Types of Cyberthreats and How They Can Impact Your Business
According to Cybint Solutions, Cyberthreats have already impacted over 60% of businesses globally. And no one is immune to them – large food companies and fuel pipelines experienced these types of attacks in the last year. According to Accenture, 68% of business leaders feel that their risk of a cyberattack is rising.
With the current global events going on, You must actively protect your business from potential cyberattacks to avoid risks. A successful attack could lead to financial loss, a damaged reputation, data loss, and much more.
A great place to start is educating yourself on the types of cyberattacks that occur. That way, you can detect them easily and better protect yourself and business.
6 Types of Cyberattacks
- Phishing
The most popular type of cyberattack, phishing usually comes in the form of an email disguised as it was sent by someone you trust. These emails consist of fraudulent links and attachments that once you click them gives criminals access to your personal information.
- Identity Theft
When a cybercriminal steals your identity, they take sensitive information like your credit card numbers or Social Security number and use them for fraudulent purposes. Most of the time, they put this information up on the dark web for other criminals to use.
- Ransomware
Cybercriminals execute ransomware attacks by breaking into databases, extracting files, or encrypting them to block the owner’s access. They will then hold data for ransom, forcing payment in exchange for returning or unlocking compromised files. These attackers usually use cryptocurrency because its anonymous and unsecured. According to Verizon, ransomware is responsible for 10% of data breaches.
- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
DDoS occurs when multiple cyberattackers in different locations flood a network with requests, which then causes servers to crash and go offline. Because the attacks are so widely distributed, it makes it even harder to fight off the attack.
- Malware Attacks
Malware attacks are designed to get into a system and perform malicious activity on behalf of a cybercriminal. A common attack is spyware, which is a type of malware that records the user’s activity without them knowing, while keyloggers keep track of each keystroke the victim makes on their keyboard.
- Web Jacking
Web jacking is when a cybercriminal takes over an entire site or the traffic meant for it. This attack is usually performed by gaining access through fraudulent means and tampering with the domain to bring users to a malicious site. The site that these criminals use collects passwords, credit card numbers, and other types of sensitive information.
The FBI identifies phishing scams, extortion, and non-payment scams as the top three cybercrimes targeting businesses. These cyberthreats can be extremely damaging to your business. That’s why it’s so important to stay up to date on all your security measures.
Simple things you could be doing to guard yourself include updating software, using strong passwords, and protecting your information. If this all seems overwhelming, partnering with an MSP simplifies cybersecurity and protects your business effectively. An MSP can handle all your cybersecurity needs and provide solutions to make sure your business is fully protected against any cybercriminal.
Here at Status Pros in California, we’re here to guard your business with industry-leading security solutions. Our experts are ready to help protect your business with the best cybersecurity.
