Cyber Security Threats

What is Cyber Security?

The technique of protecting computers, websites, portable devices, communications devices, networks, or information from hostile intrusions is known as cyber security. It's also known as electronic information security or information technology security. The phrase is used in a range of contexts, ranging from corporate to mobile computing, but it may be broken down into a few categories. The practice of protecting a computer system from attackers, either targeted hackers or opportunistic malware is known as network security. Application security is concerned with ensuring that software and devices are free of dangers. A hacked application could allow access to the information it was supposed to secure. Security starts throughout the design phase, long before a program or equipment is deployed. Data integrity and privacy are protected by information security, including both storage and transport.

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What are Cyber Security Threats? 

A cyber security threat is any harmful attack that attempts to gain unauthorized access to data, disrupt digital activities, or damage data. Business spies, computer hackers, terrorist groups, hostile power, criminal organizations, lone hackers, and disgruntled employees are all examples of cyber dangers. Several high-profile cyber threats have resulted in the exposure of sensitive data in recent years. The 2017 Equifax data breach, for example, exposed the personal information of around 143 million people, including birth dates, addresses, and Social Security numbers. Marriott International revealed in 2018 that hackers gained access to its systems and acquired the personal information of nearly 500 million clients. The failure of the organization to implement, test, and retest technical measures such as encryption, authentication, and authorization enabled the cyber security danger in both cases. Cyber attackers can utilize sensitive information to obtain data or get access to a person's or company's bank accounts, among several other potentially devastating acts, and that is why security experts are so vital for maintaining private data safe.

10 Cyber Security Threat you should be aware of :

Denial of service (DoS)
A Denial-of-Service (DoS) approach floods the target system with traffic, making it impossible for the network to operate normally. A dispersed denial-of-service (DDoS) assault is one that involves several devices.
The following are some examples of denial-of-service (DoS) attacks:

• HTTP flood DDoS—the hacker overwhelms a web server or application by flooding it with HTTP requests which seem to be legitimate. This method doesn't require a lot of bandwidth or faulty packets, and it works by forcing the target network to assign quite as many options as possible to each request.
• In order to initiate a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections sequence, the requester must submit an SYN request, which the host must accept with an SYN-ACK, and afterward, the requester must respond with an ACK. Attackers can take advantage of this vulnerability.

Phishing
The attacker can send emails that appear to be from a reliable source. Phishing usually entails sending a large number of bogus emails to a large number of people, but it also can be highly focused. "Spear phishing," for example, personalizes the email to define a particular user, while "whaling" things a step forward by focusing on high-value targets like CEOs.

Social Engineering
Users are duped into offering a point of entry for malware through social engineering. Since the attacker appears as a reputable agent, the victim supplies sensitive information or unknowingly installs malware on their device.

• The following are some of the most common social engineering attacks:
  Baiting—a person is enticed together into social engineering trap by the promise of something appealing, such as a free gift card. The attacker receives sensitive information from the victim, such as credentials.
• Pretexting—like baiting, the attacker exploits false pretenses to compel the target into divulging information. This usually entails impersonating someone in a position of power, such as an IRS agent or a police officer, in order to coerce the victim to cooperate.

Cloud Breaching 
As more businesses go to the cloud to enable remote work and assure business continuity, fraudsters are following suit and increasingly targeting the cloud. The most typical sources of cyberattacks will be cloud-based security vulnerabilities, such as cloud configuration errors, incomplete data erasure, and susceptible cloud apps.

Data Breaching 
A data breach occurs when a bad entity steals data. Crime (i.e. identity fraud), a desire to shame an organization (e.g. Snowden or the DNC hack), or espionage are all reasons for data breaches.

Man in the middle attack
Intercepting communication between the two ends, including a user and an application, is known as a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack. The attacker can listen in on the conversation, take crucial information, and impersonate each of the parties involved.

MitM attacks include the following:

• Wi-Fi eavesdropping—an intruder creates a Wi-Fi connection that users can connect to while pretending as a legitimate agent, such as a business. The attacker can observe the activities of network participants and collect data like payment card numbers and login credentials using phony Wi-Fi.
• An attacker spoofs a legitimate organization's email address, such as a bank's, and uses it to mislead customers into handing up sensitive data or sending money to the attacker. The user follows the directions that they believe are correct.

