Top 10 Most Common Types Of Cyberattacks

Every 39 seconds, someone becomes a cyberattack victim; that’s as many as 2,200 incidents a day. Aren’t these numbers alarming enough to invest in robust cybersecurity?

Knowing about the 10 most common types of cyberattacks is a good start. It’ll help you take adequate preventive steps for your company. Now, let’s begin discussing malware and other main types of cyberattacks.

Malware Attacks

What is malware? Malware is short for malicious software. Hackers design this software to access a computer, network, server, or infrastructure without the owners’ knowledge and permission. It’s a cyberattack technique usually used to steal, export, modify, delete, access, or copy confidential data to cause harm to a victim.

Common types of malware include virus malware, worms, trojan software, and hybrid malware. Robust antivirus software and firewalls are crucial lines of defense. Some common signs of a malware attack include a sudden slowdown of a device, frequent pop-ups, changes in your browser, and misplaced files.

Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

A man-in-the-middle or MiTM attack is when a hacker places themself between a sender’s and receiver’s network. This is called the eavesdropping technique. 

MiTM attacks are one of the most common types of cyberattacks. They’re conducted to modify, intercept, or block messages sent back and forth between two networks. Businesses can prevent these types of cyberattacks by using strong encryption on access points.

SQL Injections

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. In this type of cyberattack, criminals inject malicious codes into a server using SQL. This makes the server share information that it doesn’t usually. 

Hackers can perform different types of cyberattacks with SQL injections. For instance, they submit malicious codes into vulnerable website search boxes to attack their targeted system. You can use blocklisting and allow listing techniques to protect your devices from cyberattacks. 

In blocklisting, you can enlist the characters that your server should block. In allow listing, only the characters enlisted will be able to enter or access your network.

Zero-Day Exploits

A zero-day exploit is among the top entries in the long list of cyberattack types. Hackers exploit a newly discovered network vulnerability, typically before the vendor and users are aware of it and before a patch is made public. Attackers hit undisclosed loopholes using tailor-made techniques while preventive measures are deployed.

Your technical team should actively monitor and report any anomalies or abnormal behavior to avert this cyberattack.

Password Attacks

A password attack is among the top 5 cybersecurity attack types. In 2020, GoDaddy, the web hosting website, announced unauthorized access to their login credentials. The hacker stole 24,000 usernames and passwords, which GoDaddy reset later on. Scary, no?

Hackers use various techniques to obtain password databases, including social engineering. Always use a long, strong password containing lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters. 

If your passwords are exposed to threat actors, they can get access to your company’s confidential data. So, implement robust measures like two-factor authentication to stop these common types of cyberattacks.

Brute Force Attacks

A brute force attack is a technique to conduct a password attack. Hackers use basic information about users to guess their passwords. They try all the possible combinations and variants to guess passwords—often using software to speed up the process.

Common guesses are birth dates, pet names, home addresses, family members’ names, favorite foods, etc. Never use a password that’s too obvious to guess. Such types of cyberattacks often lead to other emerging threats.

Cross-Site Scripting

A cross-site scripting attack is more commonly referred to as an XSS attack. Here, hackers inject malicious scripts into content from trustworthy websites. A script-injected link is sent to the victim, who clicks on the link, loading the legitimate website but also executing the malicious script simultaneously.

This way, a script enters the targets’ systems and gets executed to cause harm. Hackers can execute it even to change an amount being transferred to someone, modify source code, replace data, etc.

An efficient method to prevent such attacks is via the allow listing technique (discussed above). This will only let approved characters enter your network.

Rootkits

The list of main types of cyberattacks also includes rootkits, a method to steal passwords, keys, and credentials, and retrieve critical data. 

A rootkit is a set of unauthorized tools that allow hackers to gain control of a system without showing any symptoms or footprints. Usually, hackers install rootkits onto legitimate software.  

Once users allow the program to alter an operating system, the rootkit installs itself. It stays inactive until hackers direct it to hit the target’s system through a persistent mechanism. Malicious hackers usually disperse rootkits through emails or ad pop-ups.

Internet of Things (IoT) Attacks

Internet connectivity has made processes easier and faster. However, it also increases the number of entry points that an attacker can use to exploit a system. It’s challenging to regularly monitor, patch, and detect all connected devices and network points to control breaching. 

Moreover, devices often have weak security protocols, allowing hackers to gain access quite easily. Regularly update your devices’ OS and implement strong password protection to prevent such cyberattacks.

The honeypot trap is another constructive technique to avert the main types of cyberattacks, including IoT attacks. It’s a cybersecurity mechanism to attract hackers to record their activities. This is done by exposing attractive targets to them, which are usually open entry points or easy passwords.

URL Manipulation

URL manipulation is an attacking technique for changing the parameters in a URL. Hackers alter URL text to access and control a web server, breaching privileged-access web pages.

With this unauthorized access, hackers can wreak havoc on your website, steal confidential data, and target your customer base. 

URL manipulation can be done through coding injected in tools or a rewriting engine that automates the entire procedure.

Final Thoughts

There are so many different types of cyberattack techniques used by hackers to manipulate systems and steal information. Post covid, the frequency of such malicious activities has increased. 

Now, it’s more important than ever to adopt strong security measures to stop cybersecurity attack types like malware, IoT attacks, URL manipulation, man-in-the-middle attacks, etc.

Keep your company safe. Incorporate best cybersecurity practices, including password hygiene, antivirus, and firewall software, and allow listing.