Our lifestyles have mostly changed by the pandemic – all the work we do differently like shopping, travelling and official duties etc. as the beginning of the year. Now we spend more time online and this has unfortunately made us all more susceptible to cybercriminals. This time security has become intrinsic to our daily lives.
Hackers use very sophisticated methods, to make things more complexive. Every industry and businesses has fear of falling corporate data into the wrong hands or they’ll soon suffer the consequences. Even though consumers are not updating their security habits even the cyber attack cases are increasing.
Microsoft 365 (M365) and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) involvement incidents upticked by Mandiant. This is the result of a phishing email pushing the user to enter the credentials used for accessing M365 into a phishing site. Password spraying, password stuffing is also used in other incidents against M365 tenants. Most of these incidents, the user’s account was not protected by multi factor authentication(MFA).
Cyber Security mainly has four types – Network security, Application security, Information security, Operational security.
Mostly attacks experienced by medical services, retailers and public entities by malicious criminals accountable for most incidents. These sectors are mostly appealing to cybercriminals because they collect financial and medical data and all who use networks are targeted for customer data, corporate espionage, or customer attacks.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has created a cyber-security framework in the U.S. To minimise the exposure of malicious code and help in early detection, it recommends regularly, real-time observation or monitoring of all electronic resources.
Cyber-threats Types
Cyber-security countered the threats are of three folds:
1. Cybercrime:- Single actors or groups for financial gain or to cause disruption targeting systems.
2. Cyber-attack:- It involves politically motivated information gathering.
3. Cyberterrorism :- To cause panic and fear by undermining electronic systems.
Malware
Malware is a dangerous software. Malware is a very common cyber threat, malware is a software to damage or disrupt a legitimate user’s computer which was created by hackers or cybercriminals. Unsolicited email attachment or legitimate-looking download are basic ways to spread malware used by cybercriminals to make money or in politically motivated cyber-attacks.
There are many different types of malware as:
Virus: To clean files a self-replicating program that attaches itself within.
Trojans: A malicious software which looks like legitimate software is trojans. Cybercriminals where cause damage or collect data they upload Trojans to trick users.
Spyware: It is a program which secretly records user’s activity, so the cybercriminals make use of that information. As credit card details captured by spyware.
Ransomware: It locks down user’s files and data by malware and sends the threat of erasing it unless a ransom is paid.
Adware: It is a software used for advertising to spread malware.
Botnets: By it cybercriminals use to perform tasks online without the user’s permission.
For cyber security the tips are:- Update your software and operating system, Use anti-virus software, Use strong passwords, Do not open email attachments from unknown senders, Do not click on links in emails from unknown senders or unfamiliar websites, Avoid using unsecured WiFi networks in public places.