Without adequate cybersecurity in place, any business is at a major risk of being targeted and losing potentially millions of dollars in the process.
From malware and phishing scams to ransomware and data breaches, attacks can occur at any time and cost an organization big bucks if they don’t have proper security measures.
Network vulnerabilities are the weakness that organizations like yours need to patch up in order to prevent cyberattacks from succeeding, but that task is nearly impossible to do without the help of an expert cybersecurity firm.
Before we go over the most common types of vulnerabilities in network security systems around the world, here are some eye-opening facts about the state of cyberattacks here in 2021:
- Worldwide, about 30,000 websites are hacked every day
- There’s a new cyberattack on the web every 39 seconds
- Cases of ransomware in 2020 increased by 150%
- Globally, 64% of all companies were victims of at least one type of cyberattack
- In March of 2021 alone, there were 20 million breached records
The Two Types of Attacks in Network Security
Essentially, there are only two main categories of cyberattacks that hackers can use to gain access to your sensitive data.
Active Attacks
This is an attack where a person is actively attempting to gain unauthorized access control to your computer operating systems or network. Once they get in they have free run of all your sensitive information, allowing them to delete, encrypt, steal or modify your files as they see fit.
Passive Attacks
This kind of attack allows hackers to merely monitor your system for an ideal time to strike, or until the right piece of steal-worthy information comes along.
Worried About Your Network Vulnerability?
The 6 Most Common Network Security Threats & Vulnerabilities
If you don’t have protection against it, every threat out there on the internet is a vulnerability you can’t afford to ignore. Luckily contacting expert cyber security consulting for your business is a great start to becoming protected.
Even so, it still pays to know what kinds of threats are out there.
- Malware
Usually contracted through phony emails, Malware is software (like a trojan horse, for example) designed to damage, disrupt or gain access to a computer system.
- Phishing
Phishing is a type of scam (predominately via email) that preys on the concept of social engineering. Essentially, it’s the practice of sending emails pretending to be from a reputable source, that then asks the individual to send personal information like passwords or credit card numbers.
- IoT Automated Networks
Imagine a series of automatic relays set up to do one specific function, in this case, send the information received straight on to the next link in the relay. This is a method called IoT, often using various Wi-Fi networks and mobile devices to quickly steal info (and make its final destination almost unknowable) once access is granted.
- Various Unpatched Security Vulnerabilities
These are essentially pre-existing “holes” or “gaps” in an already established computer system. They’re the kinds of things that only hackers and cyber security experts would notice. They can be protected by conducting a network vulnerability scan and then installing the latest security patches.
- Uninformed or Disgruntled Employees
One of the absolute biggest cyber threats to your network is the human element. Employees who don’t know they shouldn’t connect to unsecured networks or plugin a USB stick that was mysteriously mailed to them pose a big security risk. Proper training on how to safely use connected devices and avoid scams is the best remedy for this.
- Other Types of Network Security Vulnerabilities
Naturally, considering the vastness of the internet, these are only the most common types of cyber vulnerabilities. Other types of cyber threats and vulnerabilities you may want to look up include:
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- Hidden Backdoors
- Superuser/Admin Privileges
- Automated Running of Scripts
- Unknown Security Bugs in Software or Programming Interfaces
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Breaking Down the Various Types of Cyber Security Vulnerabilities & Threats
Now that you know what to watch out for when it comes to the different kinds of network vulnerabilities in cyber security, here are some of the broader categories they can fall under:
- Unstructured Threats
These types of attacks in network security are similar to the colloquial “buckshot” approach. Usually perpetrated by inexperienced hackers, unstructured threats tend to be unfocused and rarely successful. They’ll mainly attack based on the weaknesses they happen to find, without any real specific goal in mind. The most common examples are malware and ransomware.
- Structured Threats
These cyber-threats are much more serious and much more focused. Structured attacks can involve one or more skilled hackers after a specific goal or piece of information. Very often they’re trained in exploiting network vulnerabilities and understand concepts like web application attacks via SQL injection or command injection, for example.
These are the types of attacks that are often the most damaging to businesses, and the type that requires the help of trained cyber security specialists to fight.
- External Threats
As the name would imply, this type of network vulnerability attack is one that originates from outside your organization via information security vulnerabilities accessed over the internet. One of the best ways to close weaknesses in your network that might allow this kind of attack is having your managed IT provider conduct a network vulnerability scan that includes either manual or automated penetration testing.
- Internal Threats
Perhaps the most frightening threat of all is the type of network security threat that comes from within. No network vulnerabilities list would be complete without mentioning employees who either knowingly or unknowingly provide access to hackers or steal data or money themselves. The motivation for this type of attack is usually in the pursuit of personal gain, or the desire to harm the company itself. However, most threats from internal users are, by far, innocent and unknowing.
Securing Your Organization from Network Vulnerabilities
After reading this, it may seem that the odds are stacked against you when it comes to defending your organization from all the network vulnerabilities you may possess.
But thankfully, there are expert managed IT services professionals, like us, who have decades of first-hand experience defending businesses from all manner of cyber threats.
At Power Consulting we use the latest methods and techniques to provide the ultimate network security protection. You can be sure your sensitive data is always protected with services like:
- Proactive Security Monitoring & Response
- Threat Detection, Mitigation and Resolution
- Penetration Testing
- Network Vulnerability Scans
- Compliance Audits
- Security Architecture Design
- End-User Protection
- And More
If you want to learn more about how we can provide your business with state-of-the-art protection against every kind of network vulnerability, talk to us today to get started.
