Actor Describes malicious actors or adversaries related to a cyber attack.
| Property | Type | Description | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| description | MarkdownString | A description of object, which may be detailed. | ✓ |
| id | String | Globally unique URI identifying this object. | ✓ |
| schema_version | String | CTIM schema version for this entity. | ✓ |
| short_description | MedStringString | A single line, short summary of the object. | ✓ |
| source | MedStringString | Represents the source of the intelligence that led to the creation of the entity. | ✓ |
| title | ShortStringString | A short title for this object, used as primary display and reference value. | ✓ |
| type | ActorTypeIdentifierString | ✓ | |
| valid_time | ValidTime Object | Indicates the time span for which the information about the Actor is relevant, and after which it could become outdated. | ✓ |
| actor_types | ThreatActorTypeString List | ||
| aliases | ShortStringString List | A list of other names that this Threat Actor is believed to use. | |
| confidence | HighMedLowString | This field can help analysts decide how much trust they can put in the information provided by the threat intelligence sources. For example, an Actor entity can have high confidence if the organization's security researchers have been tracking it for a long time and have gathered a significant amount of intelligence about it through various sources, such as analysis of malware, network traffic, and human intelligence. In contrast, low confidence may indicate the organization has only seen limited or circumstantial evidence. | |
| external_ids | String List | It is used to store a list of external identifiers that can be linked to the incident, providing a reliable and manageable way to correlate and group related events across multiple data sources. It is especially useful in larger organizations that rely on multiple security information and event management (SIEM) systems to detect security incidents. For instance, it can be used to track events across different network sensors, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), or log management platforms. The field can also be used to facilitate automation and orchestration workflows, where additional information can be shared among incident management systems. It can be used to cross-reference with other external tools such as threat intelligence feeds and vulnerability scanners. | |
| external_references | ExternalReference Object List | Specifies a list of external references which refers to non-CTIM information. Similar to external_ids field with major differences: - external_ids field is used to store a list of external identifiers that can be used to link entities across different data sources. These identifiers are typically standardized and well-known, such as CVE IDs, US-CERT advisories, or other industry-standard threat intelligence feeds. The external_ids field can be used to facilitate automation and orchestration workflows, where additional information can be shared among incident management systems. - external_references field, on the other hand, is used to provide a more general mechanism for linking entities to external sources of information. The external_references field can include references to blog posts, articles, external documents, threat intelligence reports, and other sources of information that may not have a standardized format or identifier. |
|
| identity | Identity Object | Can contain information such as the name of the attacker, the group or organization they belong to, or any other identifier that can help in the attribution process. | |
| intended_effect | IntendedEffectString | Represents the desired outcome or impact the threat actor is trying to achieve through their malicious activities. Helps security analysts to understand the attacker's goals beyond the immediate impact of the attack. By understanding the intended effect, analysts can draw connections between seemingly unrelated attacks and build a more complete understanding of an attacker's long-term goals and motivations. | |
| language | ShortStringString | The language field is used to specify the primary language of the affected system or the target of an attack. It can be used to provide additional context and information about the entity. The primary purpose of this field is to help analysts filter and prioritize entities based on their knowledge and expertise of different languages. For example, if an incident involves an attack on a system in a country where a specific language is predominant, the language field can be used to indicate that language, which can help analysts to quickly identify and respond to incidents that may be geographically or culturally relevant. This information can be used to prioritize incidents based on their potential impact. The language field can also be used to help with correlation of incidents across different systems and regions, as well as to help with data analysis and reporting. |
|
| motivation | MotivationString | The reason or purpose behind the malicious activity attributed to this Actor. By understanding a threat actor's motivation, analysts can better predict the attacker's behavior and anticipate future malicious actions. | |
| planning_and_operational_support | LongStringString | Provides information about the resources and capabilities of the attacker that could be used to assist in planning and operations related to the threat. It can be used to describe Infrastructure, Tools, Techniques, and Capabilities used by the threat actor. | |
| revision | Integer | A monotonically increasing revision, incremented each time the object is changed. | |
