Section 3.18 Threat Actor

Question 1

Threat Actor

Section 3

Answer 1

An individual or entity responsible for causing harm, loss or damage to an organisation

Question 2

Threat Actor Intent

Answer 2

Specific objective or goal that a threat actor wants to achieve throught their attack

Question 3

Threat Actor Motivation

Answer 3

Underlying reason or driving forces that pushes a threat actor to carry out the attack

Question 4

10 motives

Threat Actor Motivations

Answer 4

1. Data Exfiltration: unauthorised transfer of data from a computer
2. Financial Gain: Ranswomware attacks or trying to gain access to bank accounts
3. Blackmail: Attacker obtains sensitive information and threatens to release this information unless certain demands are met.
4. Service Disruption: Conducting DDoS attack to flood networks which leaves people unable to access information.
5. Philosophical or Political Beliefs: Hacktivism - use hacking to promote political agenda
6. Ethical Reasons: Motivated to enhance security (PEN Tester) by exploiting organisations weaknesses subsequently enhancing them.
7. Revenge: Powerful motivation - can be disgruntled employees or threat actors who feel they have been wronged
8. Disruption or Chaos: Unauthorised hackers who just want to watch the world burn
9. Espionage: Spying on individuals, organisations or nations to gather sensitive infotmation
10. War: Cyber warfare can be used to disrupt a country’s infrastructure, compromise its national security, and to cause economic damage