Ask HN: Why isn't the NSA categorized as an APT?

Israel Unit-8200 is an APT Iran has like 4 APT's under its army Why isn't the NSA categorized as an APT?

APT definition: APTs are state-run, organized, and stealthy. The NSA fits this definition.

Can someone explain this? Is it only politics?

5 points | by TheOpenSourcer 1 day ago

7 comments

  • KomoD 1 day ago
    Sure they are. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equation_Group
  • sloaken 1 day ago
    It is perspective. From the Iranian stance, NSA is an APT and theirs is not. Likewise the UK version, Russian versions etc.

    Them / Us.

  • cochinescu 1 day ago
    It's probably more about convention and terminology. Security researchers tend to label foreign actors as APTs partly for tracking and reporting purposes. With domestic agencies, especially US ones, there's either reluctance or it's treated as a given.
  • rl1987 1 day ago
    Because it's not wrong when "we" (i.e. those naming who counts as APT) are doing it.
  • tim-tday 1 day ago
    Remember the Snowden leaks? They are.
  • mhb 1 day ago
    WTF is an APT?
    [-]
    • AnimalMuppet 1 day ago
      Advanced Persistent Threat. It's a cyber security term.
      [-]
      • sloaken 1 day ago
        Thanks. Well that answers the question. Opponents are threats, your tools to counter are not.

        As in: Your gun is a threat to me, my gun is how I defend against YOUR gun.

    • sheunl 1 day ago
      [dead]
  • webagent255 1 day ago
    [dead]