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Into the Abyss: Navigating the World of Cyber Threats

“The best way to stay safe online is to assume that every link is a phishing attack, every email is a scam, and every phone call is a social engineering attempt.” – Unknown

Contents

Introduction

Cyberattacks are getting more frequent and complex as technology develops. These assaults can be expensive, resulting in data loss, identity theft, and financial harm.  I will talk about some of the most common cyberattacks in this blog. Cyberattacks are a serious worry for both individuals and corporations. Cyberattacks are a genuine concern, but you can protect yourself from being a victim by being aware of how they work.

Phishing

Phishing is the practice of tricking someone into divulging confidential information via email, internet, and other channels. Money, personal information, and even identities can be stolen through phishing. Although phishing is frequently employed by cybercriminals to access your computer or phone, it is well recognized that it doesn’t always lead to success. The majority of victims aren’t really compensated but instead waste their time (and possibly money).

Even though most people are now more aware of this form of attack, phishing attacks are still highly popular since they are so effective. This is largely because many victims don’t realize what is going on behind their backs until after they have already been taken advantage of.

Malware

Malware is a type of software that is capable of stealing information, spreading viruses, and causing other types of damage. Malware can be concealed in a file, website, or email. It is also detectable by antivirus software and spyware (software used to steal personal information).

Denial of Service

A type of cyberattack is a denial of service (DoS) attack. They are used to flood a website with traffic in order to make it unavailable to its users.

DDoS attacks can be carried out using malware, which is software designed to attack computers or networks and disrupt their normal operation, usually without the permission of the computers or networks’ owners. Malware may also use other methods, such as sending spam messages, to prevent legitimate users from accessing a networked resource, such as an online bank account or even your personal email address.

Man-in-the-middle

Man-in-the-middle (MitM) cyberattacks involve a third-party intercepting and altering your data before it reaches its intended destination. This attack could also be conducted by an infected app on your phone or computer, as well as by hardware devices such as modems and routers.

When you connect to an insecure Wi-Fi network that is not encrypted by default, you may be subject to a MitM attack. This means that any data passing through the connection is vulnerable to interception by anyone else who happens to be on the same network as you—and even if they aren’t actively eavesdropping on every single packet passing through their device, there’s nothing stopping them from intercepting those packets later on down the line when they need access.

Password attacks

Password attacks are the most common type of cyberattack. They are a form of social engineering where an attacker uses trickery to gain access to a computer, network or account.

  • Phishing occurs when an email is sent with links or attachments that appear legitimate but take you somewhere else (i.e., another website). These emails may request personal information from you, such as your bank account number or Social Security number, and then seek this information from you by asking questions like “How much money do you make?” If someone asks these questions in an email and provides what appear to be legitimate credentials, they may be able to steal data from your device or even access sensitive information stored on its hard drive. Federal Trade Commission (2019) WEBROOT (2019)

Social engineering

Social engineering is a type of attack in which people are duped into doing something they would not normally do.

Social engineering attacks are frequently used in phishing, malware, and password attacks. To obtain information from executives at large corporations and governments, social engineers employ a variety of techniques. “Spear-phishing” and “whaling” are two examples. Whaling involves sending emails with links or attachments that appear legitimate but hold malicious code; spear-phishing involves sending emails with links or attachments that point directly to the malicious website. Dumpster diving is the practice of searching through trash cans in public places such as parks or sidewalks for personal information such as credit card numbers.

SQL Injection Attack

SQL injection attacks are a type of attack that takes advantage of flaws in the code that is used to access databases. They can be used to steal data or cause database damage. SQL injection attacks can also be used to circumvent security measures and gain access to a database that is inaccessible.

SQL injection attacks on servers running Microsoft Windows NT/2000/XP are frequently used in conjunction with other types of cyberattacks, such as XSS (cross-site scripting) vulnerabilities and NTLM password brute-force attacks.

Conclusion

Cyberattacks are a growing global threat, and we must all be aware of how they affect our lives. The next time you go online, keep in mind that many different types of cyberattacks occur on a daily basis. When using public computers or internet services, be cautious, and remember that there are safety tips available if you’re not sure what type of attack might occur at any given time.

References

Rachel

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