Threat Actor

A threat actor is an individual or group with malicious intentions to harm digital instruments or systems. Threat actors commonly deploy their attacks via phishing, ransomware, and malware by exploiting, deceiving, and targeting vulnerable systems and networks.

Who are the Threat Actors

Threat actors have the same motivation: to gain unauthorized access to data or a system. However, their reasons differ, which usually informs their tactics and goals. Below is a list of the most common types of threat actors:

• Insider threat actors: An insider threat actor can pose grave dangers to an organization because the insider may know the entity’s security protocols and utilize them against them for nefarious purposes, such as sabotage, fraud purposes, or theft of data.
• Cybercriminals: These individuals or organizations are typically the most common threat actors, primarily motivated by financial gain. They will use malware, phishing, and other deceiving cyber techniques to obtain their objective.
• Hacktivists: These individuals or groups are typically motivated by an ideological cause and will launch cyber attacks against governments, businesses, or other organizations to achieve their ideological goals.

How to Avoid Threat Actors

Organizations and individuals can take several actions to avoid falling victim to threat actors:

• Use strong passwords along with multi-factor authentication
• Consider adopting passwordless authentication
• Keep your software up-to-date
• Provide ongoing training about cyber threats

Have a plan in case a threat actor gains unauthorized access to data