Top 5 common cyber security attacks

The Top 5 Most Common Cyber Security Attacks You Might Face

1. Malware

A malware attack is the unauthorized introduction of software code, usually a virus or Trojan horse, into a computer system. It can be used to access valuable information and steal sensitive data. As these attacks are becoming more sophisticated and complex, it is important for businesses to educate their employees on how to avoid becoming victims of these cyber threats. 

There are a variety of malware cyber security attacks, and some are more common than others. Malware cyber security attacks can be broken down into three categories: viruses, worms, and Trojans. Viruses are programs that infect computers by inserting themselves into other programs. 

Worms are self-replicating programs that spread from one computer to another over a network without any user intervention. Trojans are malicious software disguised as legitimate applications or files in order to gain access to and control over a system without the user's knowledge or consent.

The most common malware cyber security attack is ransomware which is when hackers encrypt all the data on your computer and demand payment for you to get it back. Ransomware is often installed through phishing emails or exploit kits on websites that have vulnerabilities in their code

2. Phishing

Phishing is a cyber security attack where an email user disguises a legitimate appearance to lure the victim into clicking on malicious links or opening attachments. This type of attack is usually done via email, but can also be done through social networks and other online channels. Phishing messages are designed to deceive users by appearing to come from a trustworthy source.

The most common types of phishing scams are spear phishing and pharming. Spear phishing is when hackers send out emails that appear to be from someone in your contact list and include attachments or links that lead you to a site that looks like your bank's website.

Pharming is when hackers create websites that are similar, but not identical, to popular sites such as Facebook or PayPal. They then send you an email.

The most common way to identify a phishing attack is by looking at the sender's address in the email. If it doesn't match with the organization you're expecting it from, then you should not click on any links or attachments in the email.

3. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks

The (Man-in-the-Middle) MitM attack is a popular way for hackers to steal information.  The term  MitM has been used to describe a type of cyber attack where the attacker is able to intercept and manipulate data being transmitted between two parties. MitM attacks allow the attacker to intercept, steal, and manipulate data traffic by exploiting vulnerabilities in a system or in the protocols that are being used. 

Man-in-the-Middle can take many forms, but they all involve an attacker intercepting and manipulating data traffic. The most common form of the attack is on public WiFi networks, which exploits vulnerabilities in the WiFi protocol and allows attackers to access sensitive information such as passwords, bank account numbers, or credit card numbers.

4. Denial-of-Service (DOS) Attack

A denial-of-service attack (DOS) is an attempt to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users. This can be done by flooding the target with more requests than it can handle, overwhelming the system and making it difficult or impossible for legitimate users to get service. Denial of service attacks is typically accomplished in one of three ways: overloading the target's bandwidth, consuming the target's processing power, or overtaxing the target's memory.

5. SQL Injections

SQL injection attacks happen when an attacker uses SQL (Server Query Language) to inject malicious code into a server to force the server to provide protected information. This type of attack typically involves submitting malicious code to comments or search boxes on unprotected websites. Safe coding practices such as using prepared statements in parameterized queries are effective ways to prevent SQL injection.

If an SQL statement uses parameters instead of inserting values directly, it is possible for the backend to execute malicious queries.

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