How Can Cybercrimes Be Prevented?

Cybercrime represents quite a risk to each kind of individual and business entity present. To companies, state bodies, state authorities, individuals, and institutions around the world, cybercrime is a credible threat. Research explains that cybercrime attempts rose by 50% during 2021 in comparison to 2020.

Cybercrimes do cause financial losses. There are fewer tangible costs for businesses (damage to reputation, loss of trust and business, etc.). It is easy to take cybercrime for granted as it is commonly perceived that only large companies face it. In fact, everyone faces it, and even small-sized businesses face it too. In short, there are too many cyber threats to ignore.

A cyber attack – what is it?

A cyber attack is an attempt by cybercriminals and cyber attackers to steal data, disable computer systems and networks, or use a breached computer system for conducting further attacks. Cyber attacks in recent years have become more sophisticated in recent years. This is why preventing these attacks from happening is key for each individual and entity present.

What are cybercrimes based on?

Cybercrimes are based on the effective exploitation of vulnerabilities. Security teams face a disadvantage because they need to protect all online entry points whereas attackers only need to attack only one weakness, loophole, or vulnerability. This imbalance gives attackers an advantage.

It indicates that even large organizations are often struggling to prevent cybercriminals from accessing their networks.

The primary preferred weapon of cybercriminals?

Cybercriminals can use any device connected to the internet as a weapon, as a target, or as both. It means that both individuals and businesses of all sizes are at risk. They even tend to deploy very easy and least sophisticated cybersecurity measures, which results in small and medium-sized businesses being at a greater risk of a cyber attack. Though they do not look like obvious targets.
Small and medium-sized businesses are usually working as third-party outfits and suppliers to large companies. It indicates that an individual password thief enters a small company’s systems which causes the whole chain to be compromised.

The different kinds of cybersecurity attacks happening

Here are some kinds of common cybersecurity attacks as identified by experts providing the best DDoS protection services in London and Coventry, United Kingdom:

Malware – the most malicious of them all

Malicious software is colloquially referred to as malware. It is a series of intrusive programs which are made to exploit devices at the user’s expense. The attacker benefits from the usage of malware. There are different kinds of malware but all of them use techniques designed to fool both users and security teams. They even fool the cyber security mechanisms and evade them.

Malware can evade and spoof cyber security measures on both devices and systems covertly without any permission. Here are some common types of malware:

• Ransomware: It is basically software for extortion. Victims’ computers are locked out and the ones who send ransomware demand a good amount for releasing the computer system and its data and information.
• Trojans: Trojans are another form of malware that is concealed as attachments in either an email or a free-to-download file. It is eventually transferred to the users’ device once the files are either downloaded or executed. They are capable of stealing sensitive data and information like credentials, payment information, and the like.
• Spyware: This software enables attackers to obtain covert information about the activities of another computer system. It transmits data in a covert manner from that system’s hard drive to other places. Spyware also works as a key logger and can also take screenshots of sensitive data.

Distributed Denial-of-Service attacks (DDoS) – the most sinister form of cyber attack to ever happen today

A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack utilizes many compromised computer devices and systems for attacking a target or two. A website, a server, or another network resource, is targeted.
The outcome? A denial of service to users using the resource being targeted.

A large volume of incoming messages, connection requests, or malformed packets are directed to the target. This forces the target to either slow down or crash. This hence denies service to legitimate users and systems.

Phishing attack – usually fishy

A form of fraud where attackers disguise themselves as a well-known company or entity (a bank, gym, or a person). It uses email and other digital communication methods for distributing malicious attachments or links. This tricks unsuspecting victims into providing attackers with valuable information, such as financial details, identity information, usernames, passwords, and the like.