In today’s digital age, computer systems are an integral part of our lives. They store sensitive information and facilitate and even control critical infrastructure. Unfortunately, these same systems are also vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Attackers can use various tactics to gain control of a computer system. Once they gain access, attackers can steal data, install malicious software, and even take over the entire system.

Below, we will explore some of the common types of cyber threats, that result in losing control of your computer systems and how you can protect your organization from them.

Malicious Software:

Malicious software is any program or file that is intentionally harmful to a computer, network, or server. Cybercriminals create and use it to damage the victim’s computer and the data on it or disable it.

Black hat hackers are malicious hackers, also called crackers. They often disguised malware under harmless files or email attachments. They make use of these malicious software to make money or carry out an attack for political reasons.

Here are some of the most common malicious attacks used nowadays:

Trojans:

A type of malware that disguises itself as a legitimate program to trick users into installing it. Once installed, it can give attackers access to the system, steal or modify data, delete files, or install any additional malware.  Trojans may be packaged in downloads for games, tools, apps or even software patches.

Spyware:

Spyware collects information about users’ activities without their knowledge or consent. This can include passwords, pins, payment information, and other personal information. It is also used for monitoring internet activity and displaying unwanted pop-up ads.

Spyware can be installed through various means, such as exploiting vulnerabilities in software, tricking users into downloading and installing malicious software or using social engineering techniques to gain access to the victim’s computer.

Ransomware:

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the user’s files and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key. Ransomware is often designed to spread across a network and target database and file servers, and can thus quickly paralyze an entire organization.

Ransomware is usually distributed using email spam campaigns or through targeted attacks. The most common Ransomware attacks are:

Adware:

Adware is a type of malware that displays unwanted advertisements on the user’s computer, most often within a web browser.  Adware is typically created for computers but can also be found on mobile devices.

Adware is often bundled with other software that the user downloads and it can track the user’s internet activity and display ads that are related to his browsing habits. Adware can slow down user’s devices, cause crashes, and even compromise security by collecting personal information without user’s consent.

Botnets:

A botnet is a network of computers infected by malware that is under the control of a single attacking party, known as the “bot-herder. Each machine under their control is known as a bot. The attacker can use the botnet to carry out a range of malicious activities, such as sending spam emails, launching distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, stealing personal information, and spreading malware to other computers.

Many Cyber Attacks And One Solution:

With the increasing sophistication and frequency of cyber-attacks, it is more important than ever to have a robust cybersecurity solution in place. Today’s cyber-attacks are in their most advanced shape, so they cannot be controlled by any common cybersecurity software. They require the most sophisticated and advanced defenses to detect and mitigate. Cyber security solutions offer a multi-layered approach to protecting against these threats.

By implementing the NetworkFort solution, organizations can reduce the risk of data breaches, maintain the integrity of their systems, and protect their reputation in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats.

With the integration of AI in the line of cyber defense against network anomalies and cyber security threats, NetworkFort helps enterprises identify crucial threats to help security teams quickly respond to cybersecurity threats.  NetworkFort identifies strings of abnormal activities that result in attacks and helps the security teams get ahead of those attacks.