Network Security Threats And How To Prevent Them

Network Security Threats And How To Prevent Them

1. Spyware

   • software that enables a user to obtain covert information about another's computer activities by transmitting data covertly from their hard drive.
   • Keep Your Software Updated
   • Don't Click on Popups
   • Use a Secure Browser

2. Worms

   • A computer worm is a type of malware that spreads copies of itself from computer to computer. A worm can replicate itself without any human interaction, and it does not need to attach itself to a software program in order to cause damage.
   • Disable Unused Services
   • Lock Down the Server Service
   • Safeguard Administrative Authority

3. Trojan horse

   • Trojan, is a type of malicious code or software that looks legitimate but can take control of your computer
   • Trojan allows hackers to remotely access and control a computer, often for the purpose of uploading, downloading, or executing files at will
   • Trojans are intended to prevent the discovery of malware already infecting a system so that it can affect maximum damage.

4. Phishing

   • Phishing is a type of social engineering attack often used to steal user data, including login credentials and credit card numbers
     • Rotate passwords regularly.
     • Don't ignore those updates

5. Computer viruses

   • A computer virus is a malicious software program loaded onto a user's computer without the user's knowledge and performs malicious actions
     • Do Not allow people to use your computer without your knowledge
     • Do Not download and run unrecognized software, especially files with an .exe extension

6. Adware

   • software that automatically displays or downloads advertising material such as banners or pop-ups when a user is online.
   • Only download these programs from reputable websites that you trust
   • While browsing, avoid clicking on any advertisements or notices

7. Brute force attack

   • A brute force attack uses trial-and-error to guess login info, encryption keys, or find a hidden web page. Hackers work through all possible combinations hoping to guess correctly.
   • Using strong passwords
   • Locking accounts after a certain number of login attempts
   • Using 2 step verification (e.g. a code sent to mobile phone to confirm identity)

8. DDoS attack

   • DDoS attack occurs when multiple systems flood the bandwidth or resources of a targeted system
   • Using a firewall to control which programs can send and receive data packets, so that only authorised users & trusted programs can access the network.
   • DDoS attack overwhelms a machine’s network bandwidth by flooding it with false data requests on every open port the device has available

9. SQL injection

   • a common attack vector that uses malicious SQL code for backend database manipulation to access information that was not intended to be displayed
   • Using penetration testing to check for vulnerabilities in the SQL code and report back
   • Validating user input so that the website form will not accept SQL statements or characters
   • Escaping input strings so that any SQL characters are ignored when processing the input from a website form
   • Using only prepared statements to restrict the SQL that can be executed. The input data from a website form can only be used by previously prepared SQL statements, which are processed separately to the input data