Scarab
Intelligence Profile
Scarab APT was first spotted in 2015, but is believed to have been active since at least 2012, conducting surgical attacks against a small number of individuals across the world, including Russia and the United States. The backdoor deployed by Scarab in their campaigns is most commonly known as Scieron.
Intelligence Assessment
Scarab is an advanced threat group assessed as originating from China, motivated by espionage. First spotted in 2015, this group is believed to have been active since at least 2012, conducting surgical attacks against a small number of individuals globally, including in Russia and the United States.
This threat group was last active on 2026-03-18 and appears to be currently active. Its sophistication is assessed as advanced.
Threat Analysis
Scarab is a advanced-sophistication threat actor attributed to China, engaged in cyber operations with a primary motivation of espionage.
The group's espionage-oriented operations suggest a state-sponsored or state-aligned mandate, typically focused on stealing intellectual property, government secrets, or military intelligence. Targets are usually selected for strategic value rather than financial gain.
Classified as an advanced threat actor, Scarab likely develops or acquires zero-day exploits, employs custom malware toolchains, and demonstrates long-term persistence capabilities — hallmarks of a well-resourced operation consistent with nation-state backing.