These are the most feared hacker groups in the world
Jon Woo/Reuters
The most feared hacker groups are what cybersecurity professionals refer to as "advanced persistent threat" actors.
Unlike your average hacker breaching a server for curiosity or activism, or criminal gangs armed with ransomware and interested only in money, APTs backed by nation-states usually are among the very best.
And most of the time, they are interested in just one thing: Stealing secrets.
Well, that, and not getting caught.
"Advanced persistent threat" actors are frequently discussed as a hot topic among cybersecurity experts, political leaders, and white hat hackers.
Larry Downing/ReutersIt's the best way to define the hackers who burrow into networks and maintain "persistence" — a connection that can't be stopped simply by software updates or rebooting a computer.
FacebookAPTs vary in their methods of gaining access. Some use targeted email phishing campaigns that install malicious software onto a victim's machine, while other, more advanced groups will use "zero-day" exploits.
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