A cyber attack is when an adversary tries to disrupt or compromise your network. These attacks can be costly for businesses and require an immediate response.
Malware
Malware, ransomware, and phishing are the most common types of cyber attacks. These attackers steal data and demand money to return it. Other types of cyberattacks include man-in-the-middle attacks and web attacks.
Different types of malware spread differently: viruses insert their code into other programs, while worms exploit flaws in software to spread from system to system without user input. Trojan horses trick users into installing malware by masquerading as legitimate programs.
Ransomware is a popular type of malware that encrypts critical files like spreadsheets, databases, and mission-critical systems, preventing access to the data until a ransom is paid. Attacks are often spread through malicious links in phishing emails but use zero-day vulnerabilities and other exploits.
Hackers may also use social engineering techniques to steal confidential information by targeting a specific individual or organization. They can gather personal details from the victim’s public social media posts and send a tailored, deceitful message to obtain login credentials under pretense.
Ransomware
Modern-day businesses use many IT tools and equipment to streamline daily operations. These include computer systems, servers, printers, routers, switches, and software. Unfortunately, these tools can also serve as entry points for cyber attacks.
Malware, or malicious software, is one of the most damaging cyber attacks. It can damage devices and steal data, and symptoms of an infection can range from slowing down a device to sending out emails without user action.
Ransomware is malware that encrypts files on a device and threatens to publish confidential information until a ransom is paid. The threat of publishing stolen data increases the pressure to pay the demanded ransom, so organizations must back up their data regularly.
Vishing, or voice phishing, is a hacking attack that targets mobile phones by impersonating companies or official entities in order to trick people into divulging personal information. Another variant of this attack is smishing, which uses text messages to target smartphones and gain access to the phone’s contacts list and photos.
Phishing
Phishing is a cyberattack that involves stealing valuable information from users, such as passwords, credit card numbers, and more. Criminals use a fake lure, such as a legitimate-looking email, website, or ad, to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing valuable information. The name phishing is a play on the word fishing, as criminals are essentially “fishing” for personal data from their targets.
One of the most common ways hackers get information is through phishing emails and other social engineering attacks. Attackers typically target individuals, and in particular, business executives. Attackers who focus on executives are known as whaling.
To successfully phish, attackers must convince the victim that they need to provide information quickly or they will lose access to their account. The most popular type of phishing is the malicious email that claims a bank’s login information will be deactivated if not provided in a short timeframe.
Web Attacks
Nearly every modern business utilizes a network of computers, printers, switches, routers, and other devices. These tools help businesses streamline operations like bookkeeping and accounting but also present a potential threat.
In a web attack, hackers exploit vulnerabilities in the code that runs on a website to steal sensitive information. This information includes passwords, credit card numbers, login credentials, sensitive files, and more.
Another type of attack is a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack when an attacker intercepts communication between two parties to spy on them or steal information. For example, an attacker might impersonate a bank or government agency to trick an employee into transferring funds into their account.
Hackers are always looking for new ways to penetrate systems. But, they often use tactics that have been proven effective, such as malware, phishing, and cross-site scripting attacks. This is why organizations need a cyberattack response plan that includes preventive measures to protect against these threats. It’s also crucial to have an incident response plan for when these attacks occur.
Network Attacks
Hackers use malware to attack a computer network or server to steal sensitive information and illicit activities. They can exploit network protocol software or hardware supply chain vulnerabilities to breach networks.
Cross-site scripting, or XSS, attacks inject malicious code into trusted web applications and websites to steal data. Websites like message boards, forums, and blogs that rely on user input to function are most susceptible to XSS attacks.
Man-in-the-middle attacks eavesdrop on communications between two parties to spy on them, gather confidential data, and steal passwords and banking details. A pass-the-hash attack is another method used to steal user credentials.
A denial-of-service attack is a cyberattack that floods a system, server, or network with so much data that it becomes inaccessible to legitimate users. Multiple compromised computers often perform DDoS attacks to exhaust the network’s resources, causing it to shut down or slow down.