What types of cyber attacks is your company exposed to? When we talk about these cyber risks in companies, the first thing that comes to mind are large companies such as Yahoo, Facebook or Telefónica. And due to the repercussions of these attacks, they are the ones that tend to dominate the IT security news.
However, small and medium-sized enterprises, usually less protected, are regularly targeted by hackers. And the data reflects this: 7 out of 10 cyber-attacks are on SMEs.
The reality is that no organisation is free from any kind of cyber attack: large companies because of the relevance and volume of their data, and smaller ones because of their vulnerability.
What is a cyber-attack?
A cyber-attack is a computer attack produced by a figure known as a hacker who acts in most cases under personal or challenging, economic or political motivations. These cyber-attacks can affect organisations (from institutions to companies) or individual users. Cyber-attacks amount to 0.8 % of the world's GDP, estimated at around 74.15 trillion euros.
7 types of cyber attacks on businesses
In this post we look at 7 of the most common types of cyber-attacks that are expected to continue to affect the cybersecurity in Spain during 2022.
1. Spyware
As the name suggests, the aim of this cyber-attack is to spy. Spyware is a type of malware which is difficult to detect and which collects data without the consent of the owner of the computer for further use.
Generally, hackers using this type of malicious virus sell the data to third parties, uncovering the company's most sensitive information: customer data and their own. As cybersecurity experts warn, this virus can be particularly dangerous in companies that use the Big Data, This database can become a rich booty for cybercriminals.
Spyware can also affect small scale, The information is stored on an individual computer, obtaining information about the user's habits and personal information, such as credit card numbers.
2. Trojan
Remember the story of the Trojan horse? History repeats itself with one of the most popular malware out there, the Trojan horse. It all starts with a seemingly harmless programme, but when executed, it gives cybercriminal's access to equipment.
What does this mean? They can access sensitive data, record passwords or give access to communication ports so that someone can access the computer remotely.
3. Phishing
Impersonating a trusted entity contacting us via email, SMS or instant messaging is the first step in phishing, another attack that threatens computer security.
In phishing, which translates as “identity theft”, hackers have to impersonate your bank or any money remittance company in order to ask for your bank details, usually on a fraudulent website.
4. Denial of Service (DoS)
Can you imagine one of your company's main systems being blocked? This is the target of a Denial of Service (DoS), a cyber-attack based on saturating ports with multiple flows of information that overload the equipment or machine.
Another very similar practice is the distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that produces this enormous amount of information destined to saturate a computer from a botnet.
5. Ransomware
Ransomware is based literally on a hijacking of equipment or computers. After blocking it, hackers demand a ransom in exchange for regaining access. Are you familiar with famous ransomware such as WannaCry or Petya?
This malicious virus can reach a company through a harmless attachment or an infected website.
6. IWarm or Worms
The name of these “computer worms” is completely graphic: these viruses can replicate themselves on other computers and they spread very quickly. It is therefore a particularly sensitive cyber-attack for a company. The way to activate them is as simple as opening an attachment or accessing a malicious link.
7. Adware
Adware is dedicated to displaying unwanted advertising. These programs are considered malicious if they collect information about your likes and dislikes. preferences without your consent.
What types of cyber attacks will most affect businesses in 2024?
If we focus on the cyber-attacks that most concern companies in Spain and around the world, 3 stand out: Phishing, Ransomware (data kidnapping) and Malware (malicious software) in general. According to the recent study by Deloitte, The state of cybersecurity in Spain, These are, in order, the most common threats:
- Phising
- Ransonware
- Malware
- Data Breach (Data Filtering)
- Information Leakage (Information Leakage)
- Identity theft
- Denial of service
- Insider Threat
- Spam
What is cyber risk insurance?
As corporate IT security measures grow, cyber risks are increasing and malware is becoming more sophisticated.
If you have a business and you want to cover your back against this type of attack, from PIB Group Iberia we offer you our insurance of cybersecurity in business based on prevention and response to possible attacks.
It is a complement to the prevention of cyber-attacks and established cybersecurity: a service that seeks to minimise the consequences of potential attacks and responds to possible compensation, penalties or losses resulting from the shutdown.
