UK Tech companies hit by Cyber Attacks

Cyber Attacks are happening to lots of companies following the pandemic; attackers can strike without human intervention with network-based ransomware worms. Businesses are needing to be high-ranking with their security software and learn what to spot to prevent a cyber-attack.

What is a Cyber Attack?

A cyber-attack is instigated by cybercriminals using one or more computers against a single or multiple computers or networks to access personal data. A cyber-attack can maliciously disable computers, steal data, or use a breached computer as a launch point for other attacks.

If you knew how often cyberattacks happen you would be surprised, UK IT and technology companies experienced an average of 44 cyberattacks in the last 12 months – that’s roughly one every 8 days!

What methods do Cybercriminal’s use?

Cybercriminals use a variety of methods to launch a cyber-attack such as:

• Malware
• Phishing
• Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks
• Denial-of-Service (DOS) Attack
• SQL Injections
• Zero-day Exploit
• Password Attack
• Cross-site Scripting
• Rootkits
• Internet of Things (IoT) Attacks

According to reports (95%) of IT and tech companies are aware of where the gaps in their cybersecurity defences are, only 40% are tightening their security.

Ways to prevent a Cyber Attack

If you want to secure your personal data and strengthen your Cyber Security then we have some tips below to help:

1. Keep computer hardware and software up to date – Office staff and Remote workers can protect themselves and sensitive company data by keeping the hardware and software on all their devices up to date. Reminding staff that if they see any prompts to update the software then they should do so.

2. Use a reliable and trustworthy cloud service provider – A good cloud service provider will ensure that you can safely access, edit, or manage your work documents from anywhere, without having to worry about security threats.

3. Try to avoid using public Wi-Fi – Public Wi-Fi does not have the same security as an office or home network and cyber criminals can easily access your computer if you are using the same network. Make sure you have a VPN installed if you are needing to access public Wi-Fi.

4. Strengthen your passwords – Most people like an easy to remember password, but this isn’t always the securest to use. An effective way to prevent cyber security issues is to create passwords that are hard for people to guess. Use a mix of letters, numbers and special characters to create a complex password difficult to guess. Using a password manager application can also help you to remember complex passwords.

6. Educate yourself and your remote workers – Phishing attempts, where cyber criminals try to trick people into downloading malicious files or click on dangerous links, are on the rise. If you are not aware of what phishing attacks are, or how to spot them, no VPN or antivirus software will be able to protect you. It is vitally important that you educate yourself and your team about phishing attacks to avoid falling victim to them.

7. Install firewalls – Firewalls monitor all the network traffic going in and out of your computer and protects your system from cyber-attacks. Encourage your workplace colleagues to turn firewalls on in their settings to block potentially harmful connections.