Section 3.23 Nation State Actor Flashcards
Objectives 1.2 Summarise fundamental security concepts Objectives 2.1 Compare and contrast threat actors and motivations Objectives 2.2 Explain common threat vectors and attack surfaces
Nation-state Actor
Groups or individuals that are sponsored by a government to conduct cyber operations against other nations, organizations or individuals
False Flag Attack
Attack that is orchestrated in such a way that it appears to originate from a different source or group than the actual perpetrators, with the intent to mislead investigators and attribute the attack to someone else
Nation-state Actor capabilities
Nation-state actors possess advanced technical skills and extensive resources, and they are capable of conducting complex, coordinated cyber operations that employ a variety of techniques.
3 examples of techniques used
Nation-state Actor techniques
CZA
- Custom malware
- Zero-day exploits
- Advanced persistent threats
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)
Term that used to be used synonymously with a nation-state actor because of
their long-term persistence and stealth
It is a prolonged and targeted cyberattack in which an intruder gains unauthorised access to a network and remains undetected for an extended period while trying to steal data or monitor network activities rather than cause immediate damage
What motivates a nation-state actor?
Nation-state actors are motivated to achieve their long-term strategic goals, and they are not seeking financial gain
example of attack
US presedential election
2016 US election - Russian nation state actors goal was to undermine the the US democratic electoral process by damaging Hilary Clintons campaign so that Donald Trump would gain presidency.
