Are You at Risk?
I have seen so many cyberattacks. And not just on big corporations. Cybercriminals really do not care about the size of a business or how much money is in a bank account. They just want to steal information or money in any way they can. And they love to go after the easy targets.
That’s what this book is all about—making you a hard target and making the cybercriminals go somewhere else. Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common, targeting not just businesses but also individuals and families. These attacks can range from identity theft to ransomware, phishing, and other forms of malicious activity.
In 2024, the risk of cyberattacks on individuals and families remains a significant concern. The cyber threat landscape is complex and constantly evolving, which makes it important to stay informed and prepared.
Common vulnerabilities include limited awareness of current types of phishing attacks, weak passwords, not using two-factor authentication, unsecured Wi-Fi networks, mobile devices set up improperly, the use of outdated software, and more.
Who are cybercriminals?
I like to talk about who cybercriminals are. Many years ago, I read the book The Art of War, written by the Chinese general, strategist, and philosopher Sun Tzu 2,500 years ago (I’m old but not quite that old). This book is so good it’s still in print today. One of my favorite quotes is, “Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated.” That is still so true today, 2,500 years later—especially in terms of cyber warfare.
Cybercriminals can be individuals, an organized group, or even an operation supported by nation-states. They can function locally or internationally. Their motivations vary from financial gain to political agendas, espionage, or simply causing disruption.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), if cybercrime were a country, it would be the world’s third-largest global economy after only the United States and China. Cybersecurity Ventures, an industry think tank, projects that its impact will reach $10.5 trillion by 2025.
Let’s look at each of the three main categories of cybercriminals:
Hacktivists
At one end of the spectrum are hacktivists. These are very, very skilled hackers who do it for ideological reasons. Maybe they just don’t like the color of your logo—or they are acting for political reasons or to expose perceived injustices. They hack in and steal very sensitive information, then threaten to expose it on the internet if you don’t change whatever it is they do not like. Most hacktivist attacks occur on businesses and government organizations.
For example, one notable hacktivist cyberattack was an assault by the group Anonymous on the Church of Scientology in 2008. Known as Project Chanology, it was initiated in response to attempts to remove a video featuring Tom Cruise discussing Scientology on the internet. The group launched a series of actions using various hacking techniques, including distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks that overwhelmed Scientology websites, making them inaccessible. They also organized real-world protests—including information warfare, public demonstrations, and other online protests—by utilizing various digital media to spread their message against what they perceived as the church’s censorship.
This incident is notable not just for its scale and impact but also because it marked a significant use of cyberattacks for ideological rather than financial reasons. It brought attention to the concept of hacktivism as a form of protest and demonstrated how cyberattacks could be used as tools for political and social activism.
Nation-states
On the other end of the spectrum, nation-states carry out state-sponsored cyberterrorism. While this is primarily countries attacking other countries for political or military intelligence, going after critical infrastructure—financial services, energy, oil, gas, transportation, and communications—also occurs. Additionally, intellectual property (IP) is also a target. If IP is stolen, then state-supported businesses can go to market faster and cheaper and not have to spend large sums of money on research and development.
Several US companies have been driven out of business after their intellectual property was stolen and the responsible nation-state provided it to one of its companies.
Here are some notable cases of cyberattacks by nation-states that have caused significant damage:
o  SolarWinds. In December 2020, the IT firm SolarWinds was compromised by a nation-state adversary (believed to be Russia). This attack affected over 18,000 customers around the world and compromised multiple US and international government agencies. The full extent of the damage caused is still unknown, but it illustrates how devastating and wide-reaching nation-state cyberattacks can be, impacting businesses across various industries, including those in supply chains like defense or the military.[1]
o  Vaccine makers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nation-state adversaries turned their attention to vaccine makers, conducting corporate sabotage and theft. This escalation shows that virtually no industry is immune to such attacks, including high-profile targets like financial institutions and critical national infrastructure providers.[2]
o  Intellectual property theft. China has been highlighted for making intellectual property theft a key part of its espionage efforts. This includes placing insiders in organizations to steal IP and targeting firms with malware and spear-phishing attacks.[3]
o  Russian cyber operations. Russia’s efforts are mainly focused on espionage and advancing Russian foreign policy, as opposed to commercial opportunities.[4]
o  Iranian cyberattacks. Iran has diversified its offensive cyber operations, including espionage, ransomware, and destructive cyberattacks. These have been some of the largest and most destructive, targeting nations like Saudi Arabia.[5]
o  North Korean financial attacks. North Korea’s cyberattacks are largely financially motivated, targeting financial institutions and cryptocurrency platforms to compensate for economic sanctions against the country.[6]
These examples highlight the variety and severity of nation-state cyberattacks, underscoring the significant impact these attacks can have on businesses, sometimes leading to crippling fines, loss of investor confidence, and financial distress that can lead to a business’s collapse.[7]
Cybercriminals
The group we all must worry most about is cybercriminals. This is organized crime; it is big business. In fact, it is such big business that, as we mentioned earlier, cybercrime is now the “world’s third-largest global economy” after the national economies of the United States and China.[8] That’s incredible! Cybercriminals are making trillions of dollars every year.
Many cybercriminals operate as part of organized crime groups that are sophisticated and well-structured, resembling traditional organized crime syndicates in several ways:
o  Hierarchical structure. Cybercriminal groups often have a hierarchical structure with leaders, specialists, and lower-level operatives.
o  Specialization. Members often specialize in specific areas, such as hacking, phishing, malware distribution, or money laundering.
o  Global operations. Groups frequently operate internationally, exploiting the global nature of the internet to conduct crimes across borders.
o  Diverse criminal activities. Groups are involved in a variety of criminal activities, including identity theft, financial fraud, ransomware attacks, and the sale of illegal goods and services on the Dark Web.
o  Evasion techniques. Cybercriminals use advanced techniques to evade detection by law enforcement, including encrypted communication channels and laundering money through cryptocurrencies.
o  Recruitment and training. Groups often recruit skilled individuals and may provide training to develop specific cybercrime skills.
o  Financial motivation. The primary motivation for these groups is financial gain, though some may also be driven by political, ideological, or personal reasons.
o  Longevity and resilience. These groups can be persistent and adaptable, changing tactics as needed to avoid law enforcement and continue their activities.
However, not all cybercriminals are part of organized groups. There are also individual actors or small, less structured groups engaged in cybercrime. But the trend towards organization and sophistication is a significant concern for law enforcement and cybersecurity professionals.
Conclusion
Accurate, up-to-date statistics on the number of attacks specifically targeting individuals and families can be challenging to obtain, as many incidents go unreported. However, it’s widely recognized that the number of attacks is significant and growing.
Be aware of the different types of cyberattacks—phishing, ransomware, identity theft, and others. I will discuss these in subsequent chapters. It is important to understand how these attacks are carried out, such as through email scams, unsecured internet connections, or malware.
When thinking about all these very skilled hackers at work 24 hours a day, what do you think is their primary method of attack? How are they getting into our systems and homes?
[1] Kate O’Flaherty, “The Nation State Threat to Business,” ComputerWeekly, January 8, 2021. https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/The-nation-state-threat-to-business.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Justinas Vainilavičius, “Cybercrime Is World’s Third-Largest Economy Thanks to Booming Black Market,” Cybernews, November 15, 2023. https://cybernews.com/editorial/cybercrime-world-third-economy/.
