Author: Imarticus Learning

Cyber threats are security breaches that are caused with the intent of stealing data or tampering with computer systems. Such attacks can grant hackers access to personal user information. Cybercriminals with malicious intent can use such data to commit identity theft or even cripple the entire organisation’s network. 

Some of the most common categories of cyber threats are social engineering attacks, malware attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, supply chain attacks, injection attacks, and denial of service (DoS) attacks. You can learn more about these cyber attacks and the possible ways to safeguard your organisation against them in an IIT Roorkee cybersecurity course.

This article discusses in detail the different types of cyber threats that can pose considerable damage to an organisation. Read on to learn more. 

Malware Attacks – The Most Common of All

Malware is the shortened form of “malicious software.” Malware refers to cyber threats that are caused due to viruses, spyware, trojans, ransomware, etc. This kind of threat usually finds its way into the system when users click an email or link or download software from an untrusted source. 

Once malware gets installed in your system, it can cause considerable damage by blocking access to the network’s critical components, gathering sensitive confidential data, or damaging the system on the whole. Some common variations of malware attacks apart from viruses and worms are listed below. 

• Spyware: You can figure out from the name that this kind of malware spies on your activities. The data thus gathered is then sent to the hacker. Spyware can access a user’s confidential data such as passwords, payment details, logins, and so on.
• Ransomware: This kind of attack encrypts your data in such a way that you will not be able to access your own system. Users will be asked to pay a ransom after which the access will be restored. However, there is still no assurance that you will gain full access to the functionality after you have paid the ransom. 
• Trojan: This kind of malware hides inside software that is legitimate. Once you download such software, your system goes for a toss as the trojan gains full control of the device. 
• Keyloggers: This kind of malware is most commonly used for identity theft and blackmail. As Spyware spies on your activities, Keyloggers track all your activities, including what you type and the site you use. The information is then passed on to hackers, which they then use to satisfy their own malicious intent. 

Social Engineering Attacks Practised through Deception 

This can be compared to a kind of manipulation in which hackers pose as trusted sources or individuals and then trick them into providing them with the entry point. These malicious activities are accomplished through human interaction. 

This is a slow process and takes a considerable amount of research. Hackers first need to gather enough background information about the individual or organisation that they are planning to target and identify the entry points. Once this is done, the hackers then try to gain the trust of the victims and proceed with the attack. 

Some variations of social engineering attacks are mentioned below. 

• Phishing: In this kind of cyber attack, the hacker sends deceptive emails as though they are coming from a trusted source. The users are then duped into clicking the emails and accessing the malicious content. This way, the threat is installed into the computer and the hacker gains access to sensitive confidential information such as user data, bank details, login credentials, and so on. 

Like phishing, there are also concepts like vishing and smishing, which use phone calls and text messages respectively to dupe the users into believing the hackers masquerading as legitimate sources.

• Baiting: In baiting, users are lured into attractive things such as gift cards and offers. As soon as the user clicks on them, the attacker gains access to all kinds of sensitive information. 
• Scareware: In this kind of cyber attack, victims are given false threats and alarms and are tricked into believing that their system is malware infected. They are shown pop-ups that persuade them to install software that can safeguard their device but is a perpetrator instead. The real trouble begins when they click on the pop-up.

Injection Attacks that Disrupt the Network Security 

Not securing your network can prove to be grievous because hackers are equipped with smart ways to slide into your system. Of all the techniques they use, injections are a common tactic that helps them execute their task neatly. 

Injection attacks are the kind of cyber attack in which attackers infect web applications with malicious content that can retrieve personal information and disrupt the working of the system. Some of the main injection attacks are stated below. 

• SQL Injection: In an SQL injection, a command is used to insert malicious code into the SQL statements in order to gain control over the data. The code is injected through a web page input. 
• Cross-Site Scripting: In this kind of cyber attack, malicious JavaScripts are injected into legitimate websites. Through this kind of web security attack, attackers take control over the interactions between the users and the vulnerable applications. 
• OS Command Injection: In this kind of cyber attack, the attacker uses the operating system as an instrument to execute his malicious intent. Command injections are used to insert vulnerabilities that are to be executed by the operating system. 

