Introduction
Cyber security has become a hot topic in the past few years. As we move forward, there will be more hacks and breaches, but they won’t all be linked to cyber espionage or terrorism. The threat landscape has evolved over time and continues to change as new technologies emerge. Here’s an overview of some of the biggest threats facing us today:
Malware
Malware is a general term used to describe malicious software. Malware can be used to steal information, disrupt systems and gain access to private networks. Malware can also be spread through email, USB drives or social media–it’s even possible for malware to infect your computer if you visit an infected website!
Malicious code often hides inside files on your computer or smartphone (and sometimes even in emails). It may take the form of an email attachment (.pdf) that contains macros that run immediately when opened; it might appear as another program installed alongside your other software (like Adobe Reader); or it may hide within plain sight by masquerading as something else like “Junk Mail” making it hard if not impossible for users to know what they’re dealing with before allowing something bad onto their machine
Cyber espionage
Cyber espionage is a form of cyberwarfare that involves stealing information, intellectual property and personal data from foreign governments and companies. Cyber espionage has become an increasing problem in recent years as criminals have used it to steal money from banks, steal valuable trade secrets from large corporations, spy on foreign governments and militaries, or even disrupt computer systems at major financial institutions.
One way cybercriminals can use this type of attack is to steal banking details from websites like PayPal (a US-based payment service) by sending fraudulent messages through phishing emails that look like legitimate ones from PayPal’s website or via SMS text message scams where the hacker sends a link attached with malware disguised as one thing but actually downloads something else entirely onto your computer — often malware designed specifically for stealing passwords so you’ll be happy when they’re stolen!
Hacktivism
Hacktivism is the use of computers and computer networks to promote a political agenda. Hacktivists are politically motivated, and often use their technical Cisco Meraki Cape Girardeau skills to advance their beliefs. They can be associated with the Anonymous movement, which has been active since 2003.
Digital warfare
Cyber warfare is the use of cyber-based means to disrupt, deny, degrade and destroy information or data integrity, availability, and confidentiality in an adversary’s information system. This can be done by actions such as denial-of-service attacks (DoS), phishing scams (also known as “smishing”), identity theft scams, email spoofing attacks against individuals or companies and malware infections.
Cyber warfare can be used as a form of psychological warfare against an opponent or target country; it may also include espionage tactics involving penetration of computer networks in order to collect information about them. Cyberwarfare has been described by some commentators as “a new form” of conventional conflict because its nature is so different from traditional military conflicts where armies fight each other physically on land or at sea.
Cyber attack attribution
Attribution is the process of identifying who is responsible for an attack. It’s not an easy task, as cyber attacks are often carried out by multiple perpetrators and can be executed in a number of ways; attackers may use malware or zero-days to infiltrate systems, or they could use phishing emails that trick employees into clicking on malicious links. Once inside a network, they can perform reconnaissance on targets’ infrastructure and then launch full-fledged assaults with the goal of stealing data or disrupting operations.
Attribution can be done by government agencies such as law enforcement agencies or intelligence agencies like the NSA (National Security Agency), FBI (Federal Bureaucracy), CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) and NGA (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency). Private companies also have access to information about who perpetrated an attack through their own sources within networks–or even from other companies that have been hacked themselves!
Takeaway:
Cybersecurity threats are evolving. As the threat landscape becomes more sophisticated, organizations need to be aware of the new threats and how they might affect them. It’s important for cybersecurity professionals to stay on top of these developments so that their organizations can remain safe from malicious activity.
Conclusion
The threats are real, and now more than ever it’s important for businesses to be prepared. As technology advances, cybersecurity threats will continue to evolve. We’ve seen some of these threats already in action (like ransomware), but as long as there are new ways for hackers to get into our networks and steal information from us, we can expect them coming soon too!
