Common forms of cyber attacks
What is a cyber attack? Knowing your enemy is a step towards protecting yourself. Some of the most common cyber attacks include:
Malware attacks
Malware is the most common type of cyber attack. Especially since the term includes many other attacks such as ransomware, trojans, spyware, viruses, worms, keyloggers, bots, cryptojacking, and other types of malware attacks that use malicious software. Here we look at the most common forms of ransomware, trojans, and worms.
– Ransomware holds the victim’s system hostage until the victim agrees to pay the attacker a ransom. Once payment is made, the attacker provides instructions on how the victim can regain control of their computer. This malware demands a ransom from the victim, hence the name “ransomware”.
– A Trojan is malware that looks like legitimate software and disguises itself as a harmless file, such as a native operating system program or a free download. Trojans are installed through social engineering techniques, such as phishing or decoy websites. For example, the Qbot Trojan has additional functionality to steal passwords, emails, and credit card details. It is usually spread through spam emails. To complicate analysis and avoid detection, various techniques such as anti-VM, anti-debugging, and anti-sandboxing are used.
– A worm is a self-contained program that replicates itself and distributes its copies to other computers. Worms can infect targets through software vulnerabilities or through phishing and smishing. Once embedded, the worm may modify or delete files, introduce additional malware, or replicate until the target system’s resources are exhausted.
Phishing and smishing scams
Phishing uses social engineering to trick users through seemingly trustworthy emails or websites into clicking dangerous links that install malware on their devices. Similar attacks include vishing and smishing, in which hackers use fraudulent phone calls, voicemails, and text messages to obtain personal information about victims.
Man-in-the-middle attacks
A “man-in-the-middle” attack is so named because the attacker places himself “in the middle,” between two parties who want to communicate with each other. In effect, the attacker monitors the exchange between the two parties. Both parties feel like they are communicating normally, but the attacker in the middle can tamper with or access messages before they reach their target.
Zero-day attacks
A zero-day attack occurs when a security hole or previously undetected flaw in an application or operating system leaves a security hole that software developers are unaware of and therefore have no defenses or patches for, and can be exploited in a cyberattack i.e You only had “Day Zero” to prepare an effective response.
Nobody said it was easy to protect yourself, your devices, and your data from those who would do you harm. Understanding the various threats, where you are at risk, and how to protect yourself can be confusing.
But it doesn’t have to be that difficult. In this series of articles, we’ll explain some of the most common cyber attacks to expect, and show you how to install a more secure home network, protect your smart home devices, protect your data from theft, and answer long-standing threats: questions like whether you need antivirus protection, how to create a strong password, and what steps you can take to avoid cyber attacks.
Cybersecurity 101
We have learned to live with cyber attacks as their number has grown exponentially over the years. Now, the question is not “if” but “when” our devices will be hacked and data will be lost.
Unfortunately, anyone can become a victim of a cyber attack. Whether you are an individual user, a business, a charity, or even a government agency, cyber attacks that identify and exploit vulnerabilities in the devices, computers, or networks of unsuspecting or careless users can give cybercriminals unauthorized access to personal or organizational assets, including the acquisition of data to carry out petty theft or acts of war.
