Cyber Security Threats You Need To Keep An Eye On!

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. With the evolution of technology, the way the hackers operate also evolves. Cyber Hygiene Best Practices: The need for robust cyber hygiene practices cannot be overstated.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing they say is a form of social engineering attack which is – when Cyber criminals pose as legitimate entities to gain sensitive information like login credentials, credit card information, and personal information. These attacks are typically perpetrated through email, phone calls, or fraudulent websites that are designed to appear legitimate.

How to Protect Against Phishing Attacks:

Check the sender email address before accessing the links.

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for enhanced protection.

Train users and staff to identify phishing attacks.

Use email filtering and anti-phishing software.

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is malware that encrypts files on a victim’s system, then demands payment in exchange for their release. These types of attacks can bring businesses and individuals to their knees with data loss and pay out financial damage.

Preventing Ransomware Attacks: How to Do It?

Backup data regularly and store them securely offline.

Ensure that software and operating systems are updated with the latest patches.

Implement next-gen endpoint protection solutions

Employees should be trained not to download attachments from unknown sources.

Malware and Viruses

Malware is any malicious software created to damage or disrupt computers, networks, and devices. These include viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware and adware.

Preventing Malware Infections: 5 Best Practices

Use antivirus and anti-malware software and keep it up to date.

Never download any software from the unknown source.

Utilize firewalls to help monitor and prevent suspicious activity.

Adopt least privilege access control

Insider Threats

An insider threat is another security risk that originates from within an organization — in other words, an employee, contractor, or business partner who uses their access to the organization’s applications and systems to enable an attack. The risks can be deliberate (malicious insiders) or inadvertent (careless employees).

How to Reduce Insider Threats:

They will also eliminate the use of user codes and ensure that site roles are using the roles that are defined at an organizational level.

Regularly monitor your security audit and user activity.

Make employees learn about your cybersecurity policies and best practices

Keep the whistle blowers to report suspicious behavior.

DDoS and DoS Attacks

DoS and DDoS attacks flood a network, server, or website with high levels of traffic, rendering it inaccessible to users.

How to Avoid DoS and DDoS Attack:

Implement DDoS protection services and use cloud-based solutions.

Use firewalls and intrusion prevention system (IPS) to deny access for malicious traffic.

Regularly patch and update the network infrastructure.

Utilize load balancing to ensure an even distribution of network traffic

SQL Injection Attacks

SQL injection (SQLi) is an attack vector that specifies how attackers can manipulate databases by injecting malicious SQL statements into web forms.

How to Protect Against SQL Injection Attacks

And use parameterized queries and prepared statements.

Use web application firewalls (WAFs).

Authenticate and sanitize user inputs

Restrict database permissions.

Zero-Day Exploits

A zero-day vulnerability is a security flaw that is unknown to the vendors that need to fix it, thus leaving a window for cybercriminals to exploit until a patch is made available.

So how do you limit the threat of zero-day exploits?

Ensure security patches and updates are applied to systems.

Employ behavior-based detection and endpoint security tools.

Keep track of traffic on your network for possible irregularities.

Practice responsible disclosure of vulnerabilities.

Credential Stuffing Attacks

Credential stuffing is when attackers use stolen usernames-password pairs to log into online accounts.

How to Protect Against Credential Stuffing:

Never re-use passwords among different accounts.

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Keep an eye on failed login attempts and lock suspicious accounts.

Prompt users to activate account notifications.

Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks

Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks happen when a hacker secures the communication between two parties and can listen in on or change data submitted by either party.

How to Prevent MITM Attacks:

Use secure and encrypted protocols such as HTTPS.

Do not connect to public Wi-Fi without a VPN.

Make sure that you are doing solid authentication.

Train users to spot the warning signs of a compromised connection;

IoT Device Vulnerabilities

Poorly secured devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) have added much to the list of security risks.

How to Secure IoT Devices:

Change the default passwords on all IoT devices.

Keep firmware and security patches up to date.

Use segmentation of IoT devices from critical network infrastructure

Turn off things you do not need and remote access.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity threats evolve constantly, which is why proactive security measures are a must. To mitigate the risks, Organizations and Individuals need to stay updated, follow best practices and employ advanced security technologies. This enables to us to make the virtual environment safer, while also better protecting from cyber-attacks.