In cybersecurity, phishing, ransomware, and malware are just a few examples of cyberattacks that threat actors launch by taking advantage of flaws in computers, networks, and software. A threat actor is any person or organization with malicious intentions to compromise computer systems and/or sensitive information. Different types of threat actors exist, each with their unique motivations and, to a lesser extent, levels of sophistication. The Scattered Spider threat actor group, which is also known as UNC3944 and Roasted 0ktapus, is fairly new and has been active since at least May 2022. In essence, money is what drives them.
Threat Actor
When people or organizations target digital tools, networks, or computers, they are referred to as threat actors. Threat actors, also referred to as malicious actors or cyber threat actors, are people or organizations that deliberately damage digital systems or devices.
There is also a wide variety of threat actors, each with its unique characteristics, goals, abilities, and strategies. Hacktivists, nation-state actors, cybercriminals, thrill-seekers, insider threat actors, and cyberterrorists are just a few examples of the wide variety of threat actors out there.
Because of the greater financial resources and more sensitive information they possess, large organizations are a common target for threat actors. Despite this, threat actors have increasingly focused on SMBs in recent years due to the lower security of these organizations.
Threat Actor Tactics
When carrying out a cyber attack, threat actors employ a wide variety of techniques, some of which they rely on more heavily than others given their underlying goals, available means, and the target of their attack.
#1. Malware
Malware is any type of software designed to cause harm to computers. Threat actors can steal information, take control of systems, and launch attacks on other computers with the assistance of malware that is typically spread via infected email attachments, hacked websites, or compromised software. Furthermore, malware can take the form of worms, viruses, or Trojan horse viruses that infect computers under the guise of trustworthy software.
2. Ransomware
Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts the victim’s files or devices and threatens to keep them encrypted or do further damage unless the victim pays a ransom. Most ransomware attacks today involve a second extortion scheme, in which the attacker threatens to steal the victim’s data and then either sell it or leak it online.
#3. Phishing
The goal of a phishing attack is to get a user to reveal sensitive information, visit a malicious website, or expose themselves to cybercrime by using email, text, voice, or fake websites. Common forms of phishing are:
- Spear phishing is a type of phishing in which the attacker sends the intended victim(s) an email that appears to have come from someone in their network while actually pretending to be a trusted contact with them.
- Whale phishing is also a form of spear phishing in which high-ranking executives and corporate officers are the intended targets.
Social engineering refers to a set of attacks and techniques that use the emotional vulnerabilities of their targets—such as panic or time pressure—to coerce them into taking actions that endanger their own or their organization’s security.
#5. Denial-of-Service Attack
A denial-of-service (DoS) attack is a form of cyberattack in which the goal is to make a system or network inaccessible to its intended audience. DoS attacks are launched against websites or online services and have the potential to bring down entire networks. Typically, a denial-of-service attack will involve sending an overwhelming volume of traffic or requests to the targeted system until it crashes.
How to Prevent Threat Actors
#1. Security Awareness Training
Human error is a common area of interest for threat actors, making employee training a crucial first line of defense. A security awareness course can cover anything from how to properly store passwords to how to recognize and respond to phishing emails
#2. Multi-Factor and Adaptive Authentication
Even if hackers obtain a user’s email password, they will not be able to access the account if multi-factor authentication and/or adaptive authentication have been implemented.
#3. Endpoint Security Solutions
Businesses can use endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions that use analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to help security teams find and stop threats that get around regular endpoint security software
#4. Network Security Technologies
The firewall is the backbone of network security, as it prevents unauthorized users from accessing the network while allowing legitimate users to do so.
#5. Zero Trust Security
When it comes to cyber security, a zero-trust security model is preferred because it eliminates the need for arbitrary trust thresholds. Instead, it assumes that any users, devices, and networks are malicious until they have been proven otherwise via a series of rigorous authentication and authorization procedures.
#6. Defense Against Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
An APT is a coordinated cyberattack in which hackers steal information or gain access to systems without raising suspicion for weeks or months. The majority of the time, nation-states that launch these attacks do so to topple another government.
Threat Actor Cybersecurity
Any person or organization that jeopardizes cybersecurity is a cyber threat actor. Cybercriminals, also known as threat actors, can be classified in several ways, depending on their goals, methods, and the industries they aim to damage.
