Most Common Types of Cyber Attacks in 2024: Living without the internet seems impossible, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. From working from home to staying in touch with loved ones far away, we rely on the internet for everything. In this article, we will discuss the top 10 most common types of cyber attacks, how they occur, and how you can protect yourself from them.
Top 10 Most Common Types of Cyber Attacks in 2024
Malware
Malware, short for malicious software, is a type of software or code designed to damage digital devices. It is one of the most common types of cyber attacks because it can easily harm various types of devices. There are many kinds of malware, such as ransomware, file-less malware, spyware, adware, trojans, worms, rootkits, mobile malware, exploits, scareware, keyloggers, botnets, MALSPAM, wiper attacks, and more.
Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks
A Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack is a targeted cyber attack that floods your server with a large number of small requests, disrupting your activities. Although no data is lost, it causes significant delays in completing important tasks. From sending emails to accessing websites, a DoS attack hampers your work by continuously spamming your server. This type of attack originates from a single system.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of cyber attack where an attacker uses email, SMS, social media, or other methods to trick you into revealing sensitive information like bank account numbers or important passwords. They may also aim to install a virus on your system. It’s crucial to always verify the identity of the person requesting information, preferably by consulting a higher authority, before sharing any important details. Some common types of phishing include whaling, spear phishing, vishing, and more.
Spoofing
Spoofing is a type of cyber attack where a criminal pretends to be someone you know to gain your trust and access your important accounts. Their goals can include stealing money, obtaining passwords, or installing harmful viruses on your device. Common types of spoofing include email spoofing, ARP spoofing, and domain spoofing. To avoid being scammed, always verify the identity of the person by contacting them through another number or method.
Identity-Based Attacks
Identifying these types of attacks can be challenging. They happen when someone hacks your account and pretends to be you. Once they take over the account, it becomes hard to determine whether it’s you or the hacker using it. The hacker can then contact others from your account, ask for their information, or post malicious content. To prevent this, ensure you enable two-factor authentication whenever possible and create strong, unique passwords. Examples of identity-based attacks include kerberoasting, man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, Pass-the-Hash attacks, and Golden and Silver ticket attacks.
Code Injection Attacks
A code injection attack occurs when a cybercriminal inserts malicious code into your system, altering its behavior. There are different types of code injection attacks:
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): This attack injects malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. It can steal session cookies, deface websites, or redirect the user to malicious sites.
- Malvertising: This attack involves injecting malicious advertisements into legitimate online advertising networks and web pages. Clicking on such ads can lead to malware infection.
- Data Poisoning: In this attack, malicious data is injected into a dataset used by an application, affecting the decisions made by the system based on that data.
- SQL Injection (SQLi): SQL injection attacks target databases by inserting malicious SQL statements into an entry field, manipulating the database query to reveal sensitive information or to modify/delete data.
These attacks compromise the security and integrity of systems, making it crucial to implement security measures such as input validation and parameterized queries to mitigate their risks.
Supply Chain Attacks
A supply chain attack targets a third-party supplier or vendor associated with the intended victim, rather than attacking the victim directly. Here’s how it works: a cybercriminal infiltrates the systems of a third-party supplier who works with the intended victim. By injecting malicious code or compromising the software used in the supply chain process, the attacker can affect all users downstream, including the main victim.
Hardware supply chains are generally less vulnerable to such attacks compared to software supply chains. This is because hardware components are more difficult to manipulate and the supply chain is typically more closely monitored and controlled. However, both types of supply chains can be targeted by cybercriminals seeking to compromise the security of the end-user.
It’s essential for organizations to implement robust security measures, conduct regular audits of their supply chain partners, and ensure that all software and hardware components are secure and up to date to mitigate the risk of supply chain attacks.
Social Engineering Attacks
Social engineering attacks rely on psychological manipulation techniques to deceive individuals into divulging sensitive information or taking specific actions. By exploiting human emotions such as trust, fear, or curiosity, cybercriminals gain access to valuable information or resources. These attacks are often used to gain leverage, competitive advantage, or to commit fraud.
“Here are the very common types of social engineering attacks”
- Pretexting: Creating a fabricated scenario to manipulate the victim into providing access to sensitive information or performing certain actions.
- Business Email Compromise (BEC): Impersonating a high-level executive or trusted authority within a company to trick employees into transferring funds or disclosing confidential information.
- Disinformation Campaign: Spreading false or misleading information to manipulate individuals or groups, often with the aim of influencing opinions or behaviors.
- Honeytraps: Using romantic or sexual enticements to coerce individuals into revealing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security.
- Quid Pro Quo: Offering a benefit or reward in exchange for sensitive information or actions, often under the guise of providing help or assistance.
Social engineering attacks are particularly dangerous because they exploit human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities. To protect against social engineering attacks, individuals and organizations should prioritize security awareness training, implement strict policies for handling sensitive information, and verify the identity of any requester before disclosing information or taking action.
Insider Threats
Most technical teams in companies primarily focus on external cyber threats, neglecting the risks posed by insiders. Insider threats come from individuals who are already part of the company or have access to internal information. A common example of an insider threat is when employees or contractors, intentionally or unintentionally, compromise sensitive company information.
Insider threats can be particularly damaging because insiders may have legitimate access to systems and data, making it harder to detect their malicious activities. These threats can result in financial loss, reputation damage, or even legal consequences for the company.
To mitigate insider threats, companies should implement robust security measures such as:
- Access Controls: Access Controls involve restricting access to sensitive data and systems based on job roles and responsibilities. This ensures that only authorized personnel can access certain resources, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and potential breaches
- Monitoring and Auditing: Regularly monitoring and auditing access to sensitive information and systems to detect unusual or suspicious activities.
- User Behavior Analytics: Using tools to monitor and analyze user behavior to identify anomalies that may indicate an insider threat.
- Security Awareness Training: Educating employees about the risks of insider threats and best practices for protecting company information.
- Incident Response Plan: Having a plan in place to respond quickly and effectively to insider threats when they occur.
By addressing both external and insider threats, companies can better protect their sensitive information and maintain trust with their customers and stakeholders.
AI-powered attacks
The use of AI has become ubiquitous, extending to cyber attacks as well. Many companies employ AI to safeguard their servers against potential attacks. However, cyber attackers have also adopted AI technology, leveraging it to inject malicious code and extract private, sensitive information from individuals and organizations. Examples of AI-powered attacks include Adversarial AI/ML, Dark AI, DeepFake, and AI-generated Social Engineering.
- Adversarial AI/ML: This involves using AI and machine learning techniques to develop sophisticated attacks that can evade traditional security measures.
- Dark AI: Refers to AI-driven attacks that operate in stealth, making them difficult to detect using conventional cybersecurity methods.
- DeepFake: Uses AI to create highly convincing fake images, audio, or video, which can be used to spread disinformation or manipulate public opinion.
- AI-generated Social Engineering: AI can be used to create more convincing phishing attacks or other social engineering tactics, exploiting human psychology for malicious purposes.
As AI continues to advance, both defenders and attackers will increasingly rely on AI technologies to either protect or exploit digital systems. This ongoing technological arms race underscores the importance of continuously evolving cybersecurity strategies to defend against AI-powered threats.
Companies worldwide are implementing significant measures to safeguard their users and employees from cyber attacks. Regular monitoring of all devices by technical professionals and comprehensive training for individuals on protecting themselves from such threats are crucial steps. Additionally, investing in protective software for employees can enhance security measures. By prioritizing these simple yet effective steps, companies can effectively mitigate the risks posed by cyber-attacks and ensure a safer digital environment for all stakeholders.
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