What are the different types of threat actors in cybersecurity?

Threat actors are categorized by motivation and capability. Nation-state actors are government-sponsored with advanced resources targeting espionage, sabotage, and influence operations. Advanced persistent threats, or APTs, maintain long-term access to networks. Organized crime groups seek financial gain through ransomware, fraud, and data theft. Hacktivists are ideologically motivated and use attacks for political statements. Insider threats are employees or contractors who misuse authorized access. Script kiddies use pre-built tools without deep technical knowledge.