cyber security
In order to respond effectively to a cyberattack, it’s imperative to know the threat actors and understand their tactics, techniques, and procedures.
Here are some of the common sources of cyber threats:
1) Nation States
Cyber attacks by a nation can inflict detrimental impact by disrupting communications, military activities and everyday life.
2) Criminal Groups
Criminal groups aim to infiltrate systems or networks for financial gain. These groups use phishing, spam, spyware, and malware to conduct identity theft, online fraud, and system extortion.
3) Hackers
Hackers explore various cyber techniques to breach defenses and exploit vulnerabilities in a computer system or network. They are motivated by personal gain, revenge, stalking, financial gain, and political activism. Hackers develop new types of threats for the thrill of challenge or bragging rights in the hacker community.
4) Terrorist Groups
Terrorists conduct cyber attacks to destroy, infiltrate, or exploit critical infrastructure to threaten national security, compromise military equipment, disrupt the economy, and cause mass casualties.
5) Hacktivists
Hacktivists carry out cyberattacks in support of political causes rather than financial gain. They target industries, organizations, or individuals who don’t align with their political ideas and agenda.
6) Malicious Insiders
Insiders can include employees, third-party vendors, contractors, or other business associates who have legitimate access to enterprise assets but misuse that accesses to steal or destroy information for financial or personal gain.
7) Corporate Spies
Corporate spies conduct industrial or business espionage to either make a profit or disrupt a competitor’s business by attacking critical infrastructure, stealing trade secrets, and gaining access.
Top Cyber Threat Facts, Figures, and Statistics
Cyber threats continue to evolve, causing trillions worth of losses to the cyber world. Here are some alarming facts, figures, and statistics on the latest cybersecurity threats:
The global average cost of a data breach is USD 3.92 million
Estimated annual losses through cyberattacks to reach USD 6 Trillion by 2021
Cybercrime breaches to increase by 76% by 2024
Over 50% of all global data breaches to occur in the United States by 2023
The average cost of a data breach to a US company is USD 7.91 million
