As we all know, cybersecurity is a much discussed and researched topic. Whether it’s individual internet users complaining about their security and privacy being violated by companies and governments or large tech corporations investing billions to prevent these kinds of attacks, the problem is real and apparently not going away anytime soon.

This article will focus on the top five greatest threats in cybersecurity. Note that these are not the only threats out there, just the five most impactful ones.

Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that is used to extort money or data from its victims by holding their system hostage until they pay up. It blocks access to computer systems by encrypting the victim’s data and demands a ransom to decrypt it. This type of malware is usually contracted through phishing campaigns, malicious email attachments, or infected USB drives.

Ransomware has been a major issue in cybersecurity for quite some time now. In fact, it is the number one threat in cybersecurity.

In April of 2017, WannaCry ransomware affected over 200,000 people from 99 different countries when it infected computers and demanded ransom payments to release files back to its owners. This made headlines all over the world and eventually became the largest ransomware attack in history.

One can only hope that the ransomware industry will be stopped in its tracks soon because paying ransoms will ultimately solve nothing in terms of cybersecurity. When dealing with ransomware, prevention is the best cure to make sure it never happens to you or anyone you know. Prevention will help spare thousands of dollars from being lost in the process.

Ransomware is not only dangerous to users on a personal level, but it is also dangerous to businesses on a global scale. If ransomware infects an office building on Wall Street for example, that could have significant effects on the economy across the world. If people are unable to get their work done due to being locked out of their computers, important deadlines and financial planning will be missed.

Cloud Computing Vulnerabilities

Cloud computing vulnerabilities are increasing daily. Hackers are able to exploit vulnerabilities in the cloud by stealing information, using them as an entry point into your network, and even hijacking cloud-based systems for their own use. This is not just a future threat, but one that many companies have fallen victim to since the rise of cloud computing.

Some experts say that these outbreaks resemble a lightning storm, and that the cloud is particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks. As more and more companies continue to move their data to the cloud – whether it’s for convenience or for storage – it will be imperative that we create ways to secure this vulnerability, or we could face detrimental consequences such as lost client information (and company reputation), and financial loss.

Security professionals note that up until recently, it was thought that the cloud would be safer than regular computing and data storage systems because of its distributed nature – security breaches were less likely to happen with so many different locations to access the cloud. But as cyber crime has become more sophisticated, hackers have managed to find ways around these obstacles.

Social Engineering

Social engineering is a form of psychological manipulation that uses human behavior for infiltration purposes. For example, a hacker could pose as a wordpress developer and trick a target into installing malware or handing over their password.

Alternatively, a hacker may pose as a friend and call their target, convincing them to do the same. Examples of social engineering include phishing, covert channel, and zero-day exploit.

Phishing is a method of instilling fear or concern into an individual using email with subject lines such as “Your Account Has Been Suspended” or “Verify Your Account” in order to instill a sense of urgency. The individual is then prompted to enter personal information such as passwords and credit card numbers into a fake website that will instead be used for identity theft.

A covert channel is a communication channel that allows two entities from different security domains (e.g. the inside and the outside) to exchange information without detection by an intermediary party (e.g., an eavesdropper). Covert channels are typically employed by parties seeking to subvert their adversary’s discretionary security policy or bypass protective countermeasures.

A zero day exploit is a vulnerability that can be exploited by attackers before the developer of a piece of software is aware of its existence, meaning that no patches are available for it. These exploits are used by hackers to gain access to systems without being detected.

It is difficult to detect these types of exploits because there are no signatures in place until the vulnerability is found and patched by the developer.

Third Party Software

Many companies use third-party software to help their business grow, but there are inherent security risks associated with using other people’s code. The best way for a company to avoid these threats is by making sure all the new programming used in its systems comes from trustworthy sources. However, since this can be difficult to verify security firms often recommend companies stick to trusted sources.

Security threats can come from third-party software for several reasons. First, there is the possibility that the third-party organization has been compromised and this new code is malware in and of itself (i.e., a computer virus). Second, there is also the possibility that the organization didn’t write the program at all; rather, it is copied from another source and therefore contains malicious code. Third, if the organization has written the program, there is still a possibility that someone has hacked into their system and added in malicious components or backdoors to infect other companies who use their software.

DDoS Attacks

Ddos attacks are just some of the many threats that are presented to our daily lives. Cybersecurity is a very complex field with an abundance of new information being learned every day. These are not merely computer-related attacks, but they are digital-based tactics intended to disrupt normal activities or functions of an organization or individual. This could include stealing data, and could even lead to much bigger things, such as stealing money

DDoS attacks are conducted by various kinds of hackers but can be generally categorized into two groups. The first one is the “for fun” category in which private individuals carry out these attacks mostly to show off their skills. If they want to take down a certain website, say an online game server for example, they will send multiple requests at the same time, causing congestion and slowdown. DDoS attacks can also be politically motivated in which hackers will aim at national infrastructures such as airports and power plants.

Cybersecurity is a topic that has been getting a lot of attention as of late, as it should. With the increasing ubiquity and interconnectedness of modern technology comes an ever-increasing number of opportunities for those wishing to do harm to have access to an increasingly vast number of ways to do so. In this article, we have covered the top five greatest threats in cybersecurity today. Make sure you are constantly updated on your cybersecurity and follow one of Bayshore Interactives Social Media accounts.