We are seeing it more and more frequently. It is a rare day that we do not read one or more articles in which we are told about attacks on different organizations and companies. Everyone, governments, corporations, medical institutions, depend on information technology to carry out their work successfully. The systems they use are at risk, they can be attacked at any time. Arbitrating protection methods is very complicated, but they exist.
Cyberattacks occur when a computer or a computer network sees its contents violated. This means that criminals try to sell all the information obtained. There are also attacks that aim to disable the computer system and others to control it. Although most of these cyberattacks are directed at organizations, private users are not spared either.
The different types of cyber attacks
There are several types of cyberattacks, some with more serious results than others. Here we show the most relevant:
- Malware : All kinds of infections are included. They turn any computer equipment into an object that implements high risks in its operation. In the group are the original viruses, Trojans, worms and the like. Its main mission is to produce infections that affect the computer, making it not work as it should.
- Phishing : Messages sent through email and other systems, such as messaging applications on mobile devices, include links that lead to spaces that are responsible for carrying out installations on the computer in order to steal data. The typical thing is to get hold of the access data to accounts of all kinds, including bank accounts.
- DDoS : It is known as a denial of service attack. With it, the affected devices cannot perform their tasks. In reality they are forced to cease all their activity, since they are subjected to excessive work, which cannot be supported.
- Ransomware : It is a system that causes great damage, since it takes care of encrypting all the files on the computer or server, preventing access to them. The perpetrators of the attack ask for a financial ransom in order to return everything to its initial state. It has been the case that a large number of affected users have paid and verified that everything remains the same, that it does not work.
- Zero-day attacks : When an application or a website has a security hole, it can suffer an attack of this type. This means that, in addition to data theft, the system stops working.
- Man-in-the-middle attack (MITM) : When an attacker is able to observe and intercept messages between two people, considered as victims. Those affected will not find out what is happening. It usually occurs when communications are carried out without any type of protection, and there is no authentication model either.
Conclusion
Having seen what we have seen, we can come to the conclusion that the use of all types of networks, with the Internet at the forefront, entails great risks if certain rules are not respected and protection systems are not taken into account. In addition to what is indicated in this article, we recommend reading The best antivirus programs for Windows 10 , How to protect yourself against phishing and How to activate protection against ransomware in Windows 10 , among other publications.
