Often hacker groups methods to pin the crime on someone else. So, let's say you have 160 known hacking groups world-wide, most are loosely affiliated. Plus, you have government and foreign military or cyber-spy commands perhaps adding another 50 or so to the mix, some quite sophisticated. Not long ago, I was reading 150 page research report on cyber security, cyber warfare, hactivists, and criminal hackers. Okay so let's talk for second shall we?
One of the chapters in the report suggested that it was easy to tell if a hacking group was part of a state-sponsored cyber command, or just would-be hackers messing around because you could tell by their style and methods. However, I would question this because cyber commands would be wise to cloak as hactivists, or petty hacker teenagers when trying to break into a system of a Corporation, or government agency. Meanwhile the report proposes that the hackers aren't that smart, and that they always use the same methods of operandi, I completely disagree with this.
There may be some that do, but I bet most of them have many tricks up their sleeve, and they may even purposely mimic the methodologies and tactics of other hacking groups to shield and hide their own identities - in other words, mix it up a little so they don't get caught. Wouldn't they, or are we to believe and think hackers are stupid or something? They aren't, they're obviously smart enough to break into nearly every single computer system on the planet, they have been busy breaking into everything in the last few years, these aren't stupid individuals - in fact, I wonder if anything is safe of sacred anymore?
One of the chapters in the report suggested that it was easy to tell if a hacking group was part of a state-sponsored cyber command, or just would-be hackers messing around because you could tell by their style and methods. However, I would question this because cyber commands would be wise to cloak as hactivists, or petty hacker teenagers when trying to break into a system of a Corporation, or government agency. Meanwhile the report proposes that the hackers aren't that smart, and that they always use the same methods of operandi, I completely disagree with this.
There may be some that do, but I bet most of them have many tricks up their sleeve, and they may even purposely mimic the methodologies and tactics of other hacking groups to shield and hide their own identities - in other words, mix it up a little so they don't get caught. Wouldn't they, or are we to believe and think hackers are stupid or something? They aren't, they're obviously smart enough to break into nearly every single computer system on the planet, they have been busy breaking into everything in the last few years, these aren't stupid individuals - in fact, I wonder if anything is safe of sacred anymore?
Next, I'd like to point out that the authorities are busy hiring these hackers who have experience for their own security computer needs. If these hackers were so naïve and stupid, then I doubt very much if the corporations, and government agencies would be hiring them in the first place. Whereas the methods and strategies, as well as the tactics used by various hackers could at times act as a fingerprint, it might also be nothing more than a false positive or a disguise purposely used to conceal their own hacking group.
Therefore, I thought it was rather naïve of that research paper, partially completed by a computer scientist, to even suggest such. Even if they were talking in hindsight or about how things have historically been in the past, I think they might be missing something. Sure some of the hackers that aren't perhaps wise enough to understand this concept, or are still learning might make such a mistake to always use the same methods, but I doubt that is true for experienced hackers.
Heck even chimpanzees, don't always use the same methods as to not give away their intentions, so I thought humans understand this concept too. Of course, that's just my opinion after reading about 1000 pages last week of research reports on cyber security. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Internet Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net
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