Some Other Kinds of Cyber Threats

Alongside the attack types mentioned above, there are also other kinds of cyber attacks such as the Man-in-the-Middle attack and Denial-of-Service attack. 

In a Man-in-the-Middle attack, attackers intervene the communication between users and applications and steal confidential information. Attackers can pose as legitimate Wi-Fi connections, connecting to which may cause havoc to a user’s network security. 

Denial-of-service is a kind of attack in which a target system is overloaded with humongous amounts of traffic, which hinders the system’s ability to function. One can also not oversee the risk of internal threats posed by insiders who might have immoral intent.  

Conclusion

Since hackers and attackers are getting smart, organisations need to make their security systems smarter. It takes skilled IT professionals to come up with measures that can fortify an organisation’s network security system.

If you are looking forward to building your career in this field, you can opt for an IIT Roorkee cybersecurity course brought to you by Imarticus Learning, which will teach you more about these cyber threats and other aspects related to it such as ethical hacking, cloud computing and ensuring cloud security, incident handling, etc. 

This course does not only offer you the privilege to learn from expert faculties from IIT Roorkee but also equips you with market-relevant skills like cloud security, ethical hacking, application security, etc. that can help you future-proof your career. The 3-day campus immersion program also helps you network better and open up new opportunities. 

Enrol now for a brighter IT career!

As the threat landscape in cyberspace becomes sophisticated, organisations are seeking innovative solutions to safeguard their digital assets. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics have emerged as powerful tools in cybersecurity defences. 

By leveraging advanced algorithms and machine learning, these technologies enable data-driven security measures that can detect and prevent cyber-attacks. 

Technologies such as machine learning and advanced algorithms enable data-driven security measures.

In this article, we will explore the role of AI and analytics in maintaining secure cyberspace, and how they can help organisations enhance their cybersecurity posture.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity

AI is a cutting-edge technology that empowers machines to perform tasks requiring human intelligence. In cybersecurity, it plays a crucial role for Cybersecurity Analysts in Incident Handling.

AI systems can detect cyber threats, generate alerts, identify new forms of malware, and protect sensitive data.

Leveraging AI techniques such as deep learning, machine learning, and natural language processing helps organisations to install automated and intelligent defences, helping Cybersecurity Analysts detect and mitigate cyber events.

It ensures efficient incident handling and minimises risks to systems and data.

Is Cybersecurity Automation Safe?

Enhancing cybersecurity is currently reliant on human intervention. But, specific tasks, such as system monitoring, can be automated using AI.

Automating these processes can boost organisations’ threat intelligence capabilities. It also helps save time detecting new threats, which is crucial as cyberattacks become more sophisticated.

The safety of using AI in cybersecurity automation is established through existing use cases in various business environments.

Automation plays a pivotal role in cybersecurity. It allows organisations to optimise security and operations without the need for extra staff.

How Can AI Help in the Prevention of Cyberattacks?

AI in cybersecurity empowers security professionals to:

• Detect characteristics of cyberattacks
• Strengthen defence measures
• Analyse data for user authentication
• Uncover clues about cyber attackers’ identity

Applications of AI in Cybersecurity

Improving password security and authentication

AI can improve the website and online services’ password protection and user authentication. Extra security measures are crucial to safeguard sensitive information and prevent unauthorised access.

Organisations can detect and verify genuine login attempts using AI-powered tools such as CAPTCHA. Other tools like facial recognition, and fingerprint scanners are also applicable.

These solutions mitigate cybercrime such as brute-force attacks and credential stuffing. Both pose severe risks to network security.

Improved anti-phishing efforts

Phishing remains a common cybersecurity threat across industries. But, AI can play a vital role in detecting and preventing such attacks.

