Cybercrime has gotten a lot scarier as the methods have become more sophisticated and difficult to detect. They might look like official business, but in reality, they are dangerous and well-thought-out attacks that can endanger your company and all those who work for it. Today, we want to break down some of the ways these cyberthreats can fool even the most cautious employees.
Phishing and Social Engineering Attacks
Phishing attacks and social engineering attacks occur when the attacker sends you fraudulent communications, often in the form of emails, text messages, or phone calls, posing as a bank, supplier, or government agency. They then trick the victim into handing over login credentials, credit card numbers, or downloading suspicious files to gain access to a system. Business email compromise attacks are some of the nastiest of the bunch, which is when criminals will impersonate someone within an organization, like a senior executive or a trusted vendor.
Malware and Ransomware
Malware includes several types of malicious software, like viruses, spyware, trojans, and adware, all of which cause varying degrees of harm to your systems. They can enter your infrastructure through a simple infected email attachment, a compromised website, or an infected external drive. Malware can steal data, corrupt files, spy on user activity, or provide access to systems, but the most dangerous of the bunch is ransomware. Ransomware can encrypt files on a victim’s computer so they cannot access anything or get work done until a ransom has been paid; now imagine if an attack like that struck your entire network!
Identity Theft
Identity theft occurs when cybercriminals get their hands on an individual’s personal identifying information, like Social Security numbers, dates of birth, financial account details, or login credentials. This data is typically harvested from data breaches, phishing attacks, or through online marketplaces on the dark web. With all of this data, hackers can open unauthorized credit accounts, file illicit tax returns, access bank accounts, or implicate the victim in criminal activities, so you can imagine that a business or an individual would want no part in any of this.
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
MitM scenarios occur when an attacker positions themselves on a network between you and the data you’re accessing, like through a wireless Internet router. If the connection is not secured, the attacker can intercept data, read it, or even alter it while it’s in transit. Some of the data they might be after includes login credentials, sensitive corporate data, or private communications.
The Broader Impact
Cybersecurity threats like these can lead to financial losses, but they also eat away at the trust and reputation you’ve built for your company. You might also be subject to fines and other legal trouble in the event you suffer a data loss incident.
Thankfully, we have just the fix you can implement: our proactive managed security solutions. To learn more, reach out to us at (585) 254-8710 today.