Cyberattacks can harm people, businesses and the economy, causing financial losses, reputational damage, and disruptions to key infrastructure like power plants and hospitals. Several factors contribute to cyber attacks, including human error, malicious intent, and inadequate security measures.
Cyber attackers steal sensitive data and hack into computer systems for their own gain. They can use phishing, ransomware, and malware to steal intellectual property, money, or personal information. They can also manipulate, corrupt or destroy data. They can even spoof communications between two parties that believe they are communicating with each other.
Attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in hardware and software by using worms, viruses, trojans, and other malware. They can exploit zero-day exploits to gain unauthorized access to computer systems before software companies issue a patch for them. They can use botnets to launch massive denial-of-service attacks on websites and critical infrastructure.
Technology is key to protecting against cyberattacks. Cybersecurity tools include next-generation firewalls, Domain Name System (DNS) filtering, malware protection, and antivirus software. It’s also important to have a well-trained team of employees and follow basic data protection and privacy security principles, such as choosing strong passwords, being wary of attachments in emails, and backing up data.
Everyone benefits from the work of threat researchers, who uncover new vulnerabilities, educate the public about cybersecurity, and strengthen open-source tools. By highlighting the who, what, where, when and how of attacks, they help make the internet safer for all. You can help by supporting their work.