What are the Top 10 Security Threats, Security threats come in all shapes and sizes, but they’re often easy to spot? By knowing which security threats are most common, you can protect your computer and data better than most other people. Take the following top 10 security threats into consideration when you’re online or using your computer, so you know how to prevent the worst from happening to you.
What are the top 10 security threats
- The importance of knowing about these risks
- Here is what you should know about these risks
The importance of knowing about these risks
The more informed you are about a particular risk, such as web application attacks or password theft, for example, the better your ability to protect yourself from that particular threat. Here’s a list of ten common — but often forgotten — security risks and what you can do to mitigate them. Many people think that if they’re not doing anything wrong on their computers then they don’t need to worry about cyber-crime, says Kyle Wilhoit, Security Researcher at Trend Micro. But all it takes is a few minutes of surfing in order for your system to get hacked with malicious software.
Here is what you should know about these risks
- 1) Malware
- 2) Ransomware
- 3) Cybercrime
- 4) DDoS attacks
- 5) Social engineering attacks
- 6) Phishing attacks
- 7) Zero-day exploits
- 8) Supply chain attacks
First, vulnerabilities such as drive-by downloads and malicious e-mails that often trick users into disclosing personal information rank among some of the most common—and dangerous—security risks. Second, sophisticated tools that hackers use to gather data from users via fake Wi-Fi networks ranked second. Third, identity theft and social media hacks are also major concerns for users and businesses alike. If you aren’t already up to speed on these top security threats, it may be time to take a closer look at your company’s data protection policies. Ensuring that your network is secure from hacking will not only keep your company safe but also set a good example for other companies looking to follow in your footsteps.
1) Malware
Malware is software that can cause damage to a computer. This threat is probably one of the most widespread and well-known, but it’s also often treated as overblown by some people. Malware falls into two basic categories: viruses and worms. A virus attaches itself to another program on your computer, whether it’s an application or something like a document, and when you open that file, you execute both programs at once—the malicious code along with whatever else you were expecting to run.
2) Ransomware
What is Ransomware? With ransomware, you will be asked to pay for your own computer back. The malicious software, which locks down a user’s computer until they give in and pay for a decryption key, has been on the rise for years. According to a report from Trend Micro, there have been more than 600 million instances of ransomware around the world over just 12 months. The most common targets are organizations with large email lists and websites that get a lot of traffic – one small slip up could result in devastating consequences. Prevention is key – make sure employees know what they shouldn’t click or download and always keep backups.
3) Cybercrime
According to estimates from Juniper Research, cybercrime will cost businesses around $2 trillion by 2019. While that’s an astronomical number, it’s hardly surprising when you consider some of the devastating attacks we’ve seen in recent years, like the malware outbreak WannaCry or data breaches that affected huge companies like Equifax and Yahoo. According to Juniper, there are three main types of cybercrime: fraud (e.g., identity theft), espionage (e.g., corporate espionage), and sabotage (e.g., terrorism).
In addition to causing huge monetary losses for businesses, cyberattacks can also threaten national security and international relations—in short, they aren’t something you want your business to be a part of!
4) DDoS attacks
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks was once used only by attackers with a great deal of skill and computing power, but that has changed in recent years. It’s not hard to find DDoS attack tools for hire on hacker forums or to find ready-made scripts that can be adapted for any purpose. The result is that DDoS attacks are increasingly common – even from unskilled attackers. Because they’re easy to launch and difficult to defend against, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks have become one of today’s favorite weapons for hackers. These days, anyone can rent time on a botnet—an army of zombie computers controlled by a single attacker—for as little as $100 per hour.
5) Social engineering attacks
Social engineering refers to attacks in which a hacker or group of hackers gain access to a computer system by assuming or pretending to be someone who is authorized to have access. Social engineering attacks prey on human nature: we’re all susceptible because we want and need to trust other people. Computer systems can help reduce some vulnerabilities through authentication, encryption, firewalls, and anti-virus software. Still, if people use their brains more than they use their fingers when entering sensitive information into computers—using keypads versus touch screens, for example—then it’s less likely that social engineering will result in disastrous losses.
6) Phishing attacks
Phishing attacks seek to steal your personal information, such as passwords and bank account details. For example, you might receive an email that looks like it’s from your bank, but in reality, it was sent by a scammer who is trying to get access to your private information. Phishing isn’t limited to emails: spoofed phone calls, fake websites, and text messages may also be used. In all cases, you need to be extremely wary if you notice misspellings or grammatical errors (in contrast with legitimate communications) or want some kind of help urgently. If there’s even a tiny doubt about whether something is genuine – double-check!
7) Zero-day exploits
Zero-day exploits have been called one of today’s most serious security concerns. A zero-day exploit is an unexpected attack or software bug that can lead to data loss, system crash, malware infection, and other data breaches without any prior warning to victims. While anyone can develop a zero-day exploit, they are often created by military agencies or cybercriminals who then sell them on black markets for up to $100,000 a pop.
Keeping your business protected from these vulnerabilities requires diligent vigilance; you must regularly update your computer systems and disable remote control features in case hackers target you through these means. This threat is one of today’s biggest IT challenges so make sure you know how to protect yourself from it.
8) Supply chain attacks
Security researchers in multiple countries have discovered a series of weaknesses in popular networking gear made by Cisco Systems Inc. that can be used to launch malicious attacks that degrade or even cripple large corporate and government networks. Known as Project Sauron, these vulnerabilities include flaws in so-called stack overflows that can be exploited to seize control of Cisco switches and routers from thousands of miles away.
Researchers say they’ve also found methods for gaining access to customer support systems on Cisco devices, which could be used for launching further attacks once a foothold is established. By gaining control over routers and switches, intruders could cut off communications between users and their networked resources—which would effectively prevent employees from doing their jobs—or redirect communications to malicious sites controlled by hackers so that sensitive information could be stolen.
