A business operates with different categories of data and keeping it protected is a difficult task in today’s world. Cyber security has its vulnerabilities and the means used to implement it is what keeps you strong and safe from all kinds of potential threats. Those who mean to attack your internal information system can target any kind of sensitive data which could be personnel related, money or policy related etc.
In order to keep your information system safe, you need a framework which helps you in protecting and fighting against cyber-attacks. There are some types of cyber security threats which are discussed below.
- Ransomware: This is a malicious software that works for the extraction of money by blocking access to the accounts until the ransom is paid.
- Malware: Malware is a type of a software that is designed to gain access to the system through an unauthorized way and cause damage to the files.
- Social Engineering: This is about psychologically tricking the user to provide some private information which is usually used by the rivals. Through this they can gain an access to your personal data and ask for money.
- Phishing: This is when a fake company pretends to operate as an authentic one and tricks you into providing them with your personal data such as credit card details, passwords, usernames etc. This is usually done by sending emails that sound just like the authentic emails sent by the genuine sources.
How to Protect your Data from Cyber Threats
Cyber criminals do not give up on these tactics where they can trick and harm the users. With security measures being taken on their regular practices, they keep adapting to new ways and this seems to have no end. Every year there are some predictions made for the following year as to how to keep the data safe from the potential cyber security threats. Here are some predictions made for the year 2019.
- Decline in Ransomware: It is predicted by CSO, that the cases of Ransomware have dropped by 30% over the last two years and this will further go down. This is due to the criminals now focusing more on targeted attacks. They find cryptojacking and other schemes more effective sources to make money. As opposed to Ransomware, cryptojacking is easy (although less as compared to Ransomware) money for less risk. In Ransomware, hackers do not get paid from every user that they target, however, with cryptojacking they get paid from every user that is targeted by them.
- Zero Trust Model: Usually the people who are running the system are considered trustworthy and companies can confide in them with respect to their confidential data. But with Zero Trust Model, this is a wrong assumption. It does not regard the internal staff as trustworthy. It keeps a check and balance on each and every individual who is running the system to avoid any potential threats.
- Biometric Security Measures: In order to avoid any risk regarding unwanted, unreliable personnel entering your premises, it is being practiced and suggested to continue implementing the bio-metric security tools. A very commonly used bio-metric measure is the face ID for iPhones. People have now developed a trust regarding this feature and find this to be a sound safety measure.
- Internet of Things (IoT) Security: The expansion of IoT has also increased the risks involved. With the number of devices interconnected, the personal data becomes available for anyone to access online. This data could be in the form of medical records, family records or just the daily activities. According to a survey by McKinney, the cost of ineffective cyber security will go up to $3 trillion by the year 2020. Therefore, effective strategies need to be formed in order to protect your data from the hackers. A simple solution is a web application firewall, adjusting your settings and taking a device offline when it is not needed.
