The unprecedented rise of digitization and the omnipresence of technology have ushered in a new era where software security threats have become more critical than ever before.
The pervasive growth of AI has made individuals and businesses worry about the software threats that are bringing them inch closer to potential risks and, eventually, financial losses.
Introduction
Today, dozens of websites, communities, and forums are infected by malware, mainly targeting women and large organizations. The aim is to steal financial data or allow the attacker to gain full access to the device without the user’s knowledge. This makes the victim device carry all the cyberattacks.
Hence, through this article, we are to acquaint you with the biggest software security threats and how to prioritize your security.
Cyberattacks
Cyberattacks are malicious attempts through which the attackers steal or manipulate information through the computer network. It is the most common threat looming around business professionals.
Its subtypes are:
Malware
It is an umbrella term for any kind of malicious software designed to harm a programmable device. Through it, cyber criminals extract personal emails, passwords, banking, and health records and use them for financial gains.
Cross-Site Scripting
To infect computers, cybercriminals inject malicious code into an otherwise trusted website. Through this, they gain access to cookies, session tokens, or any sensitive information received by the browser during its interaction with the customer.
Denial of Service
In an attempt to shut down or crash the computer network, the criminals send overwhelming traffic to the website. This threat does not lead to potential financial thrash, but it can destabilize the system and make it vulnerable to elevated attacks.
Backdoor Trojan
As the name suggests, the intruder uses a backdoor to access the computer data and does whatever pleases them. This includes deleting files, opening files, rebooting the data, uploading malware, etc.
Ransomware
It is malware that holds the victim’s data hostage and asks for ransom money in return. Worse, the victim keeps paying the threatened amount to keep their data safe from breach.
How to protect yourself from it?
If you are running a business, train your employees not to click on malicious links and follow extensive procedures before sending sensitive information to suspicious software.
Keep your system updated to avoid any security loopholes, back up your data, and do not give or use open accessed Wi-Fi.
AI threats
Though Google CEO Sundar Pichai and other tech giants like Microsoft and ChatGPT have a firm belief in AI, contrary to their comments, there has been a recent uptick in cyber security attacks due to it.
Exemplifying fake travel aggregator sites misuse technology, forcing people to click on links that may lead to financial losses. They do so by offering airline tickets, tours, and exciting deals on travel and accommodation, all of which are counterfeit.
Notably, Kaspersky has observed a surge in AI attacks through messaging platforms like Telegram.
Some of the ways this is carried out are:
Quishing
The digital marketing space is brimmed with scamming practices, and one of them is quishing. The trap is to scan the QR code and misuse it. The recent example validates our point further.
In the 2022 Super Bowl, crypto company Coinbase created an innovative way to improve its app promotion. They announced a hefty prize of $15 in Bitcoin in exchange for their app installation.
The overall process was exciting for the investors, but the cybersecurity community raised an eyebrow. The concern was warranted within a few weeks when scammers used the investors’ QR codes to deceive them. They persuaded the investors to withdraw money before retirement to make more investments in cryptocurrency.
Phishing
Examine this scenario: someone calls you, masking himself as a bank agent, insurance agent, or other truthful entity, and convinces you to part with your banking details by making you click on a link or a text message. By doing so, you unknowingly install malware on your device and give access to all your sensitive data.
No indicator signals phishing attempts. The process and methodologies change, but if you see spam emails in your inbox, an email induces you to click, or you feel the email address is malicious, you are trapped.
How to protect yourself from it?
To strengthen your business or to wipe down the fear of losses, we advise you to have a robust email security solution that blocks phishing emails and viruses. It could be the first line of defense to protect yourself from such offensive emails.
Human Errors
Whether you believe it or not, the root cause of 80% of cybercrimes is human error. This means that in 9 out of 10 cases, the employee or individual does something malicious that further leads to such crimes.
Consider this: when you click on a suspicious link, it gives criminals access to your payment network. The result is a financial loss. Another one is that when you partner with a non-reputed domain vendor, there is a chance they might leak your financial information to criminals.
How to protect yourself from it?
AI has made our lives easier, but it has also brought an array of challenges. The best way to defend yourself is through constant vigilance and keeping a prying eye on threats.
Use strong passwords, carefully access social media channels, and do not click on any site or download anything until you ensure it is a trusted source. This way, you can preserve your digital identity.
Cloud Network Vulnerabilities
Cloud hosting is considered to be the fastest way to host. However, it poses many risks, and to address the issues, the companies are using aggressive methodologies.
However, you are advised to select your cloud hosting service provider carefully and stay updated on the security features to minimize the threat.
VPN threats
VPN, Virtual Private Network, is sought to be a distinguished way to hide personal details. However, just like in a Bollywood mystery film where the antagonist is masquerading as a hero, VPN can deceive, expose your information, and make you vulnerable to attacks.
Malicious people will exploit the vpn vulnerabilities and steal your data, and ultimately, you will compromise your information. As per the VPN risk report, 88% of companies that deploy this technology are under security risk.
How to defend yourself?
Numerous software are available that can reduce the intensity of attacks done by these VPNs. It allows you to circumvent the challenges and block all data from leakage paths.
IoT and IIoT threats
Today, organizations are becoming heavily reliant on emerging technologies like AI, ML, and Blockchain, which pose a security threat.
If the data is to be believed, in 2023, there was a 400% surge in malware attacks, in which many IoT devices were targeted and their personal information was extracted.
How do we defend against such attacks?
These attacks may leave us vulnerable, thinking that nothing can be undone. However, stronger security measures and firm belief can counter these attacks and prevent unauthorized access from intruders. The best way to prevent the IoT security challenges is to adopt TLS and other standards such as transport encryption.
Some measures, like secured protocols, network segmentation, and collaboration with reputable suppliers, can play an instrumental role.
APT and Zero Day attacks
APT, or an advanced persistent threat, resonates with its name. This cyber security attack persistently attempts to attack the vulnerabilities of the target information to steal the data or disrupt normal operations.
Though these attacks are not technically extensive, their persistent nature can turn them into a dangerous event.
Another cyber security attack that thwarts the business organization is a zero-day attack. Through it, cybercriminals take advantage of software vulnerabilities that are unknown to the vendor.
The attackers trap the loopholes and quickly use them as a sword to attack. This makes zero-day attacks a dangerous weapon, and they are likely to succeed because there is no defense in the first place.
They typically target large enterprises, government organizations, and home users who use vulnerable operating systems to carry crucial national data.
How to mitigate the risk?
To mitigate these risks, it is better to hire a cyber security company that can prevent challenges and help you stay secure.
Bottom Line
In the dynamic world of technology, where every company wants to stand at the forefront of innovation, there is a security challenge that can wither away your sensitive data.
To protect yourself from all these mishaps, it is necessary to use strong security protocols. This includes using a combination of passwords that are hard to guess, trusting only secured networks as collaborators, and hiring cybersecurity professionals.
These specialists are tasked with protecting your data and networks from phishing and malware attacks. Also, they provide invaluable insights into potential hazards before they become a critical issue.
