Companies that take advantage of the digital world are at risk of experiencing social media threats and cyberattacks that may sometimes happen right under your nose. Before you know it, all your information can end up in the wrong hands! When this happens, you will have no way to recover your data unless you cater to the demands of the attackers or hire anti-piracy services to try and solve the situation.
A cyberattack is a way for criminals to take over companies through their vulnerable areas, be it through their devices, systems, or networks. The attacker will force their way in and acquire access to your company without you knowing how to stop them. They do it mostly to obtain monetary gain or valuable information—either of which will spell catastrophe for your business.
If you want to learn the typical online attacks you can encounter which could place your business in danger, keep reading below.
Web Application Attacks
Cybercriminals organise a web application attack with a mission to take control of unsuspecting victims and claim unpermitted access to valuable databases. They strive to target a company’s personal and financial information.
It involves Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), which lets an attacker embed dangerous JavaScript sequences to tear down a website’s database. Aside from that, a web application can also contain SQL Injection (SQLi) so that cybercriminals can force their way into a website’s back-end system and tamper with the data by uploading malicious SQL scripts.
When an attacker provokes a user into initiating unprompted actions on a web page or application without their knowledge, the act is called Cross-Site Request Forgery (XSRF). Any company is in danger of experiencing all the given web application attacks, so it’s crucial to receive online protection before it’s too late.
Malicious Software Attacks
Malicious software or malware attacks are a kind of cyberattack that lets a criminal develop destructive software as a way to cause serious harm towards the victim’s vulnerable devices, data, or network systems. It can be difficult to notice a malware attack and will require digital threat intelligence to guarantee the safety of your company.
Malware attacks are conducted by criminals to achieve unauthorised permission over sensitive data, credentials, and information of your business. These software come in various forms, including ransomware, where cyber attackers build programs to prevent you from gaining hold of your data unless you produce the ransom demanded.
It can also be a trojan—a computer program that seems real but ends up fooling users into opening dangerous applications containing viruses that could affect your device and retrieve your data.
Meanwhile, spyware is a form of malware that attackers use to receive data and keep track of your online activity without you knowing.
Social Engineering Attacks
Social engineering is a term used to describe a wide array of dangerous online activities. Cybercriminals incorporate social engineering to fool people online to initiate specific tasks and give them authority to attain precious data.
Cyberattackers perform social engineering to take advantage of online accounts, imitate users, and create fraudulent payments for their own benefit. They initiate phishing, an activity that allows an attacker to send out suspicious emails containing dangerous links, or spear phishing, which involves customised and targeted emails.
Besides that, online criminals can also carry out vishing or voice phishing, the method of making deceiving phone calls and voice messages to provoke individuals to share their private information. Baiting is part of social engineering as well, wherein an attacker lures a person to fulfill a command in return for something else.
Whether you’re managing a small business or a large corporation, it’s integral to ensure you take the precautionary measures that focus on phishing prevention. That way, you can keep your company running without dealing with problems or intruders trying to steal all your data. Being prepared for potential attacks keeps you from losing everything you’ve worked so hard for and prevents online crimes from taking over the digital world.
Are you looking for a brand protection company to safeguard your company online? FraudWatch International is an online cybersecurity agency dedicated to protecting clients against phishing, malware, and social media and mobile app impersonation. Get in touch with us today to find out more about our services!