October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness and educate on how to stay safe from cyber attacks and malicious activity.
The theme for 2023, Secure Our World, urges Americans to adopt cyber-safe habits that improve online security and protect individuals, their families, and their businesses from ongoing—and growing—risks of cyber-related disasters.
Fortunately, IT security is nothing new to the Involta team. Read on to learn about some of the most common types of cyber attacks, along with our top tips for protecting your business against online threats.
Common types of cyber attacks
Simply put, a cyber attack refers to any unauthorized, malicious attempt to access online networks, systems, devices or data. The result? Compromised sensitive information, financial losses and disruptions to business operations.
Criminal cyber activity comes in many forms, the most common of which include:
Malware
Malware, or malicious software, is designed with the intent to damage or gain unauthorized access to a system or network. Malware comes in many forms—ransomware, trojans, spyware, viruses and more—making it the most common type of cyber threat.
It’s essential for businesses to have an array of cyber defense tools like SOC Services, Backup + DR. That said, 93% of ransomware attacks involve attempts to compromise backup data, according to our partner Veeam’s Ransomware Trends Report.
At Involta, we are aware that even backups can fall prey to malicious actors. That’s why our NextGen Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS+) includes specialized software with additional layers of security to stop ransomware from destroying your data.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of cyber attack in which a bad actor poses as a trustworthy entity (such as a business leader) via email, SMS messages, social media or other forms of online communication. The goal is to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive data such as passwords, credit card numbers or personal information, or to trick them into downloading malicious files that will install a virus onto their device.
To protect your employees from falling victim to phishing scams, spread awareness within your company and implement a “see something, say something” policy. After all, if one person received a suspicious email, there’s a chance others did as well.
Or, if you want to step up your security awareness training, Involta can help. We’ve partnered with HacWare, an AI-driven cybersecurity awareness and training Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product, to improve our clients’ security posture and combat today’s most advanced phishing attacks.
Denial-of-Service attacks
Denial-of-Service (DOS) and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDOS) attacks are targeted attempts to overload and shut down a system or network with false requests, disrupting business operations by making it unavailable for legitimate users.
DOS and DDOS attacks can occur for a variety of motives: competitive or political, for example, or as attempts to receive a ransom using blackmail or extortion. While they do not typically result in compromised data, they can cost a business significant amounts of time, money and other resources as they work to restore operations.
Four tips to protect your business against cyber attacks
Did you know that only 50% of US businesses have a cybersecurity plan in place? The good news is that it’s never too late to implement policies that protect your business.
1. Click carefully
Ensure that you and your team understand the signs of a potential cyber scam, including:
- Unfamiliar, out-of-character messages or requests (especially those requesting credentials or payment information)
- Discrepancies in email addresses or domain names
- Suspicious links or attachments
- Inflated sense of urgency
If a message raises suspicions, it never hurts to double-check with the alleged sender using another form of communication.
2. Say no to payment requests
Never trust electronic, unanticipated requests for payment or payment information—and never pay a ransom request.
In fact, in 2020, The United States Department of Treasury issued an advisory that if you or anyone on your behalf pays a cyber ransom, you could be subject to fines.
3. Secure your data
It’s critical for any business to secure its data, but it’s especially important for those who work with sensitive, proprietary information.
Prepare your business for potential cyber attacks with regular backups and software updates, antivirus and anti spy software, secure Wi-Fi networks, strong passwords, multi-factor authentication and more.
4. Spread awareness
When it comes to protecting your sensitive data, knowledge is power. In addition to installing antivirus software, running vulnerability scans and other behind-the-scenes security initiatives, be sure to educate your team on cybersecurity best practices with regular training sessions.
Stay secure with Involta
It’s always a good idea to have a dedicated team of security experts on your side. Involta’s team of security experts is dedicated to working hard to prevent and mitigate damage to your business.
Explore our security services and contact us to learn more.
