Please describe in detail what are the threats Of information Security

Different Types of Cyber Security Threats & Attacks and the Preventive Measures

With the introduction of digital devices and the internet, our life has become very convenient today. But as is with everything, while there is a good side to the internet and digital devices, there are some challenges too. With a huge amount of data generated on a daily basis, the challenge that digitization brings is around the protection of this data.

In the present day, cyber security threat, a malicious act that seeks to damage or steal data or disrupt digital life has become very common. There are many motives for cyber security threats and the primary one is money. The fact that ransomware has become more sophisticated today than ever increases the cyber security threats risk further. Both corporations and individuals are vulnerable to cyber security threats. This is why it becomes important to track the cyber security threats and take the help of cyber security professionals who can find out the root cause and help.

In this article, we’ll walk you through cyber security threats and their types. We’ll also help you understand how a cyber security course and extensive training in cybersecurity can prove to be instrumental in the beginning or advancing your career in cybersecurity.

At the outset, it is important to understand what cyber security threats are. Cyber security threats are any possible malicious attacks which enable unlawful access to data, disrupt digital operations or damage information. Such threats can come from corporate spies, hacktivists, terrorist groups, hostile nation-states, criminal organizations, lone hackers, or even disgruntled employees.

Some examples of the different types of cyber security threats in recent years include the 2017 Equifax breach, the 2018 hacking of Marriott International servers, etc. When cyber security threats occur, they steal sensitive information including financial accounts.

What is a Cyber Attack?

Let us now understand what a cyber-attack is. An unauthorized system/network access by a third party is known as a cyber attack. Those who carry out a cyber attack are called hackers or attackers.
Organizations who are unaware of cyber-attacks or do not take adequate precautions internally to protect their systems can end up suffering huge losses. Additionally, there is a destruction of consumer trust as well as damage to the company’s reputation.
To put a curb on such losses, cybersecurity measures are implemented. Cybersecurity ensures that networks and computers are safeguarded from unauthorized digital access. Now, let’s move on to understand the different types of cyber security threats.

Different Types of Cyber Security Threats

There are various types of cyber security threats. It becomes possible to protect networks and systems from such threats only after understanding them thoroughly. Given below are the different types of cyber security threats you should be aware of. Pursuing a cyber security course and undergoing cyber security training can help you understand these better.

Malware Attack

This is one of the common types of cyber security threats. It refers to malicious software viruses. Some examples include worms, spyware, ransomware, adware, and trojans. Malware not only breaches the network but also downloads an email attachment and opens them.

Phishing Attack

A phishing attack is a widespread type of cyber security threat. This social engineering attack involves an attacker impersonating a trusted contact and sending the victim fake emails. When the victim opens the email, they give attackers access to confidential information and account credentials.

Password Attack

In this attack, the password of a user is cracked through various programs and tools like Aircrack, Cain, Abel, John the Ripper, Hashcat, etc.

Man-in-the-Middle Attack

Also known as an eavesdropping attack, in this, the attacker comes in between a two-party communication to steal and manipulate data. The client-server communication gets cut off and instead, goes through the hacker.

SQL Injection Attack

This kind of attack occurs on a database-driven website. The hacker manipulates a standard SQL query by injecting malicious code into a vulnerable website search box. The attacker can thus view, edit, and delete tables in the databases.

Denial-of-Service Attack

This is a very big threat for organizations since the attacker’s target systems, servers, or networks. They then flood them with traffic to exhaust their resources and bandwidth. This attack is also known as a DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attack.

Insider Threat

As the name suggests, this is done by an insider and can cause tremendous damage. This is rampant in most organizations but is still hard to predict and tricky.

Cryptojacking

Closely related to the term cryptocurrency, in crypto jacking, attackers access someone else’s computer for mining cryptocurrency. This is done by infecting a website or manipulating the victim to click on a malicious link.

Zero-Day Exploit

This happens after a network vulnerability is announced, and in most cases, there is no solution. Attackers target the disclosed vulnerability and exploit it before a patch or solution is implemented.
When you undertake a cyber security course or training, you will be able to learn about all of these.

How to Prevent Cyber Attacks?

There are different ways to prevent cyber attacks. If you want to understand all these in ways in detail, it is advisable to pursue a cyber security course. Nonetheless, let’s skim through a few precautionary measures that you can undertake:

• Regularly change passwords. Strong alphanumeric passwords are difficult to crack. Do not use complicated passwords and do not use the same password twice.
• Make sure to update the operating system and applications regularly. This will remove vulnerabilities. Make use of trusted and legitimate Anti-virus protection software. Another way is to use a firewall and other network security tools
• Do not open emails from unknown senders. Using a VPN will ensure that the traffic between the VPN server and your device is encrypted.
• Back up data on a regular basis. This is because in case there is a cyber-attack, you can erase the system’s data and restore it with a backup.
• Be aware of cybersecurity principles, types of cyberattacks and ways to tackle them.
• Use Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication. This is a vital step to secure your account.
• Secure the Wi-Fi networks and do not use public Wi-Fi without a VPN.
• Safeguard your mobile phones and do not install any apps. Keep the device updated.

So, if you are interested in advancing your career further in this field, there are various cyber security courses that you can undertake. Emeritus India offers various in-person and online courses in cyber security in collaboration with globally renowned universities which can scale your career to unimaginable levels. Enrol for an exhaustive course in cybersecurity today.

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