Daniel is a professional hacker whose aim is to attack a system to steal data and money for profit. He performs hacking to obtain confidential data such as social security numbers, personally identifiable information (PII) of an employee, and credit card information. After obtaining confidential data, he further sells the information on the black market to make money. Daniel comes under which of the following types of threat actor.
- Industrial spies
- State-sponsored hackers
- Insider threat
- Organized hackers
Answer(s): D
Explanation:
Daniel's activities align with those typically associated with organized hackers. Organized hackers or cybercriminals work in groups with the primary goal of financial gain through illegal activities such as stealing and selling data. These groups often target large amounts of data, including personal and financial information, which they can monetize by selling on the black market or dark web. Unlike industrial spies who focus on corporate espionage or state-sponsored hackers who are backed by nation-states for political or military objectives, organized hackers are motivated by profit. Insider threats, on the other hand, come from within the organization and might not always be motivated by financial gain. The actions described in the scenario--targeting personal and financial information for sale--best fit the modus operandi of organized cybercriminal groups.
Reference:
ENISA (European Union Agency for Cybersecurity) Threat Landscape Report Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report
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