Personal Gain

A third party private organization deploys an individual to a target organization to covertly steal confidential or classified information or gain strategic access for its own benefit.

The subject makes direct or implied threats against the organization to cause material harm unless demands, typically financial, are met. These threats often rely on the subject's access to sensitive data or reputationally damaging information, with the stated intent to release, leak, or misuse that data unless a specific outcome is achieved.

Extortion of this nature is typically transactional and opportunistic. Unlike sabotage or ideological coercion, this behavior is rooted in self-enrichment. The subject does not seek systemic disruption, but rather personal advantage through the exploitation of institutional fear, risk aversion, or reputational sensitivity.

In many cases, the subject conceals their identity during the extortion, using anonymous communication platforms, burner accounts, or pseudonyms, to increase pressure while delaying attribution. This anonymity may also allow the subject to continue operating within the organization undetected.

A subject facing financial difficulties attempts to resolve their situation by exploiting their access to or knowledge of the organization. This may involve selling access or information to a third party or conspiring with others to cause harm to the organization for financial gain.

A subject uses authorized access or insider knowledge to exploit organizational assets, systems, data or processes for direct personal financial benefit. This may involve theft of assets, fraud, resale of proprietary or sensitive information, or unauthorized monetization of access. Unlike collusion with a third‑party, this variant is characterized by the subject acting alone (or without external partner) purely for their own enrichment.

A subject covertly collects confidential or classified information, or gains access, with the intent to sell it to a third party private organization.