Cyber Security: Common threats and Solutions

Cybercrimes are a threat to all businesses, big or small. Government agencies, educational and healthcare institutions, banks, legal firms, NGOs, and a variety of other organizations have repeatedly reported various cyber assaults. Hackers, insider threats, ransomware, and other risks are always a huge threat to your business. Smart organizations are increasing their cybersecurity investments to reduce risks and protect sensitive data. 

Common Cyber threats

Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and acute as the use of remote work, cloud migration, and advanced cyber adversaries increases. Despite the efforts of cybersecurity experts to plug security breaches, attackers are always seeking new ways to avoid detection by IT, dodge protection measures, and exploit developing vulnerabilities. 

Malware 

Malware refers to harmful software such as spyware, ransomware, viruses, and worms. Malware infiltrates a network via a vulnerability, generally when a user clicks on a malicious link or email attachment, which then installs dangerous software. Once inside the system, malware can not only prevent access to important network components and install malware or other malicious software, but it can also steal information by sending data from the hard drive, and cause disruption to particular components rendering the system inoperable. 

Ransomware 

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts files, data, or systems and threatens to delete or destroy the data unless a ransom is paid to the hackers who launched the attack. Recent ransomware attacks have targeted state and local governments, which are easier to hack than businesses and are under pressure to pay ransom to restore critical applications and websites that citizens rely on. 

Phishing / social engineering 

Phishing is a form of social engineering in which individuals are tricked into disclosing personal or sensitive information.  Phishing scams involve emails or text messages that appear to be from a reputable firm and request sensitive information such as credit card numbers or login credentials. Phishing has become an increasingly common cyberthreat, especially in the post-pandemic world. 

Insider threats 

Insider threats can include current or former workers, business partners, contractors, or anybody who has had access to systems or networks in the past and has abused their access permissions. Traditional security solutions such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, which focus on external threats, could be oblivious to insider risks. 

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks 

A DDoS assault overloads a server, website, or network with traffic, generally from numerous connected systems, to bring it down. DDoS assaults employ the simple network management protocol (SNMP), which is used by modems, printers, switches, routers, and servers, to overload business networks. 

Advanced persistent threats (APTs) 

An APT occurs when an intruder or group of intruders infiltrates a system and remains undiscovered for a long period. The intruder leaves networks and systems untouched, allowing the intruder to snoop on corporate activities and steal valuable data without triggering defensive countermeasures.  

Man-in-the-middle attacks 

A man-in-the-middle attack occurs when a cybercriminal intercepts and distributes messages between two parties to steal data. An attacker, for example, can intercept data being transmitted between a guest’s device and the network through an unsecured Wi-Fi network. 

Cybersecurity technologies and best practices: 

Today, we rely on networks and gadgets for everything, from paying bills to receiving healthcare information. However, data breaches and cybercrime are now a common concern,  enough to frighten anyone. However, you do not have to be defenseless. Professionals in cyber security are constantly defending computer systems against many forms of cyberattacks. Every day cyberattacks target corporations and private networks, and the diversity of attacks has grown rapidly. Take a look at various cyber threats and recommended practices for mitigating them. 

Identity and access management 

IAM) defines each user’s responsibilities and access privileges, as well as the rules under which such privileges are given or refused. IAM systems can also provide your cybersecurity personnel with a more comprehensive view of suspicious activity on end-user devices, including those that they cannot physically access. This aids in the investigation and reaction periods required to isolate and contain the damage caused by a breach. 

A comprehensive data security platform 

A secure platform will protect sensitive data in a variety of contexts, including hybrid multi-cloud engagements. The best data security platforms provide automated, real-time visibility into data vulnerabilities along with continuous monitoring that prompts them to data vulnerabilities and risks before they become serious threats; they should also make it easier to comply with government and industry data privacy regulations. Backups and encryption are also essential for data security. 

Security information and event management 

SIEM collects and analyses data from security events to detect suspicious user behavior and launch a preventative or corrective action. SIEM systems now feature sophisticated detection methods like user behavior analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). SIEM can prioritize cyber threat response based on your organization’s risk management goals. Many firms are also connecting their SIEM solutions with security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) technologies, which further automate and speed an organization’s reaction to cybersecurity problems, allowing it to address many incidents without the need for human participation. 

Having the correct information and tools might help to strengthen your organization’s Digital initiatives. Cyber security is a moving target. Every day, cybercriminals get more sophisticated. Keeping up with these cybersecurity standards might be the difference between a protected business and one that a hacker targets.