Title: Identify types of threat agents.
Course: Cybersecurity in Marketing (12167-I) > Section: Understanding Cyber Threats and Vulnerabilities in Marketing

Identification should include, but not be limited to,

- script kiddies
  - unskilled attackers who lack the ability to discover new vulnerabilities or write exploit code
  - dependent on existing scripts or code
  - predominate goals include creating havoc
- hacktivists
  - seek to bring attention to a social or political cause
  - often seeking vengeance for perceived political or societal wrongdoing
  - skills can range from script kiddies to professional and/or sophisticated hackers
- malicious insiders
  - a disgruntled insider with access and knowledge of an organization and systems
  - often seeking personal gain
  - employees who accidentally introduce malware into systems
- criminal enterprises
  - attackers target systems for monetary gain
  - often use spam, phishing, and spyware/malware to commit identity theft and online fraud
  - international corporate spies and organized crime organizations conduct industrial espionage and large-scale monetary theft
  - hire or develop hacker talent
- competitors or rogue corporations
  - an organization that engages in hacking against competitors
  - intention of stealing intellectual property or gaining financial competitive advantages
- nation-state sponsored or advanced persistent threats (APT)
  - ideological militants
  - intent is to weaken, disrupt, or destroy a target
  - may conduct espionage for attack purposes, technology advancement, and/or disruption of infrastructure.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What is a threat agent?
- What are types of threat agents?
- How are these threat agents able to initiate a cyberattack?
- What are recent examples of corporate cyberattacks?