Attributes of Actors

In the rapidly changing world of cybersecurity, comprehending the attributes of threat actors is essential for devising effective defense strategies. Threat actors, entities, or individuals responsible for cyber threats possess distinct characteristics that play a pivotal role in shaping their intentions, capabilities, and potential impact. This section explores three critical attributes of threat actors: internal/external distinction, resources/funding availability, and level of sophistication/capability. Understanding whether the threat originates from within your organization or outside of it is vital for tailoring defenses and incident response strategies to the specific characteristics of the threat actor.

Threat actors are typically classed as internal or external. An internal attacker launches their attack from inside the company, while an external attacker launches their attack from outside of the company. These classifications are further defined here...