Threat Actors Types

• Nation-State\Government-Sponsored

  • Types
    •  Espionage
      • This type is interested in stealing state\government secrets from businesses and government-run organizations
    • Warfare 
      • This type is interested in sabotaging military
  • Well founded
  • Geopolitical
  • Common TTPs: spear phishing, direct compromise, custom malware and exploits

• Cybercriminals

  • This type is interested in stealing personal info from data-rich businesses and organizations for financial gain
  • Common TTPs: ransomware and phishing
  • Profit

• Terrorist Groups

  • This type is interested in sabotaging critical infrastructure
  • Sometimes include hacktivists
  • Ideological Violence

• Thrill-Seekers

  • Stratification

• Insider Threats

  • Types
    • Malicious Insiders
      • Individuals who agreed to help threat actors for financial gain
    • Incautious Insiders
      • Individuals who made an incorrect mistake that led to a cyberattack
  • Common TTPs: data exfiltration or privilege misuse

• Hacktivists

  • This type is interested in advancing a specific political cause
  • Not interested in money
  • Ideological
  • Common TTPs: DDoS attacks, website defacements and doxing

• Script Kiddies

  • This type uses other threat actors' tools to attack networks or systems
  • Low technical skills

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Hats

• White hat
  • Also known as ethical hackers, individuals who use their technical skills to protect networks and systems from threat actors
• Grey hat
  • Individual who is in between white and black hat
  • Issues cyber-attacks without the target's consent
  • Sometimes they disclose info about vulnerabilities before being patched
• Black hat
  • Also known as cybercriminals, individuals who use their technical skills for malicious intention
• Blue hat
  • Individuals who use their technical skills to lunch cyber attacks without causing damage (Or, seek revenge)
• Green hat
  • Similar script kiddies, individuals who lack technical skills and want to cause harm
  • They want to learn, whereas script kiddies are not
• Red hat
  • Individuals who use their technical skills to attack threat actors
  • They use unethical ways

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id

5c5975ab-eb59-40e1-94ef-7fdec524f651

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threat_actor