What are the most common security threats today?

The most common cyber threats every business should look out for.

A single data breach can shatter a business. From stolen data to operational chaos, cyber attacks are no longer just IT’s problem. As cybercriminals grow more creative and sophisticated, everyone’s on the front line

Understanding how cyber criminals work is important for staying one step ahead of them. And right now, when there’s more focus on the digital world than ever before, small business leaders can take the opportunity to learn more about the most common cyber threats. This article outlines the most common types of cyber attack, the damage they can cause and what you can do to protect your business

What are the biggest threats right now?

1. Malware and Ransomware

Malware is a catch-all term for software designed to corrupt data, hijack systems, or create back doors for future attacks, including viruses, worms, Trojans, and spyware. Malware can sneak into your network through infected attachments, websites, or compromised software. It can cause havoc by damaging files, stealing data, or locking you out of your systems.

One of the most devastating types of cyber attack involves cybercriminals encrypting your data and demanding a ransom for its release. The impossible choice is to pay up and hope they restore the data or lose it permanently. Either way, ransomware can bring your business to a standstill.

2. Phishing

Phishing attacks are highly deceptive. With phishing attacks, fraudsters pose as reputable companies and send false communications in order to trick people into revealing their personal information or clicking on a malicious link. Phishing used to be mostly coordinated through emails. But as more people are using their personal mobile devices to access corporate networks, mobile phishing has taken over as the most popular route for phishing attacks. Falling for them can lead to financial loss, identity theft, or unauthorised access. Discover more on how to prevent phishing.

3. Threat actors - Hackers

Hackers are the individuals behind all these threats, creating malware and deploying phishing emails. They specifically like to prey on smaller businesses, because of their often limited security capacity, and the role they play in the wider supply chain. The COVID-19 climate has also made it easier for them to broaden their attacks. Once a hacker gains access to your network, they can steal, change, destroy or corrupt your data, or take control of your device, and may do a lot of it without your knowledge. So the only real protection against a hacker is preventing them from ever gaining access in the first place.

4. Password attacks

Techniques like brute force attacks where algorithms guess passwords, which exploits stolen usernames or passwords, are common. Weak or reused passwords across multiple platforms increase your vulnerability.

5. Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks

DoS and DDoS attacks overwhelm your systems with traffic, crashing your network or website. A DoS attack is launched from a single source, while a DDoS attack involves multiple sources working together. Either can lead to downtime, lost revenue, and a damaged reputation.

6. SQL injection

SQL (Structured Query Language) is a specialised programme that talks to databases. SQL injection inserts malicious code into forms or search fields, allowing attackers to access, modify, or delete data, and expose sensitive customer information.

7. Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks

MitM attacks intercept communications between two parties – often on unsecured networks – to eavesdrop or manipulate the data being transferred. It’s particularly dangerous if sensitive information like login credentials or financial data is involved.

8. Insider threats

Not all security threats come from outside. Insider attacks happen when employees, contractors, or business partners misuse their access – typically for money. As they’ve got legitimate access, they’re harder to detect and prevent.

9. Zero-day exploits

Zero-day exploits target software vulnerabilities that the provider isn’t yet aware of. Without an available patch, attackers can take advantage, making them extremely dangerous.

What should you look out for?

• Fraudsters often entice workers to download dangerous malware or spyware programs through messaging and SMS platforms by using phrases that are hard to ignore, such as “just saw this picture of you, when was this?”.

• Enterprise phishing emails take advantage of crisis situations and use titles such as ‘Please Read Important from Human Resources’ or ‘All Employees: Update your Healthcare Info’ to convince people to click on them.

• When personal devices are used for work, phishing emails targeted at individuals can gain access into a corporate network. And people tend to be a bit less cautious when it’s their private email, making it a favourite for fraudsters.

How can you protect against these attacks?

• Make sure you extend any phishing protection you have to mobile – whether that be personal or corporate.

• Ensure firewalls are enabled for all devices that can access your company network, especially ones that connect through untrusted WiFi networks.

• Only use software, apps, and accounts that are necessary, and protect them with strong passwords. For important apps, use secondary forms of authentication such as fingerprint.

• Regularly update your anti-malware protection across all devices, and make sure operating systems are running the latest versions.

• Regularly back up important data on separate, unconnected storage devices, to help protect against a ransomware attack.

• Firms like Lookout also offer comprehensive protection against mobile phishing on Android and iOS devices. It can guard against phishing attacks from multiple vectors, and allow workers to use their own smartphones for work by offering content protection, even if the device is outside the firewall.

  
  
  

How do you stay up to date?

The cyber security landscape is constantly shifting. Keeping on top of the latest news can help you stay in the know – and stay ahead of hackers.

Lookout's hotspot map of threats keeps track of phishing attacks globally, giving the most up to date picture of the threat landscape. For more detailed information on the tools and technologies you can deploy to keep your organisation safe, check out our blog about protecting your business from cyber and fraud risks.

Cyber attacks can disrupt your business in an instant, stealing data, crashing your systems and destroying your reputation. But by taking the right precautions, such as regular updates, strong passwords, employee training, and proactive network monitoring, you can stay ahead of evolving threats and reduce your risk.

Check out our cyber security threats and preventative measures.

Ready to take the next step? Speak to our expert V-Hub Digital Advisers today for 1-2-1, personalised cyber security support.