Cybersecurity Services

Malware, or malicious software, currently accounts for nearly half of all cyberattacks. Malware includes Trojans, spyware, worms, and viruses.

• Trojans: Usually found in software applications, Trojans allow other malware to get a foothold in your network.
• Spyware: Spyware infections allow unauthorized third parties to track credit cards, passwords, financial information, and other sensitive data. Spyware “eavesdrops” on your network’s users.
• Viruses: Viruses spread throughout the computer network, rendering files unusable and sometimes damaging the hardware as well.
• Worms: Similar to viruses, worms spread from one infected machine to the next until the entire network is compromised.

A devastating type of malware that deserves a spotlight of its own, ransomware is a targeted cyberattack that blocks users from accessing the network until a large sum of money is paid. Ransomware “kidnaps” your network.

In May of 2019, Baltimore City’s government fell victim to a ransomware attack known as “RobinHood.” The city refused to pay the ransom, choosing to restore their network from the ground up. Between the cost of rebuilding the network, loss of productivity, and lost revenues, the city is estimated to have taken an $18 million hit.

In addition to the financial implications of this attack, Baltimore City admits that a lot of data has been irretrievably lost. Before the incident, the city chose to ignore multiple warnings that its lack of cybersecurity services was leaving its network open to attacks.

Accounting for nearly a quarter of all cyberattacks, social engineering is a sophisticated tool for hackers to trick unsuspecting users into giving away sensitive data. Social engineering makes any link, attachment, or even web page seem legitimate.

Employees are often the target for social engineering, with a focus on:

• Baiting: Hackers promise the user an incredible offer if they click on the link that is “too good to be true.”
• Phishing: Phishing is a general term covering several types of email scams. The purpose of phishing is usually to make the user feel a sense of urgency to convince them to click on a link that seems legitimate. Credentials, social security numbers, and other sensitive data can be stolen through phishing attacks.
• Pretexting: Pretexting is similar to phishing. The email will claim that the employee needs to give some tidbit of personal or company-related information for what may seem to be a legitimate cause, such as updating a database.

Distributed Denial of Service involves botnets that crush your bandwidth and jam your website traffic. Hackers using DDoS to crash your company’s website are usually disgruntled employees or business rivals.

DDoS only accounts for around 5 percent of cyberattacks but is still estimated to cost millions in lost revenue and productivity every year.

The theft of an employee’s credentials can be traced back to weak password requirements or lack of cyber awareness on the part of the employee. This is just one of the levels of security your managed services cybersecurity plan will address.

A cybercriminal can hack your systems and send out viruses to your clients and customers using suspicious links, spamming, and malvertising. These don’t directly affect your network, but they can have real-world consequences for consumers.

• Malvertising: Ads that look legitimate, but when they are clicked will redirect the user to a fake website or install a virus into their personal computers
• Spamming: Sending multiple fake emails to the customers on your email list to try to redirect them away from your site, coerce them to reveal sensitive data, or install viruses into their systems.

These are usually the result of an employee opening a suspicious link or email, which sets the chain in motion with a click.