Decade of the RATs: APT Attacks Targeting Linux, Windows & Android

Decade of the RATs: Novel APT Attacks Targeting Linux, Windows & Android

BlackBerry researchers have released a new report that examines how five related APT groups operating in the interest of the Chinese government have systematically targeted Linux servers, Windows systems and Android mobile devices while remaining undetected for nearly a decade.

The report comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Justice announcing several high-profile indictments from over 1,000 open FBI investigations into economic espionage as part of the DOJ’s China Initiative.

The BlackBerry report, titled Decade of the RATs: Cross-Platform APT Espionage Attacks Targeting Linux, Windows and Android, examines how APTs have leveraged the “always on, always available” nature of Linux servers to establish a “beachhead” for operations. Given the profile of the five APT groups involved and the duration of the attacks, it is likely the number of impacted organizations is significant.

On this bonus episode of InSecurity, Matt Stephenson takes a deep dive into the world of Espionage Attacks Targeting Linux Windows & Android. He welcomes BlackBerry Director of Sales Engineering Sara Löfgren and Director of Threat Research Kevin Livelli. The research paints a picture of an espionage effort targeting the backbone of large organizations’ network infrastructure. This isn’t a sales pitch or a product demonstration. This is straight up, deep dive research.

About Sara Löfgren

Sara Löfgren is the Channel Sales Engineering Manager at Cylance. She has been working in computer security for over a decade, with focus on solving enterprise security problems through the union of technology, people, and processes. Besides malware, her other main areas of interest include privacy, cryptography, and technology regulations.

About Kevin Livelli

Kevin Livelli is a Director of Threat Intelligence at Cylance, where he conducts long-term, complex investigations with the Research and Intelligence team.

His work here follows ten years at 60 Minutes, where his investigative reporting and analysis were recognized with Peabody and Emmy awards. Before that, Livelli supervised investigations at the nation’s largest independent police oversight agency. A graduate of Dartmouth, he earned master's degrees from Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University.

About Matt Stephenson

Insecurity Podcast host Matt Stephenson (@packmatt73) leads the broadcast media team at Cylance, which puts him in front of crowds, cameras, and microphones all over the world. He is the regular host of the InSecurity podcast and video series at events around the globe.

Twenty years of work with the world’s largest security, storage, and recovery companies has introduced Stephenson to some of the most fascinating people in the industry. He wants to get those stories told so that others can learn from what has come

Every week on the InSecurity Podcast, Matt interviews leading authorities in the security industry to gain an expert perspective on topics including risk management, security control friction, compliance issues, and building a culture of security. Each episode provides relevant insights for security practitioners and business leaders working to improve their organization’s security posture and bottom line.

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