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

KomoD · 2026-03-21T14:06:20 1774101980

Sure they are. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equation_Group

sloaken · 2026-03-21T18:59:45 1774119585

It is perspective. From the Iranian stance, NSA is an APT and theirs is not. Likewise the UK version, Russian versions etc.

Them / Us.

rl1987 · 2026-03-21T16:33:07 1774110787

Because it's not wrong when "we" (i.e. those naming who counts as APT) are doing it.

tim-tday · 2026-03-21T15:02:37 1774105357

Remember the Snowden leaks? They are.

mhb · 2026-03-21T13:25:16 1774099516

WTF is an APT?

AnimalMuppet · 2026-03-21T13:30:42 1774099842

Advanced Persistent Threat. It's a cyber security term.

sloaken · 2026-03-21T18:58:08 1774119488

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.

cochinescu · 2026-03-21T13:43:24 1774100604

[flagged]

rithdmc · 2026-03-23T10:51:10 1774263070

That and the big question over, if they do detect a domestic agency's APT, will they even report it? Warning: Top Secret / NoForn leaks below.

Allegedly, - McAfee reached out to the FBI about Magic Lantern, - Kaspersky were believed by the NSA to not detect Russian-affiliated malware, - and I can't find any sources for this, but I remember reading about and having chats earlier in my career with folks in AV companies mulling over what to do in this situation.