There are several means and services to minimize the impacts of attacks and security failures on companies in the digital world , but yet access to the internet and data communication will never be 100% safe . The means that information propagates in the digital world is diverse and extensive, ranging from sending an email , navigating the most varied sites to conversation in instant communication software.
In this scenario, corporations are losing control of their data and the activities of their employees in the digital world, as a result of being more vulnerable to hacker attacks, malware and malicious websites, which allows access to company computers and information, impairing productivity and generating gigantic damage to companies.
APT attack and negative impact on the digital world
Among the numerous forms of attack, there is the Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) , which are cyber threats with the practice of espionage based on some software that has been downloaded inside the user's machine. This type of attack is directed and focuses on capturing and theft of information from strategic people within the corporation. In attacks like this hackers go unnoticed by long time detection systems while trying to steal critical information.
Brazil is the Latin American country with the highest rate of APT attacks and 74% of security professionals believe they will be targets of this type of threat in the digital world, according to a study by Information Systems Audit and Control Association. This is just a type of malware existing, because besides the apts there is still ransomware , pishing , spyware , viruses , among others.
Can Spes be the target of attacks?
Unlike many think, these attacks do not imitate the capture information only from large companies, but also from small and medium -sized businesses, often the favorite focus of cybercriminals. It can also be said that today Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) are the hardest hit with hacker attacks , according to surveys.
This is mainly because small and medium -sized companies often do not have a concern with the security of the company and threats from the digital world. They believe that virtual attacks will not reach their team or business, or that they can arrive, but they are unable to invade the entire corporate network.
How do APT attacks happen?
In the case of APTs the attacks start with the classification of the people who will be targeted. After identifying the targets, phishings are sent (emails with the function of capturing information about companies and people) and/or software downloads links. After the user downloads or access to Phishing email, malicious programs are installed on computers, with the function of capturing information and generating problems in the internal network.
Hackers use social engineering in business infection, thus define targets and start sending requests and information to these targets to capture confidential data and complete their attack.
The ultimate goal of an APT attack is to reach the machine where there is some kind of valuable information. The machines that hackers are looking for most important data are the equipment of owners or managers of the company, but it is more complicated to invade these people's computers, because of their hierarchical level and also the highest care they take about security.
With this, these cybercriminals practitioners of APTs invade other computers and use these trampoline equipment to reach their ultimate goal. In an accounting office, for example, the APT invasion happens in a company employee, so hacker uses this employee's email to send a document or request to the company owner when he opens the email will already be infected.
To inhibit this type of attack and among others in the digital world, you need to take some attitudes:
- And social formation and awareness of employees
Those who hold their business information are their employees, who are sending and receiving emails and surfing the internet at all times, and have social life outside the company. Employees should be aware and educated that the information that circulates in everyday life is confidential and also showing the risk that we have when we disclose this information to anyone. Good training, with lectures on social engineering is very important.
A good practice is to use a safe use manual from the internet for your business. Thus, your team can better understand how it should make the correct use of the internet, with ethics and responsibility, thus avoiding virtual attacks and maintaining productivity.
- Software updates:
It is important to keep the operating system and other equipment software packages updated. Updates include various corrections and improvements related to information security, which, as previously seen, are very relevant to avoid attacks on the digital world. In addition, many updates bring with it benefits to users, such as a newer version, updated tools, features and more applications.
Even if the program does not signal the need to install a recent version , it is always necessary to keep an eye on new updates. Technology evolves daily and if the company is not in the habit of updating the software versions of its equipment, it is in danger of suffering large assembly attacks or even being out of the market.
- Management of Internet Access Resources
In addition to educating employees, it is important to implement some security and access control service by blocking access to malicious sites and phishing. These services increase your company's protection against threats from the digital world, making the network safe and the productive team.
It is important to protect the company from threats in general, applying the options together and minimizing the impact of business insecurity to make your business increasingly productive and profitable.
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