What are Cybersecurity Threats?

Malware

The most common cyberattack is malicious software, more commonly known as malware. Malware includes spyware, ransomware, backdoors, trojans, viruses, and worms.

alware is usually installed into the system when the user opens a malicious link or email. Once installed, malware can block access to critical components of your network, damage your system, and export confidential information to destinations unknown.

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Your organization can prevent malware-based cyber attacks by:

• Using reputable antivirus and anti-malware solutions, email spam filters, and endpoint security solutions.
• Assuring that your cybersecurity updates and patches are all up to date.
• Requiring your employees to undergo regular cybersecurity awareness training to teach them how to avoid suspicious websites and to avoid engaging with suspicious emails.
• Limiting user access and application privileges.

Phishing and Spear Phishing

Phishing is a type of social engineering that attempts to trick users into giving up sensitive data such as usernames and passwords, bank account information, Social Security numbers, and credit card data.

Typically, hackers send out phishing emails that seem to come from trusted senders such as PayPal, eBay, financial institutions, or friends and co-workers. The bogus messages try to get users to click on links in the emails, which will direct the users to fraudulent websites that ask for personal information or install malware on their devices.

Opening attachments sent via phishing emails can also install malware or allow hackers to control your devices remotely.

Spear phishing is a more sophisticated form of phishing attack, where cybercriminals target only privileged users such as system administrators and C-suite executives. The attackers might use details from a person’s social media accounts to seem even more legitimate to the target.

Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks

These attacks occur when malicious actors insert themselves into the middle of a two-party communication. Once the attacker intercepts the incoming message, he or she filters and steals sensitive information and then returns different responses to the original user.

Sometimes malicious actors set up fake wi-fi networks or install malware on users’ computers or networks. Also called eavesdropping attacks, MITM attacks aim to gain access to your business or customer data.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

A DDoS attack aims to take down a company’s website by overwhelming its servers with requests. It’s analogous to calling a company’s phone number constantly, so that legitimate callers only get a busy signal and never get through.

In this attack, requests come from hundreds or thousands of IP addresses that have probably also been compromised and tricked into continuously requesting a company’s website.

A DDoS attack can overload your servers, slowing them down significantly or temporarily taking them offline. These shutdowns prevent customers from accessing your website and completing orders.

Structured Query Language (SQL) injection

SQL injection attacks occur when cybercriminals attempt to access databases by uploading malicious SQL scripts. Once successful, the malicious actor can view, change, or delete data stored in the SQL database.

Domain Name System (DNS) attack

A DNS attack is a cyberattack where cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in the DNS. The attackers leverage the DNS vulnerabilities to divert site visitors to malicious pages (DNS hijacking) and exfiltrate data from compromised systems (DNS tunneling).