With the development of digitalisation, which has become increasingly popular in recent years, the risk of becoming a victim of cyber attacks has also increased tremendously. Cyber crime refers to any attempt to destroy, disrupt, steal, or disable specific information resources and systems.
There are two types of cyber threats: internal and external. An insider threat is a person who has access to an organisation's systems. This could be an unscrupulous or resentful employee. The external threat comes from an outside hacker or a criminal group.
Cyber attacks, data breaches and ransomware attacks can be very costly for both individuals and corporations. Industries that are most often attacked and suffer the greatest damage include the healthcare sector, government, non-profit organisations, and financial companies. Of interest is access to the reams of personal data of many people.
While there are a hundred different ways hackers can unleash cyber attacks, we list the 5 most common ones in this article.
Both a small company and an individual can become a victim of virtual scammers. Recently, the number of victims has increased significantly. The main reason may be the banal lack of protection of your devices and networks. Here's a quick look at the top 5 ways attackers usually compromise their targets:
- A weak password is the main indicator of poor cybersecurity. This can weaken the resistance of an individual or a company to virtual fraudsters. Also, if you use the same password for several accounts, it significantly increases chances of your data being breached. Many users choose extremely simple passwords and often share them with each other. These actions make it much easier for cybercriminals to obtain passwords through password-spray malware or phishing attacks. A reliable way to protect against compromise of accounts and passwords is using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
- Phishing and social engineering have been considered one of the most common cyber-attack tactics in recent years. Attackers pose as a reliable source, inducing the victim to click on a link or download a malicious file, allowing access to confidential information.
Phishing attacks have become much more sophisticated in recent years, and attackers can launch highly effective, finely tuned phishing campaigns. Such attacks pose a danger to individuals and companies, and financial losses are difficult to recover. Reverse face search for phishing protection will help you avoid becoming an easy victim to such attacks.
- Ransomware and malware allow hackers to gain access to networks, steal data, or destroy computer data. It can be picked up from malicious website downloads, spam emails, or connecting to other infected devices. Currently, the number of types of malware is proliferating. As protection, data backup and recovery tools are used, which can be stored in the cloud. If a critical situation occurs, such data can be quickly restored.
- Incorrect patch management is another easy loophole for attackers to exploit. Timely updates and installation of modern protection ensure uninterrupted, reliable operation of the software. Outdated operating systems and software may be subject to various vulnerabilities. Using tools to monitor software vulnerabilities and enforcing patches across your network and endpoints on a regular basis can help enhance protection to a great degree.
- Internal threats are a problem that arise due to the simple ignorance of company employees. Such individuals may put other employees' or customers' sensitive information at risk through sheer negligence or lack of knowledge. This can cause serious financial and reputational harm to the company. Therefore, each employee must have the limited access necessary only to perform their job roles and functions.
Cyber dangers cause anxiety for the average person and representatives of businesses and government bodies. While there is a lot to be done to protect yourself and your finances, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with at least the basics of cybersecurity hygiene. It will allow you to remain vigilant and be assured that your sensitive data at least has the basic minimal level of protection.