Threat Actor Types
Threat actors are any individual or organization that presents a cybersecurity risk; the term is inclusive and wide-ranging. Different types of threat actors exist, each with their unique motivations and, to a lesser extent, levels of sophistication.
#1. Cybercriminals
The majority of cybercriminals in this category are motivated by financial gain. Cybercriminals frequently engage in ransomware attacks and phishing scams, the latter of which seeks to deceive their targets into parting with money or disclosing sensitive information such as login credentials or intellectual property.
#2. Insider Threats
A significant difference between insider threat actors and other actor types is that they may not always be out to harm. Some employees cause damage to their companies because of human error, such as when they unknowingly install malware or when they misplace a company-issued device that is later found and used by a hacker to gain access to the network. Nevertheless, there are bad insiders, like disgruntled workers who take advantage of their access rights to steal information for financial gain or to destroy information or applications as payback for not getting a job promotion.
#3. Cyberterrorists
Cyberterrorists are another type of threat actor who launch cyberattacks with the intent of causing physical harm because of their political or ideological beliefs. Some cyberterrorists work for nation-states, while others operate independently or for the benefit of a non-state actor. Organizations, government agencies, and essential services are all prime targets for this type of threat actor because they can cause the most trouble.
#4. Script Kiddies
Script kids, in contrast to other forms of hackers, usually use boredom as a driving force and do not write their computer code or scripts. Rather, they compromise other people’s computer systems by infecting viruses or applications with pre-existing scripts or codes. Script kiddies have a poor reputation for their lack of expertise and immaturity among hackers.
#5. Nation-States
Threat actor groups may receive funding from nation-states to carry out espionage and cyber warfare, among other nefarious operations, on the networks of other governing bodies. Since nation-state-funded threat actors typically have access to extensive resources, they can maintain their malicious activity for longer and are harder to spot. This type of threat actor typically infiltrates their adversaries’ networks in an attempt to steal or corrupt sensitive information and assets, disrupt vital infrastructure, or obtain classified intelligence.
#6. Thrill-Seekers
Thrill-seekers are another type of threat actor who launches malicious cyberattacks for the sheer excitement of it. Thill-seekers may not always have the intention of causing significant harm to their targets; instead, they may be curious about how particular networks and computer systems function or simply want to see how much data and sensitive information they can take. Nevertheless, they can disrupt computer networks and systems or take advantage of weaknesses for future, more advanced cyberattacks.
#7. Hacktivists
Many people mistakenly label hacktivists as “black hat hackers,” but their true “black hat” status stems from their political goals. Hacktivists may attack individuals, groups, or even governments to promote their causes, such as protecting the right to free speech or bringing attention to human rights abuses. The vast majority of hackers who engage in “hacktivism” do so out of a sincere desire to make the world a better place.
Scattered Spider Threat Actor
Scattered Spider is a threat actor that goes by several aliases, including Starfraud, UNC3944, Scatter Swine, and Muddled Libra. Threat actors known as Scattered Spider use phishing, push bombing, and SIM swap attacks to steal credentials, plant backdoors, and bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Since its founding in May 2022, Scattered Spider has operated as a threat actor organization driven by money. The Scattered Spider is also known to target businesses that provide business process outsourcing (BPO) and telecommunications services. Recent activity, though, suggests that this group has begun focusing on other industries, such as critical infrastructure companies.
Scattered Spider, as a threat actor, still uses a range of social engineering techniques in their attacks, such as SIM swapping, MFA fatigue, Telegram and SMS phishing, and others, even with the shift in targets. This group has been connected to multiple previous phishing campaigns and the deployment of malicious kernel drivers, including the use of a signed but malicious version of the Windows Intel Ethernet diagnostics driver. They have also been seen frequently posing as IT staff in an attempt to persuade people to divulge their credentials or grant them remote access to their computers.
Scattered Spider is a cybercrime organization that focuses on large corporations and their outsourced IT support departments. According to credible sources, Scattered Spider threat actors steal information for extortion purposes and have been seen using BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware in addition to their standard tactics, techniques, and procedures.
