# Who is targeting education and research organisations?

> Public reporting links 17 threat groups to attacks on education and research organisations, including TA505, Molerats and Gelsemium. 8 of them are thought to have state backing. This page lists them and where they are thought to operate from, so you can see who might come after a business like yours.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/industries/education-research
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/) > [Industries](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/industries) > Education and research

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Threat groups linked | 17 |
| Sectors with their own page | 3 |
| Suspected state backing | 8 of 17 |
| Countries of origin | 4 |

## Which groups target education and research organisations?

| Group | Thought to operate from | Suspected state backing | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| TA505 | Russia | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/ta505 |
| Molerats | Palestinian Territories | Palestine | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/molerats |
| Gelsemium | Not known | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/gelsemium |
| APT-C-12 | Not known | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/apt-c-12 |
| AridViper | Palestinian Territories | Palestine | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/aridviper |
| LYCEUM | Iran | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/lyceum |
| APT41 | China | People's Republic of China | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/apt41 |
| Red Menshen | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/red-menshen |
| Earth Berberoka | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/earth-berberoka |
| Earth Lusca | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/earth-lusca |
| Earth Wendigo | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/earth-wendigo |
| BRONZE SPRING | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/bronze-spring |
| Aoqin Dragon | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/aoqin-dragon |
| Evasive Panda | China | China | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/evasive-panda |
| APT42 | Iran | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/apt42 |
| RedGolf | China | China | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/redgolf |
| BANISHED KITTEN | Iran | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/banished-kitten |

## Where are they thought to operate from?

- China: 9
- Iran: 3
- Palestinian Territories: 2
- Russia: 1
- Not known: 2

## What counts as education and research?

- [Higher education](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/higher-education): 14 groups (also called education)
- [Universities](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/universities): 2 groups
- [Scientific research](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/scientific-research): 1 group

## Frequently asked questions

### Which threat groups target education and research organisations?

Public reporting links 17 threat groups to attacks on education and research organisations, including TA505, Molerats, Gelsemium, APT-C-12 and AridViper.

### Where are these groups thought to operate from?

Most are thought to operate from China (9), Iran (3) and Palestinian Territories (2). 8 of the 17 are thought to have backing from a government.

### What counts as education and research?

Public reporting describes education and research victims in several ways. The narrower sectors with groups of their own are higher education (14), universities (2) and scientific research (1).

### How can I check my own organisation's exposure?

Create an account and tell us the software you run. We match it against known flaws, rank each one from 0 to 100 using evidence it is being exploited, let you know as soon as something changes that affects you, and show which groups and ransomware gangs are hitting your sector.

## Check whether it matters to your business

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