Perhaps the biggest challenge of cyber security is the continuous growth in technology, which presents cybercriminals with an ever-growing list of potential opportunities to try to exploit. In many cases, a single exploit can be used to spread across the globe without any control, creating a horrible packet loss for a big organization.
From distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks to phishing attacks, cybercriminals are smart and will continue to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of cyberattacks.
Many cyber security initiatives focus on methods of counteracting the threat of cybercrime. These security measures include, but are not limited to, technical and operational measures to minimize the risk to a business or a sector, increased awareness and training, or one-time legislation such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act in the UK.
Digital Thieves
We have observed an increase in the number of individuals who are trying to avoid digital thieves and they might just be ahead of the game.
All of us have paid criminals to access or misplace data from our computers or networks. When a hacker, using a stolen username or password, wants to gain access to your computer, network or personal devices, it can be difficult to ascertain exactly which attack has taken place and which one hasn’t.
Preventing a cyberattack is much like protecting your home or business. You need to check your security measures to make sure that your devices and systems are not being accessed by hackers.
Reputation Management Tools
Reputation management tools such as Woorank, LastPass and PhishLabs can help keep you and your business connected, aware and protected against cyberattacks.
These tools have been proven to keep users’ information and accounts safe.
Threat Summary
We have observed an increase in the number of individuals who are trying to avoid digital thieves and they might just be ahead of the game. The majority of attacks are not conducted for monetary gain but they are aimed at stealing the financial data associated with a victim.
Recently, the hackers behind the Sony Pictures attack claimed that more than 40 million emails and other types of files had been stolen. Sony has yet to confirm or deny the reports of such losses, but they are investigating the issue and it is expected that the data losses could become even larger than is currently known.
Companies, in both the private and public sectors, need to be well prepared to avoid cyberattacks. So far, many organizations have been doing a very good job at patching existing vulnerabilities, but they have not done enough to prevent new ones from emerging. If a software or hardware vulnerability is detected, either by the network administrator or other security professionals, and is confirmed to be a threat, that fix should be installed. If a security vulnerability is found, the company should implement the appropriate fixes in their software and hardware.
Data breaches are not new and they are not limited to the information collected by attackers. Any information we disclose to anyone is critical to the stability of our operation. These breaches cannot be solved by patching and other traditional methods; however, a variety of smart policies can be adopted to minimize the damage in the long run.