Scattered Spider Attacks
Typical Scattered spider intrusions start with mass phishing and smishing campaigns directed at a victim via custom-made domains designed specifically for that individual. Scattered Spider threat actors typically carry out SIM-swapping attacks on users who fall for the phishing or smishing scheme. After a successful phishing or smishing attack, the bad guys will work to collect the sensitive information (PII) of the most valuable victims by answering their security questions.
Threat actors use social engineering to trick IT support staff into resetting users’ passwords and/or multi-factor authentication (MFA) tokens to gain access to their accounts in single sign-on (SSO) systems.
Another cybersecurity provider, Trellix, has speculated that Scattered Spider employs techniques like POORTRY and STONESTOP to disable antivirus programs and remain undetected. The POORTRY malware is a Windows driver that cybercriminals can use to kill specific processes, such as endpoint detection and response agents. The attackers signed the POORTRY driver with a Microsoft Windows hardware compatibility signature so they could stay under the radar.
Scattered Spider Tools
To disable antivirus programs and remain undetected, Scattered Spider employs the POORTRY and STONESTOP techniques.
#1. POORTRY
A malicious driver known as POORTRY can be used to kill specific processes on Windows machines. One such process could be an endpoint’s Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agent. The attackers have signed the modified POORTRY driver with a Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Authenticode, making it impossible to detect.
#2. STONESTOP
Additionally, a Windows userland tool called STONESTOP aims to end processes by generating and loading a malicious driver. It does two things: it loads and installs POORTRY and acts as an orchestrator, telling the driver what to do.
A modified version of POORTRY was employed by the ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware group in April 2023 to breach the US payments giant NCR, resulting in a disruption of its Aloha point of sale system.
What is a Threat Actor?
Someone or a group of people attempting to compromise the security of an organization’s data and systems are threat actors. Threat actors can commit direct data theft, engage in phishing, compromise a system by exploiting vulnerabilities, or develop malicious software.
What are the Categories of Threat Actors?
Threat actors are frequently divided into several groups according to their motivations and, to a lesser extent, their degree of sophistication. Some types of threat actors include
- Cybercriminals.
- Nation-state actors
- Hacktivists.
- Thrill seekers.
- Insider threats.
- Cyberterrorists.
What Is the Difference Between a Threat Actor and an Attacker?
One way in which “threat actor” is distinct from “hacker” or “attacker” is that a threat actor need not possess technical expertise. They are nothing more than an outside actor seeking to breach a system’s defenses.
The term “threat actor” refers to any individual or group whose goal is to compromise the safety of a network or the data it stores. This may involve the actual destruction of data, or it may simply involve the copying of said data. Attackers and hackers are technical people or groups who aim to compromise your system to gain some benefit for themselves. They can be individuals, organizations, or even countries that cause harm to a business or government, spread false information, or gain financial advantage.
What Are the Bad Actors in Cybersecurity?
For financial gain, bad or threat actors will resort to any means (including malware, ransomware, and communication interception) to take advantage of the weaknesses in your network. A threat actor, bad actor, or malicious actor is an individual or group who takes part in an activity with the intent to harm something in the cyber realm.
What is an Example of a Threat Actor?
A hacktivist is an example of a threat actor. Those concerned with social justice or furthering their cause may motivate cybercriminals to break into the networks of government agencies and other institutions. Financial gain, personal grudges against former employers, or geopolitical conflicts may also be the driving forces behind cybercrime.
Is a Threat Actor a Hacker?
One way in which “threat actor” differs from “hacker” or “attacker” is that threat actors need not themselves be technically proficient to pose a threat. They are nothing more than a malicious actor trying to breach a system or network.
Conclusion
Virtual private networks (VPNs) and guest networks, which restrict access to sensitive data and devices, are two examples of straightforward defensive systems you can use to fend off threat actors. In addition, you should prepare for what to do if an attack is successful. The best defense is a good offense. Actively seek out potential dangers before they can compromise your system, rather than reacting to attacks after the fact.
- What Is Ransomware: Definition, Types, Examples & How It Works
- What Is a Common Indicator of a Phishing Attempt?
- HOW TO REMOVE VIRUS FROM IPHONE: Simple & Effective Methods
- PRETEXTING: Definition, Examples & How To Prevent It
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