Cisco !#&? be a network ninja

To the top Chapter 1.4.1 Chapter 1.4.2 Chapter 1.4.3 Chapter 1.4.4

Introduction to Cybersecurity

One course of Cisco's "Skills for all"

On completing this course, you will be able to:

Module 1 - Introduction to Cybersecurity

Welcome to this module, which aims to help you understand the growing need for cybersecurity.

Faced with an unprecedented surge in cyber attacks, never before has the demand for cybersecurity professionals been so high.

Find out more about what cybercriminals want and what you can do to ensure that a cyber threat never becomes a reality.

Chapter 1.4 - Cyber Attackers

Attackers are individuals or groups who attempt to exploit vulnerability for personal or financial gain. As we’ve already seen, they are interested in everything, from credit cards to product designs!

1.4.1 Types of Attackers

Let’s look at some of the main types of cyber attackers who’ll try anything to get their hands on our information. They are often categorized as white hat, gray hat or black hat attackers.

Amateurs

The term 'script kiddies' emerged in the 1990s and refers to amateur or inexperienced hackers who use existing tools or instructions found on the Internet to launch attacks. Some script kiddies are just curious, others are trying to demonstrate their skills and cause harm. While these white hat attackers may use basic tools, their attacks can still have devastating consequences.

Hackers

This group of attackers break into computer systems or networks to gain access. Depending on the intent of their break in, they can be classified as white, gray or black hat hackers.

  • White hat attackers break into networks or computer systems to identify any weaknesses so that the security of a system or network can be improved. These break-ins are done with prior permission and any results are reported back to the owner.
  • Gray hat attackers may set out to find vulnerabilities in a system but they will only report their findings to the owners of a system if doing so coincides with their agenda. Or they might even publish details about the vulnerability on the internet so that other attackers can exploit it.
  • Black hat attackers take advantage of any vulnerability for illegal personal, financial or political gain.

Organized hackers

These attackers include organizations of cyber criminals, hacktivists, terrorists and state-sponsored hackers. They are usually highly sophisticated and organized, and may even provide cybercrime as a service to other criminals.

Hacktivists make political statements to create awareness about issues that are important to them.

State-sponsored attackers gather intelligence or commit sabotage on behalf of their government. They are usually highly trained and well-funded and their attacks are focused on specific goals that are beneficial to their government.

1.4.2 What Color Is My Hat?

Now that you know the different types of attackers and their motivations for doing what they do, can you identify what color of hat is worn by the attacker in each of the following scenarios? This is a tricky one but remember, you can earn valuable defender points if you answer correctly.

After hacking into ATM systems remotely using a laptop, this attacker worked with the ATM manufacturers to resolve the identified security vulnerabilities.

Gray hat

This attacker transferred $10 million into their bank account using customer account and PIN credentials gathered from recordings.

Black hat

This attacker’s job is to identify weaknesses in a company’s computer system.

White hat

This attacker used malware to compromise a company’s system and steal credit card information that was then sold to the highest bidder.

Black hat

While carrying out some research, this attacker stumbled across a security vulnerability on an organization's network that they are authorized to access

White hat

White hat attackers aim to discover security weaknesses so that they can be improved, whereas black hat attackers take advantage of any vulnerabilities for illegal personal, financial or political gain. Gray hat attackers are somewhere in between. While they may not have malicious intentions, they want to get something for their discovery.

1.4.3 Internal and External Threats

Cyber attacks can originate from within an organization as well as from outside of it.

Internal threats

Employees, contract staff or trusted partners can accidentally or intentionally:

  • mishandle confidential data
  • facilitate outside attacks by connecting infected USB media into the organization’s computer system
  • invite malware onto the organization’s network by clicking on malicious emails or websites
  • threaten the operations of internal servers or network infrastructure devices.

External threats

Amateurs or skilled attackers outside of the organization can:

  • exploit vulnerabilities in the network
  • gain unauthorized access to computing devices
  • use social engineering to gain unauthorized access to organizational data.

1.4.4 What Do You Think?

Remember that phishing email you received earlier from one of your customers?

An investigation into this email revealed that the user accounts and access privileges of a former employee were not fully removed from the IT systems on leaving the company. In fact, this former employee, who now works for a competitor, logged into @Apollo’s customer database only three days ago.

Has an internal or external security threat occurred here?

Internal

This ex-employee was able to launch an attack based on insider knowledge of the organization’s network. For this reason, internal threats have the potential to cause greater damage than external threats.

Skills for all