NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY STRATEGY GREEN PAPER – SUPPORTING DOCUMENT
3.2 THE CYBER THREAT AGENTS
This section attributes cyber threats to an identified number of threat agents. Table 2 identifies the
various threat agents along with the likely key motive for their activity.
Threat Agent
Motive
Cyber criminal
Profit oriented - in criminal activities
Online social hacker
Criminal
Hactivist
Socially motivated citizens
Nation state
Espionage
Corporation
Espionage
Employee (current, former)
Revenge, sabotage, extortion or profit
Cyber fighter
Nationally motivated citizens
Cyber terrorist
Ideological
Script kiddy
Thrilled about past achievements, considered outrageous/skills of
tech saavy individuals
Table 2 – Threat Agents
The level of sophistication in terms of expertise and technology capability for each of the identified
threat agents can also be noted by the Figure below.
Technology Capability
Low
High
Low
Employee
Expertise
Cyber Criminal
Hacktivist
Nation-State
High
On-line Social Hacker
Corporation
Cyber fighter
Cyber terrorist
Figure 1- The level of sophistication of each threat agent
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Malta | National Cyber Security Strategy Green Paper – Supporting Document