Over the past few years, many types of cyber-security issues keep on emerging. It has affected almost every business, both small and large-scale businesses. If you are new in the business and you are explicitly doing your business transaction online, then you are more likely to become a potential target from cyber-attacks.
What’s Actually a Cyber Attack?
In a nutshell, cyber-attacks are done by computer or network hackers to exploit your precious data like your business name, logo, or tagline and either modify it or steal it for their personal use. One of the most popularly known types of cyber-attack is information or identity theft. If your online business transaction requires sensitive information such as credit card details and personal information, then it is imperative that you should be implementing a high level of internet and network security. Usually, it can be done by hiring IT professionals that offer a full suite of security against cyber-attacks, anti-virus, and disaster recovery solutions. However, if your business has already been a victim of identity theft or cyber attack, a business lawyer from https://pjmfirm.com/ can help you protect your business name and file legal actions to the hackers.
What are the Common Cyber Threats that One Should be Aware Of?
DoS
The Denial of Service (or DoS), is a type of cyber-attack in which network hackers send a malicious network request to your network and servers, causing them to exhaust their resources and bandwidth. This will cause a tremendous delay in computer processing, thus, making significant delay in your business transactions. While this type of cyber-attack won’t compromise your precious data, it can disrupt your operations by causing your system’s network to be unusable or even crash. The basic protection that one can do to counter such attacks is by utilizing the server’s firewall and increasing the connection queue.
SQL Inject
The SQL or Structured Query Language injection attack happens when a hacktivist sends malicious code to your system, mainly to your SQL servers, and intends to exploit sensitive information. The danger of this kind of attack is that hackers will be able to modify the extracted information since SQL code can give them the power to insert, modify, and delete the exploited data. They can even use SQL inject to grant them access as systems administrator and cause further damage to your business operations.
Man-in-the-Middle
Similar to Dos, Man-in-the-Middle or MitM cyber-attack happens when someone is trying to get access in the middle of the transaction between two-party. This is a very dangerous type of cyber-attack since they can steal sensitive information right there and then, especially when someone is sending payment transactions online. They can also use this type of attack to install Malware on your computer systems unknowingly and process your data. They usually attack people and businesses who use unsecured wifi connections.
Malware
Also known as malicious software, this type of program is widely used by hacktivists to exploit sensitive information. Technically, hackers use the famous Trojan horse way to enter your computer system. Also, Malware attaches themselves to other programs to replicate across your network. Once successfully installed, it will start to collect data and transfer that information to the hacker’s server.
However, not all malware software intends to steal information. Malware is also used as a way of promotions and advertisement, and it is called Adware. Adware, once installed, can create popup advertisements on your screen every time you connect on the internet. But, this will only cause bandwidth interruption, and it will slow your system.
MS Office Extensions
It is known as the most popular file extensions a lot of hackers used to exploit and distribute viruses and malware programs. Since almost all users normally trust these types of extensions, hackers can easily trick them by using these extensions to embed malicious code and scripts to the file.
Ransomware
Hackers had already found a way to make money out of their wrongdoings. It also uses a Trojan technique to get inside of your system and infect all your files. Once all your files get infected, you will lose access by locking the file through encryption, and you won’t be able to open it unless you pay them to get your access back. Some even threaten you to delete the file if you don’t pay them immediately. Sadly, there is no anti-virus can detect such a program, but one way to counter such a dangerous attack is to have a regular local and cloud backup schedule.
Must read: 5 Things You Have to Know About the Dangers of Ransomware
Furthermore, one should utilize the use of their systems firewall by limiting of blocking unauthorized access to your computer systems and network. Aso makes sure to apply email security practices when managing your email inbox.
Greyware
Also known as PUP or potentially unwanted program. Greyware sits between a legitimate application and Malware. It is merely a combination of spyware and an adware program that collects and study your online behavior, use your personal information, and then create a custom-tailored promotion.
Phishing Attack Through Email
This type of cyber-attack is different from those mentioned above. It usually works when someone has been tricked into opening an email, thinking that it comes from a trusted source, unknowingly downloaded Malware or ransomware. The goal of this type of attack is to gain vital information, such as network user login credentials to bypass network security parameters. Others are to collect sensitive information such as credit card numbers and bank accounts.
Phishing Attack Using Website
Another form of cyber-attack is by using an infected website. Hackers will trick the user that he or she has entered a legitimate site. However, the website is embedded with malicious code that can exploit the user information. Hackers usually make duplicates of websites that you or your employees often visit.
Cross-site Scripting
Similar to SQL inject and Phishing, Hackers will try to run malicious codes on your business website, especially if it is not optimized for internet security. However, instead of attacking and hacking the data stored from your website, the goal is to attack the user of the site instead. With this, they may exploit information from the user whenever he or she put some sensitive information, such as credit card details, by using your website.
Password Crackers
The main goal of this type of cyber-attack is to gain access with your network login credentials. Hackers are performing different types of password cracking techniques such as cracking programs, password sniffers, and dictionary attacks to obtain your login information. However, this can be easily countered by using long passwords containing different hexadecimal characters. Also, doing occasional passwords change can prevent hackers from gaining your login credentials.
Moreover, your employees must be educated about using the same login credentials in all of their accounts, whether it be on their social media, email, and corporate accounts. Since having the same login credentials will make someone’s life much more comfortable than having more than one, it will only pose a danger not only to him or her but to your company as well. There are password manager apps that can be useful when it comes to managing login details.
Third-Party Services
Another way that hackers use to gain access to your servers is through Third-Party services. By using Third-Party credentials, they can extract and steal sensitive information such as your customer’s credit and debit card details. Always make sure to create a firm policy and protocol when it comes to sharing your network access to any of your Third-Party services to avoid this type of cyber-attack and a breach of confidentiality as well.
Artificial Intelligence
You probably have watched all the Iron Man movies and amazed by Tony Stark’s AI partner named Jarvis, and it’s pretty awesome. While AI like Jarvis level is still impossible in our time and age, hackers are already developing and using AI to perform cyber-attacks. Artificial Intelligence uses sophisticated computer programs that allow it to learn by itself, and it is pretty scary by the way since it may learn how to avoid being detected.
Nowadays, AI can now perform the things mentioned above, and it is improving since it is a machine learning program. It can even perform its job more efficiently than its human counterpart.
Inside Job Threat
Yes, you read it right. Not all cyber-attacks come from the outside entity. Inside jobs are, of course, performed by specific individuals that are already part of your organization. Sadly, these people have even more advantages than their external counterparts since they already have direct access to your system. Also, if you have a network security protocol, it won’t stand a chance against these types of attack.
Final Thoughts
To protect your business and investments, then make sure to put effort on how to handle if not totally avoid those things mentioned above if you don’t want to suffer huge losses in the future. Protect your business name with the help of firms like https://pjmfirm.com/, they have expert business attorneys in Phoenix,Arizona.
Hackers in our time and age won’t stop making changes and improving their hacking techniques for their malicious intent, so you need to be proactive in securing and defending your precious data and information. Make sure that you have an IT-personnel or IT department in your company that is knowledgeable in protecting your business against cyber-attacks.