| sophistication | SophisticationString | Represents the level of expertise and skill that the threat actor has displayed in their malicious activities. Can help security analysts assess the potential impact of an attacker's TTPs and determine the potential attack surface. For example, a threat actor with a low sophistication level may primarily rely on off-the-shelf malware and attack tools, while an attacker with high sophistication may use custom tools with advanced evasion techniques, zero-day exploits, and sophisticated methods for command and control of their malware. The sophistication level of an attacker can also be inferred based on several factors such as the complexity of attacks, the attacker's knowledge of the targeted organization's systems, and the attacker's ability to remain undetected. If an attacker shows a high level of sophistication in reconnaissances, social engineering, and phishing, then the attacker may have a good knowledge of the targeted organization and its employees. This means that the attacker may be more successful in infiltrating the organization's network and compromising its systems. | |
| source_uri | String | URI of the source of the intelligence that led to the creation of the entity. | |
| timestamp | Inst (Date) | The time this object was created at, or last modified. | |
| tlp | TLPString | TLP stands for Traffic Light Protocol, which indicates precisely how a resource is intended to be shared, replicated, copied, etc. It is used to indicate the sensitivity of the information contained within the message. This allows recipients to determine the appropriate handling and dissemination of the information based on their clearance level and need-to-know. For example, an entity containing information about a critical vulnerability in a widely-used software might be marked as red, indicating that it should only be shared with a small group of highly trusted individuals who need to know in order to take appropriate action. On the other hand, a message containing more general information about security threats might be marked as amber or green, indicating that it can be shared more broadly within an organization. |
- Reference: ThreatActorType
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This entry is optional
-
This entry's type is sequential (allows zero or more values)
- Allowed Values:
- Cyber Espionage Operations
- Disgruntled Customer / User
- Hacker
- Hacker - Black hat
- Hacker - Gray hat
- Hacker - White hat
- Hacktivist
- Insider Threat
- State Actor / Agency
- eCrime Actor - Credential Theft Botnet Operator
- eCrime Actor - Credential Theft Botnet Service
- eCrime Actor - Malware Developer
- eCrime Actor - Money Laundering Network
- eCrime Actor - Organized Crime Actor
- eCrime Actor - Spam Service
- eCrime Actor - Traffic Service
- eCrime Actor - Underground Call Service
- Allowed Values:
A list of other names that this Threat Actor is believed to use.
-
This entry is optional
-
This entry's type is sequential (allows zero or more values)
- ShortString String with at most 1024 characters.
This field can help analysts decide how much trust they can put in the information provided by the threat intelligence sources.
For example, an Actor entity can have high confidence if the organization's security researchers have been tracking it for a long time and have gathered a significant amount of intelligence about it through various sources, such as analysis of malware, network traffic, and human intelligence. In contrast, low confidence may indicate the organization has only seen limited or circumstantial evidence.
-
This entry is optional
- Allowed Values:
- High
- Info
- Low
- Medium
- None
- Unknown
- Reference: HighMedLowVocab
- Allowed Values:
A description of object, which may be detailed.
-
This entry is required
- Markdown Markdown string with at most 5000 characters.
It is used to store a list of external identifiers that can be linked to the incident, providing a reliable and manageable way to correlate and group related events across multiple data sources. It is especially useful in larger organizations that rely on multiple security information and event management (SIEM) systems to detect security incidents. For instance, it can be used to track events across different network sensors, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), or log management platforms. The field can also be used to facilitate automation and orchestration workflows, where additional information can be shared among incident management systems. It can be used to cross-reference with other external tools such as threat intelligence feeds and vulnerability scanners.
- This entry is optional
- This entry's type is sequential (allows zero or more values)
Specifies a list of external references which refers to non-CTIM information.
Similar to external_ids field with major differences:
-
external_idsfield is used to store a list of external identifiers that can be used to link entities across different data sources. These identifiers are typically standardized and well-known, such as CVE IDs, US-CERT advisories, or other industry-standard threat intelligence feeds. Theexternal_idsfield can be used to facilitate automation and orchestration workflows, where additional information can be shared among incident management systems. -
external_referencesfield, on the other hand, is used to provide a more general mechanism for linking entities to external sources of information. Theexternal_referencesfield can include references to blog posts, articles, external documents, threat intelligence reports, and other sources of information that may not have a standardized format or identifier.
- This entry is optional
- This entry's type is sequential (allows zero or more values)
- ExternalReference Object Value
- Details: ExternalReference Object
Globally unique URI identifying this object.
