List out the types of cyber attackers?

Cyber Security
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#1

There are four types of cyber attackers. They are:

  1. cybercriminals,
  2. hacktivists,
  3. insider threats,
  4. state-sponsored attackers.

Cyber Criminals

Cybercriminals are individual or group of people who use technology to commit cybercrime with the intention of stealing sensitive company information or personal data and generating profits. In today’s, they are the most prominent and most active type of attacker.
Cybercriminals use computers in three broad ways to do cybercrimes-

  • Select computer as their target- In this, they attack other people’s computers to do cybercrime, such as spreading viruses, data theft, identity theft, etc.
  • Uses the computer as their weapon- In this, they use the computer to do conventional crime such as spam, fraud, illegal gambling, etc.
  • Uses the computer as their accessory- In this, they use the computer to steal data illegally.

Hacktivists

Hacktivists are individuals or groups of hackers who carry out malicious activity to promote a political agenda, religious belief, or social ideology. According to Dan Lohrmann, chief security officer for Security Mentor, a national security training firm that works with states said “Hacktivism is a digital disobedience. It’s hacking for a cause.” Hacktivists are not like cybercriminals who hack computer networks to steal data for the cash. They are individuals or groups of hackers who work together and see themselves as fighting injustice.

State-sponsored Attacker

State-sponsored attackers have particular objectives aligned with either the political, commercial or military interests of their country of origin. These type of attackers are not in a hurry. The government organizations have highly skilled hackers and specialize in detecting vulnerabilities and exploiting these before the holes are patched. It is very challenging to defeat these attackers due to the vast resources at their disposal.

Insider Threats

The insider threat is a threat to an organization’s security or data that comes from within. These type of threats are usually occurred from employees or former employees, but may also arise from third parties, including contractors, temporary workers, employees or customers.