# Who is targeting technology and telecoms organisations?

> Public reporting links 20 threat groups to attacks on technology and telecoms organisations, including Grayling, WIZARD SPIDER and Tortoiseshell. 12 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/technology-telecommunications
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/) > [Industries](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/industries) > Technology and telecoms

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Threat groups linked | 20 |
| Sectors with their own page | 7 |
| Suspected state backing | 12 of 20 |
| Countries of origin | 5 |

## Which groups target technology and telecoms organisations?

| Group | Thought to operate from | Suspected state backing | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grayling | China | China | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/grayling |
| WIZARD SPIDER | Russia | Russian Federation | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/wizard-spider |
| Tortoiseshell | Iran | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/tortoiseshell |
| BackdoorDiplomacy | Not known | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/backdoordiplomacy |
| 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 |
| POLONIUM | Lebanon | Lebanon | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/polonium |
| BRONZE VAPOR | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/bronze-vapor |
| Earth Berberoka | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/earth-berberoka |
| Earth Lusca | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/earth-lusca |
| BRONZE SPRING | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/bronze-spring |
| NoName057(16) | Not known | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/noname057-16 |
| TianWu | China | China | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/tianwu |
| Aoqin Dragon | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/aoqin-dragon |
| Red Dev 17 | China | No | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/red-dev-17 |
| RedGolf | China | China | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/redgolf |
| Sandman APT | China | China | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/sandman-apt |
| Cotton Sandstorm | Iran | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/cotton-sandstorm |
| BANISHED KITTEN | Iran | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/banished-kitten |

## Where are they thought to operate from?

- China: 11
- Iran: 4
- Russia: 1
- Palestinian Territories: 1
- Lebanon: 1
- Not known: 2

## What counts as technology and telecoms?

- [Tech](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/tech): 13 groups
- [Telecom](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/telecom): 13 groups
- [High-Tech](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/high-tech): 7 groups
- [Telecommunications](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/telecommunications): 7 groups (also called telecommunication)
- [Information technology](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/information-technology): 6 groups (also called technology)
- [Telecomms](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/telecomms): 3 groups
- [Semiconductor industry](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/sub-industries/semiconductor-industry): 1 group

## Frequently asked questions

### Which threat groups target technology and telecoms organisations?

Public reporting links 20 threat groups to attacks on technology and telecoms organisations, including Grayling, WIZARD SPIDER, Tortoiseshell, BackdoorDiplomacy and AridViper.

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

Most are thought to operate from China (11), Iran (4) and Russia (1). 12 of the 20 are thought to have backing from a government.

### What counts as technology and telecoms?

Public reporting describes technology and telecoms victims in several ways. The narrower sectors with groups of their own are tech (13), telecom (13), high-Tech (7), telecommunications (7), information technology (6), telecomms (3) and semiconductor industry (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

A free Precursor Intelligence account (no card needed) matches the software you run against known flaws, including those linked to threat groups, ranks each one from 0 to 100 and tells you as soon as we spot something that affects you. It also shows which threat groups and ransomware gangs are hitting your sector, with profiles of over 900 groups and a PDF dossier for each.

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