# Who is targeting higher education organisations?

> Public reporting links 14 threat groups to attacks on higher education organisations, part of the education and research industry, including TA505, Molerats and AridViper. 7 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/sub-industries/higher-education
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/) > [Industries](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/industries) > [Education and research](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/industries/education-research) > Higher education

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Threat groups linked | 14 |
| Related sectors with groups | 2 |
| Suspected state backing | 7 of 14 |
| Countries of origin | 4 |
| Part of | Education and research |

## Which groups target higher education 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 |
| 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 |
| 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: 8
- Iran: 3
- Palestinian Territories: 2
- Russia: 1

## Other sectors in education and research

- [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 higher education organisations?

Public reporting links 14 threat groups to attacks on higher education organisations, including TA505, Molerats, AridViper, LYCEUM and APT41.

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

Most are thought to operate from China (8), Iran (3) and Palestinian Territories (2). 7 of the 14 are thought to have backing from a government.

### Which industry is higher education part of?

Higher education sits within education and research. The industry page lists every group linked to the wider sector.

### 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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