INTRODUCTION TO NETWORK SECURITY

2 THREATS AND VULNURABILITIES

NETWORK SECURITY DEVICES AND TECHNOLOGIES

NETWORK TRAFFIC ANALYSIS

CRYPTOGRAPHY AND NETWORK SECURITY

NETWORK SECURITY ANALYSIS AND FORENSIC

SECURING WIRELESS NETWORKS

ADVANCED TOPICS IN NETWORK SECURITY

Threat landscape: types of attacks, actors, and motivations

Threat landscape: types of attacks, actors, and motivations

The threat landscape in cybersecurity is a dynamic and evolving environment that includes various types of attacks, actors, and their motivations. Understanding this landscape is critical to defending against potential threats.

Types of Attacks

a. Malware Attacks

Malicious software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to systems.

Examples:

  • Viruses
  • Ransomware
  • Trojans
  • Spyware

Data theft, system damage, financial loss.

b. Phishing

Fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information by impersonating legitimate entities.

Examples:

  • Email phishing
  • Spear phishing (targeted phishing)
  • Smishing (via SMS) and vishing (via voice calls)

Credential theft, identity theft, financial fraud.

c. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

Overwhelming a system with traffic to make it unavailable.

Downtime, disrupted services, reputational harm.

d. Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks

Intercepting communication between two parties to eavesdrop or alter data.

Examples: Network sniffing, HTTPS spoofing.

Data breaches, identity theft.

e. Insider Threats

Threats from individuals within an organization (employees, contractors).

Examples: Data theft, sabotage.

Loss of sensitive data, financial harm.

Threat Actors

a. Cybercriminals

Individuals or groups seeking financial gain through illegal activities.

Examples: Ransomware gangs, phishing operators.

Motivation: Profit.

b. Hacktivists

Attackers motivated by ideological or political causes.

Examples: Defacement of websites, data leaks.

Motivation: Activism, protest.

c. State-Sponsored Actors

Nation-state groups conducting espionage or cyber warfare.

Examples: APT groups linked to countries.

Motivation: Political, military, economic.

d. Insider Threats

Employees or partners misusing access to harm an organization.

Motivation: Financial, revenge, coercion.

e. Script Kiddies

Inexperienced attackers using pre-written tools for malicious purposes.

Motivation: Fun, notoriety.

3. Motivations of Threat Actors

a. Financial Gain

Ransomware, credit card fraud, cryptocurrency theft, or selling stolen data.

b. Espionage

Corporate Espionage: Stealing intellectual property.

State Espionage: Gathering intelligence on governments or organizations.

c. Ideological

Politically or socially motivated attacks, often aimed at spreading a message or disrupting adversaries.

d. Disruption

Sabotaging systems or services to cause chaos, often by cyberterrorists or hacktivists.

e. Reputation

Gaining fame or recognition in the hacker community.