Mile2 Cybersecurity Certifications

Cybersecurity Certifications

Cybersecurity in the Workplace:

Cybersecurity is Everyone's Responsibility

A cyber-attack is harmful to anyone who is affected by it, however, businesses are often more of a target.
Mile2 Cyber Security Certification

Why's and What's of Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility. In their home environments, schools, and especially in the workplace. Since the force to go online, many small businesses and large corporations run most of their operations through technology. With that, however, comes the dangers of cybercrime. A cyber-attack is harmful to anyone who is affected by it, however, businesses are often more of a target. Cyberattacks on organizations can cause not only the loss of data, but also the loss of personal information, financial information, and credit information. This can lead to a substantial loss for the company. This is an increasing problem as our society has moved strictly online. In fact, up to 50% of all small and larger businesses reported suffering at least one cyberattack in 2021. In addition, it was reported that at the end of 2021, a business would fall victim to an attack every 11 seconds. Cyberattacks are both dangerous and frequent. However, if proper measures are taken to ensure a robust cyber security environment, than these attacks can  be prevented. There are several types of cyber-attacks. In the previous article we covered malware, the different types of malware, and phishing. Here is a quick refresher.

 

Malware

Malware, otherwise known as malicious software, is an intrusive software. It is designed to damage or even destroy computers and their systems. Malware basically refers to any intrusive software developed by cybercriminals. Viruses, worms, spyware, and ransomware are all forms of malware.

 

Phishing

A phishing attack occurs when the attacker tries to trick an unsuspecting victim into handing over sensitive information like passwords, credit cards details, ect. Phishing attacks often arrive in the form of an email. These emails will disguise themselves as a legitimate organization such as your bank or another trusted unit.

An organization should always keep an eye out for these threats because they are just as common as any other type of cyberattack. In fact, many businesses face ransomware attacks above all else. However, there are also other types of cyber-attacks that would strictly affect organizations.

many businesses face ransomware attacks above all else

1. Network Intrusion

Intrusion refers to any unauthorized activity on your network which can cause faults or cracks in your security. Intrusions often present themselves as unusual behavior, but not abnormal behavior which means they can be difficult to detect.
Mile2 Cyber Security Certification

2. Insider Threats

Insider threats occur when someone close to an organization, who has authorized access, compromises a company’s data. Insiders do not have to be employees, they can be partners, third-part vendors, and even contractors.

3. DDOS Attacks

DDoS which stands for a Distributed denial of service, is an attack in which criminals attempt to disrupt the normal traffic on a network or server. This can be done by overwhelming the target’s infrastructure with a flood of internet traffic. It is similar to when a traffic jam backs up the highway and prevents normal traffic from arriving at its destination.

4. Data Exfiltration

This is a type of cyber-attack that affects an organization but occurs outside an organization. Malicious cybercriminals who have gained access to company systems will carry out the attack. These attacks can be executed in many different ways.

Steps Business Can Take

The threats do not stop there, but these were the most common types of attacks to occur in 2021. Cybercrime is on the rise and has been since the rapid switch to living life online. These were some of the largest cyber-attacks in 2021.
In May of 2021, a Russian hacking group known as DarkSide targeted a German-based distribution company called Brenntag. The cybercriminals stone 150 gigabytes of data and demanded a ransom of $7.5 million in bitcoin. The data they stole all included personal information and credentials.
Also in May of 2021, a hackers group known as REvil attacked the Taiwanese computer company, Acer. The compromised data included sensitive financial documents and spreadsheets. The hackers demanded $50 million as the ransom fee.
This same hackers group also attacked Kaseya, a Florida-based company that manages IT infrastructure for big companies worldwide. The group sent out a fake software update that gave them access to Kaseya’s clients and customers. This attack affected one million systems and 1,000 businesses. Fortunately, the FBI was able to gain access to the hacker’s servers and retrieve the encrypted data since the group demanded $70 million in bitcoin.
These are just some of the major cyber-attacks that occurred in 2021. There were many other smaller attacks that affected organizations just the same. With all that being said, there are things you can do to protect yourself and your organization from cyber-attacks.

1. Educate Your Employees

It is essential to ensure that the culture of a company promotes safety. The employees should be made aware of the existing threats and how they can be prevented. Training in security awareness can be the difference between life and death for an organization. Workers should know how to both identify and avoid an attack. The sooner an attack is caught, the lower the chance of significant losses. 

2. Secure Your Networks and Databases

It is essential to ensure that the culture of a company promotes safety. The employees should be made aware of the existing threats and how they can be prevented. Training in security awareness can be the difference between life and death for an organization. Workers should know how to both identify and avoid an attack. The sooner an attack is caught, the lower the chance of significant losses. 

3. Create Security Policies and Practices

Establish practices and polices within your company that can help employees understand what to watch out for and what to do if they find something unusual. Ignoring a cyber-threat is the main cause for these major cyber-attacks and losses in millions of dollars. Overall, cybercrime is on the rise. Since the dramatic switch to online life, we’ve been trying to adjust. However, even with the rise in cybercrime, there are several steps you can take to ensure that your company and your employees are protected.

SUPPORT

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