A cybersecurity threat is any potential vulnerability that could be exploited by cybercriminals. Attacks can damage everything from personal data like family photos to critical infrastructure like power plants and hospitals. They can also ruin companies’ reputations and expose them to financial and legal jeopardy.
Malware–viruses, worms, trojans, spyware and ransomware–is one of the most common types of cyberattacks. It infiltrates a system, steals credentials and manipulates or destroys data. Attackers can use malware to gain access to other systems, which could create a chain reaction that leads to the disruption or destruction of multiple entities.
Other kinds of attacks include phishing, which uses malicious links to trick users into entering information they shouldn’t. These attacks have been particularly prevalent during the coronavirus pandemic, using Covid-themed messages to prey on people’s fears. Ransomware attacks encrypt a victim’s data and demand payment to decrypt it. Other attacks may involve tampering with legitimate data by modifying or replacing it, such as spoofing or impersonating an authorized entity.
Man-in-the-middle attacks are when malicious actors intercept communication between two parties, allowing them to eavesdrop or alter data without the knowledge of either party. SQL injection is another type of attack that takes advantage of vulnerabilities in web applications to insert malicious code that steals sensitive information.
The most common cybersecurity threats are from external attackers, which include nation-states, hacktivists and cyber criminals. They target organizations for their financial gains, national security reasons and for other strategic objectives.