Save Your Business From Common Cyber Security Threats

Cyber security has been emerging as one of the biggest points of concern in the era of technology adoption. Everything has its own pros and cons, and the same is the case with technology.

Many enterprises are constantly dealing with cyber-attackers. Cyber security consultants periodically alert them of these emerging threats. The attackers are quite advanced and even target government bodies, financial institutions, schools, corporates, small & medium businesses, organizations, etc.

Apart from the peril of cyberattacks, there has been a scarcity of cyber security personnel in the industry. As our dependency on technology is increasing quickly, in the same direction cybercrime too is growing. With new & emerging technology being developed, cyber-attacks are also becoming more sophisticated and smarter.

Hence, we require a robust, all-encompassing cybersecurity and planning process to add structured Incident Response Plans (IRPs). This will help an IT team to immediately act in the right direction. Moreover, it will aid in producing responses that are more focused in case of any security incident.

What are the common cyber security threats?

One question that the whole world suppose an IT expert to know is, “What risks are you prepared for?” Thus, today we’d like to highlight a few common risks that you should be prepared for.

Ransomware

Ransomware is a kind of malicious software. It usually infects your system and restricts users to access it until a ransom is paid. For the past few years, IT experts have spotted several variants of Ransomware. These usually affect the users, making their screen jammed with an alert message box for the purpose of extortion. They can create a huge nuisance if the user is a minor.

The users often install this Ransomware unknowingly with the link of some free file or a free application. You usually wouldn’t be able to get an idea about the purpose of cyber attackers. As they enter inside your device, it kicks you out of your network. They may even threaten you to release your personal data, browsing history, or information on the dark web.

The purpose of these is to extract money from you, usually demanding digital currencies or prepaid card balances. They believe it’s safe to move the funds via digital assets as no one can trace their transaction or lead the trail to them personally. But recent government action has proved that the government has the tools to apprehend the perpetrators.

If you are not taking regular external backups of your important data, such cyber-attacks can ruin you in many ways. In that case, you should immediately consult a cyber security expert to regain control over your device and network. They can help you to remove the ransomware and also conduct a security audit. After which, they provide recommendations on how to prevent these attacks in the future.

Malware

Hackers design Malware like software to harm any computer, software, network, server, etc. It, basically, extracts all your available personal data and leaks the information on the web. Malware is one of the vastest terminologies in the history of cyberattacks. It’s a malicious link or software that harms the server or network. When malware makes an entry into the system, it disrupts its functionality and tries to damage and steal the data. It disables basic and essential computing functionalities.

Commonly there are 8 types of malware that include Fileless Malware, Bots, Worms, Trojans, Viruses, Adware, Ransomware, Spyware etc. Malware exploits the hardware and the software of any system and hijacks the essential content and its functionality.

Phishing

Phishing is a kind of social engineering attack. It occurs when a site or application pretends to be reliable and attracts users to click on the malicious links. It always intends to steal sensitive information like credit and debit card information along with login credentials of unaware users.

Typically there are four types of Phishing attacks that include Whaling, Smishing, Vishing and Spear Phishing. These attacks have increased rapidly in recent years.

Users usually get these phishing links through emails, which do not target any specific individual or company. These attackers impersonate the actual business contacts of a user. They send emails in the bulk hence called Bulk Phishing. The content of the bulk messages can vary according to the goal of the attacker, which is usually money.  Attackers make users stuck in an emergency and ask to send money to a certain account to free their accounts.

Weak Passwords

The very first thing a hacker does is try to enter your network without your permission. A weak password can cost you an apple and an egg. Cyber attackers have many ways to crack your password. The first one of these methods is using the standard password dictionary. Hence, it is advisable not to use 12345 as your password, it’s the most commonly used one in the world.

This type of attack tries to make an entry in the system with common usernames and passwords in the dictionary. If you or somebody within your network has been using a common password, the attackers can crack it within minutes. They just have to use some standard password cracking methods to do it.

There is also another technique known as “brute force”.  With this, cracking a password becomes really easy for a seasoned attacker. The crooks shortlist some keywords from your social media accounts, posts. Then they try to combine them in order to break it. They send a number of combinations in their device like your date of birth with your parents’ name etc. They don’t do this manually; they have software with AI built-in to do this in pre-defined time intervals.

You can create the strongest and the best passwords randomly. Also, you must change it frequently, especially when you find some suspicious login to your account. You should make a strong password with a combination of small letters, capital letters, special characters, and numbers.

New browsers like chrome even run a password check online. With this, you can see if your saved passwords show up in any recent attack or data dumps. They send periodic alerts when such instances are detected. You can also explore tools like Secure Password Generator or Last Pass to take your security measures up a notch

Insider Threats

An Insider threat is a threat that arises from within the organization. It can be from a business associate, contractor, or former colleague/employee.

Someone disgruntled or unhappy who has inside information is more likely to spread it. It can put the security of an organization at risk. Always have a clear access-level policy for all relevant personnel.