AI email security solutions can catch oddities and indicators of phishing through the content and context. It includes identifying spam messages, phishing campaigns, and legitimate emails.

Using machine learning algorithms, AI can learn from data to improve its analysis and adapt to new threats.

It can also understand users’ communication patterns, typical behaviour, and textual patterns. All of these are crucial in identifying advanced threats like spear phishing.

Better vulnerability management

As cyber criminals use sophisticated methods, organisations face many vulnerabilities that must be managed. Traditional systems struggle to keep up with the volume of new vulnerabilities discovered and reported daily, making real-time prevention challenging.

AI-powered solutions such as user and entity behaviour analytics (UEBA) help organisations analyse servers and users. It identifies strange or unusual behaviour that could state a zero-day attack.

Organisations can mitigate potential risks by leveraging AI, and protect themselves from cyberattacks.

Optimising network security

Network security requires creating policies and understanding the network topology. It can be time-consuming and complex.

Organisations must distinguish legitimate connections from malicious ones. They also need to install a zero-trust approach to security through policies.

But, manual efforts could be more effective in deploying and maintaining policies across many networks. Incorrect naming patterns for applications and workloads can further complicate the process.

AI learns network traffic patterns over time, allowing it to recommend fitting policies and workloads. All the while, streamlining network security processes.

Enhancing threat detection with behavioural analytics

Traditional defences rely on attack signatures and indicators of compromise to catch threats. It may not be practical given the sheer volume of new attacks launched by cyber criminals yearly.

Organisations can leverage behavioural analytics to augment their threat-hunting processes.

Behavioural analytics can develop profiles of applications deployed on networks using AI-model. It can also help analyse large volumes of device and user data.

Incoming data can then be compared against these profiles to identify hostility and improve threat detection.

Advantages of AI in Cyber Risk Management

Using AI-powered cybersecurity systems offers considerable advantages in managing cyber risks. These advantages include the following.

Improved threat identification

Cybersecurity systems powered by AI use extensive data analysis to learn and adapt to threats. It helps organisations detect threats in real-time, improving their attacking and fortifying abilities.

Continuous learning and adaptability

AI-powered cybersecurity systems learn and adapt to new threats and techniques used by cybercriminals, staying ahead of evolving threats. It makes it difficult for hackers to bypass the organisation’s defences and improves the solidity of cybersecurity defences.

Better data analysis

AI systems excel at analysing extensive volumes of data, including network traffic, logs, and user behaviour. They identify patterns and anomalies that may signal potential security threats. 

This ability helps organisations detect potential threats that might evade traditional security tools.

Advanced behavioural analytics

AI can analyse user behaviour and identify variations from standard patterns. It allows for early detection of insider threats or suspicious activities that may state a cyber attack.

Efficient compliance management

AI can automate the tracking and reporting of adherence to regulatory needs and industry standards. Ir assists organisations in assuring compliance and reducing the risk of compliance breaches.

Security automation

AI can automate routine security tasks, such as patch management and configuration. It minimises human errors and enhances organisations’ security posture.

Predictive analytics

AI can use predictive analytics to identify patterns and trends in data that may signify potential security threats. It helps organisations take proactive measures to prevent cyber attacks.

Incident investigation and forensics

AI can help in incident investigation and forensics by analysing digital evidence. It helps identify the root cause of incidents and delivers insights for rectification and prevention.

Conclusion

Integrating AI in cybersecurity offers many benefits for organisations in managing risks. Cybersecurity Analysts and Incident Handling professionals can leverage AI’s capabilities in continuous learning, detecting unknown threats, and handling vast data volumes to safeguard against evolving cybersecurity threats.

If you want to become a Cybersecurity Analyst, consider Imarticus Learning’s Post Graduate Program In Cybersecurity courses, which offers comprehensive training and knowledge to excel in cybersecurity.

Visit Imarticus Learning for more information. Contact us through chat support, or drive to one of our training centers in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Gurgaon.