Cyber security threats are becoming increasingly complex to navigate through. And that’s because cybercriminals are always refining their skills. It’s no surprise that many individuals become victims of these attacks.
For example, in 2022, most companies (about 71%) fell victim to ransomware attacks. Shockingly, one of the biggest was human error.
Brad LaPorte predicts that user mistakes and misconfigurations will cause 99% of data breaches by 2025. Even though it’s alarming, the good news is that you can prevent it.
That’s what this guide is about. You need to know what you’re up against. So we’ll show you the top 10 cyber security threats and what you can do to protect yourself.
Let’s begin.
What Are Cyber Security Threats?
Cyber security threats are malicious, deliberate activities by people to steal data, cause harm, or interfere with computing systems. There are numerous cyber threats out there, but they are categorized into common groups, such as
- social engineering,
- malware,
- denial of service (DoS),
- injection attacks.
Cyber dangers come from various places, including terrorist groups, hostile nations, and even individual hackers. These damaging activities can come from anyone, even trusted insiders like employees or contractors who abuse their power.
Importance of Cyber Security Threats Awareness
In today’s digital environment, staying current with the threats is crucial. Individuals and organizations can better understand their potential risks and vulnerabilities by being aware of these threats.
You’ll be able to spot suspicious activity, identify phishing efforts, and safeguard confidential information from unauthorized access. You can proactively protect your digital assets by being updated on the most recent cyber threats.
This reduces the risk of becoming a target of a cyberattack. Also, increased awareness encourages a culture of cyber security in a company. This encourages everyone to contribute to making the Internet a safer place for both themselves and others.
Also Read: Digital Privacy: Tips on How to Protect Yourself on the Internet
Common Cyber Security Threats
Below are the top 10 cyber security threats you need to know. Go through them and follow the tips to secure yourself:
1. Malware
Cyberattacks use various methods to install malware on your device. The most popular method is social engineering. Cybercriminals can sometimes trick you into taking a specific action, such as clicking on a harmful link or opening an infected attachment.
Alternatively, malware might enter without your knowledge or permission by taking advantage of flaws in operating systems or browsers. After being successfully installed, the malware can cause havoc on your device.
For example, it can monitor your activities or collect confidential information. In more severe cases, the hijacked device can join a botnet the attacker uses for more malicious activities.
Related: Common Malware Entry Points and How to Eliminate Them
Malware’s Growth Pattern
According to the SonicWall 2024 Mid-Year Threat Report, , malware has surged by 30% compared to the same period last year. This increase highlights the ongoing growth in malware attacks.
The study also shows two key elements that will contribute to the alarming malware numbers in 2024. These are
- A 107% rise in IoT malware and
- a 92% spike in encrypted threats.
Notably, malware activity trended upward between March and May, with a sharp 92% increase in May alone.
2. Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks have advanced significantly. These carefully crafted digital messages trick individuals into clicking on harmful links that could download malware or reveal private information.
Hackers are becoming more sophisticated as employees in firms become more aware of email phishing and suspicious links. They now use machine learning to create and send fake messages more quickly.
The hackers do this in the hopes that recipients may unintentionally compromise the company’s networks and systems.
Through these attacks, hackers can access private databases without authorization and steal user logins, credit card information, and other private financial details.
3. Ransomware
Ransomware is malicious software that shuts down your computer or limits access to your stored data. It can steal, erase, encrypt your crucial files, lock the entire PC, or both. The attacker demands a ransom from the victim to recover access.
Some experts believe that cryptocurrencies have contributed to the rise of ransomware. This is because hackers use these platforms to receive their ransom payments anonymously.
Experts believe that hackers may turn their attention to other potentially profitable targets, such as high-net-worth individuals, while businesses work to strengthen their defenses against ransomware attacks.
The Rise of Ransomware
The statistics show that the ransomware is far from favorable. The significant increase in ransomware attacks, which have increased by 13% since 2021, is a prime example, according to Verizon’s Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR). This increase is higher than the overall growth seen during the previous five years.
Education services (6.1%), manufacturing (19.5%), and professional, scientific, and technological services (15.3%) were among the industries that were most extensively attacked.
