CIO

Protect Your Digital Assets From Cyber Attack

The leading cyber world has overwhelmed the technological advancements that are extensively catering individuals in different aspects of life. However, these IT progressions have also provided improved ways for cyber criminals to perform malicious activities. Therefore, in recent past years, the cyber security breaches are immensely reported and cyber threats are greatly increased.

Such attacks have not just affected the business, organizations, institutes and governmental systems, but has encircled every single individual connected to the internet world.

Cyber Attacks Targeting Sensitive Data

Many of the organizations keep their sensitive data on digital sources. Therefore, most often the cyber attacks are intended to access this information in order to gain benefit. According to UK officials, businesses have to face immense financial loss every single year.

The hackers most preferred way to access business information is through their website. Digital assets they get there are beneficial as it contains critical data which could perturb the organization's management. However, that’s not only the financial loss the company has to face, but also the customer trust would be affected in such a condition. Cyber criminals that get access to the data could use it for malicious purposes and could alter the website’s content. Yet, the preventive measures for common cyber attacks could reduce the risk to the digital assets.

Common Cyber Attacks to Access Digital Assets

Cyber Criminals to perform malicious activities do prefer some common attacks that are easy to carry out. The businesses, organizations and every netizen should be aware of these attacks so that they could effectively impede against them.

Ransomware

Ransomware is one of the most common cyber attacks that could give immense benefit to the hacker. As sounds by its name, a Ransomware is a malware through which a ransom amount is demanded. It accesses the device’s control system and locks all the data through encryption which is decrypted when the victim pays the ransom amount. Yet, it could be a malicious email, unauthentic site, or a malignant link through which it gets into a system.

There are different types of ransomware which are varyingly intensive. However, the new variants of ransomware such as Cryptolocker and others, are difficult to remove once they attack a system.

Phishing

Most often a phishing attack is really hard to identify, as it poses to be from a legitimate source. A Phishing email usually comes as the one from Bank that demands financial credentials by reporting fake issues from your account.

However, it is necessary to know that a legitimate banking email never demands personal information on such unauthentic sources.

Insider Vulnerability Threat

Many of the cyber security cases are reported as a result of insider activity. Organizations giving remote access to their employees and other affiliated staff is one of the biggest reason of cyber attack. Such privilege access to the sensitive business information could increase the risk of data vulnerability. However, these reported cases are not always due to the malicious deeds but also the unskilled employees could harm the cyber security of the organization.

Data Hacking

The data access apart from website control or system privilege could also be achieved through hacking. Through account details, the hackers get private details of the targeted person or business so as to perform malicious activities and to gain benefit.

Hackers generally exploit the weaknesses that prevail into a device or system. However, sometimes it is not possible to gain direct access, so the attacker may use secondary sources to gain data access.

How To Protect Digital Assets Against Cyber Attacks

To lessen the effect of cyber crimes you should take appropriate preventive measures.

Endpoint Protections Such As Firewalls, Antivirus

For IT security most beneficial preventive measures for your servers, network, and devices is endpoint security. The authentic antivirus software provides best solutions, however, backing up the data should also be one of the privacy priority.

Also, stringent passwords and two-factor authentication is a necessary step to ensure the security of the website or account.

Website Security

Website security protection such as an SSL certificate ensures protection against any malicious activity. Yet, it should be from a legitimate provider that has strong privacy policies. Through SSL certificate the website visitors have more trust on your websites and they buy products from there.

The SSL certificate encrypts the website data between the visitor and web server so that no third person could use it.

Employee Training

It is the most important preventive measure to educate the insiders of an organization. Most of the times employees do not have malicious deeds but they often cause security vulnerability due to skill lack. Through training employees, high productivity could be maintained without sacrificing security rules.

Conclusion

Creating great ease for data storage, the digital devices are also at a high risk of vulnerability. Managing organization’s data through these devices is an important part of any business. However, due to the presence of such valuable information on digital devices, cybercriminals have an immense attraction towards it. Therefore, the cyber attacks are continuously being increased with the digital advancement. To avoid being the victim of such attacks businesses and organizations must have pre-planned security measures.   

Employee Training

It is the most important preventive measure to educate the insiders of an organization. Most of the times employees do not have malicious deeds but they often cause security vulnerability due to skill lack. Through training employees, high productivity could be maintained without sacrificing security rules.

Conclusion

Creating great ease for data storage, the digital devices are also at a high risk of vulnerability. Managing organization’s data through these devices is an important part of any business. However, due to the presence of such valuable information on digital devices, cybercriminals have an immense attraction towards it. Therefore, the cyber attacks are continuously being increased with the digital advancement. To avoid being the victim of such attacks businesses and organizations must have pre-planned security measures.