Guarding Against the Top 15 Cyber Attacks

Guarding Against the Top 15 Cyberattacks

Businesses are increasingly reliant on technology, and with that reliance comes an increased risk of cyberattacks.

In this blog post, we will identify the top 15 cyberattacks that businesses can face, and provide tips on how to guard against each type of attack.

By being aware of these threats and taking measures to protect your company's data, you can help reduce the chances of becoming a victim of a cybercrime.

What is a cybersecurity attack?

A cybersecurity attack is any attempt to gain access to, disrupt or damage a computer system or network.

There are many different types of attacks, and they can vary in their severity. Some attacks may only result in the loss of data, while others can cause physical damage to equipment or disruption on services.

According to research by IBM, it takes 280 days to find and contain the average cyberattack, while the average attack costs $3.86 million.

In 2022, the total damage caused by cyberattacks reached $6 trillion and the number of attacks increased to one every 39 seconds!

Today, many companies are still not adequately prepared to deal with a cyberattack.

What are the most common cyberattacks companies face?

Unfortunately, businesses and organizations of all sizes face a number of cyberattacks on a daily basis. Here are some of the most common types of attacks:

1. Phishing

Phishing is a type of social engineering attack in which attackers send fraudulent emails or messages that appear to be from a trusted source, in an attempt to trick victims into sharing sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial data.

2. Malware

Malware is short for malicious software and refers to any type of harmful code that is designed to damage computer systems or steal sensitive data. Common examples of malware include viruses, Trojans, ransomware and spyware.

3. Denial-of-Service (DoS)

A denial-of-service attack is an attempt to make a system or network resource unavailable to its intended users. This can be accomplished by flooding the target with traffic, overwhelming it with requests or taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the system to crash it.

4. SQL Injection Attacks

SQL injection is a type of attack in which malicious code is injected into an application’s database in order to execute unauthorized queries and gain access to sensitive data.

5. Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS)

A distributed denial-of-service attack is a type of DoS attack in which attackers use a network of computers, known as a botnet, to flood the target with traffic. DDoS attacks are often used as a form of extortion, whereby attackers demand a ransom from the victim in exchange for stopping the attack.

6. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM)

A man-in-the-middle attack is a type of attack in which an attacker intercepts communication between two parties and impersonates each party to the other. MitM attacks can be used to eavesdrop on conversations, steal sensitive data, or inject malicious code into communications.

7. Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim's data and demands a ransom from the victim in order to decrypt the data. Ransomware attacks can cause significant financial losses for victims, as well as reputational damage.

8. Cross-Site Attack

A cross-site attack (XSA) is a type of attack that exploits vulnerabilities in web applications to inject malicious code into web pages. XSAs can be used to steal sensitive data, redirect users to malicious websites or launch Denial of Service (DoS) attacks.

9. Traffic Interception

Traffic interception is a type of attack in which an attacker intercepts and redirects traffic meant for another destination. Traffic interception can be used to eavesdrop on communications, perform man-in-the-middle attacks or redirect users to malicious websites.

10. Password Theft

Password theft is a type of attack in which an attacker gains access to a user's password. This can be done through phishing, brute force attacks, or by exploiting weak passwords. Password theft can be used to gain access to sensitive information, make unauthorized changes to systems or launch DoS attacks.

11. Zero-Day Exploits

A zero-day exploit is a type of attack that takes advantage of a vulnerability that has not yet been patched. This can allow attackers to gain access to systems, install malware or perform other malicious actions.

12. Social Engineering

Social engineering is a type of attack in which an attacker uses human interaction to gain access to sensitive information or systems. This can be done through phishing, pretexting or other methods. Since the target of this type of attack is usually the person rather than the technology, it can be difficult to guard against.

13. Water Hole Attack

A water hole attack is a type of attack in which an attacker compromises a website or other online resource that is likely to be visited by the target of the attack. This allows the attacker to infect visitors with malware or perform other malicious actions without their knowledge.

14. Drive-By Attack

A drive-by attack is a type of attack in which an attacker compromises a website or other online resource and uses it to infect visitors with malware or perform other malicious actions. By luring victims to a malicious website, the attacker can infect their computers with malware or steal sensitive information.

15. Wiper Attack

A wiper attack is a type of cyberattack that destroys data or renders it unusable. This type of attack is usually done with the intention of causing harm to the victim or disrupting their operations.

Businesses can be susceptible to a wide range of cyberattacks. While it's impossible to guard against all of them, being aware of the most common attacks and taking steps to protect your company is a good place to start.

How can I guard against common cyberattacks?

There are a number of things businesses can do to protect themselves from these types of attacks. These include:

• • Educating employees on cybersecurity and best practices — This can help to reduce the risk of attacks, such as phishing.

• • Implementing strong security measures, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems — Implementing better security measures can help to mitigate the effects of more sophisticated attacks.

• • Creating backups of important data — This can help to ensure that data can be recovered in the event of an attack.

• • Implementing strong password policies — This can help to reduce the risk of attacks, such as brute force attacks.

• • Using multi-factor authentication — Putting in place an extra layer of security can make it more difficult for attackers to gain access to systems and data.

• • Monitoring system activity — Keeping an eye on what is happening on systems can help to identify malicious activity and potential attacks early.

• • Backing up data regularly — This can help to ensure that data can be recovered in the event of an attack.

The best defense against cyberattacks is to have the necessary in-house skills to identify and mitigate issues quickly. Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field, and new threats are emerging all the time.

By having staff that are up-to-date on the latest cybersecurity news and trends, businesses can be better prepared to defend themselves against attacks.

However, there is currently a skills shortage in the cybersecurity industry, which means that many businesses are struggling to find the right staff.

So how can businesses find the right skilled staff?

Train your IT team to handle cyber-related threats

Our Cybersecurity Bootcamp provides training for all members of your IT team, to better prepare them for cybersecurity threats before they ever materialize.