Different types of cyberattacks hit businesses daily, increasing the risks of financial loss. According to IBM, the average cost of a cyberattack was $3.86 million in 2020. The bad news is that cyber threats continue to rise as many businesses operate online.

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What are some different types of cyberattacks to watch out for? 

A cyberattack is any deliberate and malicious attempt to breach an organization’s network system for financial gains. It targets computer infrastructures, networks, and information systems. Notably, cyber-attacks occur in many ways, including:

  1. Phishing and Spear Phishing Attacks
  2. Denial-of-service (DoS) Attacks
  3. Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
  4. Password Attacks
  5. Eavesdropping Attacks
  6. Malware Attacks
  7. Drive-by Attacks

1) Phishing and Spear Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks involve sending emails that look like they are from trusted sources, yet their objective is to gain personal information or prompting users to do something. Spear phishing is a targeted form of phishing activity, hence difficult to detect. 

The best way to defend against these emails is to be aware of the telltale signs of phishing attacks. Look for obvious typos, links that take you to a new site, and buttons that have complicated URLs. Whatever you do, do not click on anything in these types of emails. 

2) Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks

This cyberattack overwhelms a network’s resources so that it doesn’t respond to service requests. The attacker can launch it from several host machines infected by malicious software. Unlike other attacks, DoS doesn’t offer direct benefits to attackers. 

3) Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

These attacks occur when hackers insert themselves between the communication of a server and a client. The most common types of Man-in-the-Middle attacks are session hijacking, IP spoofing, and replay attacks. Try using a private network or a VPN to guard against these types of attacks.

4) Password Attacks

Since most computer networks use passwords to authenticate users, password attacks are the most common and effective cyberattacks. Hackers can access passwords by looking for connections to a network to obtain unencrypted passwords. The best way to defend against password attacks is to pick a strong password, pick multiple passwords for everything, and use a secure network. 

5) Eavesdropping Attacks

With eavesdropping, attackers can intercept network traffic and obtain passwords, credit card details, and other sensitive information that users might send over the network. Eavesdropping can be passive or active, and you can avoid both by data encryption.

6) Malware Attacks

A malware attack occurs when malicious software and an unwanted program are installed in your system or network without your consent. The software can attach itself to a legitimate code and replicate itself across the system and user applications. There are plenty of good malware protection programs on the market to fight against this attack. 

7) Drive-by Attacks

During drive-by attacks, hackers search for insecure websites to plant malicious scripts into PHP or HTTP code on one of the pages. The scripts can then install malware directly onto the visitor’s computers using the site or viewing a pop-up window.

Be Aware

At this point, you now understand the different types of cyberattacks. So, if you operate your business online, always be careful since cyber attackers are looking for loopholes in your network to infiltrate it. Invest in cybersecurity systems to protect your business.

Contact us to learn how to improve your business cybersecurity.