What Are Threat Actors?

Threat actors are individuals or groups that carry out cyber attacks. They target systems, networks, or people to achieve a goal. That goal may include financial gain, data theft, disruption, or influence.

SOCRadar Threat Actor Intelligence

Threat actors vary widely in skill, resources, and motivation.

How Threat Actors Operate

Threat actors generally follow a structured process when carrying out cyberattacks. Their actions can be broken down into several distinct stages, each of which may vary depending on their goals, resources, and level of sophistication:

1. Research and Reconnaissance(Initial Stage)
   • Types:
     • Passive Reconnaissance: Gathering publicly available data (e.g., social media, public records).
     • Active Reconnaissance: Directly probing systems through scanning, network mapping, or vulnerability scanning.
   • This phase involves understanding the target, identifying vulnerabilities, and profiling potential weaknesses.
2. Preparation(Pre-attack Phase)
   • Types:
     • Tool Acquisition: Preparing malware, exploit kits, or phishing tools.
     • Building Access Points: Gaining foothold through phishing emails, exploiting known vulnerabilities, or leveraging legitimate access (social engineering).
   • The attack is crafted, and methods to enter or bypass security are prepared.
3. Delivery(Attack Launch)
   • Types:
     • Phishing: Using deceptive emails to lure victims into revealing sensitive information.
     • Malware Deployment: Sending malicious code (e.g., ransomware, Trojans) to the victim’s system.
     • Exploitation of Vulnerabilities: Taking advantage of flaws in the target’s software or hardware (e.g., zero-day exploits).
   • The actual delivery method will depend on the type of threat actor and the system being targeted.
4. Exploitation and Establishment of Access(Post-delivery Phase)
   • Types:
     • Privilege Escalation: Gaining higher levels of access or control over the victim’s system.
     • Lateral Movement: Moving deeper within a network to gain further access to critical systems.
     • Data Exfiltration: Stealing sensitive information such as login credentials, intellectual property, or financial data.
   • Some actors may remove traces of their presence to avoid detection, while others may maintain long-term access to the target environment.
5. Persistence and Expansion(Long-term Goals)
   • Types:
     • Backdoors: Creating hidden access points to ensure continued access to systems.
     • Covering Tracks: Clearing logs or using anti-forensic techniques to remain undetected.
   • Advanced threat actors might choose to remain stealthy for long periods, exfiltrating data or preparing further attacks without alerting the victim.

Motivation-Based Classification of Threat Actors

Threat actors are typically categorized based on their motivations, which influence the methods and persistence of their attacks. The common motives are:

1. Financial Gain
   • Types:
     • Cybercriminals: Attackers who engage in fraud, theft, or ransomware attacks to generate monetary profits.
     • Ransomware Attacks: Encrypting a victim’s data and demanding payment for its release.
2. Political or Strategic Gains
   • Types:
     • State-Sponsored Actors: Governments or groups working on behalf of a country or state for espionage, sabotage, or influence operations.
     • Hacktivism: Attacks aimed at promoting political causes or ideologies.
3. Ideological or Social Motives
   • Types:
     • Hacktivists: Groups who launch cyberattacks to promote social, environmental, or political causes, often disrupting operations to send a message.
     • Protest Attacks: Some attacks are meant to embarrass or destabilize particular entities.
4. Insider Threats
   • Types:
     • Disgruntled Employees: Individuals who misuse legitimate access to commit fraud or sabotage.
     • Unintentional Insider Threats: Employees who unknowingly compromise security through carelessness (e.g., falling for phishing attacks).

The choice of motivation influences the scale, tools, and persistence of the attacks, as financial criminals might seek quicker wins, while state-sponsored actors may operate with longer-term strategies in mind.

Skill and Capability Levels of Threat Actors

Not all threat actors are equally skilled. Their level of expertise often determines the tactics and tools they use:

1. Low-Level Actors (Script Kiddies)
   • Characteristics:
     • Use pre-made hacking tools or scripts available online.
     • Limited understanding of vulnerabilities or the tools they use.
     • Their attacks are generally simple and easier to detect.
2. Intermediate Actors (Cybercriminals)
   • Characteristics:
     • Create or modify existing tools to suit their needs.
     • Can exploit known vulnerabilities and deploy malware.
     • Attacks can be more sophisticated but still follow common patterns.
3. Advanced Actors (APT Groups, Nation-States)
   • Characteristics:
     • Highly skilled in custom malware creation, zero-day exploits, and advanced social engineering.
     • Operate stealthily, maintaining persistence over extended periods.
     • They have significant resources and may not rely on publicly available tools.

The level of skill and capability of an actor is a significant factor in the complexity of detecting and stopping them.

Threat Actors vs. Attack Techniques

Understanding the difference between the actor and the technique is critical for accurate threat analysis:

• Threat Actor: Refers to the individual or group responsible for the attack. This could include cybercriminals, hacktivists, or state-sponsored actors.
• Attack Technique: Refers to the specific method used to execute the attack. Common techniques include phishing, social engineering, exploiting vulnerabilities, and malware installation.

A single actor might use a wide variety of techniques across different campaigns, and conversely, the same technique may be employed by different actors depending on their goals.

Threat Actor Profiling

Profiling threat actors is an essential part of threat intelligence. It helps in identifying patterns and predicting future actions:

1. Tools Used
   • Profiling the software, malware, or scripts used in attacks helps identify common tools associated with certain groups.
2. Target Characteristics
   • Identifying recurring targets can reveal the focus of certain threat actors. For instance, state-sponsored actors may target specific sectors like defense or finance, while cybercriminals may focus on vulnerable SMBs.
3. Behavioral Patterns
   • Studying the time of attacks, social engineering tactics, or the way attackers move through networks can offer insights into the attacker’s strategy.

Threat actor profiling can improve threat detection and response by providing actionable intelligence for security teams.

Real-World Impact of Threat Actors

The consequences of cyberattacks vary based on the target and the actor’s goal:

1. Immediate Damage
   • Types:
     • Ransomware: Data encryption and a sudden demand for ransom.
     • Financial Fraud: Immediate financial losses due to credit card fraud or data breaches.
2. Long-Term Access and Data Theft
   • Types:
     • Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): Attackers maintain access for months or years to extract sensitive information or gather intelligence.
     • Espionage: State actors stealing sensitive state or corporate data over time.
3. Sector Impact
   • Finance and Healthcare: Attacks can cause direct financial losses or jeopardize critical systems.
   • Government and Defense: Breaches can expose national security secrets or affect public services.
   • Education: Targeting universities for research data or personal student information.

The real-world impact depends on the attacker’s persistence, the sophistication of their methods, and the sector they target.

Conclusion

Threat actors are the primary agents behind cyberattacks. Their motives, skill levels, and methods vary widely. Understanding these actors and their tactics helps organizations identify risks, improve defense strategies, and enhance overall cybersecurity posture. By profiling these actors, security teams can anticipate future attacks, mitigate potential damage, and better protect valuable assets.