For the uninitiated (or merely those who pay no heed to such topics), it can seem as though cybersecurity is something set up by businesses and governments to prepare for a time when a large-scale hack might occur and wreak havoc on sensitive systems. The truth, however, is that businesses, governments, and indeed individual internet users are bombarded with an array of threats every day, and that range from your average phishing attempt to try and convince somebody to click on a link or take an action, to the far more egregious, such as scrambling highly sensitive data and demanding some form of ransom to provide the key to unscramble it. For the former, many of these threats can be mitigated by some basic online common sense, but for the latter, a much more comprehensive cybersecurity solution is required to ensure things remain secure.
Understanding Network Threats
Threats that businesses face nowadays have evolved enormously from even a decade ago. In fact, with the massive adoption of AI and similar technologies, it has become even easier for almost anyone to initiate an attack and disrupt various systems. To stave off such attacks, or at the very least, make a potential hacker or hacking group think twice about claiming you or your organization as a victim, it pays to gain clarity on What is network security and its applications so that you can harden your systems and put in place security training for employees, turning your attempts at resolution from reactive to proactive. Some of the more common threats facing organizations include:
- Malware: This is arguably the most well-known threat that anyone using the internet will face at some point. Malware is the catch-all term for various types of malicious software, including viruses and any software intentionally designed to cause harm to a computer, server, or network.
- Phishing attacks: If you have ever received an email or SMS of some sort, telling you that you need to click on a link or call a number, this is a phishing attack. While most are obvious, some are highly sophisticated and are designed to appear as though they have been sent by genuine companies.
- Social engineering: these include any deceptive tactics to trick users into revealing sensitive information and are far and away the most common sort of hack. They require a high level of staff training to ensure they don’t fall victim to such tactics.
- Denial-of-Service (DoS) and Distributed DoS (DDoS): Perhaps the most basic, a DDoS attack is designed to overwhelm systems, rendering them unusable. If not adequately protected, these disruptions can cause incredible harm to a business.
Building Effective Defenses
To truly fortify your organization, you need to take the threat of cybercrime seriously and stop thinking that you are too small or insignificant to be attacked. Everyone is vulnerable, and taking even the most basic precautions can limit the amount of damage caused. So what does an effective defense look like in practice?
| Defense strategies | How can they protect you |
| Implement layered security | When you create multiple controls, you will create redundancy. This means that if one system is attacked, you can fall back onto another to ensure operations aren’t disrupted too much (or at all). |
| Adopt encryption protocols | With the correct encryption protocols in place, you can secure all data that may be transmitted online. |
| Enable monitoring and logging | With the right security solution in place, you should be able to receive real-time updates. This data can help you discover anything going under the radar and put in place solutions to fix them before they grow out of control. |
| Regular updates and patches | In many ways, cybersecurity is a cat-and-mouse game, but by keeping your systems updated and patched with the latest software, you can stay one step ahead. |
| Employee training | By some accounts, human error is the cause of up to 95% of hacks and attacks. High-quality training can reduce this unbelievably high number and help to secure your systems. |
| Create permission-based access | Setting up permission-based access to various areas in your company will ensure accountability and stop those who don’t need access to specific data from gaining entry. |
Cybercrime is an ongoing issue with no end in sight since the rewards for the criminal are simply too high to abandon. However, with a proactive approach like training your staff on the correct security protocols and setting up defense solutions, you can protect your business from almost all threats.