Cyber attacks are a growing threat to businesses, organizations, and individuals worldwide. Today, we will give you an overview of seven common threats; malware, computer viruses, phishing, ransomware, DDoS/DoS, brute force, and spam.
Cyber attacks can result in...
- Theft or loss of sensitive data
- Financial loss
- Damage to reputation
- Disruption of critical services
Knowing about different types of cyber attacks is essential because they can have severe consequences for individuals, businesses, and organizations.
Malware
Malware is short for malicious software. It is software designed to harm your computer or steal your personal information. It can infect your network through various means, including vulnerabilities in your operating system or software, or trick you into clicking on a malicious link or download.
Malware is a general term for hostile programs and can come in many forms, such as viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, and spyware.
Once on your system, malware can perform a variety of harmful actions, such as deleting files, stealing sensitive information, or using your computer to attack other systems.
Computer Virus
A virus is a software that can damage your computer or steal your personal information. It spreads from one computer to another through email attachments, downloads, or by sharing infected files.
To minimize exposure to computer viruses, avoid opening attachments and files sent to you without scanning them first, do not click on pop-up ads, and use antivirus protection software.
Phishing
Phishing is when someone tries to trick you into giving them your personal information, like your password or credit card number.
They might do this through fake emails, websites, or social media messages that look like they’re from a company or person you trust.
The best practice to avoid phishing is to outline comprehensive user policies. Email and internet usage policies are crucial to ensure your employees understand the pitfalls, risks, and costs of carelessness online.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts a victim’s files. Attackers then demand a ransom payment to restore access to the encrypted files, often threatening to delete the files permanently if the ransom is not paid.
Not only does paying the ransom encourage the attacker, but there is no guarantee that they will restore the files even after payment. Instead, you should contact a professional specializing in these threats.
No More Ransom is a great initiative that has provided tools for ransomware victims for over six years! Founded by Europol, the Dutch National Police (Politie), and IT security companies, they aim “to help victims of ransomware retrieve their encrypted data without having to pay the criminals.”
You can read more about the initiative at Europol’s website or visit nomoreransom.org
DoS & DDoS Attacks
A Denial of Service (DoS) attack is when an attacker floods a website or network with traffic making it unavailable to users.
The attacker uses a computer or device to send a large number of requests to the website or network simultaneously to overload it, thus making it impossible to receive and send the information needed to uphold normal operations.
A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is also considered a DoS attack but involves multiple systems or devices that target a single system or network.
In a DDoS attack, the attackers use a network of compromised computers and devices, known as a botnet, to send traffic to the target system or network in an attempt to overwhelm it and make it unavailable.
Brute Force Attacks
A brute force attack, also known as a dictionary or password attack, is when a hacker uses a program to try and guess the password of a system by trying every possible combination. The attacker can easily target several accounts and networks simultaneously, and the automated program keeps learning with every failure.
Eventually, they hit the bullseye. A password is decrypted, and the hacker can access the system as a regular user would.
Simply increasing password strength is a good place to start, but more is needed when facing sophisticated software, and it will not stop an attack from happening. However, intelligent protection software can distinguish these attempts from regular activity and block the attacker for good.
Learn more about what a brute force attack is in the separate article.
Spam
Spam is unwanted or unsolicited emails sent in large quantities. These emails can contain malware that can harm your computer or steal your personal information.
Spam emails are also used to trick you into giving away your personal information or directing you to fraudulent websites (phishing).
It is a good idea to use spam filters to help reduce the amount of spam you receive and to delete any spam emails that do make it through without opening them.
Conclusion
These were some commonly used cyber attack types we want people to know about. However, worth noting is that this is a partial list, as there are, unfortunately, many ways to breach a network.
The attack could also happen in several phases; one successful attack may allow the attacker to use another. For example, a successful brute force attack can lead to the uploading of malware or ransomware onto your network.
Understanding these different types of cyber attacks allows you to protect yourself and your information online.
Don’t let cyber criminals take advantage of you – stay safe and secure online!