Common Cyber Threats
-
Malware – Malicious software variants—such as worms, viruses, Trojans, and spyware—that provide unauthorized access or cause damage to a computer.
-
Ransomware – A type of malware that locks down files, data or systems, and threatens to erase or destroy the data - or make private or sensitive data to the public - unless a ransom is paid to the cybercriminals who launched the attack.
-
Phishing/social engineering – Form of social engineering that tricks users into providing their own PII or sensitive information.
-
Insider threats – Current or former employees, business partners, contractors, or anyone who has had access to systems or networks in the past can be considered an insider threat if they abuse their access permissions.
-
Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks – Attempts to crash a server, website or network by overloading it with traffic, usually from multiple coordinated systems.
-
Advanced persistent threats (APTs) – An intruder or group of intruders infiltrate a system and remain undetected for an extended period. The intruder leaves networks and systems intact so that the intruder can spy on business activity and steal sensitive data while avoiding the activation of defensive countermeasures.
-
Man-in-the-middle attacks - An eavesdropping attack, where a cybercriminal intercepts and relays messages between two parties in order to steal data.