In the past decade, hackers and computer viruses have gotten craftier and more powerful than ever before. The challenges facing cyber security are ever-changing and require professional monitoring in order to solve the problem before you lose any valuable information or sensitive data.
Some Of The Most Common Types Of Cyber Security Threats Include:
- Malware
- Phishing
- Ransomware
Often, hackers’ end goal is to either steal data for financial gain or to hold sensitive information for ransom. These types of attacks can affect anyone from individuals to small businesses, to large corporations. In order to effectively defend yourself from such cyber threats, you will need to be aware of exactly what to look out for and how to avoid potential traps that could cause serious harm to your personal or business’ security.
How Malware Can Compromise Your Cyber Security
Malware is a software that is designed to perform a “malicious,” hence the name, act on a particular device or network. When malware infects your technology, it can corrupt any data you may have stored or even completely do away with it. Keep in mind that malware is not just one thing – it is the collective term that describes a type of software.
This means that it can show up in many different forms, leaving you vulnerable to the possibility of accidentally introducing the software to your own network! For example, malware can take the form of pop-up advertisements, and as spyware, which uses information such as your internet search history and login passwords in order to steal credit card information.
What Is Phishing And How Does It Compromise Your Cyber Security?
Phishing is another extremely common type of cyber-attack. Phishing is essentially an attempt to trick an individual into divulging sensitive, personal information, or into mistakenly downloading malware. These emails can usually be identified by the presence of suspicious hyperlinks in the email, or unusual requests for bank account information or addresses, for example.
Hackers’ Use Of Ransomware For Financial Gain
It can be particularly devastating if you find yourself the victim of a ransomware-based cyber-attack. These are attacks that involve the encryption of data on a given system, blocking the victim’s access to the data. In these events, the hacker will only allow the victim full access to the stolen data in return for financial or other compensation – a ransom.
Cyber Security For Your Personal Devices Or Business
In order to remain fully protected from the many different types of cyber security threats, you must be vigilant in your use of technology, especially on public networks, and remain aware of what links you may be clicking at any given time. As you can see, these threats do not come with a warning or on their own. They are packaged in a way that will make you perceive them as normal and non-threatening and are often used in combination with many other hacking techniques.
Awareness is half the battle, and now that you have a greater understanding of how individuals are targeted for cyber-attacks, you can implement the proper measures of protection for your personal devices and business network.
