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Latest Cyber Threats that you should be aware

Cyber Attack

Before heading to the different types of cyber attacks, we will first walk you through a cyber attack. When there is an unauthorized system/network access by a third party, we term it as a cyber attack. The person who carries out a cyber attack is termed as a hacker/attacker. Cyber-attacks have several negative effects. When an attack is carried out, it can lead to data breaches, resulting in data loss or data manipulation. Organizations incur financial losses, customer trust gets hampered, and there is reputational damage. To put a curb on cyberattacks, we implement cyber-security.

Cyber-security is the method of safeguarding networks, computer systems and their components from unauthorized digital access. The COVID-19 situation has also had an adverse impact on cyber-security. According to Interpol and WHO (world health organization), there has been a notable increase in the number of cyber attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic situation. 

Here are the different types of cyber attacks.

Types of Cyber Attacks such as:

There are many varieties of cyber attacks that happen in the world in recently. The various types of cyber attacks, it becomes easier for us to protect our networks and systems against them. Here, we will closely examine the top ten cyber-attacks that can affect an individual and the large business, depending on the scale. 

1. Insider Threat

The insider threat doesn’t involve a third party but an insider. In such a case; it could be an individual from within the organization who knows everything about the organization. Insider threats have the potential to cause tremendous damages. 

Insider threats are rampant in small businesses, as the staff there holds access to multiple accounts with data. Reasons for this form of an attack are many; it can be greed, malice and even carelessness. Insider threats are hard to predict and hence tricky.

To prevent the insider threat attack:

• Organizations should have a better culture for security awareness.
• Companies must limit the IT resources staff can have access to depending on their job roles.
• Organizations must train employees to spot insider threats. This will help employees understand when a hacker has manipulated or is attempting to misuse the organization's data.

2. Malware Attack

This is one of the most common types of cyber attacks. Malware refers to malicious of software viruses such as worms, ransomware, spyware, adware, and trojans. 

The trojan virus disguises itself as legitimate software. Ransomware blocks access to the network's key components, whereas Spyware is software that steals all your confidential data without your knowledge. Adware is software that displays advertising content like banners on a user's screen. Malware breaches a network through vulnerability. When the user clicks a dangerous link, it downloads an email attachment or when an infected pen drive is used. 

Prevent of malware cyber attack:

• Use antivirus software. It can protect your computer against malware. Avast Antivirus, Antivirus, Norton and McAfee Antivirus are a few of the popular antivirus software.
• Use firewalls. Firewalls filter the traffic that may enter your device. Windows and Mac OS X have their default built-in firewalls, named Windows Firewall and Mac Firewall.
• Stay alert and avoid clicking on suspicious links.
• Update your OS and browsers, regularly.

3. Password Attack

It’s the form of attack wherein a hacker cracks your password with many programs and password cracking tools such as Aircrack, Abel, Cain, John the Ripper, Hashcat, and many more. There are different types of password attacks such as brute force attacks, dictionary attacks, and keylogger attacks.

Listed below are some ways to prevent password attacks: 

• Use strong alphanumeric passwords with special characters.
• Abstain from using the same password for multiple websites and accounts.
• Update your passwords; this will limit your exposure to a password attack.
• Don’t have any password hints in the open.

4. Man-in-the-Middle Attack

A Man-in-the-Middle Attack (MITM) is also known as an “eavesdropping attack”. In this attack, an attacker comes in between a two-party communication, that is, the attacker hijacks the session between a client and host. By doing so, hackers steal and manipulate data. As seen below, the client-server communication has been cut off and instead, the communication line goes through the hacker.

MITM attacks can be prevented by following the below-mentioned steps:

• Be mindful of the security of the website you are using. Use encryption on your devices.
• Refrain from using public Wi-Fi networks.

5. Phishing Attack

Phishing attacks are one of the most prominent widespread types of cyber attacks. It’s a type of social engineering attack wherein an attacker impersonates to be a trusted contact and sends the victim fake mails.  Unaware of this, the victim opens the mail and clicks on the malicious link and opens the mail's attachment. By doing so, attackers gain access to confidential information and account credentials. They can also install malware through a phishing attack. 

Phishing attacks can be prevented by following the below-mentioned steps:

• Make use of an anti-phishing toolbar.
• Scrutinize the emails you receive. Most phishing emails have significant errors like spelling mistakes and format changes from that of legitimate sources.
• Update your passwords regularly.

How to Prevent Cyber Attacks?

Although, the several ways to prevent the different types of cyber attacks we let's summarize and look at a few personal tips which you can adopt to avoid a cyber attack on the whole.

• Change your passwords regularly and use strong alphanumeric passwords which are difficult to crack. Refrain from using too complicated passwords that you would tend to forget. Don’t use the same password twice.
• Use a firewall and other network security tools such as Intrusion prevention systems, Access control, Application security, and more.
• Update both your operating system and applications regularly. This is a primary prevention method for any cyber attack. This will remove vulnerabilities that hackers tend to exploit. Use trusted and legitimate Anti-virus protection software.
• Avoid opening emails from unknown senders. Scrutinize the emails you receive for loopholes and significant errors. 
• Use Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication. With two-factor authentication, it requires users to provide two different authentication factors to verify themselves. When you are asked for over two additional authentication methods apart from your username and password, we term it as multi-factor authentication. This proves to be a vital step to secure your account.
• Make use of a VPN. This makes sure that it encrypts the traffic between the VPN server and your device. 
• Regularly back up your data. According to many security professionals, it is ideal to have three copies of your data on two different media types and another copy in an off-site location (cloud storage). Hence, even in the course of a cyber attack, you can erase your system’s data and restore it with a recently performed backup.