What is a Cyber Attack and in Which Form Does It Exist | Antivirus

What is a Cyber Attack?

The simplest way to define what a cyber attack is is the deliberate exploitation of technology-dependent computer systems, companies, and networks. These attacks use malicious code to alter the logic or data on your computer, leading to harmful consequences that can compromise information and lead to cybercrimes, such as identity theft.

At the more technically complex extreme, cyberattacks can involve a tight-knit team of elite hackers working under the mandate of a nation-state. Its intention is to create programs that take advantage of previously unknown flaws in the software. Thus, they manage to filter confidential data, damage key infrastructure, or develop a basis for future attacks.

The most dangerous hacking groups are known as " advanced persistent threats " (APT). But not all cyber attacks involve high-level technical skills or state-sponsored actors. At the opposite end of the scale are hacks that take advantage of long-established security bugs, ambiguities in user interfaces, and even good old-fashioned human oversight.

Many hackers are opportunists, targeting not the most valuable targets, but the least defended ones, such as computers with no security updates installed or users clicking on malicious links.

What Types of Cyber Attacks Exist

What is a cyber attack that has been defined, but what types are there? The reality is that no two are exactly alike. However, there are similar strategies and tactics that are used because they have proven their effectiveness over time. When a criminal tries to hack into an organization, they will not create a new way of doing it, unless it is absolutely necessary. They typically use a common arsenal of attacks known to be highly effective. Here is an overview of some of the most common types seen today.

Malware

Malware refers to various forms of harmful software, such as viruses and ransomware. Once it enters the computer, it can cause all kinds of havoc, from taking control of the machine and monitoring actions and keystrokes, to silently sending all kinds of sensitive data to the attacker's home base.

It is one of the best known to the general public and comes in such common ways as an antivirus alert on the screen or after mistakenly clicking on a malicious email attachment. It is very effective and attackers often use it to break into the computers of individual users and offices.

Although there are several methods to introduce this attack on a computer, at some point it requires the user to take any action to install the malware.

Phishing

It is also known as identity theft, as it is usually the main route they use. To combat these types of attacks, it is essential to understand the importance of verifying email senders and attachments and links.

Attackers know that a user will most likely not randomly open an attachment or click on a link in any email. Therefore, they often pretend to be someone or something else to get the desired action to take place. As they rely on human curiosity and urges, these attacks are difficult to stop.

SQL Injection Attack

SQL is a structured query programming language used to communicate with databases. Many of the servers that store critical information for websites and services use it.

An SQL injection attack specifically targets this type of server, using malicious code to extract its information. This is especially problematic if the storage includes private customer data such as credit card numbers, user names, and passwords.

Cross-site Scripting (XSS)

Unlike the SQL attack, this type persecutes the user and not the server. It involves the injection of malicious code into a website, which is executed in the user's browser when they access it.

One of the most common ways to implement this type of cross-site attack is by injecting malicious code into a comment or script that can be run automatically.

The attacks scripting Cross-site can significantly damage the reputation of a website to jeopardize the users ' information without any indication that something malicious has occurred.

Denial of Service (DOS)

It consists of saturating a website with traffic, overloading its server so that it is impossible to publish its content to visitors. Although this can happen because the link in a newsletter has been broken, it is often caused for malicious purposes.

In some cases, these DoS attacks are carried out by many computers at the same time. They are very difficult to overcome because the attacker appears simultaneously from different IP addresses around the world, which makes determining the origin even more difficult.

Conclusion

Knowing what a cyber attack is is not always enough to avoid them. Hackers seem to be one step ahead, so companies are forced to take all the measures they can. If the necessary ones are not taken, the attackers are on the lookout to try to steal money, information and even disrupt a business.

Most cyberattacks can be prevented or detected with basic security practices. Being diligent about cybersecurity in the workplace and at home can make a big difference.