APT’s vs Most Malware
Cyber attacks are a major cause of concern especially for banking and defense industries. Resources are needed to be allocated to prevent systems from getting compromised. Security threats are becoming more severe day by day, which calls for the need of additional cost to be used specifically for securing web businesses.
Intelligent Cyber attacks such as APT’s have proved to be very destructive, APT’s are different from most malware, an advanced more stealthy approach for damaging an organization. lets fully understand how they are more dangerous and completely different from trivial malware.
What are APT’s?
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) is a combination of several sophisticated cyber attacks composed of advanced capability for long-term intrusion campaigns. It is a prolonged attack on sensitive, corporate, banking networks to maintain access to their networks and infiltrate data that is economically and politically beneficial. APT’s work in such a way that they remain undetected for a long period of time to gather sensitive data. The attack done through APT’s is a persistent one, which follows ‘low-and-slow’ approach through continuously monitoring and interacting in order to achieve the defined objectives. APT’s are usually well funded, organized groups that are intentionally made to compromise government and commercial entities. At the core of every APT lies remote control functionality. Criminal operators rely upon this capability in order to navigate to specific hosts within target organizations, exploit local systems, and gain continuous access to critical information.
What makes it different from most Malware?
Most malware attacks, unlike APTs, are quick damaging attacks to interrupt and destabilize Internet operations. Malware is nothing but a piece of code running on your computer like a software application and makes your system do something that an attacker wants it to do. These are targeted cyber attacks intended to manipulate the system by providing executable instructions inside of user input.
Most malware is easier to detect and prevent than APT’s. Most malware do quick damage, while APT’s require high degree of stealth over a prolonged duration. Malware attack is comparatively easy to compose and launch, while APT’s require advanced logistical and operational capability to be coded in them. Malware can infect any common internet user or a highly secure organization while APT’s are only directed at high profile business and political targets.
