Technology, cyber and the entire digital world are evolving at a quicker pace than ever before, which has meant an increase in both the number of cyber threats and the severity of the cyber-attacks. It is more important than ever to understand how to protect yourself or your business and identify any vulnerabilities.
To identify these, you first need to be aware of the threats that your or your business could face, we have created a list of the most common cyber security threats below, with descriptions of what the threat is.
· Social Engineering – this is a unique type of cyber-attack that involves the criminal psychologically manipulating an individual in order to bypass security measures or gain sensitive information.
· Outdated Software – software that is not able to withstand hacking technologies and methods or is no longer fit for purpose.
· Cloud Vulnerabilities - while Cloud services are widely used and often deemed as essential to many it can open up the possibility of a wide range of cyber-attacks.
· Ransomware - attacks that infect a network and hold systems and data `hostage' until a ransom is paid.
· Outdated Hardware - as hardware becomes outdated it often cannot support updated security measures.
· Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policies - personal devices are also easier to hack than company devices thus giving criminals an opening to breach networks.
· Mobile Security Threats - encompasses everything from mobile spyware and malware to unauthorised access to devices (usually as a result of loss or theft).
· Internet of Things - encompasses any device connected to the internet, from smartwatches to connected cars, criminals can exploit this connectivity.
· Third-Party Exposure - many businesses utilize third party services, however, using a third party does not exempt you from the repercussions of a data breach on the side of the third party.
So, what can you do to minimise these threats? Watch our video below to learn how to minimise them: