In recent years, cyberattacks have become more refined, increasing the demand for a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy and tooling. From any government agency to the startups, every organization today faces threats and requires a full departmental setup to manage cybersecurity risks efficiently and effectively. When targeting organizations, the hackers aim to access sensitive and valuable resources, such as IP, payment details, or any sort of customer data. This article will discuss the different types of cyber-attacks and how they can be prevented.
- MITM Attack
A man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack is a type of cyberattack in which a malicious actor eavesdrops on a conversation between a network user and a web application. A MITM attack aims to secretly gather information, such as personal data, passwords, or banking details, and/or impersonate one party to solicit additional information or spur action. These moves can include completing a transaction, changing login credentials, or initiating a funds transfer.
MITM attackers often target individuals; however, it is a major concern for businesses and large organizations. One common point of access for hackers is software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications. The cyber attacker can hack these applications as an entryway to the organization for a more extensive network and potentially compromise any assets, including customer data, IP, or proprietary information about the organization and its employees. - Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Cross Site Scripting (XSS) is a code injection attack in which an adversary inserts malicious code within a legitimate website. The code then launches as an infected script in the user’s web browser, enabling the attacker to steal sensitive information or impersonate the user. Web forums, message boards, blogs, and other websites that allow users to post their content are the most susceptible to XSS attacks.
Though an XSS attack targets individual web application visitor, the vulnerabilities lie in the application or website. Organizations that needed to deploy a remote workforce may have inadvertently exposed themselves to this type of attack by making internal applications available via the web or deploying cloud-based services. - DNS Tunneling
DNS Tunneling is a cyberattack that leverages domain name system (DNS) queries and responses to bypass traditional security measures and transmit data and code within the network. Once infected, the hacker can freely engage in command-and-control activities. This tunnel gives the hacker a route to unleash malware or extract data, IP, or other sensitive information by encoding it in a series of DNS responses. DNS tunneling attacks have increased in recent years because they are relatively simple to deploy. Tunneling toolkits and guides are accessible online through mainstream sites like YouTube. - SQL injection attacks
Any database-driven website, which is the majority of websites, is susceptible to SQL injection attacks. An SQL query is a request for some action to be performed on a database, and a carefully constructed malicious request can create, modify, or delete the data stored in the database, as well as read and extract data such as intellectual property, personal information of customers, administrative credentials, or private business details. - OS command injection attack
An OS command injection is when attackers input operating system (OS) commands into the server running the web application. It differs from an SQL injection because it enters from the server-side instead of the application-side. However, the consequences are very similar to an SQL injection attack, where attackers can take complete control of the application. Attackers can command the application to display sensitive information and modify and delete data. The application can also compromise other parts of the corporate network, leading to further attacks within the organization.
How to Prevent a Website Attack?
A comprehensive cybersecurity strategy is essential in today’s connected world. From a business perspective, securing the organization’s digital assets has the apparent benefit of a reduced risk of loss, theft, or destruction and the potential need to pay a ransom to regain control of company data or systems.
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate is a security protocol that encrypts all communication to and from a website. Installing one will ensure that even if a hacker intercepts data from your website, they’ll never be able to understand what it is.
GlobalSign offers a range of SSL options ensuring your public servers and sites are in line with industry best practices, but also offers cost effective options for internal servers and special use cases. It creates a foundation of trust by establishing a secure connection as we are trusted across the globe to secure billions of digital interactions every day. All domains provided by us are pre-vetted, so certificates are immediately issued and available for installation. Connect with us today to know more about out solution.
