Types of cyber Attackers

 Hacktivists attackers

Hacktivists are a type of cyber attacker who use hacking techniques to promote a social or political agenda. They often carry out attacks against organizations or individuals they perceive as opposing their beliefs or causing harm to a particular group. Hacktivist attacks may involve website defacements, data breaches, or denial-of-service attacks.

Some well-known hacktivist groups include Anonymous, LulzSec, and AntiSec. These groups often use social media and other online platforms to publicize their activities and promote their causes.

Hacktivist attacks can be difficult to defend against, as they often rely on exploiting vulnerabilities in software or websites that are publicly accessible. To protect against hacktivist attacks, organizations can take several steps, including:

1. Implementing strong access controls: Limiting access to sensitive systems and data can help prevent unauthorized access by hacktivists.

2. Regularly patching and updating software: Keeping software up-to-date can help prevent attackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities.

3. Monitoring online activity: Monitoring social media and other online platforms can help detect signs of an impending attack.

4. Preparing an incident response plan: Having a plan in place for responding to a hacktivist attack can help minimize damage and reduce recovery time.

5. Educating employees: Educating employees on cybersecurity best practices can help prevent attacks from succeeding, such as phishing attacks or social engineering tactics used by hacktivists.

Cybercriminals attackers

Cybercriminals are a type of cyber attacker who use hacking techniques to steal sensitive data for financial gain. They often target organizations that hold valuable data, such as financial institutions, healthcare providers, and retailers. Cybercriminals use a variety of tactics to achieve their objectives, including phishing attacks, malware, and ransomware.

To protect against cybercriminal attacks, organizations can take several steps, including:

1. Implementing strong access controls: Limiting access to sensitive systems and data can help prevent unauthorized access by cybercriminals.

2. Educating employees: Educating employees on cybersecurity best practices can help prevent attacks from succeeding, such as phishing attacks or social engineering tactics used by cybercriminals.

3. Regularly patching and updating software: Keeping software up-to-date can help prevent cybercriminals from exploiting known vulnerabilities.

4. Implementing multi-factor authentication: Multi-factor authentication can help prevent cybercriminals from gaining access to systems and data with stolen credentials.

5. Performing regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing: Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities can help prevent cybercriminals from exploiting weaknesses in an organization's security defenses.

State-sponsored attackers

State-sponsored attackers are a type of cyber attacker who are backed by a government or other state actor. These attackers are often well-funded and highly skilled, and their attacks may be motivated by political or economic espionage, sabotage, or terrorism.

Defending against state-sponsored attackers can be challenging, as these attackers often have significant resources and expertise at their disposal. Some steps organizations can take to protect against state-sponsored attacks include:

1. Implementing strong access controls: Limiting access to sensitive systems and data can help prevent unauthorized access by state-sponsored attackers.

2. Regularly patching and updating software: Keeping software up-to-date can help prevent state-sponsored attackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities.

3. Implementing multi-factor authentication: Multi-factor authentication can help prevent state-sponsored attackers from gaining access to systems and data with stolen credentials.

4. Performing regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing: Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities can help prevent state-sponsored attackers from exploiting weaknesses in an organization's security defenses.

5. Sharing threat intelligence: Sharing information about state-sponsored attacks can help organizations better understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by these attackers and take steps to defend against them.

Insiders attackers

Insiders are individuals who have authorized access to an organization's systems, networks, or data, and use that access to carry out malicious activities. Insiders can be current or former employees, contractors, or business partners who have been granted access to sensitive information.

There are two main types of insiders:

1. Malicious insiders: Malicious insiders are individuals who use their authorized access to an organization's systems, networks, or data to carry out malicious activities, such as stealing sensitive data, sabotaging systems, or disrupting operations. Malicious insiders may be motivated by financial gain, revenge, or ideology.

2. Accidental insiders: Accidental insiders are individuals who inadvertently cause harm to an organization's systems, networks, or data, often through careless or negligent behavior. For example, an employee who accidentally clicks on a phishing email and inadvertently installs malware on their computer could be considered an accidental insider.

Some common examples of insider attacks include:

1. Data theft: Insiders may steal sensitive data, such as customer records or intellectual property, for personal gain or to sell to competitors.

2. Sabotage: Insiders may sabotage an organization's systems or networks by deleting or modifying data, installing malware, or disrupting operations.

