Cybersecurity has become an important issue in our digital world. Given the fact that cyber-attacks and data leaks are costing companies millions of dollars on an annual level, it’s no surprise that business leaders are increasingly investing in cybersecurity. Likewise, individuals and professionals working from home are increasingly investing in home network security to protect their digital work environments.
While you might think that a simple antivirus is enough to thwart any cyber-attacks and keep you safe online, it’s important to remember that it only takes a single successful data breach to jeopardize your work and your brand's reputation. With that in mind, here are top network security threats and how to deal with them in 2022.
Phishing scams
Phishing is one of the most common cybersecurity threats nowadays, intended to trick you to reveal sensitive information. This information includes anything from your passwords for different sites and services all the way to your credit card information and beyond.
While there are many ways for you to encounter a phishing scam, typically these are distributed via email. If you are currently using Thunderbird or another email client that has limited or no direct support from the developers, then you need to consider switching to a more secure and supported email provider.
This will allow you to get the most up-to-date security features and flag potential phishing scams automatically. The next thing you can do is to learn to spot these scams yourself. To that end, remember that no service provider will ever ask you to share any sensitive information via email.
Malware and ransomware
Malware and ransomware are typically distributed via executable files, most often through email communication. That said, there are many other ways you can get malware or ransomware on your device, and usually you’d do it by unintentionally downloading executables from dodgy websites and online sources.
That’s why it’s important to monitor the trustworthiness of every domain and block malware and phishing attacks automatically by using a dedicated tool that will flag suspicious domains, files, and emails. Additionally, remember to never download any executable files from untrusted sources.
DoS and DDoS attacks
Denial of service and distributed denial of service attacks are among the most common cyber-attacks designed to disrupt business operations and exploit security weaknesses when the server is down. For business leaders, DoS and DDoS attacks can severely jeopardize their brand reputation and put sensitive data at risk, which is why it’s so important to focus on preventive measures.
In fact, these are among the top security threats for small businesses next to SQL injections and ransomware. To prevent DoS and DDoS attacks, make sure to invest in constant network monitoring, security testing, and cloud-based protection.
If an attack is successful, however, you need to have a clear DDoS response plan to get your servers back up and running quickly.
Rogue security software
Rogue security software is another form of phishing and distributing malicious software. Hackers and online scammers will typically try to persuade a user that their security measures are not up to date or that they already have viruses and malicious software installed.
They will then offer to remove the viruses if you download their security upgrade. In reality, you would be downloading malicious software that could hijack your system and lead to data loss. Should data loss occur, you can get it back through data recovery providers like Hetman Software and other reliable names in the industry.
But of course, prevention is the best medicine, so make sure to stick to your trusted network security provider, update your security regularly, and never download security upgrades or tools from untrusted sources.
Adware and spyware
Adware and spyware tend to be more sneaky and crawl into your system even though you don’t think you did anything wrong. This software is intended to push unwanted ads and force your computer to perform an unwanted actions such as opening new browser windows that lead to illegal websites.
These can also appear as popups. However, if you’re using trusted websites, then things like exit intent popups or regular popups are secure and you can use them freely. On the other hand, adware and spyware popups typically come from browser extensions or executables you may have installed on your system.
Computer viruses
A computer virus is a program that, when in your system, replicates itself by modifying other programs to perform unwanted actions. There are many ways to get a computer virus, and it’s typically a result of poor network security and monitoring.
When working remotely or if you are managing a remote workforce, it’s important to secure your network through a desktop-as-as-service solution that focuses on network monitoring, security compliance, and multi-factor authentication. This will protect everyone in your organization who is working remotely, and thus keep your central business network safe.
SQL injections
Finally, an SQL injection is a type of cyber-attack that aims to jeopardize your data integrity by injecting malicious code into data-driven applications. These attacks are typically used to destroy databases, whether you are running a company or if you are working remotely from home.
The best ways to prevent SQL injection attacks is through input validation, parameterized queries, stored procedures, web application firewalls, and by avoiding administrative privileges. Typically, it takes a team of IT professionals to build an SQL prevention plan, but you can also work with service providers to get an automated or a cloud-based security solution.
Over to you
Whether you are a small business owner, a freelancer working from home, or a digital nomad, it’s important to stay on top of the latest cybersecurity threats. Now that you know what dangers might lurk around in the digital realm and that you have the tools and the know-how to keep your network safe, you can make cybersecurity a priority in 2022 without breaking the bank.