Also, ransomware attackers usually target businesses with yearly sales of $50 to $60 million. And they target third-party vendors to extort client information.
4. Data Breaches
Data breaches occur when unauthorized people access private information from organizations or individuals.
Cyber attackers can use flaws in computer networks, software, or hardware to bypass security measures and steal confidential company data, financial records, or personal information.
These breaches can cause serious consequences, such as financial losses, reputational harm, and legal ramifications.
5. Social Engineering
Social engineering attacks have historically been one of the most expensive cyber security threats. Instead of using technological flaws to trick people into giving up critical information or enabling access to data, networks, etc., these deceitful approaches exploit human psychology.
Social engineering attacks can take on many shapes, from phishing and baiting to quid pro quo plans.
6. Insider Threats
Insider threats are people within a company, such as current or former employees, who pose a risk to it. These people directly access sensitive information, the company network, and intellectual property.
Also, they are familiar with corporate regulations, operational procedures, and other details that could assist in such an attack.
These people usually have malicious motives at their core. The person’s motivation can be to make money by selling private information on the dark web.
However, some threats are negligence, which could jeopardize the organization’s security.
7. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks
A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is a criminal act attempting to disrupt the normal traffic flow to a targeted server, service, or network.
The attack succeeds by saturating the target with excessive internet traffic and the infrastructure surrounding it. In other words, a DDoS attack is like an unforeseen traffic jam that blocks ordinary traffic from getting to where it needs to go on a highway.
The targeted system becomes overloaded with too much traffic, causing disturbances and making it inaccessible to authorized users. Computers and other networked resources like IoT devices can be among these exploited machines.
8. Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
Advanced persistent threats (APTs) are complex cyberattacks that last a long time in which an attacker sneaks into a network and steals private information.
APT attacks are carefully prepared to penetrate a particular business while cleverly evading detection and getting around installed security measures.
Besides using strong cyber security tools, physical security measures are also important for preventing unauthorized access to sensitive systems and networks. Securing server rooms, limiting access to network hardware, and installing surveillance systems can help strengthen defenses against advanced attacks.
Compared to traditional attacks, an APT strike requires more customization and knowledge. The attackers are typically well-resourced, highly-skilled cybercriminal teams concentrating on high-value targets.
They devote a lot of time and money to investigating the targeted organization’s weaknesses and identifying them.
9. Internet of Things (IoT) Attacks
The Internet of Things (IoT) links devices worldwide through the Internet. The IoT creates new opportunities for the media, technology, and telecommunications industries to create value by enabling sensors to gather, communicate, analyze, and respond to information.
The IoT’s internet connectivity comes with concerns despite the convenience it offers. As more people and companies use IoT devices, hackers can use these connections as entry points to steal personal information.
10. Cloud Vulnerabilities
Our reliance on cloud data storage is growing, and with it, the potential for a severe breach. Although cloud services are practical, they are open to many cyber security threats.
Even though many companies use cloud security technology, this doesn’t ensure total security. Some cloud vulnerabilities include insufficient encryption, access controls, and encryption.
How to Protect Yourself from Cyber Security Threats?
Now that you know the top 10 cyber security threats, use the following tips to protect yourself or your company.
1. Use Strong Passwords
Exposing one password could mean exposing every password if you use a single one for several or all of your online profiles.
Other than using different combinations, it would also be worth your while to change passwords regularly. Moreover, create more complex passwords with various characters instead of simple words or numbers.
If you find it difficult to memorize many different passwords, use a password manager that stores login information and gives you access to it with a master password.
Also Read: Stay Safe Online: The Best Ways to Store Passwords
2. Regular Software Updates
When your software or systems aren’t fully updated, cybercriminals can exploit these vulnerabilities to access your network. Unfortunately, taking immediate preventive action is usually challenging once they’ve infiltrated.
A patch management system is a wise investment to prevent this problem from happening again. This solution effectively manages all software and system upgrades and ensures that your system is reliable and upto date.
You can significantly increase your network security and lower your risk of being a victim of cyber assaults by remaining up-to-date with patches and upgrades.
3. Firewalls And Antivirus Software
Installing a firewall is one of the most efficient ways to protect your network from online threats. As a defensive line, a firewall system stops brute force attacks on your network and systems before they can do any damage.
