Are Advanced Persistent Threats a concern only for large organizations?

[conceptualclarity]

I come across the term a lot.

 

[marg]

I really don't know the answer to that but, its a very good question.

 

[Cch123]

Well, I would say it depends on your value.
This is the definition of APT:

1. Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are a cybercrime category directed at business and political targets. APTs require a high degree of stealithiness over a prolonged duration of operation in order to be successful.

If you are a high value target (you have some classified information etc.) then obviously you need to be wary of APTs. If you are just another user of the internet, then I would say no, because these APT organisations are not going to burn their advanced malware/exploits on a nobody with no value.

 

[Deleted member 178]

Are Advanced Persistent Threats a concern only for large organizations?

yes they are, to simplify the term:

"does using a mortar continuously against the same building is a concern?"

APT are very specific deployed attacks defined by several characteristics and by a duration.

it start by probing a chosen target (mostly corporations/govs/agencies/public infrastructures because they have valuable datas) looking for vulnerabilities and if some are discovered , to exploit them (via the use of various vectors/skillsets/tools) with the minimal footprints possible.

once the penetration is successful, the duration of the APT is then engaged, knowing that longer you sit on a target , easier you will be discovered; if the attack just involve some particular data retrievals , the APT is rarely discovered (or discovered too late). if the attack's purpose is to stream-retrieve infos at long term , the skillset and tools have to be very sophisticated and stealthy.

once the goal is reached , the traces have to be erased to cover a potential new penetration to the same target later.

final Note : yes APT are a major concern to corporations

 

[WinXPert]

Great explanation @Umbra Polaris

Are NSA, CIA and other bunch of acronyms in the APT business?

 

[Deleted member 178]

Great explanation @Umbra Polaris

Are NSA, CIA and other bunch of acronyms in the APT business?

they are the creator of the APTs :

lot of financial resources, lot of skills, lot of time , and if they get caught , they are covered by the government ^^