7 Common Cyberattacks and How To Prevent Them

The United States has been battered by a rising number of cyberattacks in recent years, with a roughly 60% increase in attacks in 2022. As technology advances, cybercriminals become more skilled, making it critical for individuals, companies, and government institutions to become familiar with the most common types of cyberattacks. We’ll examine seven of the most common types of cyberattacks in the United States and provide advice on how to prevent them.

Seven of the Most Common Types of Cyberattacks

Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks are the most well-known and widely used type of cyberattack. In 2022, the Internet Crime Complaint Center received 300,497 reports from phishing victims. Cybercriminals use phishing attacks to deceive victims into providing sensitive information by impersonating trustworthy organizations, commonly through deceptive emails. Cybersecurity attacks take advantage of human psychology and their tendency to trust familiar sources, making them highly effective. Avoid phishing, carefully review unsolicited emails, verify sender information, and avoid questionable links or attachments. When available, use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to boost security. Combating phishing attacks requires education and awareness. Companies can dramatically lower the chance of falling victim to scams by training employees and family members to recognize and report phishing attempts.

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks are an especially pernicious type of cybercrime in which threat operators encrypt victims’ files and demand ransoms in exchange for decryption keys. The attacks targeting individuals, companies, and government institutions have increased dramatically in recent years. Companies in the United States face the highest risk of ransomware attacks, with 47% of the incidents affecting them.

Maintaining regular, secure data backups is the best defense against ransomware attacks. This allows companies to swiftly recover their files in case of attacks, effectively eliminating the threats. Implementing a multi-layered security strategy that includes antivirus software, firewalls, and multi-factor authentication is vital. Proactive detection is another effective ransomware defense approach, with constant vulnerability scanning to detect suspicious activity before it becomes a problem. Clicking suspicious links, downloading unknown attachments, and visiting untrustworthy websites can expose companies’ systems to ransomware. To prevent devastating cybercrimes, companies must educate their employees about the importance of cybersecurity and warning signs of potential ransomware attacks.

 DDoS Attacks

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) cyberattacks entail bombarding target websites or online services with a torrent of traffic, rendering them unreachable to legitimate users. The attacks harm companies and organizations that rely on their online presence for revenue or communication. The number of DDoS cyberattacks in the United States grew by 212% in 2022 compared to 2021.

To defend against DDoS cyberattacks, measures, including utilizing CDNs, imposing rate restrictions, and deploying protection services, must be implemented to manage overwhelming traffic. Additionally, it’s critical to monitor network activity for unexpected trends, including traffic spikes or increased errors.

Malware Attacks

Malware, which is short for “malicious software,” is a broad term that refers to various software types designed to infiltrate, harm, or otherwise compromise victims’ computer systems. Viruses, worms, Trojans, and spyware are examples of common malware tools. Trojans are the standard malware programs in the United States, followed by viruses. Malware attacks have various adverse outcomes, including data theft and system crashes.

Companies should use a multi-layered security approach, regularly update their operating systems and software, and detect and remove threats with a reputable antivirus program that is up to date. When downloading software or files from unknown sources, exercise caution and avoid clicking on suspicious links or email attachments that may contain malware. Additionally, to help reduce the likelihood of infection, companies must educate their employees on the danger of malware and the importance of practicing good cybersecurity hygiene.

Password Attacks

Cybercriminals frequently utilize password attacks to obtain unauthorized access to victims’ accounts or devices. Password attacks, often used by cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access, employ various techniques, including brute force, dictionary attacks, and advanced techniques like keylogging. Users using the same, simple-to-guess password across all their accounts make password attacks easier for cybercriminals.

Establishing solid and unique passwords for each account and device is critical to protect against password attacks. Avoid using obvious details, including names, birth dates, or common words; instead, use a combination of alphabets, numerals, and special characters. Users should consider using a password manager to assist with creating and storing complex passwords.

Adversary-in-the-Middle Attacks

In Adversary-in-the-Middle (AITM) cyberattacks, threat operators intercept and potentially modify communications between two parties without their knowledge. This attack can be used to steal sensitive information, including login credentials or financial, or to inject malicious content into a conversation or data transfer. According to a threat intelligence index, AITM cyberattacks account for 35% of all exploitation actions. The vulnerability of Wi-Fi technology is a significant factor contributing to the prevalence of AITM as a broad attack tactic.

To defend against MITM cyberattacks, a combination of solid security practices and user vigilance is required. Use encrypted connections, including HTTPS, to avoid eavesdropping on companies’ communications. Companies should consider utilizing a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt their traffic and secure data from potential interception when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks. Users must check the security certificates of websites they visit, especially those that handle sensitive data, ensuring their connection is secure and confidential. Companies and users need to stay informed about the latest security threats and best practices, as the information can assist in identifying and avoiding potential MITM cyberattacks.

Insider Threats

Insider threats are individuals with authorized access to companies’ resources which, intentionally or accidentally, cause harm to the organizations. The threats are not restricted to current employees, ex-employees, contractors, or associates with access to companies’ systems, or confidential information might be included. Insiders are typically aware of the location of vital information within companies and frequently have higher authorization levels. Data leaks triggered by internal individuals tend to be significantly more costly for companies than breaches initiated by external threat operators. The average cost of insider threats is roughly $11.45 million, compared to $3.86 million for a data breach.

The first effective strategy in preventing insider threats within companies is to restrict access to sensitive data unless it’s required to fulfil duties and to implement multi-factor authentication throughout their systems to gain access. Companies must first eliminate visibility gaps by combining security information inside a central monitoring system to identify internal risks efficiently. Identifying individuals exhibiting suspicious behavior that can endanger companies is required to detect and recognize threats. Monitoring network activities for anomalies, including non-business hours access, remote connection, and external acts, must be part of their cybersecurity strategy. Maintain current baseline system snapshots and procedure inventories and regularly compare systems to the snapshots to discover potential compromises.

With cybercriminals continuously developing new and more sophisticated tactics, companies must remain informed and proactive in their defense against cyberattacks. Utilizing the expertise of SpearTip’s comprehensive security services and offers will help companies stay ahead in combating cyber threats. At SpearTip, our certified engineers work continuously at our 24/7/365 Security Operations Center in an investigative cycle, monitoring companies’ networks for potential cyberattacks and being ready to respond to incidents immediately. Our remediation experts work to restore companies’ operations, reclaim their networks by isolating malware, and recover their business-critical assets. ShadowSpear Platform, our integrable managed detection and response tool, uses comprehensive insights through unparalleled data normalization to expose sophisticated unknown and advanced cyber threats.

If your company is experiencing a breach, call our Security Operations Center at 833.997.7327 to speak directly with an engineer.