3. Fraud: Insiders may use their access to an organization's systems or data to carry out fraud schemes, such as creating fake accounts or altering financial records.

To protect against insider threats, organizations can take several steps, including:

1. Implementing strong access controls: Limiting access to sensitive systems and data can help prevent malicious insiders from carrying out attacks.

2. Educating employees: Educating employees on cybersecurity best practices and the dangers of insider threats can help prevent accidental insiders from causing harm.

3. Monitoring user behavior: Monitoring user activity on an organization's systems and networks can help detect and prevent insider attacks.

4. Implementing least privilege: Least privilege is a security principle that limits user access to only the systems, networks, or data they need to perform their job duties. Implementing least privilege can help prevent insiders from accessing sensitive data or systems they don't need to perform their job duties.

5. Conducting background checks: Conducting background checks on employees and contractors before granting them access to sensitive systems or data can help identify potential insider threats.

Script kiddies

Script kiddies are individuals who use pre-existing tools and scripts to launch simple and unsophisticated attacks on computer systems and networks. They typically have little to no knowledge of how these tools and scripts actually work or how to create their own. Script kiddies are often motivated by the desire to cause chaos or gain notoriety.

Script kiddies may use tools and scripts such as port scanners, password cracking tools, and denial-of-service (DoS) attack scripts to target vulnerable systems and networks. They may also use automated tools to scan the internet for systems with known vulnerabilities that can be exploited.

While script kiddies are not typically considered a significant threat to well-protected systems, their activities can cause disruptions and pose a threat to poorly secured systems. They can also contribute to the development of more sophisticated attacks by sharing information and tools with other attackers.

To protect against script kiddies, organizations can take several steps, including:

1. Implementing strong access controls: Limiting access to sensitive systems and data can help prevent unauthorized individuals, including script kiddies, from carrying out attacks.

2. Keeping systems and software up to date: Patching known vulnerabilities and keeping systems and software up to date can help prevent script kiddies from exploiting known vulnerabilities.

3. Implementing strong passwords and multi-factor authentication: Using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication can help prevent script kiddies from using password cracking tools to gain unauthorized access to systems.

4. Educating employees: Educating employees on cybersecurity best practices and the dangers of script kiddies can help prevent accidental insider threats.

5. Monitoring user behavior: Monitoring user activity on an organization's systems and networks can help detect and prevent attacks carried out by script kiddies.

APT groups attackers 

Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups are sophisticated and well-funded threat actors that use a variety of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to gain unauthorized access to systems and networks and remain undetected for extended periods of time. APT groups typically have specific objectives, such as stealing sensitive data, disrupting operations, or carrying out espionage.

APTs can be state-sponsored, with the backing of nation-states, or they can be financially motivated, with the aim of stealing valuable data for financial gain. Some APT groups are also motivated by political or ideological objectives.

APTs use a variety of techniques to gain access to systems and networks, including spear-phishing, watering hole attacks, and zero-day exploits. Once they gain access, they use a combination of stealthy techniques, such as fileless malware and remote access trojans (RATs), to remain undetected and persist on the system for long periods of time.

Some examples of well-known APT groups include:

1. APT10: Also known as Stone Panda, APT10 is a Chinese state-sponsored group that has been active since at least 2009. APT10 is known for its cyber espionage campaigns targeting organizations in the US, Europe, and Asia.

2. APT28: Also known as Fancy Bear, APT28 is a Russian state-sponsored group that has been active since at least 2007. APT28 is known for its cyber espionage campaigns targeting governments, militaries, and political organizations in Europe and the US.

3. Lazarus Group: Lazarus Group is a North Korean state-sponsored group that has been active since at least 2009. Lazarus Group is known for its cyber espionage campaigns targeting governments and financial institutions in Asia, Europe, and the US.

To protect against APTs, organizations can take several steps, including:

1. Implementing strong access controls: Limiting access to sensitive systems and data can help prevent unauthorized individuals, including APTs, from gaining access.

2. Keeping systems and software up to date: Patching known vulnerabilities and keeping systems and software up to date can help prevent APTs from exploiting known vulnerabilities.

3. Implementing strong passwords and multi-factor authentication: Using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication can help prevent APTs from using password cracking tools to gain unauthorized access to systems.

4. Conducting regular security assessments: Regular security assessments can help identify vulnerabilities that APTs could exploit.

5. Monitoring user behavior: Monitoring user activity on an organization's systems and networks can help detect and prevent attacks carried out by APTs.