How Do Cyber Attacks Happen, Anyways? Knowing Could Save Your Business

By 2020, a single cyber attack can cost a company more than $150 million. That number is only expected to grow as companies begin handling more and more information. They handle credit card details, employee information, and even more sensitive records.

Hackers want access to all of it. If the right information falls into the wrong hands, hackers can do more than just make money. They can sway the way companies make decisions, and even threaten entire countries.

And as more and more information is being stored on company servers, more cyber attacks are launched to access it. It’s vital for companies to protect that information. Otherwise, they can risk losing business, having their reputations damaged, and can even face federal charges.

Stay safe online by protecting yourself from cyber attacks before they happen! Keep reading below to learn how they start, and what you can do to stop it. 

Cyber Attacks Are Opportunistic

Cyber attacks are only ever started when hackers recognize an opportunity to launch one. When a hacker recognizes a vulnerability in a system, they use to take control and steal valuable information. And not every vulnerability is a technological one.

Sometimes, hacks can be launched by disgruntled employees with higher levels of access than most people. Other times, an organization can simply forget to update a system, leaving a software vulnerability open. The only way to prevent cyber attacks is to ensure hackers never get the chance to launch them.

To do that, you need to develop effective security measures. Your first step should be to reach to companies like Preactive IT Solutions and ask experts about how you can improve your security.

Hackers Want Information Above All

When most people imagine what hackers are like, they picture someone with a laptop trying to make quick money. Yet, cash isn’t always what hackers are after. More commonly, they want to find as much valuable information as possible.

That’s because the more information they have, the more powerful they can be. With the right information, hackers can essentially hold a company hostage. They can threaten to release sensitive info or reveal complex vulnerabilities if an organization doesn’t behave how they want.

Once a hacker gets the information they want, then the real attack begins. And by then, it can be too late. Protecting yourself and your website is the only way to deal with cyber attacks.

The Most Damage Isn’t Done With Computers

Hackers don’t exclusively use laptops and the internet to organize their attacks. Their most common and most powerful tools are average people. Social engineering techniques can fool people into revealing information they wouldn’t, and phishing tactics are becoming more sophisticated.

Never fully trust people only meet online, and only ever offer information you wouldn’t mind posting publically. You should also maintain strong internal security measures. The people in your company with access to sensitive information, as well as how they use that information should be reasonably monitored.

Only You Can Protect Your Systems

At the end of the day, it’s up to you to protect yourself against cyber attacks. You can download as much security software as you want, but you’re the only one that can develop and enforce security measures. You’re the only one that can protect your information.

And you should always remember who you’re protecting it from. Hackers can lurk behind any website or phone conversation. Putting too much trust in people online can lead to devastating consequences for you, your business, and your customers.

That doesn’t mean you need to be paranoid, though. You just need to be careful, and to be careful, you need to be informed. And to stay informed about how to protect yourself online, just keep reading here!