Cyber Warfare and How to Reduce the Risk of Cyber Attacks

Cyberattacks on businesses have been happening on a daily basis for decades. These attacks have increased in frequency and aggressiveness of late as cybercriminals utilize more sophisticated technology; this has translated to millions of dollars in damages. 

Cyberattacks happen mainly because people try to benefit (albeit illegally) from vulnerable business systems. Small businesses are not exempt from these attacks and are in fact even easier to target. Many small businesses do not have an internet security policy in place for their employees. Oftentimes, small business owners do not have a team that could test if their IT and business phone systems are hacker-proof and do not have their data backed up in more than one location. 

Studies show that 60 percent of small businesses victimized by a cyber attack are more likely to shut down permanently within six months of the attack.

Let’s look into the most common types of cyberattacks.

Different types of cyberattacks

Organizations are likely to encounter these attacks at some point:

• Phishing. Cybercriminals send fraudulent emails that appear as if they were sent by a reputable source. Its goal is to steal sensitive data like credit card numbers or login credentials.
• Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack. Also known as an eavesdropping attack, this happens when attackers insert themselves into a two-party transaction. On an unsecured public Wi-Fi network, attackers can be in between a visitor’s device and the network. The visitor unknowingly passes all information through the attacker.
• Denial-of-service attack. Systems, servers, or networks are bombarded with traffic to exhaust resources and bandwidth. Systems are unable to fulfill legitimate requests as a result.
• SQL injection.  An attacker inserts malicious code into a server that uses Structured Query Language (SQL) and forces the server to reveal information it normally would not.
• Zero-day exploit. Cybercriminals take advantage of the window between the announcement of a network vulnerability and before a solution is implemented to attack the system.

Questions to consider when mapping out a cybersecurity plan

These questions can help determine your organization’s cybersecurity requirements.

• What are your biggest security concerns and does the staff have the budget and expertise to address them?
• Have you recently done any type of security review on your people, processes, or technology?
• How is data being managed, classified, and tracked?
• What is in place to track any compliance requirements?
• Have you adopted any cloud-based applications and if so, do you know what risks that has created?
• Does your organization limit information system access to authorized users, processes, or devices?
• Do you have a contingency plan in case of an emergency or disaster?
• Do you limit physical access to systems, equipment, and operating environments to only authorized individuals?

Protect your organization from cyberattacks

Nashville-based business phone system provider Pivotel Networks shares some steps on how organizations, regardless of size, can reduce the risk of cyberattacks.

• Train employees on cybersecurity basics. Have safety protocols in place.
• Install, use, and regularly update antivirus and antispyware software.
• Use a firewall to monitor incoming and outgoing network traffic.
• Download and install software updates for your operating systems and applications as they become available.
• Backup data in different locations.
• Regulate access to computers and network facilities within your organization.
• Secure Wi-Fi networks.
• Set up individual user accounts for each employed and mandate that passwords be changed regularly.
• Limit employee access to data and information, as well as software installation rights.
• Conduct regular risk assessments as cyber threats evolve rapidly.

Based in Nashville and serving Middle Tennessee, business phone systems expert Pivotel Networks strives to be your advocate and ally in an ever-changing world of telecommunications and technology. Call (615) 499-7900 for more information.