Cyber security comprises the totality of all measures within the framework of IT security to protect computers, mobile phones, networks, electronic infrastructure and devices, confidential data, secret files and online communications against cyber attacks by malware, ransomware or viruses, for example.

As digitalisation advances, most modern companies are connected to the internet in some capacity, making IT security a must-have. It is a serious topic that should be meticulously implemented by management and employees, whether in corporate groups or SMEs.

Legal guidelines and certification frameworks have also been issued for a variety of industries – by the European Parliament and national information security authorities. Under these legal security standards, companies are obligated to protect their own infrastructure from malware through encryption, access management or targeted IT governance, for example.

Insufficient cyber security poses a significant security risk to any company looking to drive their digitalisation strategies. According to a report by the University of North Georgia, 2645 data records have been stolen every minute since 2013, although the number of unreported cases is probably much higher. Threatmap, a website that charts different cyber attacks worldwide in real time, puts the number of daily attacks at 40 to 60 million.

In order to be able to successfully ward off cyber threats, it is important to differentiate between the five most common types of attacks.

Malware

Malware is a collective term for different types of malicious software, including viruses, spyware, ransomware or worms. In general, malware exploits known and unknown vulnerabilities in a network to gain access to the critical infrastructure behind it. This can include databases with confidential customer data or encrypted company information, employees’ computers or even source code repositories of (company) software.

Ransomware

Ransomware is a particular type of malware that has become increasingly widespread in recent years. Ransomware attacks encrypts all systems or data and files in a company network, and only the attacker can decrypt it again. They then use this as leverage to blackmail affected companies. Either management pays the demanded ransom or the data remains encrypted and inaccessible. Depending on which data is affected, ransomware attacks can bring businesses to a standstill.

SQL injections

Almost all companies generate data that has to be managed, which is where well-known database systems come in. These systems are usually accessed and operated using Structured Query Language (SQL). An SQL injection is when an attack ia launched via a phishing e-mail with the aims of feeding a database server with corrupt SQL queries. This is used to reach information that is actually not accessible in a database. Search fields on company websites, for example, are often internally converted into SQL queries and sent to a database. If these SQL queries are not implemented correctly, however, an attacker could use the search field to access any information from the database.

Man-in-the-middle

Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks are cyber attacks where the attacker interposes himself between the digital communication of two systems to record or even alter the entire exchange without the systems being aware of it.

Zero-day exploits

Zero-day attacks are intrusions via previously unknown vulnerabilities in software that are exploited for the first time. No anti-malware tool will be able to fend off the attack, as it is not a known point of attack. However, a solid cyber security concept should be able to quickly isolate affected systems in the company network and therefore limit the extent of the damage.

There are many more attacks than those listed here. Cyber criminals are constantly developing new malware and attack methods to circumvent cyber security measures including anti-malware software, cloud security, incident response or new encryption techniques.