Cybercrime continues to be a major problem for individuals as well as businesses around the world. Cybercrime as a whole is a representation of a growing segment of criminal activity in the United States and abroad. Looking back at a study done by Bromium back in 2018, cybercrime as an industry generated over $1.5 trillion in revenue. So as an individual or a business, how do you stay ahead of cybercrime and make sure you do not fall victim to the attackers?
Understanding the Various Cyberattack Methods
One of the best ways to stay ahead of cyberattacks and cybercrime is to understand the various attack methods. There are three common types of cyberattacks you need to be aware of. Protecting your home or your business is critical so that you can help beat the cybercriminals to the punch.
- Ransomware: Ransomware is the first and most common type of attack out there. It is a type of malware that locks up a system, preventing or drastically limiting the ability for a user to access their system. When cybercriminals deploy a ransomware attack, they lock down a system, or a whole network, from the ability to access it. When cyberattackers do this, they hold the files hostage, waiting for a ransom payment until they release the files back to the user.
- Phishing: Phishing is another very common type of attack by cybercriminals. With a phishing scheme, individuals give up sensitive data. This data can include personal identification numbers, bank details, credit card details, passwords, and more. The whole idea behind this method is that a criminal will use tactics such as fake e-mails, forms, and links to get you to give them this sensitive information so that they can then access it and steal data from you or your business.
- Social Engineering: The third type of very common cyberattack is that of social engineering. The whole idea with social engineering is that cybercriminals want to get sensitive and confidential information from you. The goal with this is that they try to use social media, contacting individuals to make the requests look legitimate. With this personal type of communication strategy, the hope is you are more willing to hand over the sensitive details, thinking you are doing something proper when giving it out to the faux business.
Staying a Step Ahead
If you want to stay a step ahead of cyberattacks, you need to have two things working in your favor. First, you need to be proactive. You need to have a firm awareness of things such as phishing tactics and social engineering approaches. The more diligent you are to ask questions and be careful about giving out sensitive information, the better off you will be.
The next piece of the puzzle is to work with a professional to help you stay protected. An easy way to do this is with a Norton 360 with LifeLock Protection package. The whole idea here is that you have top-of-the-line software working in your favor, as well as monitoring so you can stay on top of the security of your network, your identity, and more. When you work this in conjunction with proactive awareness on your part, you can get great results and stay ahead of the cybercriminals.
There is a lot of technology out there that will help you keep protection up. The trick of it all is to be proactive. Have knowledge of the various attacking methods criminals use. Invest in technological advancements to thwart cyberattacks before they strike.
From our partners:
From our partners:
