust component that Boeing uses in one if it’s jetliners. APT groups might target you as a starting point that could eventually lead to the compromise that yields secrets.

The point is: you don’t have to be the CEO in order to be a potential APT target. Nearly anyone with an internet connection is a potential target.

Just last week Kaspersky analysts uncovered an APT-style espionage campaign called “NetTraveler” that may-well have spanned the better part of a decade targeting diplomats, military contractors and government agencies in 40 countries. This attack, like many APT-style attacks, began with a spear-phishing email that exploited a couple known Microsoft vulnerabilities. Eventually the attackers deployed a tool capable of extracting system information, dropping keylogging malware, stealing Office documents such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, and modifying configurations to steal Corel Draw designs, AutoCAD files and other file types used in manufacturing and defense circles. This attack should be considered an advanced persistent threat because it seems to have only targeted individuals and organizations whose computers would contain valuable secrets. As I mentioned above, APT can also refer to hacker or attack groups. In this case, the APT group is a prolific one. Perhaps not quite as prolific as the notorious Comment Crew (aka APT 1), but Kaspersky Lab researchers claim that whoever launched NetTraveler is likely responsible for the Titan Rain and GhostNet attacks as well.


Source: kaspersky.com

Translate this article

TAGGED: DoS, Malware, Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Phishing, PoC, Security, Software, Threat, Threats, Vulnerabilities
Vitus White October 13, 2022 October 7, 2022
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Reddit Telegram Email Copy Link Print

STAY CONECTED

24.8k Followers Like
253.9k Followers Follow
33.7k Subscribers Subscribe
124.8k Members Follow

LAST 10 ALERT

How to generate SSH keys on Windows 11
News 11 hours ago
How to enable file sharing on WSA for Windows 11
News 11 hours ago
Nine years of Project Galileo and how the last year has changed it
Nine years of Project Galileo and how the last year has changed it
Apps 18 hours ago
Dynamic data collection with Zaraz Worker Variables
Dynamic data collection with Zaraz Worker Variables
Apps 4 days ago
How to add CPU, GPU, RAM widgets on Windows 11
News 5 days ago

Recent Posts

  • How to generate SSH keys on Windows 11
  • How to enable file sharing on WSA for Windows 11
  • Nine years of Project Galileo and how the last year has changed it
  • Dynamic data collection with Zaraz Worker Variables
  • How to add CPU, GPU, RAM widgets on Windows 11

You Might Also Like

News

How to generate SSH keys on Windows 11

11 hours ago
Nine years of Project Galileo and how the last year has changed it
Apps

Nine years of Project Galileo and how the last year has changed it

18 hours ago
Dynamic data collection with Zaraz Worker Variables
Apps

Dynamic data collection with Zaraz Worker Variables

4 days ago
Reduce latency and increase cache hits with Regional Tiered Cache
Apps

Reduce latency and increase cache hits with Regional Tiered Cache

5 days ago
Show More

Related stories

How to Use Cloudflare to Secure Your WordPress Site
How To Starting Chrome from the command line
How to fix error 0x80070057 in Chrome?
Windows 10 How To Disable Slide to Shutdown
Windows search not working (FIX)
How to watch movies and TV series for free on Kinopoisk?
Previous Next

10 New Stories

Reduce latency and increase cache hits with Regional Tiered Cache
Cloudflare is deprecating Railgun
Triangulation: Trojan for iOS | Kaspersky official blog
Wordfence Intelligence Weekly WordPress Vulnerability Report (May 22, 2023 to May 28, 2023)
Safeguards against firmware signed with stolen MSI keys
WPDeveloper Addresses Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in ReviewX WordPress Plugin
Previous Next
Hot News
How to generate SSH keys on Windows 11
How to enable file sharing on WSA for Windows 11
Nine years of Project Galileo and how the last year has changed it
Dynamic data collection with Zaraz Worker Variables
How to add CPU, GPU, RAM widgets on Windows 11
10alert.com10alert.com
Follow US

© 10 Alert Network. All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Customize Interests
  • My Bookmarks
  • Glossary
Go to mobile version
adbanner
AdBlock Detected
Our site is an advertising supported site. Please whitelist to support our site.
Okay, I'll Whitelist
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?