#Cyber espionage definition Patch
Patch software promptly, particularly internet-facing systems.Growing more sophisticated and advanced, cyber-spy attacks are increasingly able to evade traditional cybersecurity methods. With an increase in work from home activity, organizations have become harder to defend and are responding by prioritizing cyber-risk and mitigation strategies. In January 2022, a Chinese hacking group breached German pharmaceutical and technology companies targeting high-value intellectual property. GhostNet attacked embassies and government offices worldwide.Ĭyber espionage attacks are ongoing and remain relevant today. GhostNet (2009) – A breach discovered at the Dalai Lama’s office.Goblin Panda (2013) – Chinese APTs that primarily focused the Southeast Asian governments.Pioneer Kitten (2017) – Iranian-based attack that targeted MENA and US organizations.MuddyWater (2022) – Iranian APTs targeting telecommunications, local government, defense, and other sectors worldwide.Other examples of global cyber espionage cases: Government agencies, academic institutions, political leaders, and officials around the world can become targets of computer espionage. Victims of cyber espionage extend beyond the US border. In 2021, the United States NSA and FBI disclosed that Fancy Bear was behind “widespread, distributed, and anonymized brute force access attempts” against the cloud-based systems of hundreds of government and private sector targets around the world. Politically motivated, the group targets American electronic systems, including the infamous 2016 spear-phishing attack on the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Operating since 2008, Fancy Bear is a Russian-based cyber espionage group that attacks government and military organizations. The attack, known as Operation Aurora, is believed to have originated from China. Among the victims, only Google publicly admitted that it was breached, disclosing that Gmail accounts belonging to Chinese human rights advocates had been compromised. Infamously, in 2009, 30 high-profile Fortune 500 companies were targeted by a cyber espionage campaign designed to steal trade secrets. Attacks can target large and small businesses, as well as individuals ranging from business executives to public figures. Ramifications of these attacks include theft of competitor marketing strategies used to manipulate unfair market conditions. Cyber-spies can inflict financial damage on corporations by disrupting their operations.
The aftermath of a cyberespionage attack can not only damage customer-company trust, it can also damage shareholder confidence. Small business to large enterpriseĬyber-spying is a form of corporate espionage. Competitor and marketing intelligenceīrand names, domain names, logos, unique website design, and creative assets. Client or customer informationĬlient lists, the services they are provided, and how much they pay. Proprietary plans, sensitive projects, and any property that an attacker could sell for profit. Research and development (R&D) data, employee salaries, and operational data. Targets of cyber espionage include: Internal operations information Cybercriminals target corporate and government entities rich with sensitive informaiton. Cyber espionage targetsīecoming a victim of cyber espionage can have damaging consequences for an organization's reputation and can erode trust between corporations and their customers. The cyber espionage threat landscape is constantly evolving as attacks become more sophisticated. Common methods of cyber espionage include advanced persistent threats (APT), social engineering, malware attacks, and spear phishing. It can also be used to harm an individual or business’s reputation.Ĭyber espionage does not have to be sophisticated, but it can involve complex tactics and long, patient breaches of a target’s network. Cyber espionage is a type of cyberattack conducted by a threat actor (or cyber spy) who accesses, steals, or exposes classified data or intellectual property (IP) with malicious intent, in order to gain an economic, political, or competitive advantage in a corporate or government setting.
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