BAE Systems, a global defence and security organisation, has unveiled some of the biggest threats to businesses by profiling six prominent types of cybercriminals, exposing how they cause harm to companies worldwide.

The company has also provided some practical ways that companies can defend against them.

Threat intelligence experts at BAE Systems have revealed ‘The Unusual Suspects’, built on research that demonstrates the motivations and methods of the most common types of cybercriminal.

The research, which is derived from expert analysis of thousands of cyber attacks on businesses around the world. The intention is to help enterprises understand the enemies they face so they can better defend against cyber attack.

There is a need to improve this understanding in the Middle East, where according to a recent PwC study, cybercrime is the second most reported economic crime, affecting 30 per cent of Middle East organisations. Despite this, the report stated only 33 per cent of regional companies have a cyber-incident response plan, highlighting that the majority of organisations are not adequately prepared for cyber attack, or even understand the risks.

Kevin Taylor, managing director of BAE Systems Applied Intelligence said: “Cybersecurity is now firmly established as a boardroom issue. Our mission is to help businesses defend themselves, and no organisation can do this without knowing who it is defending against. This research is designed to expose cybercriminals by revealing their motivations and methods so businesses can take preventative measures.”
 
BAE Systems has profiled six cybercriminals:
 
•    The Mule – naive opportunists that may not even realise 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.
 
“The research aims to highlight the types of cybercriminals that businesses are up against and provide some practical, real ways to defend against them,” concluded Taylor. – TradeArabia News Service