Windows Persistence via Startup Folder Abuse: The Quiet Trick 54 APT Groups Keep Using

Drop a file in one folder, survive every reboot — no admin rights, no UAC prompt. Startup Folder Abuse (MITRE T1547.001) is the most-used Windows persistence technique on record, tracked across 300+ malware families and 54 APT groups. Here's how it works, how attackers stage it, and how defenders catch it.