What is a cyber attack? See what are the most common types

All companies must be protected against cyberattacks, to avoid vulnerability in their systems and data. But what is a cyber attack? “It is a malicious and deliberate attempt by an individual or an organization to break into the information system of another individual or another organization. Usually, the attacker looks for some kind of benefit with the interruption of the victim's network", Cisco explained on his website.

There is no day, date and time for cyber attacks: at any time, companies can be victims of these cyber crimes. And what the attackers are most after is demanding a ransom for the data that has been stolen.

Types of cyber attacks

Malware

It is malicious software that is installed on systems or computers, causing damage. They obtain information secretly, filtering the data and endangering the stability of the platforms. It alters the normal functioning of the equipment, making it impossible to work with them.

Identity fraud

It is also known as phishing. “It is the practice of sending fraudulent communications that appear to come from reliable sources, usually through email. The goal is to steal sensitive data, such as login and credit card information, or install malware on the victim's machine".

Man-in-the-Middle Attack

“In this method, an intermediary (the cybercriminal or a malicious tool) is introduced between the victim and the source: an online banking page or an email account. These attacks are really effective and, in turn, very difficult to detect by the user, who is not aware of the damage that he may suffer”, Kaspersky pointed out on his website.

Denial of service
 

A denial of service (DoS) is a type of cyber attack that floods a computer or network so that it cannot respond to requests. A distributed DoS (DDoS) does the same thing, but the attack originates from a computer network.

Password attacks

One of the most precious pieces of information hackers are looking for is passwords or login keys. By gaining access to a company's systems with the correct password, they can steal an unimaginable amount of data.