Running a business with an online presence requires a whole new set of instructions. Even with the best IT department in the world, your business runs the risk of experiencing a hacking attempt.
When most people think about a data breach or hacking attempt, they envision an outsider trying to gain access to their software. However, the hacking attempt is usually internal in more cases than one. If your employees have limited knowledge of cybersecurity, they have the potential to expose you and your business to eagerly awaiting data predators.
Here are some common ways hackers might use to gain access to your company’s sensitive data.
Phishing Scams Are Still a Thing
You might think it’s 2022, and your employees should know better than to click on a suspiciously-looking email or text. However, phishing is as successful today as in 2010, and the hackers have revamped their tactics.
Cybercriminals would rather trick you into giving them all your sensitive information instead of spending a lot of time and energy hacking into your system. Phishing emails were easier to spot. They were poorly constructed and contained lousy grammar. However, hackers have leveled up their game. An unsuspecting employee could easily click on an email that resembles an invoice from Amazon with an order they didn’t make. Out of curiosity, they compromise the integrity of your business’s software system.
The Man in the Middle Attack
Coffee breaks are a great way to relax and spend some time out of the office. Especially if your favorite coffee shop offers a free Wi-Fi hotspot to all its customers, you decide to take out your phone, log into the public Wi-Fi, and check if you have any pending messages or emails you could use to pass the time. For some reason, you log into the company website as an employee using the same connection.
Since this Wi-Fi isn’t password protected, it leaves all its users vulnerable to a hacking attempt called the man in the middle attack. A hacker might use this opportunity to joyride as an interface between you and the hotspot. This gives them access to all your browsing information or sends popup notifications to your phone asking you to make an ’update’ which is malware disguised as an app.
Baiting Attempt
Baiting is a social engineering act and is precisely what it sounds like. This hacking attempt will only work if your employee takes the bait like a fish to a hook. Baiting is mainly carried out using USB sticks, flash drives, or any other plugin that requires a USB port to gain access.
These devices are usually strategically placed within the office building to be within the employee’s field of view. They are also labeled using terms that tap into their curiosity, such as ‘December Bonuses’ or ‘Salary Raises 2022’. The victim will then pick up the thumb drive and plug it into any computer within the organization. This gives hackers a front-row seat for all communications within the company.
Poor Password Protection Practices
Passwords remain to be one of the most common authentication processes. According to Bloomberg Business, capital letters, numbers, and symbols could differentiate between hackers accessing your information in eighteen minutes or eighteen days.
Imagine a coworker with a password as simple as ‘123456’ or ‘cappuccino.’ Their passwords can be hacked in seconds, jeopardizing your Cyber Security system. Encourage your employees to create strong passwords and to use a different password for every account they log into. Passwords at least nine characters long could protect your sensitive data from a breach.
Illegal Downloads
When your employees visit illegal websites to download the latest spiderman movie, they open a pandora’s box to limitless hacking possibilities, especially if your computer programs have weaknesses. Sometimes, these malicious codes are attached to a legitimate website as a pop-up ad that your employees will innocently click on.
If there are ‘holes’ in your security system, this virus will upload itself onto your systems and cause disastrous outcomes. Installing a Firewall Updating Software from Hacker Blocker will keep all your devices protected from fraudulent attempts at a data breach. Once this software has been installed into your system, hacking attempts in your organization will drop by 90%.
Conclusion
Educating your employees on common cybercriminal attacks will help you to avoid social engineering attacks within your organization.