Also read: How to Remove Virus and Other Malware from Windows
Also, running antivirus software protects your device by eliminating potential threats before they cause any damage. Choosing the best antivirus software doesn’t have to be difficult, even if you aren’t high-tech aware.
You can use Kaspersky, Bitdefender, and Norton to secure your data. You can also use Auslogics Anti-Malware to secure your device from malware attacks. It monitors every running program that accesses the Internet without your approval.
You can learn more about it here: Auslogics Anti-Malware: Features and Reviews
4. Employee Education and Training
Your employees are one of the main ways cybercriminals access your data. They frequently send fraudulent emails pretending to be from someone in your company and may ask for personal information or access to particular files.
Falling for these fraudulent emails is simple because they usually look genuine. That’s why it’s crucial to raise employee awareness.
Also, educating your staff about current risks and cyber attack prevention is crucial to protect against them and data breaches properly.
5. Backup and Recovery Plans
Even if backing up data isn’t a direct countermeasure to malware and other cyber security threats, it’s still good advice.
Having a copy of important files will give you peace of mind. You’ll know that if viruses delete your data, you can restore it from the backup.
You have a few options for backing up files but using cloud storage, or an external hard drive is usually the go-to method.
Also Read: The Ultimate Guide to Windows 10 Backup and Restore
6. Two-Factor Authentication
The effective security feature known as two-factor authentication further secures your online accounts. Before getting access, you must submit two kinds of identification: a password and a one-of-a-kind, time-sensitive code texted to your mobile device.
Enabling 2FA makes it much harder for cybercriminals to get unwanted access, even if your password is stolen.
Also Read: How to set up two-factor authentication?
7. Network Segmentation
Your network will be divided into more isolated, smaller portions through network segmentation. By doing this, even if a breach happens in one part, it won’t give attackers access to the entire network at once.
You can confine potential risks and prevent widespread damage by restricting lateral movement.
8. Data Encryption
Data encryption is crucial for protecting sensitive information. When you use encryption, your data becomes unreadable to unauthorized users and can only be unlocked with the right encryption key.
Data encryption ensures that even if data is intercepted, it remains secure and unreadable to malicious actors. You can use it to encrypt data at rest, in transit, and during Windows backups.
Also Read: How can I encrypt my files and folders in Windows 10?
9. Incident Response Plans
You can reduce the impact of cyberattacks by implementing a well-defined incident response plan. The steps that must be performed in the event of a security incident are outlined in this strategy, such as
- locating the breach,
- controlling it,
- eliminating the threat,
- recovering systems and data.
This plan is usually tested and updated to guarantee a quick and efficient reaction to any potential cyber incident.
10. Third-Party Risk Management
Many companies work together with independent contractors, suppliers, or service providers who could have access to private information. The cyber security risks posed by these third parties must be evaluated and managed.
Establish specific security requirements and routinely check for compliance to stop any vulnerabilities from hurting your company. For example, many companies outsource finance and accounting to optimize their expenses. This means that a whole virtual department will have access to the company’s sensitive information.
Future Cyber Security Threats
Future cyber security threats are expected to become increasingly sophisticated and challenging to defend against as technology evolves. One of the key trends is in cybercriminals using machine learning and artificial intelligence to execute more automated and targeted attacks.
For example, malware powered by AI may learn to evade established security measures and evolve to do so. This may make it more challenging to identify and counteract them.
Furthermore, IoT device adoption is rising, which gives hackers new access points. IoT devices that aren’t secure could be used to conduct massive botnet attacks or get access to networks.
Conclusion
The constantly changing world of cyber security threats shows numerous problems for individuals and companies. But you can take proactive measures to defend yourself by being aware of the top 10 cyber security risks discussed in this guide.
The cyber security threats are increasing because there were about 317.59 million ransomware attacks worldwide in 2023. And IoT networks have a higher vulnerability as companies adopt this technology.
So you can take crucial measures to protect yourself and your company, such as using strong passwords, updating software frequently, using firewalls and antivirus software, etc.
You can significantly lower your chance of falling victim to cyber security risks by practicing caution, being informed, and putting these measures into place.
