What is the threat agent in this situation?

A network engineer discovers that a foreign government hacked one of the defense contractors in their home country and stole intellectual property.

What is the threat agent in this situation?
A . the intellectual property that was stolen
B . the defense contractor who stored the intellectual property
C . the method used to conduct the attack
D . the foreign government that conducted the attack

View Answer

Answer: D

Explanation:

A threat agent is the entity that is responsible for initiating a threat action that exploits a vulnerability. A threat agent can be a person, a group, an organization, or a system. In this scenario, the threat agent is the foreign government that hacked the defense contractor and stole the intellectual property. The threat agent’s motivation, capability, and resources determine the level of threat they pose to the target.

Reference: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) – Cisco, page 1-3; 200-201 CBROPS – Cisco, exam topic 1.1.b