The internet has made the world smaller in many ways, but it has also opened us up to a multitude of villainous influences that have never been so diverse and challenging. As fast as cybersecurity solutions have grown, the hacking world has grown faster. Cybersecurity is absolutely vital in a world where the sophistication of cybercriminals and their relentless attacks are unparalleled.
The broader definition of a cyber criminal is someone who commits a crime either online or where technology is the means or target for the attack. Most cybercriminals are motivated by financial gain, however, there are also other types of cybercriminals out there.
Examples are the hobby hacker, politically motivated hacker, terrorist organisation, government-sponsored hacking, insider threats such as disgruntled employees or employees used by a competitor to get access to company secrets. There is a long list of acts (crimes) that make a person, or group, classified as cybercriminals, and these crimes include but are not limited to:
Malware
Malware is malicious software programs where the hacker uses a file or program – such as a worm, virus, spyware or trojan horse – to cause harm to a user’s device or use it to proxy illegal activities.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of Malware that locks a victim’s computer system and its files, usually by encrypting it and demanding payment to unlock it.
Social engineering
Social engineering is about using human behaviour to trick a user into breaking a company’s security procedures thereby revealing sensitive information such as logins or passwords.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of fraud where a user receives a fraudulent email resembling one from a very reliable source, the intention is to steal personal information such as login details or credit card details.
DDoS
DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service attack) is where criminals make a device or network resource unavailable temporarily by flooding the victim with requests from multiple sources, therefore overloading the system. The idea is to disrupt normal customers from doing business with the organisation.
It is critical to understand your most important assets, as well as the interactions that take place within the organisation and also from external sources such as customers, suppliers, or remote employees.
Understanding who has access to your digital assets, where it is stored, and where it moves to, is your first step.
Multi-layered security is crucial in today’s connected environment because only IT security that defends across many protocols and apps will be able to combat multi-pronged threats.
Vulnerability holes must be plugged immediately because leaving software and operating systems unpatched places your company at risk of a data breach.
This makes it difficult for the hacker to guess, and use, user passwords, because, without a code to verify login credentials, the password is useless. Secure your endpoints Because endpoint devices are so vulnerable you must take as many proactive measures as you can.
Ensure you can restore business operations quickly. Back up everything and make sure the business can recover quickly from any security-related disasters.
Test your IT security readiness and response plan through simulations and/or recreating the kill chain to perfect your company’s response.
This will ensure security remains a top business priority, not just a technical initiative. Don’t view cybersecurity and Disaster Recovery separately. They need to work hand-in-hand to minimise the risks associated with unplanned incidents and their impact on the business.
Develop Cyber awareness in Individuals and Society. So before clicking any link they should aware from the risk after clicking the link.
Are you HIPPA compliant? Consult us to learn more