2019’s Greatest Cybersecurity Risks

Millions of cyber crimes occur all over the internet, and some of them are powerful enough to put your business out of commission.
Safety should always be your company’s No. 1 priority. Whether you’re running a startup operation or a corporate enterprise, you must make sure your team is never in harm’s way. But it’s not just your physical safety that you should be concerned with. In an information-driven age, technology can be just as much of a target.

You have to go to great lengths to protect your IT system, as it’s the engine that drives your success, but that’s a lot easier said than done because the digital threat landscape is always expanding. Luckily, this blog will teach you everything you need to know about these dangerous cybersecurity issues so you can prevent them from turning the internet into a battlefield.

Cybersecurity Attacks to Watch Out for in 2019

Disasters strike from practically any angle in a variety of shapes, sizes, and forms. What’s even worse is many of these dangers aren’t even visible. Your network could be under attack and you might not even know it—plus some attacks are powerful enough to wipe out your business entirely. How are you supposed to defend against these issues if you can’t tell what they look like? Luckily, these cyberdangers give plenty of other warning signs:

Phishing Attacks

Have you ever received a random email from a CEO or old relative and thought, “Hmm … what’s this about?” If yes, chances are you were under a phishing attack. Phishing is a very manipulative way to draw curiosity. Phishers often disguise their identities as important authority figures or trustworthy individuals to trick users into sharing sensitive data such as business reports, card numbers, or login credentials.

If a suspicious message shows up in your inbox, be careful because it might contain malware or another dangerous virus host. This usually happens when you get an email that asks you to verify any personal information. If this happens to you, leave the message alone and report the issue to an administrator.

Password Invasions

Passwords can be easily compromised through a tactic called brute force. What this means is an unauthorized user has cracked the combination of letters and numbers in your passcodes. This is a tedious approach for even the most skilled hacker, but it usually happens when your data isn’t protected by some form of encryption model software.

The best way to prevent this issue is to install an automated lockout system on each unique workstation. This additional layer of security prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to your network, even if they do secure the actual password. Lockout technology follows up with questionnaires that only main users can answer. Additionally, it will also lock out hackers after they’ve made a certain number of attempts to log in.

Man-in-the-Middle (MitM)

This is one of the web’s most dangerous forms of cryptography. MitM attacks are conniving schemes in which an unauthorized third-party intercepts a conversation between two other parties. The MitM disguises himself as an agent who is trusted to relay information from one communication channel to the other. Instead, the hacker confiscates the data for their own gain. MitM is a lot like eavesdropping: When two people have a conversation, the hacker creeps in, takes the information he finds most desirable, and modifies it to serve his own needs.

Types of Malware

Malware is among the most malicious cyberthreats on the web. This dangerous software is automatically installed on computer systems without the consent of its user. Malware is essentially a host of different viruses and many of them are powerful enough to wipe your entire network clean. When malware is installed on your server, the virus spreads faster than wildfire. Hackers executing malware attacks are able to gain complete control of your network. And when these hackers gain control, you can lose your most valuable assets.

Here are some of the most common and dangerous forms of malware:

• Ransomware
• Trojan horse programs
• Macro viruses
• File infectors
• System infections
• Stealth viruses
• Logic bombs
• Worms
• Droppers

Birthday Messages

Let’s just say that this isn’t the “Happy Birthday” wish you get from Grandma and Grandpa every year. Birthday messages are among the most devastating algorithms. These cryptographic threats occur as a result of a message digest (MD), which is a hash function defect. Hash functions relay messages to the right parties and birthday attacks intercept the information.

Birthday messages work similarly to most phishing scams in that they manipulate people into sharing personal information. The only difference is birthday messages appear as a Madlib, mathematical equation, or questionnaire. This invites victims to plug in their personal information to cybercriminals manning the attack.

Denial-of-Service (DOS)

Every website has its own capacity limit. Websites become overwhelmed when too many visitors enter at the same time. This can cause the site to overload, forcing it to an abrupt shutdown. These situations usually occur as a result of Denial-of-Service. A DOS attack is simply a malicious group effort. By using IP addresses, multiple people will plot together to visit a specific webpage simultaneously. A heavy influx of visitors forces all utilities to stop working, ultimately causing the website to block service requests.

Keep the Threat Landscape at an All-Time Low With Cii

The Cii team works around the clock to protect your most valuable assets. When it comes to network security, no one is better to have by your side. With nearly 40 years of experience as managed IT professionals, we can always be counted on to keep your business ahead of the curve. We won’t let cybercrimes hold you back from making a difference. With Cii, expect efficient technology, exceptional cost savings, and a lot more peace of mind.

Contact us today to schedule a free IT evaluation with one of North Carolina’s sharpest cybersecurity professionals.