Malicious Activity

A Malicious Activity is an activity that is deliberately performed to cause harm, damage, or unauthorized access to systems, data, or resources.

• AKA: Malicious Act, Harmful Activity, Malevolent Action.
• Context:
  • It can typically target Computer Systems through cyberattack methods.
  • It can typically compromise Data Assets through unauthorized access techniques.
  • It can typically disrupt Service Operations through denial-of-service attacks.
  • It can typically exploit System Vulnerabilities through exploitation techniques.
  • It can typically bypass Security Controls through circumvention methods.
  • ...
  • It can often involve Threat Actors with malicious intent.
  • It can often utilize Attack Vectors for system penetration.
  • It can often employ Social Engineering Techniques for human manipulation.
  • It can often leverage Malware Tools for automated attacks.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Simple Malicious Activity to being a Sophisticated Malicious Activity, depending on its attack complexity.
  • It can range from being an Opportunistic Malicious Activity to being a Targeted Malicious Activity, depending on its victim selection strategy.
  • It can range from being a Low-Impact Malicious Activity to being a High-Impact Malicious Activity, depending on its damage potential.
  • ...
  • It can be detected by Intrusion Detection Systems through anomaly detection.
  • It can be prevented by Security Systems through access control mechanisms.
  • It can be analyzed by Security Analysts through threat investigation.
  • It can be documented in Security Incident Reports for forensic analysis.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Cyber Malicious Activities, such as:
    • Network-Based Malicious Activities, such as:
      • Distributed Denial-of-Service Attack for service disruption.
      • Man-in-the-Middle Attack for data interception.
      • Port Scanning Activity for vulnerability reconnaissance.
    • Application-Based Malicious Activities, such as:
      • SQL Injection Attack for database compromise.
      • Cross-Site Scripting Attack for web application exploitation.
      • Buffer Overflow Exploit for system compromise.
  • Physical Malicious Activities, such as:
    • Unauthorized Access Activities, such as:
      • Facility Breach for physical intrusion.
      • Lock Picking Activity for unauthorized entry.
      • Tailgating Attack for access control bypass.
    • Sabotage Activities, such as:
      • Equipment Tampering for operational disruption.
      • Cable Cutting Activity for communication disruption.
      • Component Theft for asset removal.
  • Social Engineering Malicious Activities, such as:
    • Phishing Attacks, such as:
      • Email Phishing Campaign for credential harvesting.
      • Spear Phishing Attack for targeted deception.
      • Voice Phishing Activity for telephone-based fraud.
    • Pretexting Activities, such as:
      • Identity Impersonation for trust exploitation.
      • Authority Figure Pretexting for compliance manipulation.
      • Technical Support Scam for remote access acquisition.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Security Testing Activities, which are authorized assessments rather than malicious actions.
  • Accidental Security Incidents, which lack malicious intent despite causing security impact.
  • Penetration Testing Activities, which are legitimate security evaluations with proper authorization.
• See: Security Attack, Threat Actor, Security Incident, Cybercrime, Intrusion Prevention System, Security System.

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