Cybersecurity today
At a time when the increase in teleworking and digitalization of companies during the COVID-19 pandemic, attacks by hackers have multiplied, cybersecurity has become a key and essential aspect in the strategy of all organizations. Faced with an increasingly digital era in which technology has taken on a fundamental role, it is essential for a company to be clear about the balance between security, the functionality of products or services, the processing of information and the risks that may arise.
What is Cybersecurity?
La computer security, also known as cybersecurity or information technology security, is a key factor that cannot be separated from the business area. This is the part related to computer science that focuses on protection of equipment, devices, systems, networks, information and data from any malicious attack. In short, it is nothing more than information technology security, that is, trying to mitigate all the risks that a company may have on the network. Its main objective is to prevent cyber threats endanger a company's information. Thus, cybersecurity includes the protection of software (databases, files...), hardware and everything that an organization values as a risk if that information falls into the hands of other people. For this purpose, there are a series of standards, protocols, methods, rules and tools that have been designed to minimize potential risks in infrastructures and in the information itself.
Types of Cyber Threats
The technological acceleration that has taken place in the last year has highlighted the evidence in the lack of tools and knowledge to deal with cyber threats, activities that seek to capture the information that circulates on the network and use it for lucrative and unethical purposes.According to Google's analysis Current overview of cybersecurity in Spain (2021), before the outbreak of the pandemic, 67% of Spanish SMEs lacked security protocols specific, training or clear policies on Internet security. However, one year after the health crisis, the situation has not changed: more than 75% of cyberattacks target SMEs because it is the segment that is least committed to system security, invests the least in security measures and tends to update its defense systems the least. However, computer crime, cybercrime, cybercrime, cybercrime or cyberthreats are concepts that they are constantly heard in today's society, and not only do they affect small and medium-sized businesses, but any organization is susceptible to suffer threats on the network, and more and more large companies and public bodies are suffering from these attacks and are endangering their most sensitive information. In fact, according to the Study on cybercrime in Spain (2019) published by the Ministry of the Interior, in Spain they were collected 260,000 cybercrime complaints in 2020, a figure that has experienced exponential growth as a result of the pandemic compared to the 218,302 cybercrimes recorded in 2019. The most common attacks are Internet fraud, but the main network threats faced by cybersecurity, namely cybercrime, cyberattacks and cyberterrorism, are carried out through the methods explained below. And although the list can be very wide, these are considered to be the most common.
Malware
Malware It is a term that is used to describe the Malicious software, a software that a cybercriminal has created to interrupt or damage equipment and that can include viruses, trojans, spyware, ransomware, etc. Malware is spread through a vulnerability, usually when the user clicks in the attached file of an email, in a dangerous link or in a download that looks legitimate, thus infecting the device without the user realizing it.
Phishing or impersonation
El Phishing It is the practice of sending fraudulent communications, generally via email, which seem to come from reliable sources and in which Ask the user for confidential information. The objective of these actions is steal sensitive data such as login information (passwords), bank account number, credit cards... In these cases it is advisable to keep in mind and know that no official body, such as a bank, would ask its customers for this type of personal information by email, so you always have to be suspicious and Make sure it's the official source the one that sent a communication before providing any data.
Denial of service attack
Un denial of service attack, also called DoS (Denial of Service), is a type of computer attack that seeks to make a computer system or a service or resource inaccessible to legitimate users. Cybercriminals they saturate the computer system, overloading networks and servers, thus preventing it from satisfying requests.
SQL code injection
Una Structured query language or SQL code injection (from the English Structured Query Language) is a type of cyberattack that is used to take control and steal information stored in a database. Hackers exploit vulnerabilities in websites or applications to send malicious code to a server using a malicious SQL statement, allowing access confidential information contained in the database which under normal conditions would not be revealed.
The consequences of today's cyberattacks
The consequences of network threats for companies go far beyond economic losses, since they can also affect your efficiency, on repute and even cause the loss of customer trust.In the current environment, the pandemic has contributed to greater awareness in organizations of the importance of cybersecurity, and the fact is that the regulation of this area is a first step in establishing some rules of action that are capable of minimizing risks. Even so, according to the Report on Digital Maturity in Cybersecurity 2021-2021, prepared by Minsait and SIA, maturity in cybersecurity has divided the business fabric into two distinct groups: those who fear the consequences and those who don't. This is how 56% of companies lack a well-defined cybersecurity strategy despite knowing the problems that an attack of this magnitude could entail. The report also reveals that 73% of companies It does not have the mechanisms of incentives, training and communication necessary for your professionals to provide a necessary change in the organization in terms of cybersecurity.Define security mechanisms and establish protocols for action against cyberattacks have always been important, but nowadays this aspect takes on special relevance, especially since the beginning of the pandemic, with which most companies have been forced to implement remote work and many have boosted online sales channels, multiplying the risk of suffering a cyberattack that endangers your activity. Not having the necessary measures, whether in the office or on personal computers, can lead to loss of data or sensitive information of the company, a large economic expense when it comes to dealing with and repairing the consequences of a cyber attack, the Service stoppage with economic losses, the complaints from customers, suppliers or workers or the image and reputation of a company, which can end up being damaged for life if it is involved in a major threat.
Cybersecurity Tips: How to Protect Yourself from Cyber Attacks
To mitigate the risk of network attacks, companies must take action and follow some basic tips to help promote business awareness of how important it is to be up to date on cybersecurity for protect against cyber threats.
- Count on the latest equipment technology (hardware) and operating systems (software) will help reduce the risk of security breaches. In addition, it is convenient update them periodically, since updates often mitigate vulnerabilities.
- Any company should invest in advanced cybersecurity measures, including firewalls, encrypted connections, protection against data leaks, protection against ransomware, and so on.
- Use a antivirus software is essential for detecting and eliminating threats, just as it is important to keep it updated for the best level of protection.
- Raise awareness and train the workforce It is a basic point for the entire team to understand the danger of opening suspicious links, downloading an attached file in an email or inserting an unknown USB stick into the work computer. It is also advisable to organize simulations to verify that the staff knows how to react to a real attack and thus know the possible breaches and work to solve them.
- Have a plan and a quick response to security incidents, one quick recovery of backup copies, an isolation procedure for devices And the accurate threat detection They are also some of the most effective practices in the face of a cyber attack.
All risks can be reduced if people are made aware of the importance of creating good habits when it comes to sailing, something that can be solved by following a series of tips. If you want to know how to better protect yourself, read these 9 Tips for Navigating Online Safely secure.
