The FBI has reported that cybercrimes cost people more than $6.9B in 2021. That’s a $2B jump from 2020, according to their annual Internet Crime Report.
Today we see all types of cyberattacks with government organizations conducting vaccine research and managing COVID-19. For these targets, the result is negative publicity and reputational harm. When panic is about and emotions are running high, hackers see this as a prime time to attack you.
As an individual or a part of a larger corporation, what can you do to protect yourself? Read our guide below to learn what types of cyber security attacks to be aware of.
Malware
Malware stands for malicious software. The intent of the software, program, or code is to harm a computer, network, or server.
This is one of the most common types of cyberattacks out there and is often used as an umbrella term for other attacks such as ransomware, trojans, spyware, cryptojacking, viruses, worms, keyloggers, and bots.
Ransomware
A ransomware attack is a type of malware that will lock out a user to their system until payment (ransom) is met. These types of cyberattacks aim to exploit vulnerabilities in the system while gaining access to the network.
Hackers will block access to hard drives or encrypt files. Payment is typically demanded with private cryptocurrency.
Phishing
A hacker will try to phish sensitive information such as your password, PIN, or account numbers from you using social engineering techniques. This is done through e-mail, texting, phone calls, and social media.
Examples of this include impersonating a doctor, government organization, or courier. If something feels “phishy” it most likely is—do not be fooled.
DoS and DDOS
A DoS (Denial-of-Service) attack will flood a network with false requests with the purpose of disrupting business operations. When these types of cyberattacks occur, users won’t be able to do routine things like e-mail, accessing sites, or private accounts.
Head here to see what you can do to prevent this from happening to your company or organization.
Cryptojacking
Cryptojacking is one of the new emerging types of cyberattacks. How it works is when a hacker gains access to a person or organization’s computers to mine cryptocurrency.
The hacker will gain access to the computers by getting them to install malware with a phishing attack. This can also happen when the victim visits a site and there is a snippet of code inserted to mine the cryptocurrency. As cryptocurrencies rise in popularity and value, cryptojacking is something to be aware of in the future.
Be Cautious of the Different Types of Cyberattacks
Whenever you go online, you are vulnerable to these types of cyberattacks. By understanding how hackers and bad actors think, you can better protect yourself, your loved ones, and your employees.
Hopefully, you enjoyed this article about the different types of cyberattacks. As technology changes, you will need to keep up. That’s why we highly encourage you to check out our other blog posts to learn more on the subject.
