210-255 · Question #9
Which statement about threat actors is true?
The correct answer is C. They are perpetrators of attacks.. Threat actors are the individuals or groups who carry out cyberattacks, making them the perpetrators, not the targets or assets.
Question
Which statement about threat actors is true?
Options
- AThey are any company assets that are threatened.
- BThey are any assets that are threatened.
- CThey are perpetrators of attacks.
- DThey are victims of attacks.
How the community answered
(28 responses)- B4% (1)
- C89% (25)
- D7% (2)
Why each option
Threat actors are the individuals or groups who carry out cyberattacks, making them the perpetrators, not the targets or assets.
Company assets that are threatened are referred to as 'assets at risk' or attack targets, not threat actors.
Assets that are threatened are the objects of an attack, which describes victims or targets rather than perpetrators.
Threat actors are defined as the perpetrators or initiators of cyberattacks, encompassing hackers, nation-states, insider threats, and other malicious entities. They represent the 'who' behind an attack and are distinct from the assets or victims they target. This definition is foundational in frameworks such as NIST SP 800-30.
Victims of attacks are the affected parties or targets, the opposite role from a threat actor.
Concept tested: Definition of threat actor in cybersecurity
Source: https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/threat_actor
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