-
This entry is required
- IDs are URIs, for example
https://www.domain.com/ctia/judgement/judgement-de305d54-75b4-431b-adb2-eb6b9e546014for a Judgement. This ID type compares to the STIX id field. The optional STIX idref field is not used.
- IDs are URIs, for example
Can contain information such as the name of the attacker, the group or organization they belong to, or any other identifier that can help in the attribution process.
- This entry is optional
- Identity Object Value
- Details: Identity Object
Represents the desired outcome or impact the threat actor is trying to achieve through their malicious activities.
Helps security analysts to understand the attacker's goals beyond the immediate impact of the attack. By understanding the intended effect, analysts can draw connections between seemingly unrelated attacks and build a more complete understanding of an attacker's long-term goals and motivations.
-
This entry is optional
- Allowed Values:
- Account Takeover
- Advantage
- Advantage - Economic
- Advantage - Military
- Advantage - Political
- Brand Damage
- Competitive Advantage
- Degradation of Service
- Denial and Deception
- Destruction
- Disruption
- Embarrassment
- Exposure
- Extortion
- Fraud
- Harassment
- ICS Control
- Theft
- Theft - Credential Theft
- Theft - Identity Theft
- Theft - Intellectual Property
- Theft - Theft of Proprietary Information
- Traffic Diversion
- Unauthorized Access
- Allowed Values:
The language field is used to specify the primary language of the affected system or the target of an attack. It can be used to provide additional context and information about the entity. The primary purpose of this field is to help analysts filter and prioritize entities based on their knowledge and expertise of different languages.
For example, if an incident involves an attack on a system in a country where a specific language is predominant, the language field can be used to indicate that language, which can help analysts to quickly identify and respond to incidents that may be geographically or culturally relevant. This information can be used to prioritize incidents based on their potential impact. The language field can also be used to help with correlation of incidents across different systems and regions, as well as to help with data analysis and reporting.
-
This entry is optional
- ShortString String with at most 1024 characters.
The reason or purpose behind the malicious activity attributed to this Actor. By understanding a threat actor's motivation, analysts can better predict the attacker's behavior and anticipate future malicious actions.
-
This entry is optional
- Allowed Values:
- Ego
- Financial or Economic
- Ideological
- Ideological - Anti-Corruption
- Ideological - Anti-Establishment
- Ideological - Environmental
- Ideological - Ethnic / Nationalist
- Ideological - Human Rights
- Ideological - Information Freedom
- Ideological - Religious
- Ideological - Security Awareness
- Military
- Opportunistic
- Political
- Allowed Values:
Provides information about the resources and capabilities of the attacker that could be used to assist in planning and operations related to the threat.
It can be used to describe Infrastructure, Tools, Techniques, and Capabilities used by the threat actor.
-
This entry is optional
- LongString String with at most 5000 characters.
A monotonically increasing revision, incremented each time the object is changed.
-
This entry is optional
- Zero, or a positive integer.
CTIM schema version for this entity.
-
This entry is required
- A semantic version matching the CTIM version against which this object should be valid.
A single line, short summary of the object.
-
This entry is required
- MedString String with at most 2048 characters.
Represents the level of expertise and skill that the threat actor has displayed in their malicious activities. Can help security analysts assess the potential impact of an attacker's TTPs and determine the potential attack surface.
For example, a threat actor with a low sophistication level may primarily rely on off-the-shelf malware and attack tools, while an attacker with high sophistication may use custom tools with advanced evasion techniques, zero-day exploits, and sophisticated methods for command and control of their malware.
The sophistication level of an attacker can also be inferred based on several factors such as the complexity of attacks, the attacker's knowledge of the targeted organization's systems, and the attacker's ability to remain undetected.
If an attacker shows a high level of sophistication in reconnaissances, social engineering, and phishing, then the attacker may have a good knowledge of the targeted organization and its employees. This means that the attacker may be more successful in infiltrating the organization's network and compromising its systems.
-
This entry is optional
- Allowed Values:
- Aspirant
- Expert
- Innovator
- Novice
- Practitioner
- Allowed Values:
Represents the source of the intelligence that led to the creation of the entity.
-
This entry is required
- MedString String with at most 2048 characters.
URI of the source of the intelligence that led to the creation of the entity.
