In this age and time of technology sophistication, every business owner must be cognizant that an antivirus program and perhaps a spam filter is not all one would need to remain secure. The internet is greatly changing with time, and that means that the landscape of cybersecurity threats is constantly growing.
That said, there is a need for businesses, and even mere internet users, should consider a comprehensive security stance for their online activities. This way, as hackers and other cybercriminals are busy finding loopholes to sabotage your security, you have a web security system in place to keep you protected. However, to get there, you must be aware of the most common online security threats, and the solutions there are to keep you afloat. Consider the following:
Code injection
It is quite like hackers to use codes to exploit the vulnerabilities they find in applications. A lot of the times, the security loophole is at the text input field, for example a user name, when using an Ottomatik.io offering MySQL backup to enter the SQL statements, among others. You will even hear of an SQL injection attack, a shell injection, script injection, among others.
Once the code is injected into a file or a filed for that case, the hacker gains access to all the information there is in that capacity. It is at that point that you experience stolen files, loss of control over the server, or mere data loss.
Prevention: keeping data separate. If you keep your data separate from the commands and queries, then it is a lot harder for hackers to get through to your information, even though they access the text input fields. For example, you can employ a safe API with parameterized queries. As for your SQL database, apply the limit function to reduce the damage, should the injection code successfully attack.
Data breach
Different factors can result in major data breaches, among them, compromised credentials, lost hardware, malware attacks, software misconfiguration, to mention a few. It is the most common online security threat, one that has cost companies millions of dollars. Ideally, the data breach cases are so prominent, with thousands of people, including business owners, complaining of successful data leakages online.
Prevention: since there are various causes for data breaches, prevention involves a lot of deliberate good practices in handling information on different channels and platforms. Therefore, ensure you encrypt your data and files before uploading or storing them online. You can further secure with SSL, and consider scanning servers frequently to identify any lingering threats.
Besides, you must be careful about whom you allow access to your information and databases. Make sure you employ good password practices to keep your accounts in check. As for these passwords, determine to change them frequently, say, once every three or so months. To safeguard your business even further, you should look into using a secure enterprise browser. Discover unmatched web security with a secure enterprise browser. Designed for every user, device, and browser, it’s the complete governance solution.
Malware infection
Another common catastrophe threatening the peace and security of internet users is malware infection. You can virtually contract malware on your device at any time and site when online. Ideally, hackers use links and interstitial ads, as well as email spam, as the main ways to lure users into inviting the malware infection their way.
Prevention: Malware infection can happen to anyone, chiefly because the techniques of maneuvering online are not guarded. Firstly, you must embrace a firewall for your network to alert you of any threats that are coming your way. Further, be aggressive with employee education. Train them on the proper way to cautiously operate online, along with how to be keen with links especially on email platforms.
Additionally, consider installing a malware antivirus to defend all your devices against any malware infection. While at it, pick up a habit of frequently deep scanning your devices to trace any Trojan viruses and malware. In the event your device has already been infected with malware, thoroughly scrub to rid off of any portions of code along with infected files that may spread or replicate the infection across uninfected files.
Malicious insiders
It may sound off to think of your peers as the reason you are insecure when online, but according to a report by U.S. State of Cybercrime Highlight in 2017, 1 in 5 security attacks happen thanks to insiders.
Prevention: By far, if you want to prevent attacks caused by malicious insiders, you need to largely limit the access to files and sensitive data and accounts. In fact, as you backup or store your information, you need levels of access, so that unless one is cleared for a certain level, they cannot get access. This goes hand in hand with evaluating your peers to learn about their trustworthiness, and how dear they hold the company to care for its security.