BE AWARE OF CYBER ATTACKS!2022

Cyber Attacks have a vital role in the cyber world – A space that comprises online interactions among anyone anywhere. A space roughly filled with all kinds of people – popular, not-so-popular, social butterflies and those wearing masks. It can connect people as well as disconnect them from their own lives. A space that can be familiar and distant at the same time. Anyway, there are different attacks happening in the world due to the negative usage of the internet and mobile phones. Cyber attacks or cyber crime is defined as a crime in which a computer is the object of the crime ( hacking, phishing) or is used as a tool to commit an offense.

CYBER SAFETY

To know more about cyber world click here

Cyber Attacks Overview

Cyber attacks or cyber crime is also called computer crime. A cyber criminal attacks a computer or a network to reach other computers in order to disable or damage data or services. Apart from this, a cyber criminal uses botnet to spread viruses and other malware. In order to steal private and confidential data for blackmailing or extortion botnet is used. A botnet is a collection of internet connected device infected by malware that allow hackers to control them.

common types of cyber attacks include online bank information theft, identity theft and un authorized computer access. More serious crimes like cyber terrorism also of significant concern. Cyber crime encompasses a wide range of activities but these can generally be divided into two categories:

1. Crime that target computer networks or devices.

These types of crimes include viruses and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. DoS attacks are used to make an online service unavailable and take the network down by creating a traffic on site from a variety of software.

2. Crimes that use computer networks to advance criminal activities. These types of crimes include cyberstalking, phishing and fraud or identity theft.

Here are some of the common types of attacks every noob and pro should know of:

A computer screen with program code warning of a detected malware script program. 3d illustration

Types of Cyber Attacks

1. Malware: “Malware uses a vulnerability to breach a network when a user clicks a ‘planted’ dangerous link or email attachment, which is used to install malicious software inside the system”
   This definition plainly gives an insight to what a malware could be- viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware and spyware. Many of which are already familiar with everyone- what with personal encounters, missing a virus is technically impossible.
2. Phishing: “Phishing attacks are extremely common and involve sending mass amounts of fraudulent emails to unsuspecting users, disguised as coming from a reliable source.”
   This term is fairly familiar with the public- from personal experience or from that of others, getting tricked by anonymous people on the other line. in simple word, Phishing is an attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money) by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

In other words, phishing is an unlawful activity where fake websites or emails that took original or authentic are presented to the user to fraudulently collect sensitive and personal details, particularly usernames, passwords, banking and credit card details. The most common phishing method is through email spoofing where a fake or forged email address is used which the user presumes to be from an authentic source. So, you might get an email from an address that looks similar to your bank or educational institution. It often directs the users to enter personal information at a fake website, the look and feel of which is identical to the legitimate one, the only difference being the URL of the website in question.

Communications purporting to be from social websites, auction sites, banks, online payment. processors or IT administrators are often used to lure victims. Phishing emails may contain links to websites that distribute malware.

The protective measures to be followed against the Cyber Attacks phishing include:

• Never open or download a file from an unsolicited email, even from someone you know. (You can call or email the person to double check that it really came from them.)
• Keep your operating system updated.
• Use an authentic anti-virus program.
• Enable two-factor authentication whenever available.
• Confirm the authenticity of a website prior to entering login credentials looking for a reputed security trust mark..
• Look for HTTPS in the address bar when you enter any sensitive personal information on a website to make sure your data will be encrypted.

1. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks: “Occurs when an attacker intercepts a two-party transaction, inserting themselves in the middle. From there, cyber attackers can steal and manipulate data by interrupting traffic”
   A fairly new term for the noobs but the process of this type of an attack is still not that distant.
2. Denial-of-Service (DOS) Attack: “DOS attacks work by flooding systems, servers, and/or networks with traffic to overload resources and bandwidth”
   This consequently makes the system unable to process and fulfil actual requests- in turn taking the system offline and then paving way for internal attacks from unknown sources.
3. Password Attack: “Password attackers use a myriad of methods to identify an individual password, including using social engineering, gaining access to a password database, testing the network connection to obtain unencrypted passwords, or simply by guessing”
   Passwords are most personal and secret that authenticates access to secure data. By accessing a person’s password, the attacker can get into the critical and confidential information the account holds.

Cyber Attacks: Phishing

Cyber Bullying:

Cyber bullying is one of the Cyber Attacks upon an individual or group through the use of electronic such as instant messaging, social media, email and other forms of online communication wit the intent to abuse, intimidate or overpower.

Following acts are considered as cyber bullying

• Posting any kind of humiliating content about the victim.

• Hacking the victim’s account

• Sending or posting vulgar messages online.

• Threatening to commit acts of violence.

. Stalking by means of calls, messages, etc.

• Threats of child pornography.

Cyber bullying differs from in-person bullying:

• More difficult to recognize – Bullying conducted via text or online medium can more easily

go unnoticed.

• More relentless – Cyber bullying doesn’t end at school and can reach the child’s home.

• More enduring – It leaves a paper trail that can follow both the bully and the victim for years. Different Types of Cyber Bullying

The various forms of cyber bullying are explained as:

Doxing Publishing revealing personal information about an individual online, for the purpose of defaming, humiliating or harassing the victim. Harassment – Posting threatening, hurtful or intimidating messages them directly to someone, with the intention of harming that person. Impersonation – Creating fake accounts or gaining access to a person’s real social media accounts and posting things to damage the victim’s reputation. Cyberstalking – Tracking and monitoring a person’s online activity and using the internet to stalk or harass an individual..

How to Prevent Cyber Attacks like Cyber Bullying The victims of cyber bullying are usually young children. So, parents must ensure proper

vigilance and care towards their children who are hooked to the internet.

. Be aware of the child’s online activities.

Share this post: on Twitter on Facebook on Google+