Do you want to know what the most common data security threats are and how to avoid them? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Unfortunately, these threats can happen to literally anyone, at any time. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do for a living, or how much you earn. Unless you’ve got the proper protection, and are following the right rules and regulations, you will become a victim of data theft.
Here are all the common data security threats that you might be fending off.
1. Drive-By Download Attacks
Drive-by download attacks happen more often than you think because most people don’t even realize that they’re under attack at first. These attacks specifically refer to malicious malware that you’ve downloaded to your device without any knowledge or consent.
You see, the trouble with drive-by download attacks is that they don’t actually require you to download or open anything. They sneak up on you while you’re using websites or software that aren’t up-to-date.
The three most common things you can expect from a drive-by download attack include:
- Spying on your device
- Installing malware
- Disabling/stealing your data
2. Data Breaches on Social Media
There are more people on social media nowadays than ever before. There are countless different platforms out there, and there seems to be very little concern for data privacy and protection.
Just back in 2018, Facebook had a massive security breach, and 50 million people were completely exposed. The same thing happened with Quora that same year, and millions of people had their personal information, IP addresses, and passwords compromised.
If you’re interested in some more numbers, here are the data breaching statistics that cover the past ten years.
3. Shadow IT
We see a lot of shadow IT practices happening in companies all over the world, but especially the bigger ones. It’s a term that describes employees using programs and software that weren’t approved by either the IT department or the company. They’re extremely difficult to trace, which is why this practice is known as shadow IT.
There are a couple of reasons that explain using unapproved software or programs, but it usually all boils down to efficiency. Employees find that other apps or programs might be easier to use and help them get more work done.
Unfortunately, that opens both the company and the employees to a lot of risks and liability. Using unauthorized programs and software leads to data breaches and cybersecurity threats.
4. Malvertising
Malvertising, which is not the same as adware, is huge these days, and it affects more people than you think. In fact, some of the most famous companies that have fallen prey to malvertising include Spotify, The Atlantic, and The New York Times online edition.
Unlike adware, which only affects the end-user, malvertising scams focus on big companies and advertisers. With malvertising, someone can post malicious code directly on an advertiser’s website, and it only affects the user who’s using the page.
From there on, it could do a drive-by download, redirect you to a malicious site, or show you ads and pop-ups that are, once again, not legitimate.
5. Spyware
Privacy-invasive software or more commonly, spyware, is a type of malware that will collect your personal information without your knowledge and consent. But what makes it different from malware?
Well, for one, spyware’s main purpose is to literally spy on your computer and monitor all your actions. When we say monitor your actions, we mean that it can literally track whatever you’re doing. It’ll know which websites you’re using, what you’re shopping for, and which social media you prefer.
But most importantly, with spyware, a scammer can get access to all your personal and private information, including bank details. Depending on the spyware, it can also make changes to your devices, and install apps and programs.
6. Crypto-Jacking
Crypto-jacking is one of the most common data security threats, especially in the financial world, that just isn’t talked about enough. It’s what happens when a hacker hijacks someone’s computer (virtually, of course), and uses it to mine for cryptocurrency.
Since mining for cryptocurrency takes a lot of processing power, a scammer will use someone else’s device to do all the dirty work. They’ll just reap the rewards. As you can imagine, running intense mining operations on a computer can significantly slow it down.
In turn, you won’t be able to use your devices to their full potential, which is especially tricky if it happened on your work computer. Crypto-jacking is a huge threat that can cost a lot of money in terms of man-hours and efficiency.
7. Botnet Threats & DDoS Attacks
Also known as the double whammy of security threats, botnets & DDoS attacks go hand-in-hand. With a DDoS attack, a hacker’s main goal is to slow down the traffic of a server or network by overwhelming it, usually with bots.
Using these underhanded techniques, someone could not only slow down traffic to your website but also completely crash it. Not only are DDoS attacks one of the most common data security threats, but they’re usually some of the most difficult to fend off.
Identifying the source and blocking the attack takes a lot of manpower and resources, which will have a huge impact on a company’s bottom line.
8. Electronic Medical Record Hacks
Nowadays, almost all governments and private care centers are using cloud-based services to store patient records. Even though having records online has a ton of benefits, there are also countless concerns when it comes to privacy, safety, and potential attacks.
Not only that, but a lot of people are also worried that others could hack directly into devices that are connected to patients. They could disable monitoring devices, mess with dosages, and so much more.
To Sum up
Let’s be honest, threats can come from anywhere, and fending off all attacks seems like an impossible mission. However, the future isn’t as bleak as it might seem now.
As long as all of us stay up to date on common data security threats, and use proper protection online, we can fight them off. For more information on cybersecurity risks and trends, you can sign up for our newsletter.
