Since we are continually connected to the internet, we constantly worry about losing our data. Cyber attacks carried out by hackers, or online con artists may be terrible for any person or business.

With the development of network-based ransomware worms, some more sophisticated attacks can be executed automatically. You might not know how to avoid them if you don’t fully understand them.

What is a cyber attack?

A deliberate and hostile attempt to disrupt the system of another organization or individual is called a cyber attack. The attacker’s goals may be information theft, financial gain, espionage, or sabotage.

14 common types of cyber threats to prevent them

Cyberattacks have increased in recent years as the industry has increasingly digitized. If you are concerned about cyber security, you need to be well-versed in the following types of cyber threats.

●     DNS Spoofing

A type of computer security hacking is DNS spoofing. When information is added to the cache of a DNS resolver, the name server responds with an incorrect IP address, routing traffic to the attackers or any other machine.

Attacks using DNS spoofing can go undetected for a long time, resulting in significant security risks.

 

●     Malware

One of the most typical kinds of cyberattacks is this one. Malicious software viruses such as worms, spyware, Ransomware, adware, and trojan horses are referred to as “malware.”

The trojan infection poses as trustworthy software.

Spyware is software that secretly steals your private information, whereas Ransomware locks down access to the network’s essential parts. Adware is software that shows banner ads and other commercial information on a user’s screen.

Malware enters a network by exploiting a weakness. When a user visits a risky link, downloads an email attachment, or uses a pen drive that has been infected.

●     Viruses

Applications that are infected by these attach themselves to the initialization process. As the virus multiplies, it infects other computer codes.

Viruses can also attach themselves to files by creating virus files with .exe extensions that act as fake files and contain the virus.

●     Phishing Attacks

When a hostile actor sends emails that appear to be from reliable, trustworthy sources in an effort to trick the target into divulging critical information, this is known as a phishing attack.

Phishing attacks, which mix social engineering and technology, get their name because the attacker is essential “fishing” for access to a restricted area using the “bait” of an apparent reliable sender.

To carry out the attack, the malicious party may send a link that directs you to a website where you are subsequently tricked into downloading malware like viruses or providing the attacker with your data.

 

●     Man in the Middle

Hackers inserting themselves into a two-party transaction results in man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks. Cisco asserts that it can filter and gather data when the transmission is interfered with.

MITM attacks are common when visitors connect to an unprotected public Wi-Fi network. Before deploying malware to install dangerous software and access data, attackers block access to the visitor and the network.

●     SQL Injection Attack

Basically, SQL, or Structured Query Language, is a database communication programming language. SQL is frequently used to handle data in databases on servers that store critical data for websites and services.

A SQL injection attack is launched against this type of server to trick it into releasing information it would not normally expose. It is extremely dangerous if the server saves sensitive user data from the website, such as credit card numbers, usernames, passwords (credentials), or other personally identifiable information, which hackers perceive as profitable and tempting targets.

●     Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack

When a server is the target of a DDoS attack, the attacker effectively floods it with traffic in an effort to disrupt and possibly even bring it down.

The most advanced firewalls can recognize and respond to classic denial-of-service attacks, but a DDoS attack can use several compromised devices to flood the target with traffic.

●     DNS Tunneling

The use of DNS tunneling has a lot of solid explanations. However, it is also possible to use DNS Tunneling VPN services for illegal activities. By masking outgoing traffic as DNS, they can be used to hide data that is typically shared through an internet connection.

DNS queries are tampered with intentionally to exfiltrate data from a hacked system to the attacker’s infrastructure. Additionally, it can be used for command and control callbacks from the attacker’s infrastructure to a compromised system.

 

●     Brute Force

It is an attacking style that relies on trial and error. In order to obtain actual data, such as a user password and personal identification number, this technique creates a huge number of guesses and then validates them.

Security experts may use this technique to evaluate a company’s network security, while criminals may use it to decrypt encrypted data.

●     Zero-day Exploits and Attacks

Cybersecurity flaws known as zero-day exploits exist in a network or software without the manufacturer’s awareness. For instance, Apple can unintentionally include a means for hackers to steal your iCloud data in a new update of iOS.

The attacked company has “zero days” to patch the problem after they become aware of it because they are already exposed.

When hackers get access to a system using those flaws to steal data or inflict harm, it is known as a zero-day attack.

●     Watering Hole Attacks

A hacker may employ a watering hole attack to infect a website or create a malicious replica of a page that users in a certain user group are likely to view. Attackers always profile their targets in order to learn which websites they prefer to use because this method targets a specific demographic of end users.

When a target interacts with a malicious website, the attacker can perform destructive actions (stealing login credentials, injecting malware, accessing network infrastructure, installing remote commands, etc.).

The malware may even be concealed in a file the user knowingly downloads from the website because they trust it. A remote access Trojan embedded in the malware frequently grants the attacker remote access to the target’s system.

●     URL Manipulation

If an attacker modifies URL parameters to redirect the victim to another website, this is known as URL manipulation (or URL rewriting). The victim is usually taken to a phishing or malware-infected page via this trick, which commonly uses a malicious script.

URL poisoning isn’t URL manipulation (also known as location poisoning). By including an ID number in the URL line whenever a person visits a specific website, a URL can be “poisoned” to track online activity. The visitor’s surfing history is then tracked by hackers using the ID.

 

●     Social Engineering

Social engineering is the practice of tricking and controlling victims in order to get information from them or access their computers.

This is accomplished by deceiving people into clicking dangerous links or physically breaking into a computer.

●     Software Supply Chain Attacks

A cyberattack on a company that targets the gaps in its reliable software update and supply chain is known as a software supply chain attack. The network of all people, businesses, resources, tasks, activities and technological advancements involved in producing and distributing a good is known as a supply chain.

A software supply chain attack takes advantage of businesses’ faith in their outside vendors, particularly concerning updates and patching.

Bottom line

Finally, we sincerely hope that it has helped you better understand the different forms of cyber security dangers. You will meet more new cyber threats as technology develops.

Thus you must stay informed on the latest risks in order to deal with them and protect yourself from unauthorized hackers.