In today’s digital age, the risks that can come from a lack of network security are numerous and far-reaching. From malicious attacks to insider threats and data breaches, there are plenty of potential pitfalls to guard against.
Given the scope of risks, it is more important than ever for businesses to take proactive measures to safeguard their networks. However, identifying potential weaknesses in your company’s network security can be a tricky task. There are many different types of cyber threats that can sneak into your system without you even knowing about them. If left unchecked, these risks can not only cause irreparable damage to your business but also expose sensitive information such as employee passwords, customer credit card details, or other confidential data.
In this article, we will summarize 5 such common threats that need to be taken care of by enterprises and individuals to protect their sensitive data. But before that let’s understand network security.
Network Security and Threats
Network security is a system of policies, procedures, and tools that protects the network and the information that travels across it.
This protection includes the hardware and software that secures your network from outside threats such as hackers, viruses, and worms. Network security also includes the people who administer and use the network.
Human Error
Human error can be the most damaging security threat facing businesses today. Data breaches and malicious attacks can be prevented if appropriate network security protocols are in place. However, human error is an unfortunate fact of life that cannot be controlled by technological means alone.
According to a survey conducted by data breach investigation firm, Risk Based Security, 64% of data breaches are the result of human error. The most common cause of the human error is the failure to follow existing security protocols causing accidental misconfiguration of critical network devices.
Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) Attacks
A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack could be one of the most damaging network security threats facing businesses today. DDoS attacks work by flooding networks with large volumes of traffic from multiple sources. As a result, the network’s bandwidth is overwhelmed, which causes connections to slow down or go offline altogether.
In some cases, DDoS attacks have been known to knock entire networks offline, leading to substantial financial losses. Businesses can protect themselves against DDoS attacks by using a firewall to filter out malicious traffic and a network traffic scrubber to identify and remove malicious packets before they reach the network.
It is important to note that this protection is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain. If any one component fails, the entire network could be left vulnerable to attack.
Rogue Security Software & Malware
Rogue security software and malware are examples of threats that could infiltrate your network and cause irreparable damage. These software and malware are installed on employee computers without their knowledge.
While such software may be useful in some cases, employees often don’t know that it’s installed, greatly increasing the risk that their credentials could be compromised. Such software should only be installed on administrative computers. However, many businesses don’t have a centralized system of control to keep track of which computers have which software installed. As a result, rogue security software may be installed on other employees’ computers without their knowledge, greatly increasing the risk of an insider threat.
Malware by nature is a kind of malicious software designed to disrupt computer operations, gather information, or gain access to private computer systems. While employees are often the perpetrators of malware, it is also a common source of network security threats.
Malware can be downloaded onto computers through various means, including clicking on malicious links in emails or visiting websites with reputations for hosting malicious content. Viruses and other malware could be used to steal confidential data, destroy data, or disrupt regular computer operations.
Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks are one of the most common and lucrative forms of online fraud. These scams lure people into giving away their personal information and financial assets by masquerading as trusted entities such as banks, credit card companies, and online retailers.
Phishers typically start by sending out an email that appears to be from a legitimate company. The message may ask the recipient to confirm sensitive information such as the last four digits of their social security number or credit card number. If the recipient falls for the scam and responds with this information, the phisher now has all they need to steal the victim’s identity.
At best, phishing scams could inconvenience unsuspecting users by forcing them to change their credentials. At worst, they could result in identity theft, fraudulent credit card charges, or other serious damages.
Ransomware and Virus
As its name suggests, a ransomware attack is designed to extort money from its victims by locking them out of their computers or other digital assets. Once the malicious code has infiltrated a computer, it could encrypt sensitive data to prevent the owners from accessing it.
The only way to regain access to the data would be to pay the attacker a ransom fee. Computer viruses are also a common source of network security threats. Like biological viruses, computer viruses are self-replicating codes that spread quickly and can cause significant damage to their host. Computer viruses could be used to steal data, disrupt network operations, or gather information about employees and customers.
Conclusion
Network security threats are as varied as they are dangerous. Fortunately, they can all be mitigated with the help of the right tools and resources. With the attack landscape shifting to enterprises of all sizes, it’s urgent to have appropriate systems and processes to deal with such threats.
As it is impossible for an enterprise to keep a check on individual computers and Individuals all the time the solution is to leverage technology blended with the right kind of expertise to handle such tools and resources.
Always ensure that your network is secure by installing firewalls, network traffic scrubbers, and network security systems. To make these things cost-effective and complexities free managed security service providers like DigitalNext become an ideal business decision for enterprises of all sizes to better focus on their core business.
