# APT12: threat group profile

> APT12 is an espionage group thought to operate from China, with suspected state backing. Public reporting links it to 5 attack techniques, and to attacks on private sector and government organisations, with 2 countries and victims named. This free profile shows how it works and who it targets, so you can judge the risk to you.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors/apt12
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/) > [Threat groups](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/threat-actors) > APT12

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack techniques | 5 (plus 4 sub-techniques) |
| Countries and victims named | 2 |
| Thought to operate from | China |
| Suspected backing | China |
| Motive | Espionage |
| Other names | 10 |
| Public reports | 5 |

## Who is APT12?

APT12 is an espionage group thought to operate from China, with suspected state backing. Public reporting links it to 5 attack techniques, and to attacks on private sector and government organisations, with 2 countries and victims named.

### Also known as

NUMBERED PANDA, TG-2754, BeeBus, Group 22, DynCalc, Calc Team, DNSCalc, Crimson Iron, IXESHE, BRONZE GLOBE

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

### What public reporting says

> A group of China-based attackers, who conducted a number of spear phishing attacks in 2013.

## How does APT12 attack? Stage by stage

Each technique is a known way attackers research, get in, stay hidden or do damage. Here are the 5 linked to APT12. Some techniques belong to more than one stage. Public reporting also lists 4 more specific variations of them, called sub-techniques.

### 1. Research (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 2. Preparation (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 3. Getting in (1)

- T1566: Phishing

### 4. Running code (2)

- T1203: Exploitation for Client Execution
- T1204: User Execution

### 5. Staying in (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 6. Taking control (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 7. Hiding (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 8. Disabling defences (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 9. Stealing passwords (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 10. Looking around (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 11. Spreading (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 12. Gathering data (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 13. Keeping contact (2)

- T1102: Web Service
- T1568: Dynamic Resolution

### 14. Taking data out (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

### 15. Causing damage (0)

- None linked in public reporting.

## Who does APT12 go after?

**Sectors:** Private sector, Government

**Countries and victims named:** Taiwan, Japan

See threats by industry: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/industries

## Public reports about APT12

- http://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/whois-numbered-panda/
- https://www.cfr.org/interactive/cyber-operations/apt-12
- https://www.fireeye.com/blog/threat-research/2014/09/darwins-favorite-apt-group-2.html
- https://www.secureworks.com/research/threat-profiles/bronze-globe
- https://www.mandiant.com/resources/insights/apt-groups

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is APT12?

APT12 is an espionage group thought to operate from China, with suspected state backing. Public reporting links it to 5 attack techniques, and to attacks on private sector and government organisations, with 2 countries and victims named.

### Where is APT12 thought to be based?

Public reporting places APT12 as operating from China, with suspected state backing. Attribution is never certain: it rests on the tools, infrastructure and targets researchers have seen.

### Who does APT12 target?

In public reporting, sectors named include private sector and government, and 2 countries and victims are named, including Taiwan and Japan.

### How does APT12 attack?

Public reporting links APT12 to 5 attack techniques. Most of them are about running code, keeping contact and getting in.

### How do I know if APT12 is a risk to my business?

Create an account and tell us the software you run. We match it against known flaws, including those linked to threat groups, rank each one from 0 to 100 and tell you as soon as we spot something that affects you.

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