Cyber crimes have been widely discussed around the world. With the rise in attacks — targeting not just home users but the public and private sectors — the need to protect yourself grows, especially in maintaining server security. Meanwhile, it’s common for doubts to arise about how to protect yourself.
Server security is one of the points that deserves greater care for companies. After all, it is where all the business information is kept, from the operational to the most delicate.
To clarify your doubts, we’ll show you everything you need to know about the main threats here. Check out!
What Are The Most Common Cyber Attacks?
2017 has been a troubled year for IT professionals responsible for companies’ digital security. In May, a worldwide attack was put on alert from large corporations to government systems and even home users. This shows that the matter is in everyone’s interest and should be handled carefully.
Knowing the threats is the first step in dealing with this enemy. We’ll talk about some of the main ones here.
Data Hijacking
A massive attack using the ransomware known as WannaCry infected around 300,000 computers worldwide in May 2017. The size of the threat was enormous, as the program carried out a kind of server data hijacking.
When infecting a computer, the ransomware encrypts all its data, preventing the user from accessing it until he pays a “ransom” in bitcoins. WannaCry’s differential is that it used a flaw in Windows — which had already been resolved in an update available at the time — to automatically replicate itself on all devices connected to the first infected person.
Big companies suddenly found themselves under attack from an unknown and their hands tied. There is no way to trust a cybercriminal to return the data or prevent him from copying it.
Then, chaos ensued for a few days, leading some companies to take their servers offline to avoid damage. Even after the problem was resolved, the number of attacks of this type grew, given the attention it drew.
DDoS Attack
Any online system is subject to a DDoS attack, be it a website, application, blog, etc. The Distributed Denial of Service Attack aims to remove a website, leaving it offline.
The strategy is simple. Every website is hosted on a certain server, programmed to respond to any request for access. A DDoS attack redirects thousands of computers to access the site simultaneously, overloading the server until it crashes.
It may seem complex, but it’s quite simple: criminals spread certain malicious programs over the internet, and thousands of people are infected; from that moment on, they can force them to access the address at a certain time, even if they don’t know this is happening.
It is the most common attack in the world. Several banks and large companies have had problems keeping their servers secure, but it is possible.
What Are The Impacts Of A Web Attack?
Understanding that the internet is already an extension of the real world is essential. Several tools in our daily lives depend on it or are even “stored” in it (see the popularization of the cloud ). Therefore, we have security risks anywhere in the world, so the web is subject to certain threats.
Calculating the impact of an attack of this type can be complicated, but it is possible to state that it can break a company. Just check out what happened to WannaCry.
The first visible impact is the hijacking of sensitive data. We know that this represents business value today. Data leakage can jeopardize the system’s functioning and affect the lives of customers and people connected to the company.
Even if the data is not compromised, making the attack public already calls into question a brand’s reliability. Imagine, for example, that you need to choose a bank to open your account, and among the options, there is one that has already had its servers attacked and data hijacked. It’s your bank account that’s at stake.
How To Ensure Server Security?
Two things must be noted before any action is taken. First, no system is 100% secure, so you must constantly improve your server’s level of protection. The second is that, as much as major attacks appear on the pages of newspapers, small ones are by far the most common and end up going unnoticed.
Therefore, it is necessary to start from the basics.
Invest In World-Class Security
A curious branch on the rise on the web is Crime as a Service (CaaS). Some malware is created and made available on sales sites so that people without great technical knowledge in programming can carry out certain attacks. It is the marketing of tools to criminals that has become dangerously popular.
With that in mind, programs like antivirus, firewalls, VPN and Active Directory are just a few examples of the basic security system that every company should have. In addition to having products in the professional version, it is necessary to keep them updated and configured according to the needs of the IT infrastructure.
Keep Backups Up To Date And Disconnected From The Network
Backup management is an extremely simple action that still needs attention in many companies. There is no point in keeping copies of the company’s data if they remain connected to the network, which can be reached by ransomware like WannaCry.
Therefore, it is essential that they are independently maintained and constantly updated. With secure backups, your company reduces the risk of damage by hijacking or compromising data.
Develop An Information Security Policy
The security policy is the heart of a secure system. An IT infrastructure requires standards for physical and digital server access. This includes, for example, the installation of security doors and digital access barriers, all controlled by an access hierarchy system defined by managers.
Remember that the security policy must be aligned with the company’s organizational culture to ensure that the protection of physical and digital assets is always up to date. In addition, it must contain an action plan for real attack situations. As much as it is an undesirable situation, it is essential to have a procedure to guide the professionals.
Also Read: Learn More About Malware & How To Protect Your Device Against It
