Introduction to the Different Types of Cyberattacks
As millions of devices connect are connecting to the internet daily, hackers and fraudsters do so as well. There is an underground culture of thieves and hackers that increase in number while technology also advances. That is why cyber threats now come from every possible angle. While the presence of data increases online, cybercriminals are getting a lot smarter with intercepting sensitive data.
Now, cybercriminals can take classes on how to steal your credit card information. It is becoming more possible because there is a “rich ecosystem” where they can get what they need. This is a scary scene to imagine because they can access sensitive data through so many things. It is like your credit card information is just being handed to them.
You will find out about the different types of cyberattacks and how they can be prevented.
Phishing
Phishing uses Social Engineering to steal important and sensitive data of site users. The data could be login credentials and credit card details. These hackers can also install malware to your device through a Phishing technique. Some attackers have a phishing method to build a fake eCommerce site. Some use it to make fake social media platforms and websites.
Phishing attacks increase every year. At least 15% of people all over the world experience a cyberattack.
Prevention
- Avoid emails that are infected
- Check the SSL certificate
- Use internet security
- Stay away from a random website
It is not very hard to identify a phishing attempt. One of them is that you should never click on a link that could be infected. For instance, Gmail puts a warning message on spam emails.
If you receive an email from someone you know, ask them about it. Do not open it if the person says they did not send it.
Do not just click on a link that you receive through SMS about password change or asking for your login information.
Only shop from an eCommerce website that is reputed and secure if you are going to use a card.
Ransomware
This one quite explains itself. It is malicious software that gives you a warning that your information will be stolen publicized unless you pay a ransom. Normally, the payment comes from an online cryptocurrency that is hard to trace like Ukash or Bitcoin. This is like phishing where a masked trojan horse tricks the victim into downloading or opening an attachment. This leads to their data being held up for ransom. You can prevent this by regularly updating your security software, and this is important when it comes to fixing vulnerabilities.
Malware
Malware is also known as Malicious Software, and it is defined as a code. This code has a malicious intent to steal or destroy something on your computer, and it is under the user attack category. Some examples of this are Spyware, Adware, Worms, Viruses, Trojans, and more.
You get malware by downloading a malicious attachment or software. It can also be accessed through the vulnerabilities of the operating system.
Prevention
Malware is only downloadable from emails if you click the link or attachment. When you are told not to open emails from unknown people, it means do not just click on unknown links or attachments. It is not true that malware will be automatically downloaded just by opening an email and reading it.
There are a lot of safety precautions you can do to prevent this. You can set up online forms so customers can contact you instead of just giving them your email add. When customers email you from their server, this is also risky. Organizations must have a Vulnerability Remediation Management (VRM) software that regularly conducts scans for vulnerabilities. The VRM software also suggests possible solutions for remediation to address vulnerabilities.
SQL Injection Attack
SQL means Structured Query Language. It is a programming language that is for database communications. A lot of organizations use the SQL to manage data. The SQL can search and return certain fields that match a query. For instance, a website login form has the SQL code in the background. The code matches the username and password, then the account will be returned using those credentials
This form can become vulnerable if they are unrestricted fields. That is because users input text that changes the value of a predetermined query. It can render the program to go back to a screen that users cannot see. This vulnerability is an SQL injection attack and it is a website attack.
The SQL injection works by exploiting popular SQL vulnerabilities that let the SQL server run malicious code. You must modify the backend code by adding a server escape in case it finds uncommon characteristics.
Man-in-the-Middle Attack (MitM)
There is normally a communication between users and servers to send and ask for the needed data. When there is an attacker that intercepts the communication and acquires control, it is a Man-in-the-Middle attack. When the hacker gains control of the device, they can view, edit, or even change your data. The main types of MitM attacks are IP spoofing, session hijacking, and replay.
MitM could occur when you are using the public wi-fi or by using a software/application that is malware-infected.
You might have heard that open networks like public wifi is vulnerable. These hackers like those places very much. These hackers can even create open networks so they can steal information.
Therefore, you must buy digital certificate or antivirus because hackers can control your device. They will disconnect your device from the server and he will connect making the server think it is still you. The attacker will then change the server’s IP using yours. The attacker can now control or steal all the data from that server.
Prevention
You can prevent this by using a VPN, avoiding public networks, using an antivirus, and avoiding third-party applications.
The MitM is among the most dangerous cyberattack because the hacker could steal your identity and money.
Password-Based Attacks
If the attack is password-based, hackers use different tools and techniques so they can access your username and password. They guess your password and use software to crack it.
Cybercriminals could see poor password security practices. In 2015, the personal data of VTech users were exposed, which includes 6.4 million children. Vtech is a famous online toy company.
Prevention
- Use long passwords – Cracking long passwords is a lot harder than cracking a shorter one.
- Unique passwords – When you create a password, think of a unique combination using numbers, lower and upper-case letters, and special characters. Some recommended special characters are @, !, *, #, %, or _.
- Secure your passwords – You should be very vigilant when it comes to password handling. For instance, your business email password must not be the same as your other email accounts. Your social media account passwords must also be different. Make sure that your passwords are kept secure and change the frequency.
Distributed Denial of Service Attacks
DDoS attacks are done to large-scale businesses and governments, which mainly targets websites and servers. They are done by sending a lot of information requests.
Prevention
This can be prevented by using a text-generation firewall, reducing or getting rid of unnecessary systems. This reduces potential targets for this kind of attack.
Always fix and find vulnerabilities before any cyberattacks happen.
These are the most common types of cyberattacks and how to prevent them.