-
This entry is optional
- A URI
The time this object was created at, or last modified.
-
This entry is optional
- ISO8601 Timestamp Schema definition for all date or timestamp values. Serialized as a string, the field should follow the rules of the ISO8601 standard.
A short title for this object, used as primary display and reference value.
-
This entry is required
- ShortString String with at most 1024 characters.
TLP stands for Traffic Light Protocol, which indicates precisely how a resource is intended to be shared, replicated, copied, etc.
It is used to indicate the sensitivity of the information contained within the message. This allows recipients to determine the appropriate handling and dissemination of the information based on their clearance level and need-to-know.
For example, an entity containing information about a critical vulnerability in a widely-used software might be marked as red, indicating that it should only be shared with a small group of highly trusted individuals who need to know in order to take appropriate action. On the other hand, a message containing more general information about security threats might be marked as amber or green, indicating that it can be shared more broadly within an organization.
-
This entry is optional
- Allowed Values:
- amber
- green
- red
- white
- Allowed Values:
-
This entry is required
- Must equal: "actor"
Indicates the time span for which the information about the Actor is relevant, and after which it could become outdated.
- This entry is required
- ValidTime Object Value
- Details: ValidTime Object
ExternalReference External references are used to describe pointers to information represented outside of CTIM. For example, a Malware object could use an external reference to indicate an ID for that malware in an external database or a report could use references to represent source material.
| Property | Type | Description | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| source_name | MedStringString | The source within which the external-reference is defined (system, registry, organization, etc.) | ✓ |
| description | MarkdownString | ||
| external_id | String | An identifier for the external reference content. | |
| hashes | String List | Specifies a dictionary of hashes for the contents of the url. | |
| url | String | A URL reference to an external resource. |
- Reference: External Reference
-
This entry is optional
- Markdown Markdown string with at most 5000 characters.
An identifier for the external reference content.
- This entry is optional
Specifies a dictionary of hashes for the contents of the url.
- This entry is optional
- This entry's type is sequential (allows zero or more values)
The source within which the external-reference is defined (system, registry, organization, etc.)
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This entry is required
- MedString String with at most 2048 characters.
A URL reference to an external resource.
-
This entry is optional
- A URI
ValidTime Period of time when a cyber observation is valid.
| Property | Type | Description | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| end_time | Inst (Date) | If end_time is not present, then the valid time position of the object does not have an upper bound. | |
| start_time | Inst (Date) | If not present, the valid time position of the indicator does not have an upper bound. |
- Reference: ValidTimeType
If end_time is not present, then the valid time position of the object does not have an upper bound.
-
This entry is optional
- ISO8601 Timestamp Schema definition for all date or timestamp values. Serialized as a string, the field should follow the rules of the ISO8601 standard.
If not present, the valid time position of the indicator does not have an upper bound.
-
This entry is optional
- ISO8601 Timestamp Schema definition for all date or timestamp values. Serialized as a string, the field should follow the rules of the ISO8601 standard.
Identity Describes a person or an organization.
| Property | Type | Description | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| description | MarkdownString | ✓ | |
| related_identities | RelatedIdentity Object List | Identifies other entity Identities related to this Identity. | ✓ |
- Reference: IdentityType
-
This entry is required
- Markdown Markdown string with at most 5000 characters.
Identifies other entity Identities related to this Identity.
- This entry is required
- This entry's type is sequential (allows zero or more values)
- RelatedIdentity Object Value
- Details: RelatedIdentity Object
RelatedIdentity Describes a related Identity
| Property | Type | Description | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| identity | String | The reference (URI) of the related Identity object. | ✓ |
| confidence | HighMedLowString | Specifies the level of confidence in the assertion of the relationship between the two objects. | |
| information_source | String | Specifies the source of the information about the relationship between the two components. | |
| relationship | String |
- Reference: RelatedIdentityType
Specifies the level of confidence in the assertion of the relationship between the two objects.
-
This entry is optional
- Allowed Values:
- High
- Info
- Low
- Medium
- None
- Unknown
- Reference: HighMedLowVocab
- Allowed Values:
The reference (URI) of the related Identity object.
-
This entry is required
- A URI
Specifies the source of the information about the relationship between the two components.
- This entry is optional
- This entry is optional