Cyber Security - Part 2: How cyber threats affect you

How cyber threats affect you

Cyber Security threats occur daily and you or your organisation may find yourselves at risk. These threats can range from a small inconvenience to a full-blown attack.

We’re storing more and more information online now, with most of us having our information and photos stored in the cloud, or on social media platforms, like Facebook. These places are now frequently used by hackers to target individuals and cause damage.

Our exposure to cyber threats has increased, as we now have more ‘connected’ devices than ever before, such as smartphones, smart TV’s and even smart fridges!

As an individual, you may be the victim of cyber fraud or extortion attempts from cybercriminals. As an organisation, hackers can use a range of cyber tools and social engineering, to take information and money from your business.

To help you combat cybercrime and be more aware of the tools cyber criminals use, we have compiled a list of some of the more common technique’s hackers may try to use against you:

Adware - software that automatically displays or downloads advertising material (including banners or pop-ups)
Ransomware - a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a fee is paid
DoS (denial of service) - an interruption in an authorised user's access, typically one caused with malicious intent
Password cracking – recovering passwords from stored locations, or guessing them
Pharming – directing internet users to a fake website, to obtain personal information
Phishing – sending emails pretending to be from reputable companies, to gain personal information
Malware – software designed to damage, disrupt or gain unauthorised access to systems

While cyber crime has risen in recent years, there's still hope! Individuals and organisations are realising that something needs to be done. Companies are hiring Ethical Hackers and Penetration Testers, to check their defences and look for weaknesses and ways in. Individuals are keeping their passwords more secure and are more careful while online.

With the above tools in mind, you and your organisation are able to take appropriate steps to pretect yourselves from cyber criminals. Make sure you and your colleagues have the most up-to-date IT software, to protect your devices, as well as ensuring your personal and company information is stored securely. Do not leacve usernames and passwords in open places and don't select easy to guess passwords. Change necessary details and logins when someone leaves the organisation and get into the habit of changing passwords regularly.

If you're considering a career change, we have developed a series of helpful articles for career changers:

If you’re interested in becoming certified as a Cyber Security Professional, and would like to discuss this with an advisor, our dedicated Cyber Security programme advisors are on hand to answer your questions. Get in touch today on 0203 198 7700.