In news we can hear about cyberattacks and other sorts of digital attacks more and more frequently. But what are cyberattacks and what types are there? It is critical for companies to make sure that they keep their digital information safe, and this means thinking about viruses and malware ahead of time. While a lot of companies think that the chances of them getting hit by a major virus are slim to none, this is not actually the case.
What are the most common examples of cyberattacks in 2022?
There are lots of companies that are hit by viruses regularly, and it is important for them to do everything they can to prevent these attacks from happening. With this in mind, what are some of the most common examples of viruses that companies need to know about?
1. Ransomware
One of the most common threats that companies need to think about is ransomware. There are lots of ransomware viruses out there, including RYUK, that could cause company operations to grind to a halt. A ransomware virus is designed to take a company’s files and lock them up completely, meaning that they are now impossible to access.
If a company wants to gain access to its files again, it needs to pay a hefty ransom. Then, all they are doing is showing that they can be extorted, meaning that they could get hit again. Businesses need to do everything they can to prevent these attacks from happening. A professional could help them build a strong firewall to keep these viruses at bay.
2. DDoS attacks
Another common attack that companies might face is called a distributed denial-of-service attack, or DDoS. This is a relatively straightforward attack. With this type of digital threat, someone tries to overwhelm the company server with so many commands that they have to shut down the server.
This can seriously harm the company’s productivity, so businesses need to make sure that they have a strong layer of defense that can detect these types of attacks and snuff them out before they cause major harm. These attacks are becoming more creative, so businesses need to be very careful and plan a strong defense.
3. Phishing and social engineering
Next, you also need to make sure that your employees are aware of phishing attacks and social engineering attacks. These are very common, and they usually take place through email. The goal is to convince someone to surrender their login credentials remotely, and then that individual has access to your server and network, meaning that they can steal all of your files.
Obviously, you do not want this to happen, and one of the best ways to do so is to use two-factor authentication. A professional digital security consultant can help you figure out a way to set this up and protect your files.
4. SQL injection attacks
You also need to make sure that your colony protects against a specific type of virus called a SQL injection. With this type of attack, a line of malicious code is inserted into your company’s greater coding schema. Then, when the code is read by your system, the server executed the command issued by the malicious code, which usually means deleting all of your files.
You need to prevent this from happening, so be sure to audit your code from time to time to make sure that you are not missing anything. Then, you need to remove any lines of code that don’t make sense before they have a negative impact on your company’s files. This type of attack is simple but devastating.
5. Data harvesters and adware
Finally, it is also important for you to make sure that you protect your files against routine data harvesters and malware. If you find out your computers are working a bit slower than they should, there is a chance that they are slowed down by adware and data harvesters. Someone could be stealing information about your company, and they might be selling it to somebody else.
At the very least, these programs can significantly slow down your company and hurt your productivity. You need to have ad blockers in place, and you need to audit your security measures regularly to make sure they protect against these major threats.
Make Sure To Protect Your Company From Harm
In the end, these are just a few of the most common types of malware and viruses that companies need to know about. While companies might feel like they have a strong digital security plan in place, there are lots of businesses that still fall prey to these types of viruses.
Companies need to conduct an audit of their digital security measures from time to time. Then, they need to figure out what they are doing well and what they need to improve on. The good news is that businesses do not need to go through this alone. There are trained professionals who are willing to lend a helping hand to those in need.
YouTube: Phishing, DDoS, Ransomware… Are There Generations of Cybercrime? (Ganna Pogrebna)
Photo credit: The feature image has been done by Gorodenkoff.
