Unstructured Threat

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What Does Unstructured Threat Mean?

An unstructured threat refers to a computer attack from novice hackers, often called script kiddies, who use software created by more advanced hackers to gain information from or access to a system, or launch a denial of service attack. Unstructured threats are the most prevalent threat to a company or organization’s computer system.

Techopedia Explains Unstructured Threat

Although hackers who pose an unstructured threat to a system may lack sophistication, they make up for this in number. Script kiddies generally don’t manage to gain access to mission-critical servers, which tend to be protected by multiple levels of security. However, gaining access to the company’s Web server is damaging enough. And, although the hacker hasn’t broken through the company’s security, it may still alarm the public, which tends to be unaware of the distinction.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.