The Most Common Network Security Threats
Companies face a wide range of potential network security threats. The most common network security threats include malware and a range of other cyberattacks.
Phishing
Phishing is a social engineering attack designed to induce the recipient of a message to take some action. For example, phishing emails are commonly designed to get the recipient to click on a malicious link or open an infected attachment.
Phishing attacks are a leading threat to network security because they provide an effective means for an attacker to gain access to an organization’s network. By trying to trick the user rather than an organization’s security systems, it can offer a lower bar to entry and a higher probability of success than alternative methods of gaining access.
Ransomware
Ransomware has emerged as one of the top malware threats of recent years. Ransomware attacks have grown increasingly common, and ransom demands are commonly in the millions of dollars. In the past, ransomware focused on encrypting a company’s data and then demanding a ransom payment for the decryption key needed to retrieve it. However, many ransomware groups have pivoted to stealing data and threatening to leak it if a ransom is not paid.
The ransomware threat has grown more significant due to the emergence of the Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) industry. Under this model, ransomware groups provide access to their malware to affiliates. These affiliates then infect target systems with the malware — often an easier task than writing effective ransomware — in exchange for a cut of ransoms paid.
DDoS Attacks
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks target the availability of an organization’s IT assets or online services. These attacks involve a number of infected machines in a botnet bombarding the target computer with more requests or data than it can handle. As a result, the victim is rendered less able to respond to legitimate requests.
The growth of DDoS attacks has coincided with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT devices are increasingly common yet generally have poor security (default passwords, unpatched vulnerabilities, etc.). This combination enables cybercriminals to build large, powerful botnets for use in DDoS and other automated attacks.
Viruses
Viruses are malware that can spread themselves but require some form of human interaction. For example, when someone runs a malicious application attached to a phishing email, the malware may infect other applications on the device with its malicious code.
Viruses are a dangerous form of malware because they can rapidly expand the scope of a malware infestation. By infecting many files, they not only have the potential to spread to new devices but also make it more difficult for security teams to remediate the malware infection.
Worms
Worms are malware that can spread themselves without the need for human interaction. Instead of relying on a human to execute a malicious file, this malware can exploit unpatched vulnerabilities or compromised accounts to spread themselves to new computers.
The emergence of WannaCry demonstrated the potential threat of a worm outbreak. This malware exploited vulnerabilities in Windows SMB and infected systems around the world with ransomware. While WannaCry variants are still in operation, other malware strains have also used similar techniques to spread themselves automatically through an infected network.
Trojans
Trojans are a type of malware that relies on deception. If malware masquerades as a legitimate file, users may download or execute it of their own volition.
Trojans are another common method for attackers to gain initial access to a target network. Since they can trick their way onto a computer, they can be used as a launching pad for other malware, which the trojan downloads and executes. Alternatively, remote access trojans (RATs) enable an attacker to run commands on an infected system, enabling them to explore it and the network and plan their attacks.
Other Malware
Ransomware, viruses, worms, and trojans are all specific types of malware. These malware variants are often more well-known than others because they are responsible for high-impact or very visible attacks.
However, companies also face threats from a wide range of other malware variants as well. For example, keyloggers and infostealers are malware focused on collecting and exfiltrating sensitive information from an infected computer. Adware and cryptojackers use infected machines to earn money for an attacker. All of these malware variants can pose financial, reputational, and legal risks to an organization.
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