Internet security—a combination of security measures put into place to protect any transaction or activity made over the internet—is one of the most necessary forms of security your business could possibly have.
Everything we do, every day, is virtually always online—even though we sit next to Deborah, we usually send her files through a document sharing program like SharePoint or Google Docs. We don’t walk over with a paper file and hand it to her often, if ever. When thinking of our daily interactions with the internet in corporate environments, it becomes more and more startling that many of us are not aware what our role in our company’s corporate security actually is. Some think it’s remembering to change your password, while others know there are specific steps you can take to better secure your network from the malicious creepy crawlies.
They're Everywhere
Security threats are as widely varied as the content on the internet and can include everything from the well-known malware and phishing to Wi-Fi threats, computer worms, and botnets.
How many people do you know that take their work devices with them to coffee shops for a change of pace? As safe and normal as this may seem, there are multiple kinds of Wi-Fi threats that can piggyback onto public Wi-Fi and open networks. The three most common types of Wi-Fi threats are Man-in-the-Middle (MitM), Rogue Networks, and Packet Sniffing.
Let’s break this down a little bit:
- Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks are generally the most common type of Wi-Fi threat. In its most basic form, a MitM attack is when a bad actor is able to intercept and read messages between users who believe they are only speaking to each other privately, essentially eavesdropping on their conversation and any confidential information that is being shared.
- Rogue Networks are fake Wi-Fi networks that attackers set up to confuse users into giving hackers access to their devices. Rogue networks can easily masquerade as trusted networks, especially those at locations like your favorite bookstore or coffee shop. If you see a guest network, only use it if the network is secured and you need a password to log into the network. This can help ensure your computer and other tech is better protected and is less likely to end up on a rogue network.
- Packet Sniffing, sometimes known as Packet Analyzers, can monitor traffic on a network. This malicious attack can intercept data while it is being transmitted across your network and provide hackers with details on the data package’s contents. Using this method, bad actors can also introduce errors that can corrupt your system.
Wi-Fi threats aren’t the only internet threats to your corporate security. Botnets, a network of private computers that are infected with malicious software and often controlled by a single user, are most often used for denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, and sending out spam messages for users in your network. Similarly, a computer worm, a software that can copy itself multiple times, can spread across your network quickly, leaving mass destruction in its wake.
What Now?
With the threat of bad actors finding a hole in your network at any point in time, it’s impossible to ignore your cyber security. Risks are becoming higher as viruses and malware become increasingly complex, setting companies up for difficulties when navigating the process of recovering data, and further difficulties of finding easily obtainable cyber security insurance following a security event. Finding and utilizing a trusted partner can help you keep your network safe and consistently monitored with services like a 24/7/365 monitored Security Operations Center (SOC), help attaining industry security compliance requirements, and developing a Backup and Disaster Recovery (DR) plan for when the unexpected strikes.
