Cybersecurity can be understood as IT protection. It is a process of securing systems, servers, mobile devices and other automated systems from malicious attacks. On average, it can take up to 6 months to detect a data breach. Implementing cybersecurity protocols for your business will keep your networks and sensitive data safe from cyber attacks. In the cyberworld, your information is always at risk. An attacker will not care about the amount of income you generate or how frivolous the information gathered is. The scarce commodity is information. Once an attacker is privy to your information, it can allow for a plethora of vulnerabilities in your system, dissemination of private information, financial loss and damage to your company’s reputation as well as other companies that you supply or are connected to.
Cyber Attacks that can harm your Business
Malware Attack
Malicious software, also known as malware, is a blanket term for viruses, worms, trojans and other harmful computer programs used by hackers to wreak havoc and gain access to sensitive information on your business’ IT systems. With spam and phishing being the primary method by which malware infects computers, the best way to prevent malware is to:
- Make sure your email systems are secured and your users know how to identify a threat.
Ransomware Attack
According to the 2019 Official Annual Cybercrime Report, a ransomware attack is expected to occur every 11 seconds by 2021. Ransomware is a billion dollar cybercrime industry. It is a form of malware that encrypts a victim’s files for ransom after denying them access. The best way to prevent a ransomware attack:
- Never open an email attachment from an untrusted source or click on unverified links.
- Scan mail server content and filter regularly.
Phishing Attack
Did you know that 85% of organisations have suffered from phishing attacks? Phishing is the first delivery method for other types of malicious software. A hacker tricks users into clicking a malicious link through SMS or email or by downloading an infected attachment, The best way to prevent phishing attacks are:
- Do not click on login links. Manually type in the website’s url.
- Always ensure the email is from a trusted source and report suspicious emails.
- Inspect links before you click them.
SQL Injection
SQL injection attacks servers that store critical data for websites. Using malicious code, attackers go around authentication and authorization of a web page or web application and retrieve the content of the entire SQL database. This is especially harmful to servers that store personally identifiable information (PII) such as credit card numbers, usernames, and passwords. The best way to prevent a SQL Injection attack is to:
- Use regular expressions as whitelists for structured data to ensure strong input validation.
- Only use prepared statements and stored procedures.
DDoS Attack
A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service or network by flooding a website with more traffic than it can handle from different IP addresses around the world. Hackers use it as a distraction to break into the organization’s data while its main focus is on restoring its website. The best way to prevent a DDoS attack is to:
- Ensure that you have enough bandwidth to handle spikes in traffic that may be caused by malicious activity.
- Recognize your typical inbound traffic profile so you can detect irregular traffic.
- Secure firewalls, use anti-phishing methods and complex passwords.
Password Attack
A password attack is still the oldest trick in the book and despite being well-known, people still fall prey to this cyber attack. This method is still so popular because of its ease of accessibility. Using standard hacking techniques, hackers are able to attain weak passwords and gain access to valuable online accounts. The best way prevent a password attack is to:
- Educate users on good password hygiene.
- Implement brute force lockout policies.
- Prohibit the use of easy passwords.
Conclusion
An estimated 93% of all breaches can be avoided if simple steps are taken. It is vital for businesses to be well prepared as to not fall victim to cyber attacks and expose their system to vulnerabilities. A multi-layer cybersecurity approach is the best way to thwart any serious cyber attack. These preemptive measures can be introduced by our Training and Awareness program or for more technical measures, contact Purple Team Security and speak with one of our security experts.