Threat Actors and Motivations

Question 1

What is a Threat Actor?

Answer 1

An individual or group that carries out cyberattacks or exploits vulnerabilities in a system.

Question 2

How do Threat Actors, Cybercriminals, and Hackers differ?

Answer 2

Threat Actors – Anyone engaging in cyber threats (can be malicious or ethical).
Cybercriminals – Threat actors who commit crimes for financial gain.
Hackers – Individuals who exploit systems, either ethically (white hat) or maliciously (black hat).

Question 3

What are common characteristics of Threat Actors?

Answer 3

Threat actors vary in skill, resources, intent, and affiliation (e.g., individuals, organizations, or nation-states).

Question 4

What motivates Threat Actors?

Answer 4

Financial Gain (Cybercriminals, Ransomware)
Political/Ideological Causes (Hacktivists)
Espionage & Intelligence Gathering (Nation-State Actors)
Revenge or Personal Reasons (Insider Threats)