Cyberattacks will continue to rise in frequency, complexity, and severity. In fact, they’re expected to become more common and more damaging over the next few years. It would be impossible for businesses of any size to keep up with all the new daily threats. However, businesses can take active steps to safeguard their operations from cyberthreats, reduce their vulnerability rate and prevent attacks from impacting their business as much as possible. The key is identifying the cyber threats most likely to impact your business and taking steps to protect yourself against them before they have a chance. This blog will explore the most common cyber threats you need to protect your business against.
Malware
Malware is a computer program designed to execute some kind of exploit on a target computer. This could be a way to infect the computer, or it could be an attempt to collect data such as usernames, passwords, or other sensitive information. In many cases, malware can also cause severe damage to your computer and network, spreading quickly and causing serious issues for your business. A malware can:
- Encrypt or over-encrypt your data and restrict access to it (ransomware).
- Hold data hostage in exchange for ransom (ransomware).
- Copy, steal and delete data.
- Record and transmit information about a business’ activities without detection (spyware).
- Disrupt processes and render programs unusable (viruses and worms).
Hackers can spread malicious software via email spam and unsolicited text messages. Personal computers connected to a business network can also be compromised if hackers have personal contact with employees.
If a malware attack is successful, it can cause lengthy service outages that are costly and unproductive. In addition to damaging hardware and physical infrastructure, malware intrusions can risk employees’ and customers’ safety.
Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
Denial of service (DoS) disrupts IT systems or networks by flooding them with requests so they cannot respond to legitimate users. It becomes a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) when more than one equipment or source launches a coordinated attack. This is usually in an attempt to knock the targeted systems offline. This attack is designed to make a specific website unavailable to users because the website’s servers are overwhelmed by traffic.
Generally, hackers do not simply want to disable a system. If your network is being attacked with DoS/DDoS, you can anticipate a follow-up attack when your network is down and unresponsive.
Man in the Middle Attacks
Man-in-the-middle attacks are dangerous cyberattacks where hackers place themselves between two individuals, institutions, or machines to intercept communications. In a MITM attack, the attacker tries to obtain sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or banking credentials, by directing the victims to a website that has been tampered with. A man-in-the-middle attack can occur when customers or employees log into a business network via unsecured public WiFi.
Social Engineering Attacks
A Social Engineering attack relies on someone else’s credentials to gain access to your network or steal data. An example of this is an email that appears to be from a legitimate company or a website that looks and smells like the real thing but is really a decoy. A successful attack can result in huge financial losses, damaged reputation, and costly lawsuits from business partners and compromised customers. Phishing is an example of social engineering.
SQL Insertion
SQL insertion leverages websites with low cybersecurity that offer web forms for their users to submit data or log in to an account. It allows hackers to inject malicious SQL code into their website, which can then be used to extract sensitive information, like password tokens or credit card information.
Credential Stuffing
Credential stuffing uses known usernames and passwords to breach an IT system in the premise that people use the same usernames and passwords for different accounts. It often works on large companies with a high turnover rate and poor password hygiene. If hackers get hold of their credentials, they can breach the system long enough to deploy a more adverse form of cyberattack. Credential stuffing can also succeed if a company fails to deactivate or restrict the access of their former employees’ accounts.
Even if you cannot control these cyber security threats, you can still safeguard your company by taking proactive cybersecurity precautions. Look into managed cybersecurity services that offer protection against these five major cyber security threats. A team of cybersecurity experts will constantly monitor your systems, set up a variety of cybersecurity infrastructure, recommend appropriate procedures, and immediately implement crisis management SOPs in the event of a breach.
Invest In Agile Cybersecurity Solutions
No business is 100 percent safe from cyber attacks. Outsourcing your cybersecurity can be your best option if you own or represent an SMB that faces legitimate cybersecurity threats.
Future-proofing your business can be tricky, but it is possible with Cloudilax Solutions. Cloudilax Solutions can provide managed cybersecurity solutions that manage the top cybersecurity threats companies face today. More importantly, we provide proactive plans that anticipate the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape. Email us at info@cloudilax.com or fill out our contact form today to book a consultation.
