Threat Actors
Summary
This topic describe tools used by threat actors to exploit networks. Start learning CCNA 200-301 for free right now!!
Note: Welcome: This topic is part of Module 3 of the Cisco CCNA 3 course, for a better follow up of the course you can go to the CCNA 3 section to guide you through an order.
Table of Contents
The Hacker
In the previous topic, you gained a high-level look at the current landscape of cybersecurity, including the types of threats and vulnerabilities that plague all network administrators and architects. In this topic, you will learn more details about particular types of threat actors.
Hacker is a common term used to describe a threat actor. Originally the term referred to someone who was a skilled computer expert such as a programmer and a hack was a clever solution. The term later evolved into what we know of it today.
As shown in the table, the terms white hat hacker, black hat hacker, and gray hat hacker are often used to describe a type of hacker.
| Hacker Type | Description |
|---|---|
| White Hat Hackers | These are ethical hackers who use their programming skills for good, ethical, and legal purposes. White hat hackers may perform network penetration tests in an attempt to compromise networks and systems by using their knowledge of computer security systems to discover network vulnerabilities. Security vulnerabilities are reported to developers for them to fix before the vulnerabilities can be exploited. |
| Gray Hat Hackers | These are individuals who commit crimes and do arguably unethical things, but not for personal gain or to cause damage. Gray hat hackers may disclose a vulnerability to the affected organization after having compromised their network. |
| Black Hat Hackers | These are unethical criminals who compromise computer and network security for personal gain, or for malicious reasons, such as attacking networks. |
Note: In this course, we will not use the term hacker outside of this module. We will use the term threat actor. The term threat actor includes hackers. But threat actor also includes any device, person, group, or nation state that is, intentionally or unintentionally, the source of an attack.
Evolution of Hackers
Hacking started in the 1960s with phone freaking, or phreaking, which refers to using audio frequencies to manipulate phone systems. At that time, telephone switches used various tones to indicate different functions. Early hackers realized that by mimicking a tone using a whistle, they could exploit the phone switches to make free long-distance calls.
In the mid-1980s, computer dial-up modems were used to connect computers to networks. Hackers wrote “war dialing” programs which dialed each telephone number in a given area in search of computers. When a computer was found, password-cracking programs were used to gain access.
The table displays modern hacking terms and a brief description of each.
| Hacking Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Script Kiddies | These are teenagers or inexperienced hackers running existing scripts, tools, and exploits, to cause harm, but typically not for profit. |
| Vulnerability Broker | These are usually gray hat hackers who attempt to discover exploits and report them to vendors, sometimes for prizes or rewards. |
| Hacktivists | These are gray hat hackers who publicly protest organizations or governments by posting articles, videos, leaking sensitive information, and performing network attacks. |
| Cyber criminals | These are black hat hackers who are either self-employed or working for large cybercrime organizations. |
| State-Sponsored | These are either white hat or black hat hackers who steal government secrets, gather intelligence, and sabotage networks. Their targets are foreign governments, terrorist groups, and corporations. Most countries in the world participate to some degree in state-sponsored hacking. |
Cyber Criminals
It is estimated that cyber criminals steal billions of dollars from consumers and businesses. Cyber criminals operate in an underground economy where they buy, sell, and trade attack toolkits, zero day exploit code, botnet services, banking Trojans, keyloggers, and much more. They also buy and sell the private information and intellectual property they steal. Cyber criminals target small businesses and consumers, as well as large enterprises and entire industries.
Hacktivists
Two examples of hacktivist groups are Anonymous and the Syrian Electronic Army. Although most hacktivist groups are not well organized, they can cause significant problems for governments and businesses. Hacktivists tend to rely on fairly basic, freely available tools.
State-Sponsored Hackers
State-sponsored hackers create advanced, customized attack code, often using previously undiscovered software vulnerabilities called zero-day vulnerabilities. An example of a state-sponsored attack involves the Stuxnet malware that was created to damage Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities.
Glossary: If you have doubts about any special term, you can consult this computer network dictionary.
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