A common perception of hackers is that they’re shady kids in basements who break into systems and hardware to steal data and extort money. However, some hackers, known as white hat hackers, have ethical intentions. These hackers identify vulnerabilities that cybercriminals could exploit, report them to the system or hardware owners, and inform software or hardware vendors of their findings.
Detecting Ransomware
When defending against ransomware, much of the discussion revolves around prevention and response. However, detection is also an important part of a strong cybersecurity defense.
Detecting ransomware involves looking at how malware infects an organization’s network and then monitoring the behavior of those systems to spot any unusual patterns. Security teams can do this by examining network traffic for signs that software connects to suspicious file-sharing sites, using a fake hacking script, and transferring data to a server outside the organization.
Installing and running ransomware inside an organization’s system requires multiple stages of exploitation that include phishing, brute-force attacks, credential theft, or other social engineering methods. Detecting this initial malware is the first step of a ransomware attack and can be done through automation tools, malware analysis (static code analysis), or other techniques. Once criminal hackers have breached the network and loaded their ransomware onto a victim’s system, they can ask for payment in exchange for decrypting the victim’s files. This payment is typically made in Bitcoin and is often tied to an email address, such as the victim’s real name.
Detecting these threats early is essential to prevent an outbreak. The best way to protect against ransomware is to maintain regular backups and isolate infected machines from the rest of the network to prevent spread.
Detecting Vulnerabilities
Cybercriminals constantly search for vulnerabilities to hack into a system and steal information. Vulnerabilities are internal systems, procedures, or hardware flaws that threats can exploit to gain unauthorized access and seriously harm data privacy. Any of these weaknesses can lead to a breach, which could expose confidential data and hurt a company’s reputation.
We often imagine shady kids in basements with angry code and the ability to break into computer systems and hardware when we think of hackers. However, cybercriminals are highly sophisticated and have advanced tools to hide their attacks from cybersecurity software and IT teams.
Some hackers are ethical and known as white hats. These hackers have permission to enter computer systems and networks to find vulnerabilities that cybercriminals could exploit. They then report their findings to the owners and inform hardware or software vendors so they can be fixed.
Others are black hats, seeking financial gain by stealing or selling information or ransoming businesses for a fee. They are not restricted to a single country or region and have used their hacking skills to attack large corporations, the Department of Defense, and even the International Space Station. They have even targeted public utilities and local governments. Vulnerabilities can also come from human error, such as misconfigured security settings or outdated antivirus protection.
Detecting Phishing Attacks
Detecting phishing attacks in cyberspace is a significant challenge. Phishing involves spoofing legitimate websites to steal personal information and money from internet users. This is often done via email with forged links to online banking, auction, or payment site login pages. The links usually redirect the user to a fake login page with a spoofed domain name. Once the victim has entered their credentials, the attacker can steal the password or other sensitive information.
To help mitigate phishing threats, employees must be encouraged to report suspicious emails promptly. When reported in the early stages, the security team can take action before the threat spreads across the network.
One of the main ways to identify a phishing attack is to look for misspelled words or poor grammar in the email. Hackers are often not professional writers and are more likely to have grammatical errors. Another red flag is if the email requests personal or financial data, such as login credentials, bank accounts, or credit card numbers.
Detecting Social Engineering Attacks
Social engineering attacks are the most common and effective method for hackers to obtain confidential company data. They can take many forms, but they all involve fooling unsuspecting users or employees into handing over sensitive information. These attacks can be accomplished through phone calls, email, or physically gaining access to the premises. Malicious outsiders often pose as company contractors to extract login information or confidential data.
The most popular motivation for hacking is financial gain, such as credit card fraud or the theft of personal information like social security numbers. But there are other reasons attackers choose specific targets. These include corporate espionage, such as stealing information on competing products or services, nation-states trying to gain classified intelligence or intellectual property, and political activism.
Attackers also use the internet to detect and learn more about their victims before executing the attack. They can use fake online profiles to discover personal information such as the person’s gender, age, ethnicity, appearance, workplace, school history, and what kind of devices they own. This information creates a more convincing profile and incites the victim to act, such as clicking on a link or sending confidential data.
