Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What describes threat actors involved in organized, planned, and prolonged criminal activities across different jurisdictions?

1. Criminal Syndicates

2. Hacktivists

3. State-sponsored hackers

4. Black hat hackers

The correct answer is: Criminal Syndicates

Criminal syndicates are characterized by their organized and structured approach to carrying out illicit activities, often spanning multiple jurisdictions. These groups typically engage in a variety of criminal enterprises, including but not limited to cybercrime, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and financial fraud. Their operations are well-planned and executed with a degree of sophistication that often involves extensive networks and collaboration. This level of organization distinguishes them from other types of threat actors. While hacktivists may conduct cyber attacks for ideological reasons, their motivations and methods are quite different from those of criminal syndicates. State-sponsored hackers are typically associated with government-backed cyber operations aimed at espionage or disruption, rather than ongoing criminal activities for profit. Black hat hackers focus on exploiting vulnerabilities for personal gain, but they may not necessarily operate within a structured organization or across jurisdictions like criminal syndicates do.