# APT20: threat group profile

> APT20 is a threat group thought to operate from China. Public reporting about it is still limited. This free profile brings together what is known about it, so you can judge the risk to you. It lists the other names the group goes by and links to every public report behind it.

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## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack techniques | 0 |
| Thought to operate from | China |
| Other names | 3 |
| Public reports | 5 |

## Who is APT20?

APT20 is a threat group thought to operate from China. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### Also known as

VIOLIN PANDA, TH3Bug, Crawling Taurus

Security companies each give the same group their own name, so one group can have many.

### What public reporting says

> We’ve uncovered some new data and likely attribution regarding a series of APT watering hole attacks this past summer. Watering hole attacks are an increasingly popular component of APT campaigns, as many people are more aware of spear phishing and are less likely to open documents or click on links in unsolicited emails. Watering hole attacks offer a much better chance of success because they involve compromising legitimate websites and installing malware intended to compromise website visitors. These are often popular websites frequented by people who work in specific industries or have political sympathies to which the actors want to gain access. In contrast to many other APT campaigns, which tend to rely heavily on spear phishing to gain victims, “th3bug” is known for compromising legitimate websites their intended visitors are likely to frequent. Over the summer they compromised several sites, including a well-known Uyghur website written in that native language.

## Public reports about APT20

- http://researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/2014/09/recent-watering-hole-attacks-attributed-apt-group-th3bug-using-poison-ivy/
- https://www.fox-it.com/nl/actueel/whitepapers/operation-wocao-shining-a-light-on-one-of-chinas-hidden-hacking-groups/
- https://paper.seebug.org/papers/APT/APT_CyberCriminal_Campagin/2015/Aug.10.The_Italian_Connection_An_analysis_of_exploit_supply_chains_and_digital_quartermasters/HTExploitTelemetry.pdf
- https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/atoms/crawling-taurus/
- https://www.mandiant.com/resources/insights/apt-groups

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is APT20?

APT20 is a threat group thought to operate from China. Public reporting about it is still limited.

### Where is APT20 thought to be based?

Public reporting places APT20 as operating from China. Attribution is never certain: it rests on the tools, infrastructure and targets researchers have seen.

### How do I know if APT20 is a risk to my business?

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