The Evolution of cyber attacks: from malware to ransomware
To overviewIn the world of cybersecurity, there is an ongoing battle between attackers and defenders. Cybercriminals are constantly innovating and adopting new tactics to gain access to systems, steal data and cause damage.
October is the Month of Cybersecurity and in this blog post, we will dive deeper into the evolution of cyber attacks, from early malware to today's ransomware attacks. In addition to a bit of history, of course, we also provide tips and tricks to protect yourself from these forms of cybercrime.
The Age of Malware
The history of cyber attacks begins with malware and is short for "malicious software. Malware is a broad term that includes various types of malicious software, such as viruses, Trojans, worms and spyware. In the early days of cybercrime, malware attacks were primarily spread through infected e-mail attachments and insecure downloads.
The Rise of Phishing
As security measures improved and people became more aware of malware, the focus of attackers shifted to phishing. Phishing attacks are fake emails or messages that attempt to trick people into revealing personal information, such as passwords and credit card information. These attacks became increasingly sophisticated and harder to distinguish from legitimate communications.
The Rise of Ransomware
Ransomware attacks are among the most devastating and lucrative forms of cybercrime today. These attacks involve encrypting the files on the victim's computer and then demanding a ransom (think cryptocurrency) in exchange for the decryption key. Ransomware can cripple both individuals and organizations and cause enormous financial damage.
Protection against evolving attacks
. How can we protect against these constantly evolving cyber attacks? Here are some key steps:
- Stay aware
Attention is the first line of defense. Be careful when opening emails and don't just click on links or attachments, especially if they seem suspicious. - Update your software
Make sure all your software, including operating systems and security programs, is up to date. Updates often include patches for known security vulnerabilities. - Use strong passwords
Use complex passwords and consider using a password manager to manage them securely. - Training and Awareness
Companies should train employees in cybersecurity awareness to help them recognize potential dangers. - Data backup
Regular backups of your data can be invaluable if you become a victim of ransomware. You can recover your data without paying a ransom.
OXXA.com Against Cyberattacks
Naturally, you are not alone in defending against cyberattacks. We offer several tactics and solutions. First and foremost, we have the Spam filters from SpamExperts. With the inbound email filtering solution from SpamExperts, we ensure optimal email continuity and protection against spam, viruses, ransomware, phishing, malware. With the outgoing email filtering solution, we precisely have abuse management in place to prevent IP blacklisting and improve email delivery.
In addition, we have several firewall solutions that protect you from cyber attacks by malicious traffic. For example, we offer several variants of the Imunify360 licenses with respect to Firewall and we have several virus scanner variants.
With a Managed Vulnerability Scan (MVS), you take your defense against cyber attacks one step further. With the Managed Vulnerability Scan, you get real-time information from your network. With more than 66,000 vulnerabilities, the periodic scan offers very broad coverage that includes CVE scores.
Although there are still many forms of defense, we want to name 1 more in this blog post: VPN. With the OpenVPN solution you create a layer on top of your network, so to speak. This network can then only be accessed if certain IP addresses are on a whitelist. Are you interested in an OpenVPS solution?
Then please contact us without obligation.
Backup
We mentioned it earlier in this blog post; by backing up your data regularly you can guard against ransomware attacks. We offer several options for backing up your data. Data backups will always be placed on an external backup server. This ensures that backups are always available in case of emergencies. If you go a step further and choose our Managed Backup solution, your backups will also be encrypted! (Note: however, this does not apply to FTP backups).
Conclusion
The evolution of cyber attacks has led to increasingly sophisticated threats, but with the right knowledge and security measures, individuals and organizations can protect themselves. It is critical to stay abreast of the latest developments in the world of cybersecurity and take proactive steps to defend yourself against these attacks.
Do you have a question about cybersecurity? Or are you curious what solution we can provide for you when it comes to cybersecurity and defending against cyber attacks? Then contact us so that our specialists can tell you all about it and provide you with the right advice!
To overview