SQL Injection
Injection attacks use a number of flaws to inject malicious code directly into the coding of a website. Successful attacks may reveal sensitive data, cause a denial-of-service attack, or undermine the entire system. An attacker uses SQL injection to inject a SQL query into a user input channel, including a web form or a comment field. A vulnerable app would transmit the attacker's information into the database, and any SQL commands inserted into the query will be executed. SQL injection is a threat to most web applications that are using databases oriented on Structured Query Language (SQL). NoSQL attacks, which target systems that don't use a conventional data structure, are a new twist on this assault.

Malware
The most prevalent sort of cyberattack is malware, which is an abbreviation for "malicious software," which comprises worms, trojans, viruses, spyware, & ransomware. Malware infects a computer via clicking on the link on an untrustworthy website or email, or by downloading unwanted software. It infiltrates the target network, gathers sensitive data, tries to manipulate and blocks network components, and has the ability to destroy data or completely shut down the system.

The following are among the most common malware attacks:

• Viruses—when a piece of code involves injecting itself into an application, it is known as a virus. The harmful code is executed when the application is launched.
• Worms are malicious programs that acquire entry to an operating system by exploiting software flaws and backdoors. The worm could carry out an attack including such distributed denial of service (DDoS) once it has been placed in the network.
• Trojan horses are harmful code or technology that disguises themselves as a legitimate program and hides in programs, games, or email attachments. The malware is downloaded by an unwary user, allowing it to take command of their device.

Ransomware 
Cyber-attacks have a variety of motivations. Money is one of them. Cybercriminals could take any system offline and request cash to reactivate it. Ransomware, a type of cyberattack that demands money in an attempt to re-establish services, is much more complex than ever. Individuals, as well as corporations, are prone to cyberattacks, often because they save personal details on their cellphones and then use unprotected public networks. Encryption prevents a user or organization from accessing their internal systems or data. The attacker usually wants a ransom in return for a decryption key, however, there is no assurance that paying the tax would reinstate full access or functioning.

Distributed Denial of service (DDoS)
Denial of Service (DoS) attacks try to overwhelm systems, networks, or servers with traffic, rendering them unable to respond to valid requests. Multiple infected devices can also be used to launch an assault just on the target network. A distributed denial of service (DDoS) assault is what this is called.

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Steps to Consider to Overcome cyber threats  

Train your staff about cyber threats :

Employees are one of the most popular ways for cybercrooks to gain access to your data. They'll send phishing emails pretending to be from your company, requesting personal information and access to certain files. To the untrained eye, links can appear real, and it's tempting to make the mistake. This is why it is critical for employees to be mindful of their surroundings.

Training your staff on cyber-attack security and keeping them informed about current cyber assaults is among the most effective strategies to fight cyber threats and all forms of data breaches.

They should:

• Before you click on a link, double-check it.
• Examine the email addresses in the message you just got.
• Before sending sensitive information, use caution. If a request appears strange, it most likely is.
• Before acting on the "request," it's best to confirm with the individual in question over the phone.

Update your software systems regularly :

Cyber attacks frequently occur since your networks or software are out of the current, exposing vulnerabilities. Hackers take advantage of these flaws, and cybercriminals take advantage of them to get network access. It's sometimes too much to take precautionary measures after they've gotten in.

To combat this, it's good to invest in an update management system that will keep track of all system and software upgrades, ensuring that your system is secure and up to date.

Install firewalls :
There are multiple sorts of sophisticated data breaches, and new ones emerge every day, sometimes even making a comeback. Among the most effective strategies to defend yourself against any cyber assault is to put your system behind a firewall. A firewall system, which we can assist you with, will stop any malicious activity on the network and/or devices before it can cause any damage.

Backup your data :
You should have your data is backed up in the case of a disaster (typically a cyber attack) to avoid significant downtime, data loss, and financial loss.

Manage permission access :
Physical attacks on your computers are possible, realize it or not, thus maintaining authority over who can enter your network is critical. Someone can simply stroll into your workplace or business and insert a USB key with infected data into each of your computers, giving them access to or infecting your entire network. Controlling who's had accessibility to your computers is critical. Installing a peripheral security system is an excellent technique to deter cybercrime as well as break-ins.

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Conclusion :
Cyber attacks are becoming too sophisticated as our widespread use of digital technologies grows. As a result, firms that rely on antiquated cybersecurity techniques expose themselves to the risk of a cyberattack. Organizations must improve their cybersecurity program to avoid these risks. You require a solution that is appropriate for both your company and your employees. An effective cybersecurity program can assist firms in preventing attacks, reducing recovery time, and containing future risks.

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