So... what does a hacker REALLY look like?

Today’s cybersecurity masterminds have more in common with C-suite directors or management pen pushers than hooded basement dwellers. And they’re not all based in Russia either. That’s according to recent research presented at the University of Cambridge.Professor David Wall says cybercriminals are more polished than ever. Their shady shenanigans are more aligned to a business studies manual than an organised crime playbook – adapting each day with the kind of slippery flexibility that largely eludes the law. The dark – yet flourishing – cyber ‘ecosystem’ Professor Wall’s research refutes the existence of “one generic cybercriminal” but points to a thriving ecosystem – comprising a motley crew of data brokers, dark marketeers, monetisers, bulletproof hosters, initial access brokers and negotiators. “The ecosystem enables various cybercrimes to be carried out more effectively while minimising risk and maximising the return to the offenders,” he says. “It gives offenders without skill sets access to those who have them and the organisation needed to carry them out. The skill levels and resources required to launch such attacks are now much higher and greater than a lone operator could ever muster.”Cybercrime goes industrialWall notes that the modern ransomware process symbolises the industrialisation of cybercrime, arguing that the exact roles of highly organised individuals are in a constant state of flux as both technologies and crime practices evolve – helping attackers reach the scalability and volume of crimes needed to achieve a sizeable return on investment.“Highly adaptive offender groups took advantage of new opportunities presented by the lockdown disruptions. What these accelerated trends have done is illustrate that ransomware is not only a major form of modern transnational organised crime, but it has become a multibillion-dollar industry that keeps on growing and will continue to grow.”Cash-motivated ‘confidence tricksters’Hackers are more likely to carry briefcases than hoodies but they are still largely motivated by quick money. Ian Pratt, global head of security for personal systems at HP Inc, says: “There may be some cyber hoodies administering the really technical parts but, for the most part, the sophistication doesn’t need to be huge. Instead, being an all-round confidence trickster is the perfect skill set.”Organised crime has moved onlineThe same groups that back offline organised crime, such as drug dealing or goods smuggling, fund most cybercrime. “Cybercrime is lucrative and low risk, as very few of these people get held to account,” Pratt tells SC Media UK. “The number of deeply technical people needed for these attacks is fairly small. A lot of it is about social engineering – writing the email lures and getting servers set up in countries for malware distribution,” he adds.But not ALL hackers are money-minded…According to Maninder Singh, corporate vice president and global head, cybersecurity and GRC business, HCL Technologies, all the baddies in the physical world have simply shifted over to the virtual world. “Whatever crimes previously happened in the real world are now replicated in the virtual world, so there are cybercriminals that are purely money-motivated,” he tells SC Media UK. “However, not all hackers are driven by cash.”Singh says other cybercriminal profiles relate to espionage, political non-state actors (hackitvists), paid for hacking services, and IP theft.“It’s all happening, it’s all on the rise, and it’s all for real,” he warns.Enjoyed this article? Sign up for exclusive weekly SC Media insights via our homepage – you'll get the analysis first

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So... what does a hacker REALLY look like?

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So... what does a hacker REALLY look like?

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