Cybersecurity

What is Cybersecurity All About? 

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks usually target sensitive information, extort money from users through ransomware, or interrupt normal business processes.  

Implementing effective cybersecurity measures is particularly challenging today because there are more devices than people, and attackers are becoming more innovative.  

A successful cybersecurity posture has multiple layers of protection spread across the computers, networks, programs, or data one intends to keep safe. An organization's unified threat management gateway system can automate integrations across products and accelerate key security operations functions: detection, investigation, and remediation. People, processes, and technology must all complement one another to create an effective defense from cyberattacks.  

The Growing Threat of Cyber Attacks in the Digital Era 

Cyber attacks have become a significant threat to individuals, businesses, and governments as the world becomes increasingly interconnected. The rapid adoption of digital technologies, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) has expanded the attack surface, making systems more vulnerable to breaches.  Cybercriminals use sophisticated methods, such as ransomware, phishing, and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, to steal sensitive data, disrupt operations, and demand large payouts. These attacks compromise privacy and financial security and erode trust in digital systems, posing a significant challenge to global cybersecurity.  The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation has also amplified cybercriminals' capabilities, enabling them to execute attacks at unprecedented speed and scale. Organizations invest heavily in cybersecurity tools, workforce training, and threat intelligence to mitigate risks.  However, the evolving nature of cyber threats demands a proactive, adaptive approach, highlighting the critical need for robust defense mechanisms and collaboration between governments, businesses, and security experts to safeguard the digital ecosystem in this era of growing cyber threats.

Cyber Attack

A cyber attack is the process of attempting to steal data or gain unauthorized access to computers and networks using one or more computers. A cyber attack is often the first step an attacker takes in gaining unauthorized access to individual or business computers or networks before carrying out a data breach.  

The goal of a cyber attack is either to disable the target computer and take it offline or gain access to the computer’s data and infiltrate connected networks and systems. Cyber attacks also differ broadly in their sophistication, with cyber criminals launching both random and targeted attacks on businesses. Attackers deploy a wide range of methods to begin a cyber attack, such as denial of service, malware, phishing, and ransomware.  

An example is CMA CGM, one of the largest container shipping companies in the world. The firm suffered a cyber attack that originally targeted its servers, which then led to a data breach. The September 2020 attack occurred as malware was used to target the firm’s peripheral servers, which led to CMA CGM taking down access to its online services.  

What are examples of a cyber attack? 

What is a cyber attack within the context of a business’s daily operations? The prevailing cyber attack definition can be very broad, depending on the kind of assault criminals decide to launch. Here are a couple of example scenarios:  

• Malware: A company does not take the appropriate cyber attack prevention steps and allows its employees to visit any website they like. An employee goes to a fake site that automatically downloads malware onto their computer. The malware sets up a backdoor for a future ransomware attack. 
• Phishing: A phishing email, one of the most common cyber attack types, gets sent to an employee telling them they need to update their bank account password. They are led to a fake site, and a hacker collects all the information they put in. 

These cyber attack examples are fairly simple—not the sophisticated types some criminal syndicates unleash—but they are still some of the most common methods malicious actors use to exploit companies and their employees.

What is encryption?  

Encryption is fundamental in building an effective cybersecurity strategy for your business, especially when your top priority is confidentiality.    

Encryption is converting intelligible plain text into an indecipherable ciphertext. The key to this process is a cryptographic key, shared between the sender and the intended recipient. Upon receiving the ciphertext, the recipient uses the corresponding key to unlock the encrypted data, revealing the original plaintext.   

In essence, encryption safeguards your data, rendering it unreadable not only to human eyes but also to machines and systems. While the data physically exists, it remains unusable due to its encrypted format.

How does encryption work?  

In the encryption process, the original data (plain text) is converted into an unreadable jumble (ciphertext) using a complex mathematical algorithm. To decipher this ciphertext, one needs the right digital key, akin to a secret password.   

Encryption can safeguard data both at rest (stored on a hard drive) and in transit (traveling over a network), providing effective protection in both scenarios.   

There are two primary encryption types:   

1. Symmetric encryption. 

In this method, a single key serves for both encryption and decryption. Both parties must share this secret key securely, as it's essential for both sender and receiver to possess it. The more complex the key, the more robust the encryption.   

2. Asymmetric encryption. 

This approach employs two distinct keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. The recipient alone has access to the private decryption key.   Encryption shields data from unauthorised access and bolsters compliance with data privacy regulations like the GDPR. It safeguards sensitive information, including customer records, financial data, and intellectual property, preventing data breaches and privacy violations.   By embracing encryption, businesses can effectively protect their valuable assets, maintain customer trust, and mitigate risks that come with data leaks and breaches.

Hacking

Hacking definition 

Hacking is the act of identifying and then exploiting weaknesses in a computer system or network, usually to gain unauthorized access to personal or organizational data. Hacking is not always a malicious activity, but the term has mostly negative connotations due to its association with cybercrime.  

How does hacking work? 

So, how do hackers hack? Hackers use a variety of techniques to achieve their aims. Some of the most common methods include: 

Social engineering 

Social engineering is a manipulation technique designed to exploit human error to gain access to personal information. Using a fake identity and various psychological tricks, hackers can deceive you into disclosing personal or financial information. They may rely on phishing scams, spam emails, or instant messages, or even fake websites to achieve this.  

Hacking passwords 

Hackers use different ways to obtain passwords. The trial-and-error method is known as a brute force attack, which involves hackers trying to guess every possible combination to gain access. Hackers may also use simple algorithms to generate different combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols to help them identify password combinations. Another technique is known as a dictionary attack, which is a program that inserts common words into password fields to see if one works.

Ethical Hacking

Ethical hacking is the proactive, authorized practice of detecting vulnerabilities in an application, system, or organization’s infrastructure. By bypassing system security, ethical hackers identify potential data breaches and threats in a network, aiming to prevent them before they occur. They investigate the system or network for weak points that malicious hackers can exploit or destroy, thereby improving the security footprint to withstand attacks better or divert them.  

The company that owns the system or network allows Cybersecurity engineers to perform such activities to test the system’s defenses. This process is legal and meticulously planned, a nd approved, ensuring that it is controlled and secure, in stark contrast to the illegal and disruptive nature of malicious hacking.  

Ethical hackers are trying to investigate the system or network for weak points that malicious hackers can exploit or destroy. They aim to collect and analyze information to devise strategies to strengthen the system's security, network, or applications. By doing so, they can significantly enhance the security footprint, making it more resilient to attacks or even diverting them.  

Organizations hire ethical hackers to investigate the vulnerabilities of their systems and networks and develop solutions to prevent data breaches. 

They check for critical vulnerabilities, including but not limited to:  

• Injection attacks
• Changes in security settings
• Exposure to sensitive data 
• Breach in authentication protocols 
• Components used in the system or network

What is Data Privacy?

The Importance of Data Privacy