Script Kiddies
They are the individuals with limited technical skills who readily use hacking tools and scripts to carry out attacks . They often target small organization and may engage in hacking for fun.Script kiddies are often seen as nuisance rather than a significant threat to security professionals. Engaging in hacking activities can lead to legal case on them.
Limited Technical Knowledge - Script kiddies typically lack the
deep technical understanding than more experienced hackers possess.
They may not have the programming skills to develop their own tools.
Use of automated tools - They are heavily rely on tools which are
created by skilled hackers.They may not have programming skills to
create their own tools.
Minimal Originality -They just copy and paste code. They does not
have any knowledge of how code works.
Target easy Target - They target small organization where they can easily find out security weakness.
Limited Scope - They simply engage in simple and easy attacks sucha s defacing websites(change the look of website without owner permission and replace its content), attempting DDOS(Distributed Denial of service attacks) or attempted basic Social Engineering.
Lack of ethics - Some young or inexperienced hacker does not understand fully that whatever they are doing is illegal and can cause harm to businesses or people.
Hactivists
They are Hackers or group of Hackers. They are skilled in computer science technology and do hacking to raise social issues. They also conducts online actions such as website defacements,data breaches or DDOS attacks or other form of digital activism to achieve their goals.
Motivated By ideals - They are driven by social or political issues, and try to resolve those causes through their hacking skills. They may target audience or organization they see as opposing their ideals.
Political or social Activism - They use their technical skills to raise awareness about social injustices,governments actions , censorship or other issues they deeply care about.
Civil Disobidience - They use civil disobidience to leak sensitive information to expose corruption, surveillance(keeping an eye on someone), misconduct(Misbehavior). They often see themselves as whistleblowers(person who reports illegal, unethical or dishonest activities).
Anonymity - Many hactivists operate anonymity to avoid detection by law enforcements and hide their identities.
Publicity and attention -They want to grab media attention making their cause more visible and raising public awareness.
Varied techniques - Hactivists use varied techniques from website defacements to ddos attacks to bring awareness.
Diverse Groups - Hactivist group can be varied in size from small organization to well stuctured large organization.
Cyber Criminals
They are motivated by financial gain. They engage in activites like credit card fraud, ransomaware attacks, identity theft and online scams to generate profits. They often target valuable information.
Hacking: Gaining unauthorized access to computer systems, networks, or databases with the intent to steal information, disrupt services, or compromise security.
Malware Distribution: Creating and distributing malicious software (malware) such as viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, and spyware to infect and control victims' devices.
Phishing: Sending deceptive emails or messages to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card details, or personal data.
Identity Theft: Stealing personal information to commit financial fraud, apply for loans or credit, or conduct other illegal activities using the victim's identity.
Online Fraud: Engaging in various forms of online fraud, including credit card fraud, online scams, or auction fraud, to deceive and defraud individuals or businesses.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks: Overloading targeted websites or online services with massive amounts of traffic, rendering them inaccessible to legitimate users.
Data Breaches: Illegally accessing and disclosing sensitive information, often resulting in data leaks that can have serious consequences for individuals and organizations.
Cyber Extortion: Threatening to release sensitive information or disrupt services unless a ransom is paid.
Cyber Espionage: Conducting cyber-attacks to gather sensitive information for political, economic, or competitive advantages.
Black Market Activities: Participating in underground markets to buy and sell stolen data, credentials, hacking tools, or other illegal services.
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STATE-SPONSORED HACKERS
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They are hackers or group of hackers sponsored by state governments. They are also called nation state actors. These Hackers get money, tools and resources from government to carry out cyber attacks. They used adavned tools to carry out attacks and that are hard to detect.
They attack other countries or organization for purposes like:
- Political : Influencing election or creating political problems.
- Ecomomic : stealing financial or business data to help their own country.
- Military : Gaining acess to military plans and system.
- Intellgence: Collecting secret or sensitive Information.
Sophistication: State-sponsored hackers are often highly skilled and well-funded, allowing them to develop and deploy advanced hacking techniques. They may use zero-day vulnerabilities, sophisticated malware, and complex attack strategies.
Target Diversity: They target a wide range of organizations and entities, including other governments, political groups, defense contractors, critical infrastructure, technology companies, academic institutions, and more.
Espionage: State-sponsored hackers often engage in cyber espionage to gather intelligence on political opponents, military capabilities, economic activities, and other sensitive information.
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INSIDERS
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Individuals who have authorized access to an organization's systems, networks, data, or facilities due to their status as employees.
These individuals, by virtue of their access, have the potential to pose security risks if they misuse their privileges, intentionally or unintentionally.
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Key Strategies to avoid Insiders Attack
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Access Controls: Implementing strict access controls based on the principle of least privilege to ensure that employees have access only to the resources necessary for their roles.
Security Awareness Training: Educating employees about security best practices, recognizing phishing attempts, and understanding the importance of safeguarding sensitive information.
Monitoring and Auditing: Regularly monitoring user activity, network traffic, and system logs to detect unusual or suspicious behavior.
Incident Response Planning: Having a well-defined incident response plan in place to address insider threats when they occur, minimizing damage and preventing future incidents.
Employee Support: Creating a positive work environment with channels for reporting concerns and addressing employee grievances can help reduce the likelihood of disgruntled insiders.
ORGANIZED CYBERCRIME GROUPS
Organized cybercrime groups are highly structured, often multinational, and well-coordinated entities that engage in various forms of cybercrime for financial gain, power, or other objectives. These groups use advanced hacking techniques, exploit vulnerabilities, and collaborate across borders to carry out their illegal activities. They pose significant threats to individuals, organizations, and even governments.
Russian Cybercriminal Syndicates: Russia has been associated with several prominent cybercrime groups, including the likes of:
Russian Business Network (RBN): Known for hosting malicious websites, malware distribution, and various cyber-attack services.
Carbanak/Anunak: Responsible for large-scale financial cybercrimes, targeting banks and financial institutions.
Evil Corp: Known for ransomware attacks and widespread banking fraud.
Chinese APT Groups: China has been linked to advanced persistent threat (APT) groups known for cyber espionage and targeted attacks:
APT1 (Unit 61398): Believed to be associated with the Chinese military, responsible for stealing sensitive data from numerous organizations.
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