How to Keep Your Business Safe From Hackers Information Matters

A recent study found that 67% of companies suffered at least one cyber breach in the last 12 months. With more than half of cyber-attacks occurring at the hands of hackers working on behalf of a foreign government, your business could be at risk even if you don't do anything wrong. Although your chances of falling victim to a data breach are high, there are steps you can take to reduce your risks and prevent attacks from happening in the first place. See this article for five simple ways to make sure your business is secure and protected against hackers and other cyber threats.

What is a cyber-attack and why do they occur?

A cyber-attack is an attempt to disrupt, deny, degrade or destroy information or an information system or to gain information that would be useful to an adversary. They are usually targeted at computer networks. They are generally carried out to achieve political objectives. Some attacks are accidental – hacked email or files accidentally get posted on web pages. Other cyber-attacks are intended to manipulate, steal data or access directly for commercial gain. The intent of both types often leads to damage to computers, information systems, and their networks.

Who carries out cyber-attacks?

An advanced persistent threat (APT) is a hacker who regularly targets networks or targets based on patterns or advanced capabilities. This includes both state sponsored hackers and freelancers. A typical APT might operate on their own, or they might operate in partnership with other hackers and sell services to gain access or information that they can then use for their own ends. Some Rs carry out their attacks alone as entrepreneurs. Others are in groups that share revenue, knowledge, skills, and tactics. Most cyber-attacks are incited, carried out by lone individuals or small groups, using simple malware or viruses.

When do cyber-attacks occur?

Cyber-attacks can originate at any time and are directed towards any target. Some attacks originate with an intellectual property breach, and others come from an anticipated traffic spike or DNS server issue.

What are the usual targets of cyber-attacks?

Cyber-attacks frequently target financial institutions, government, local and regional businesses, hotels and resort owners, manufacturing facilities, educational institutions, media and other websites. A cyber-attack involves accessing a computer network, gaining access to files and/or systems on the network, or carrying out an unwanted task via an internet connection. The hacker(s) may also include viruses and malware capable of stopping or slowing a computer, denying access to files, or intercepting data. Cyber-attacks are carried out to cause damage, at little or no cost, to the targeted organisation.

How can you protect your business from cyber-attacks?

For more than a year, a steady stream of cyber-attacks have been sweeping across the globe. More often than not, these attacks originate from one of two sources: sophisticated hackers, or countries that are directly targeting large US corporations. Attacks generally run the gamut of a brutal attack, partially disabled computer systems, try to cause more harm or even physically attack target corporations. The global reach and lethality of these attacks is no unique to the cyber-security industry, but rather a reflection of the fact that this digital world is after all interconnected by one of the most basic tools of human communication: the keyboard.

Who are the most common places you hear discussed cyber-attacks?

Cyber-attacks are discussed much more often than traditional cyber-security threats such as data breaches and crackdowns. Nonetheless, the initial motivations appear to be the same. Frequency and egregiousness are the two biggest factors in shaping how the discussion of cyber-attacks evolves, though.

However, it seems to be making a comeback among far-right, American far-right groups. It's impossible to understand the reasons behind this phenomenon, since we can't observe the Chinese political system to the same degree as we can the US. Still, comparing the frequency and political views of comments on this topic along with those who see Chinese democracy as a reality supports the idea that these attacks are, indeed, political.