APT1

APT1 is a Chinese nation state advanced persistent threat. The 3rd and 4th Departments of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Staff Department (GSD) supposedly houses China’s electronic warfare operations. PLA Unit 61398 is the Military Unit Cover Designator of the Chinese state sponsored advanced persistent threat that operates out of the 2nd Bureau of the 3rd Department of PLA GSD, located off Datong road in Pudong in Shanghai.

PLA Unit 61398, it is tasked with computer network operations. It operates on four large networks in Shanghai. Two of these networks serve the Pudong region. The Unit has a dedicated fiber optics connection that was paid for in the name of national defense. The 3rd Department employs over 130,000 employees. Unit 61398 consists of personnel who are proficient in English and trained in computer security and computer network operations. Members of Unit 61398 use Chinese (Simplified) keyboard settings. Most of the IP addresses and the infrastructure used in the attacks trace back to China.

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