Which Characteristic Is It?

About this interactive

What you are doing: sorting lines from an analyst's notes into the characteristics the lesson uses to size up an adversary. Motivation is why they attack: money, revenge, a cause, curiosity or bragging rights. Relationship to the organization is where they stand: outside the perimeter, or inside with a badge, an account or keys. Resources and sponsorship are the money, time and people behind them: one person on their own, or a government, a crime group or a company paying a team. Level of sophistication is skill: someone who runs other people's tools, or someone who writes their own and hides from defenders. How to use it: ask what question the note answers. Why? Where do they stand? Who is paying, and how much? How good are they?

What you'll learn

Sort what is known about an adversary into the characteristics used to classify threat actors: motivation, relationship to the organization, resources and sponsorship, and level of sophistication

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+

2.1 Compare and contrast common threat actors and motivations.

Key terms

Threat Actor: An individual or group responsible for a security incident or attack.
Insider Threat: A security risk that originates from individuals who have authorized access to an organization's systems — such as employees, contractors, or partners — and misuse that access either maliciously or through negligence.
Organizationally Sponsored Threat Actor: A hacker or hacking group funded and supported by an organization such as a government, corporation, or criminal enterprise, providing greater resources and manpower.
Self-Sponsored Threat Actor: An individual hacker who operates independently without organizational backing, limited to their own time and financial resources.
Script Kiddie: An unskilled threat actor who uses pre-written scripts or tools to attempt unauthorized access without deep technical knowledge.

Topics

Threat Actor Insider Threat Interactive Categorize

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