Cybercriminals have made a career out of targeting confidential business or personal information, using a variety of methods to target vulnerable internet users. It is therefore essential for small businesses to pay close attention to the data security threats that could affect their company operations.
For this reason, we are providing a detailed explanation on the most common data security threats to companies across the world.
Malware
Malware is the abbreviation of malicious software, which is often installed using a computer virus, Trojan horse, worm, spyware or rootkit. The software cannot only interrupt a computer or mobile device’s operations, but it can also be used to gather sensitive data or to gain access to private applications.
Spyware
Malicious spyware has been created by forward-thinking cybercriminals who want to spy on their victims. This can pose a significant threat to a business, as the cybercriminal can use keylogger software to record the victim’s every stroke on their keyboard, with the information periodically provided to the cybercriminal.
Computer Viruses
You have probably heard about computer viruses, and may have even removed one from your computer using antivirus software. The virus is basically a small software that spreads a virus from one infected computer to another, and its purpose is to corrupt, delete or steal data from a computer. It also has the potential to erase every file from a hard drive. What’s more, a computer virus could potentially spread the virus to another computer using your personal email.
Phishing
2016 was the biggest year in phishing scam history, with more fraudulent attempts taking place than in any other year. Cybercriminals will create phishing scams as emails that appear to be from reputable sources, such as a bank or email provider, with the aim of encouraging a company or individual to divulge their personal information.
Trojan Horse
A computer user can unwittingly infect a computer with a Trojan horse by downloading a seemingly legitimate application, which is a malicious piece of software. Once a Trojan horse infiltrates a computer, it can record a user’s keystrokes and can even watch and record a person’s every move via their webcam. What’s more, the harmful software can also sneak into a company or personal bank account undetected.
Rootkit
One of the biggest data threats to a company has to be a rootkit, which is a collection of tools that have been created to gain administrator access to either a single computer or a network of computers. An intelligent cybercriminal can target a computer vulnerability or security hole with a PC application, and may use spyware to monitor keystrokes to infiltrate a system.
Companies not only have a responsibility to protect their customer and employee data, but they depend on their files, applications and information to push their business into the future. If you are concerned about a security breach, it is important you take the appropriate steps to protect your data as much as possible. We therefore recommend turning to a cloud-based solution, such as a hosted desktop from umbeehosting.net, to prevent your company becoming a cybercriminal’s next victim.