Cyber-attacks: causes, types and consequences

Faced with the digital transformation that companies of all industries and sizes have undergone in recent years, a reality that cannot be ignored is that no company is exempt from being the victim of a cyber attack at any time. 

Therefore, it is increasingly important to implement strategies and measures to reduce the possibility of suffering an attack of this type, which not only jeopardizes the reputation of the company but also its operation, the relationship with customers and suppliers, and also generates losses of revenue and even new business opportunities.

In this article we will tell you what are the main causes of a cyber attack, what are the most common cyber attacks that can occur and what are the impacts or consequences that this can mean for an organization. We also share some recommendations that will help you to prevent this from happening in your company. 

Main causes of a cyber attack

As a result of the digital transformation that companies are undergoing and the massive use of new information technologies, we are increasingly connected and have access to much more data.

However, despite the advantages this represents, it has also facilitated more attacks by cybercriminals who are attentive to the vulnerabilities that computer systems may have to take advantage of and do damage. 

Among the main causes that can generate a cyber attack are the following:

Vulnerability of computer systems, i.e., failures or deficiencies that put assets at risk because they are not effectively protected.

2. Accidental disclosure of confidential information by employees.

3. Loss and theft of electronic devices that store private company information.

4. Employees with bad intentions and without scruples who put the company's information at risk.

5. Breaches or lack of controls by third parties, i.e., if they are victims of an attack, cybercriminals can access information from other companies with which they have relationships and look for ways to harm them as well. 

6. Social engineering, social engineering, which in general terms consists of the manipulation of specific people in order to obtain confidential data such as passwords or other data of great value and importance to the company. 

All these situations can facilitate the materialization of a cyber attack, which can be presented in different ways.

When we talk about a cyber-attack, we refer to offensive and damaging actions against information systems, whether of an individual, a company, or a government entity. These systems can be computer networks, databases and all assets that store confidential and valuable data and information of the organization.

When committing these attacks, cybercriminals generally seek to affect, alter, or destroy not only the reputation of a company or individual but also to hurt its operation and the relationship with its different stakeholders. 

Therefore, it is important to know the main cyber-attacks that can occur to know how to act quickly and intelligently and mitigate the impacts. 

The first thing to keep in mind is that these attacks can be both external and internal; yes, in some cases, it can happen that an employee voluntarily attacks the company, although most of the time, this happens accidentally. 

The most common cyber-attacks that companies can fall victim to are:

1. Phishing and spear phishing. Phishing consists of emails or text messages that appear to be sent by trusted sources and persuade the recipient to complete an action, open a malicious link, that will put personal or company information at risk.
   
   And spear phishing seeks to obtain valuable data by targeting a specific person or company after having gained their trust. This attack is widely used against well-known companies and individuals.
   
   
2. Whaling or "whaling". They are aimed at executive profiles such as CEO's or CFO's and other high positions in organizations with the objective of stealing confidential information to which they have access.
   
   
3. Malware. This is a malicious program or code that secretly and silently affects an information system. Malware has the ability to break into, damage and disable computers and other information assets, in other words, it can steal and delete data, hijack functions and spy on activities without being noticed. Some malware are ransomware, Trojans and spyware.
   
   
4. Ransomware. Also known as data hijacking, it consists of a hacker blocking an electronic device and encrypting the files so that the owner cannot access the stored information and data.
   
   
5. SQL Injection. It is an attack to the web that consists of the infiltration of a malicious code that takes advantage of errors and vulnerabilities of a web page. It is used to steal databases, manipulate or destroy information. 
   
   

Consequences of suffering a cyberattack

Undoubtedly, one of the main consequences of being a victim of a cybercriminal is the impact on the company's reputation, since this is based on trust, which can be diminished when it becomes known that the company has suffered an attack of this type.  

But this is not the only impact generated by a cyberattack, others, just as important, are:

1. Cessation of activities or delays in production processes or provision of services because the systems are blocked, there is information hijacking and they must focus on ransomware to be able to operate normally. 
   
   
2. Economic impact. On the one hand, because criminals can demand large amounts of money for the ransom of the information, i.e. the company is the victim of extortion, and on the other hand, because business expenses increase, since the solution to the problem often requires technological and legal support and advice from experts. 
   
   
3. Loss of customers and suppliers. This is related to the damage to the company's reputation and image since the public may stop trusting the company that was the victim of a cyberattack because they see that it is vulnerable and may also put them at risk. 

What to do to prevent a cyber-attack?

To prevent the materialization of a cyber threat or risk, first of all, it is essential to implement training and awareness strategies on IT security and cybersecurity for the organization's employees, who are considered the weakest link in the chain.

It is essential to do this consistently and effectively so that everyone understands the importance of making good use of the assets and information to which they have access, as well as being careful with the passwords they use and being alert to possible cases of phishing, malware or other attacks. 

In addition to this, companies must be prepared to prevent a cyber-attack, i.e., have tools and develop practices that allow them to detect vulnerabilities and weaknesses in their systems in time to correct them in time, for example, ethical hacking.

And with Pirani's Information Security module, companies can manage in a simple way their information assets and the different risks to which they are exposed, thus reducing the probability of an attack.