What do hackers want? Is it simply to show off their technological ability? Or is it about financial gain? Cyber security protocols have never been more important, and we need to work toward better understanding the motivations of hackers so we can be proactive in preventing a cyber attack.
Ways You’re Compromised
Some cyber security issues are about data that has been exploited. This happens when the hackers gain access to your data so they can simply do harm to your organization. However, if they know what to do with that data, they can use it to steal more information from your clients, which puts you and them in a tough position.
Some hackers just want access to resources without paying for them, which is, in essence, stealing infrastructure. This gives them access to compute, network resources, and storage opportunities. They might even try to use your resources to run their website or host ads. Another troublesome aspect of this is that they can use your resources as a botnet for other peoples’ computers and servers.
One of the most common attacks is the ransomware attack. Hackers take control of your data, making it unusable by you, until you pay them a fee (ransom). It’s been an effective method for hackers who encrypt data and have the intention of only holding on to it for as long as it takes the victim to pay up.
Another popular cyber security attack is denial of service, or DoS. It’s also been called distributed denial of service (DDoS), which prevents a website from working. This is challenging because there doesn’t seem to be a motive other than to simply prove they can disrupt the business.
Be Prepared
Updating operating systems is an important part of preventing an attack. Setting your system to automatically update will help take the human element out of the equation. Outdated programs are an excellent path for hackers to gain access to your system, so be prepared.
Encrypting data is a popular way of protecting against attack. Even if hackers do gain access to your data, they won’t be able to understand it if it is encrypted. The perk is that unlike other security strategies, turning on your encryption won’t slow down your access to data.
Do everything you can to ensure your hardware is secure. Some attacks actually don’t occur online – they happen on physical computers. This is especially true of mobile devices, including laptops that can be carried away easily.
At Copper State Communications, we specialize in surveillance to ensure your employees, your assets, and your business are secure. Our disaster recovery and business continuity services protect against cyber attacks and keep your cyber security strategy bold and proactive. If you’re ready to talk, contact us today.
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