What is a Cyber-Attack & How Can I Protect Myself?

Why would someone want to take the time to steal your personal information when it seems like huge corporations are the target of these attacks? Well, think about it this way: corporate cyber-attacks are a hacker’s retirement plan, while hacking individuals is a side hustle. Many cybercriminals will steal information from individuals to get by until they can hit the big score with a corporate hack, which means you need to make sure your home network is safe.

Read on to learn what cyber-attacks are, the different types to look out for, and how to protect yourself and your family!

What is a cyber-attack?

A cyber-attack is an attempt to steal, destroy, alter, or perform other malicious acts by obtaining unauthorized access to a computer and its system or network. In other words, someone’s trying to steal your stuff. Cyber-attacks can come in many different forms, putting your computer, devices, and the home network they’re connected to at risk.

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What are the different types of cyber-attacks?

There’s no one-size-fits-all way to steal information. If this were the case, we’d have figured out a fool-proof way to protect ourselves long ago. Hackers will use various methods to illegally access your private information—either to use for themselves—or to sell to the highest bidder on the dark web. Below you’ll find some common types of cyber-attacks and how they work, so you know what you’re up against:

• Malware. Malware in and of itself is a diverse method of cyber-attack, as there are many types. The term “malware” is short for “malicious software” and is one of the most common types of attacks you’ll encounter. Viruses from worms, spyware, adware, Trojans, and ransomware each work a little bit differently but will accomplish the criminal’s final goal of accessing information stored on your computer or others connected to your network.
• Phishing It’s not uncommon to get dozens to hundreds of emails every day, many of which are quickly deleted without a second thought because they’re often promotional emails or other forms of spam. When it comes down to it, it’s not a bad idea to send many of those emails to your trash folder throughout the day because many of those emails could be a message with a link to a website ready to install malware onto your computer or mobile device as soon as you enter. This practice is called phishing, and there are approximately 80,000 people who are victims of it every day.
• Zero-day exploit. Software developers and service providers are made aware of a vulnerability and then will often work tirelessly to come up with a solution to the problem. However, it’s not uncommon for them to make you aware of the weakness in their system to ensure they’re taking preventative measures until the weakness is addressed. The problem with letting you know is that cybercriminals are also made aware of their weaknesses. When they attack these weak links, it’s known as a zero-day exploit because it happens before a new security measure is rolled out.

Learn how to prepare for a cyber-attack.

Cyber-attacks happen so frequently these days that the general consensus among the cyber security community is that it’s not a matter of if you’re the victim of an attack but when. The inevitability of a cyber-attack means that you need to be prepared. You can do several things to prepare your computer to protect your personal information from an attack.

• Use multi-factor authentication (MFA). Multi-factor authentication is a system that requires users to combine two or more credentials to log into a system. The credentials for logging in can include something the user knows, like a password, something the user has, like a dynamic security code, or biometric verification with a facial scan, fingerprint, or something else. The use of two or more of these credentials makes it more difficult for cybercriminals to compromise protected information.
• Install antivirus software and a firewall. Antivirus software and a firewall are useful in identifying threats when they’re inbound to your network. Whether it be malware you’ve accidentally downloaded from a website, or a hacker is trying to access your password by infiltrating your computer network, antivirus software and a firewall are designed to protect you. An essential part of having antivirus software is ensuring that it stays up to date because cyber-attacks are always evolving to try to beat the latest and greatest protection measures.
• Educate yourself. Antivirus software can only do so much to keep your computer safe from a cyber-attack, so one of the best ways to protect yourself from cyber-attacks is by knowing what puts you at risk of an attack. Practice and teach your kids about healthy tech habits and avoid doing things like clicking links from random websites or messages on your smartphone, visiting websites you’re not familiar with, leaving your computer unlocked when you step away from the keyboard, and other behaviors can put you at risk of a data breach. Knowing how to avoid a cyber-attack can go a long way toward protecting yourself.

It’s said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and this is certainly the case when it comes to cyber-attacks. It will be much easier (and cheaper) for you to carefully keep your personal information safe than picking up the pieces after a security breach.