Six types of cyber criminals exposed

Threat intelligence experts at BAE Systems have identified “The Unusual Suspects,” based on research that uncovers the motivations and methods of the most common types of cyber criminals. The intention of the company’s information campaign is to help enterprises understand the various enemies they face so they can better defend against cyber attacks.

Colin McKinty, vice-president cyber security strategy, Americas at BAE Systems says: “Cyber security is now an ongoing boardroom issue that is here to stay. Our mission is to help businesses defend themselves, and organizations are unable to do this without a clear understanding of who it is defending against. This research is designed to expose cyber criminals by analyzing their motivations and methods so businesses can take preventative proactive measures to diminish these threats.”

BAE Systems profiled six cybercriminals:
• The Mule – naive opportunists that may not even realize they work for criminal gangs to launder money
• The Professional – career criminals who ‘work’ 9-5 in the digital shadows
• The Nation State Actor – individuals who work directly or indirectly for their government to steal sensitive information and disrupt enemies’ capabilities
• The Activist – motivated to change the world via questionable means
• The Getaway – the youthful teenager who can escape a custodial sentence due to their age
• The Insider – disillusioned, blackmailed or even over-helpful employees operating from within the walls of their own company

For more information on each of the Unusual Suspects, visit www.baesystems.com/unusualsuspects.