A cyberattack is an event or attempt to steal, disable, damage, or hijack sensitive information from an ongoing company through unauthorized access to its computer systems.
Cyberattacks are motivated by various reasons, including political, personal, or criminal motives. Attackers carry out these illicit activities in pursuit of financial gain, often employing a model of extortion. These attacks typically involve the theft of money or data, or the disruption of the company’s operational processes.
TYPES OF THREATS
External Threats
- Organized criminals or criminal groups.
- Professional hackers, such as state-sponsored actors.
- Amateur hackers, such as hacktivists.
Internal Threats
- Employees who are careless with security policies and procedures.
- Disgruntled current or former employees.
- Business partners, clients, contractors, or suppliers with access to the system.
Why is it important to educate our employees about the cyber threats surrounding the company?
Reputational damage: A cyberattack can severely damage a company’s reputation with its customers, suppliers, and business partners. It will also hinder customer loyalty and affect the purchasing decisions of potential customers.
Legal and regulatory penalties: Depending on the nature of the data affected and the applicable laws, a company may face legal and regulatory penalties for failing to comply with adequate cybersecurity measures. This can include fines, legal action, and obligations to notify authorities and affected parties.
TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR COMPANY FROM A CYBERATTACK
PHISHING
- Emails containing advertisements, also known as spam.
- Vague subject lines.
- Poorly written messages.
- Messages impersonating public entities such as transit authorities, customs, or social media platforms.
- Emails containing personal names.
COMPUTER WORM
RANSOMWARE
This encrypts and renders all the information on a computer unusable. Large companies and servers are typically targeted, with the attackers demanding a ransom payment for the data.
The main recommendations for preventing a cyberattack are:
- Always turn off your computer when you finish your workday.
- Be wary of all emails and text messages, especially if they contain links.
- Avoid installing applications from dubious sources or hosted on suspicious websites.
- Schedule regular predictive and corrective maintenance for your computer with the IT team.
- Keep your operating system up to date.
