Understand attackers Flashcards
List down different types of threat actors
Advanced persistent threats, insider threats, hacktivists,
What are advanced persistent threats (APTs)?
Advanced persistent threats (APTs) have significant expertise accessing an organization’s network without authorization. APTs tend to research their targets (e.g., large corporations or government entities) in advance and can remain undetected for an extended period of time.
What motivations and intentions can APTs have?
Damaging critical infrastructure, such as the power grid and natural resources, Gaining access to intellectual property, such as trade secrets or patents
What are insider threats?
Insider threats abuse their authorized access to obtain data that may harm an organization.
What motivations and intentions can insider threats hold?
Sabotage, Corruption, Espionage, Unauthorized data access or leaks
What are hacktivists?
Hacktivists are threat actors that are driven by a political agenda. They abuse digital technology to accomplish their goals.
What goals may hacktivists hold
Demonstrations, Propaganda, Social change campaigns, Fame
What is a hacker?
A hacker is any person who uses computers to gain access to computer systems, networks, or data. They can be beginner or advanced technology professionals who use their skills for a variety of reasons
What are the three main categories of hackers?
Authorized hackers (ethical hackers), semi-authorized hackers, and unauthorized hackers
what are authorized hackers (ethical hackers) and what are they motivated to do?
They follow a code of ethics and adhere to the law to conduct organizational risk evaluations. They are motivated to safeguard people and organizations from malicious threat actors.
What do semi-authorized hackers (researchers) do?
They search for vulnerabilities but don’t take advantage of the vulnerabilities they find.
What do unauthorized hackers (unethical hackers) do and what are their goals?
They are malicious threat actors who do not follow or respect the law. Their goal is to collect and sell confidential data for financial gain.
what goals may new and unskilled threat actors have
To learn and enhance their hacking skills
To seek revenge
To exploit security weaknesses by using existing malware, programming scripts, and other tactics
what goals do more experienced hackers have?
Other types of hackers are not motivated by any particular agenda other than completing the job they were contracted to do. These types of hackers can be considered unethical or ethical hackers. They have been known to work on both illegal and legal tasks for pay.
what goals may hackers that call themselves vigilantes face?
Their main goal is to protect the world from unethical hackers.
