Top 9 Internet Security Threats You Should Know
The Internet is an amazing tool for communication, information, and entertainment. But it also poses some serious risks to your computer and your privacy. Internet security threats are common today and can be devastating if you don’t take steps to protect yourself. Here are 10 of the most dangerous threats you should know about:
Malware
Malware is a general term for malicious software, such as viruses and spyware. These programs can damage your computer or steal personal information. They often arrive on your computer through email attachments, downloads from untrusted websites, and other sources.
Here are the simple tips to protect your device from malware:
- Never click on links in emails you weren’t expecting
- Don’t open attachments unless you know who sent them
- Never download pirated software or illegal copies of copyrighted songs, videos, or games
- Avoid downloading files from peer-to-peer networks
Ransomware
It is a form of malware that locks your computer and demands payment. The most common type of ransomware is CryptoLocker, which encrypts all your files and demands a ransom in exchange for a key to unlock them. Ransomware can also hold your data hostage by locking you out of your device until you pay up.
You can prevent ransomware from infecting your computer by following these tips:
- Regularly update your operating system, antivirus software, and other software.
- Make sure they have the latest security patches installed at all times.
- Use strong passwords with at least 12 characters, mixing letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Don’t open attachments or click on links in emails from unknown senders
Phishing
Phishing is a form of online fraud in which you’re tricked into providing personal information, such as passwords and credit card details. It’s often done via email but can also be done via websites or social media. Phishing emails trick you into clicking on a link or attachment that could install malware onto your computer and expose your data to cybercriminals.
Social Engineering Attacks
They are a form of psychological manipulation that can be used to gain access to your personal information. They often take advantage of human nature and vulnerabilities in how we think. Cybercriminals can use social engineering attacks to trick you into revealing your passwords or credit card numbers or even install malware on your computer.
Adware & Spyware
Malicious software tracks your activity online, often without your knowledge. It gets installed on your device by clicking on a link in an email or text, visiting an infected website, or downloading free software from the Internet. Once installed, it will run silently in the background collecting information about you and sending this back to the attacker.
Botnets/Spambots
Moreover, a botnet, or a computer network infected with malicious software controlled by an attacker. Spambots are programs that automatically send out large amounts of unsolicited emails, usually as advertisements or phishing attempts.
Also, CASB is one of the important enterprise security that allows businesses to use the cloud safely while securing sensitive corporate data.
Zero-day Attacks
A zero-day attack exploits a security vulnerability (or ‘hole’) that occurs before the software developer has had time to learn about and patch it. Your device is vulnerable to attack until you install any available updates.
Web Application Vulnerabilities
Web application vulnerabilities are weaknesses in the design, coding, and configurations of a website or web application that hackers can exploit to gain unauthorized access to data.
DDoS AttackS
A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is a method for hackers to flood your website or server with traffic so that it becomes unavailable to legitimate users. Moreover, DDoS attacks have the ability to get into the device from a single source (known as a “botnet”). In addition, multiple sources, or thousands of sources worldwide.
The Bottom Line
Lastly, the bottom line is that cybercriminals are getting smarter, more sophisticated, and more aggressive daily. If you’re not taking the right precautions to protect your data. In conclusion, you could be putting your company at risk of a devastating data breach.
