Malware, fishing and public Wi-Fi top the list of cyber threats in 2024

Data breach is a term that everyone using the internet knows these days. And some people are very casual about it. Well, basically the problem is, you do not know the depths of the water until you start drowning.

So, before it is too late start learning to swim. What we are trying to tell you here is that sharing your data with Facebook, Google is another thing but allowing security threats and making your computer or gadgets prone to hackers is another thing.

So here are some internet security threats that everyone should know while they are accessing the internet.

80% security breaches are due to phishing

Clicking on an e-mail because it looks authentic, accounts for around 80% of data breaches. Phishing is an activity that is used by cybercriminals to get hold of all the sensitive data in your computer.

That is why all companies advise you not to click on the e-mail or give out your email id, password, or any such data on the internet unless you are 200% sure of the authenticity of the site.

Fileless malware attacks are getting very common

Fileless malware attacks are unidentifiable threats to security. You need a strong anti-virus and anti-malware system to detect them. Unlike other threats, they do not need external sources to implant themselves. They find the most vulnerable application in your system and get attached to it, thus infesting your entire system.

So, if you use a variety of applications and download them frequently, make sure to have a trustworthy antivirus to save you.

Malware variants are increasing at an alarming number

Cyber scientists find new malware almost every day. The way hackers are working their brains is indigenous. From small-scale industries being targeted regularly, now even the established MNCs are not safe.

Despite increasing the security blankets and building various security walls around the data, the breach is still happening. The only solution to this is to change and leverage the cybersecurity of your systems regularly and by an authenticated company.

Public Wi-Fi are more at risks

When you access the internet using public Wi-Fi your information is at great risk. You should use public Wi-Fi only when absolutely necessary. Hackers can insert malware in between you and the network to access all of your sensitive data.

IoT Devices are more vulnerable to attacks

IoT (Internet of things or Smart Home) devices can connect to every electronic gadget in your house, so they have access to so much of your data. We are sure you must have heard jokes about Siri, Alexa having access to your data, and listening to your conversations, they are hilarious, but if you do not take extra care, the data breaches on IoT devices are extremely vulnerable.

Social Media is a hackers’ favorite place of work

More than half of the world’s population is at least on one social media platform or all of them. Social media is the most vulnerable mode of security threat. Before clicking on any ad or links on social media, it is important to educate oneself on the use of social media.

There are various educative videos and articles available on how to identify attacks and malignance on social media. This educative stuff will help you identify a large number of security threats and keep you aware.

VPN can save your gadget and data

Virtual Private Network (VPN) is very essential to protect your browsing data and information from data breaches and your internet service provider. A secured and anonymous VPN will make it impossible for hackers to trace your online activities.

HTTPS sites assure better online transaction of data

HTTPS is a way of telling that your site is secure. If you are a seller you should buy an SSL certificate for your site and the domain name should have HTTPS. The visitor will then trust the site and browse it freely. And if you are a visitor, always check that the site is HTTPS- this determines a safe server.

SQL Injection can hack databases in seconds

An SQL injection means that the hacker injects a bug in the coding of the Structured Query Language. Once the bug is injected, the entire code becomes infested. When this code is run on any machine, it gives access to the server to breach the information of that machine.

Less number of professionals opt for cybersecurity careers

We need professionals to keep our information and gadgets safe. But due to the job being so difficult and complicated, only people who are fanatics about coding and hacking opt for the job.

Being a cybersecurity professional is like Sherlock, you have to be on the watch out for every minute of your work. But it is also a highly paid job so people should take interest and opt for this career even though it requires your brain to run 24 x 7.

To conclude,

You can educate yourselves and be completely ‘firewalled’ against these and more internet security threats. Just taking important measures while browsing data and having an eye for detail before making any clicks, will help you survive these threats.

Author's Bio

Anna is a freelance writer at mycustomessay.com. She has a strong interest in exploring ways people get targeted by spammy sites and clicks. She is also a cybersecurity consultant to several SMEs across the globe. In her free time, she loves reading about machines and AI technologies.